In this vein through a series of synchronicities we stumbled upon one of these unscathed Southern small towns, which according to Southern Living Magazine’s 2017 list of “best ofs” is in their top five, and the only non coastal locale to be named “one of the best small small towns in the South”: Aiken, SC.

As we did our requisite pretravel research,  we found ourselves intrigued by Aiken’s enormous bucolic public gardens (Hitchcock Woods and Hopelands Gardens), food and art scene (Aiken Center for the Arts), it’s utterly distinctive history (Aiken County Historical Museum) and its “time stood still” downtown. Impacted by the advent of its early railroad, Aiken it turns out has a really colorful story as well as architectural finds galore and an intrinsic and sweet promise of a quiet more innocent  time.

We stumbled upon an imminently affordable one level house (as you do as you age) with a pool near a swimmable lake and pickle ball courts. It seemed irresistible.  And at the very least, it would justify a sleepy weekend get-away full of discoveries, and as it turned out – a great many surprises.

We also came upon a magazine interview that Lady Diana’s tragic final beau Dodi Fayed’s former fiancée, an international model, had given, describing how she’d become besotted with the town and moved there with her parents. In the interview she spoke with sublime enthusiasm of her Pilates classes and enjoying cocktails on the porch of its world class hotel The Willcox. We would soon encounter this genteel upscale hotel ourselves, built in 1898, with its intimate lobby with bar and restaurant, two roaring fire places for colder nights, and nearby the town’s Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Musem.

Aiken’s almost year-round horse scene continues to thrive and is a hold-over from its bygone era of extreme wealth where the top 1% would gather for its famed “Winter Colony” to enjoy its equestrian offerings. In the guest books of that era one would find such illustrious family names as Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Astor, Iselin and others.

Just a  2 1/2 hour drive from Atlanta, Aiken with its swank horse district is still renowned for its outstanding training facilities and gentle clime, to this day retains some of its sand and Carolina clay roads for the horses’s comfort. Its annual Triple Crown for three weekends in spring include a widely attended annual steeple chase, top ranked horse shows  and – wait for it – actual Polo. Also found on Aiken’s to do lists are shopping, galleries, top notch golf, terrific walking trails at Aiken State Park and many other dazzling parks.

As it turns out, in addition to its rich horse tradition, Aiken is positively brimming with wild and wooly local color, exquisite public parks (one with a human size doll house), lakes, historic homes of architectural note, a terrific food scene as well as cultural activities that would thrill even the most consummate culture vultures. During a winter visit we were fortunate to attend Joye in Aiken with hip, and happening top notch wildly talented New York and international jazz musicians and vocalists many of whom hailed from New York’s prestigious Juilliard and from the stages of Lincoln Center.

Aiken continued to surprise. Its heavily tattooed and mightily helpful tourism director – a recently relocated Manhattanite himself – generously, and at the last minute, got us on the fabulous once a week Saturday morning trolley tour – a plum way to experience the town’s uniquely lively accounts as well as providing much sought after tix to Joye in Aiken.

Throughout our short stay we encountered a record number of residents that seemed to come from unlikely locales  including New Zealand, Wales, the West Coast, the MidWest, a ton of New Yorkers and others.

We learned of the town’s sometimes racy past – FDR’s long time girlfriend Lucy resided in Aiken and the last private owner of the Hope Diamond apparently entertained her guests with a rousing game of Hide and Seek there where the diamond was the prize and allowed her dog to wear the priceless stone on its collar.

All of this combined to provide a fabulous visit plus some of the best oysters we’ve ever had at the town’s nautical and thoroughly hip Park Avenue Oyster Bar & Grill, drawing us back for future visits.  Warmer times of year there is the pledge of the town’s alluring canopied roads and extensive parks and paths in full blossom.

It turns out Aiken has offerings and festivals throughout the year together with nearby North Augusta, SC and Augusta, GA which provides the famed and exclusive Master’s Golf Tournament in April, a year round canal tour, some really yummy restaurants and equally breath-taking architecture as well.

You’ll pass through North Augusta  enroute from Atlanta to Aiken which is just 30 minutes’ further down the road. North Augusta’s wide boulevards and lighted squares are lined with authentic symmetrical Italian Renaissance inspired Beaux-Art Greek Revival “antebellum” homes with epic Grecian columns and illuminated facades.

Read about another exceptional Southern town we explored during another weekend foray: Beaufort, SC

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Cathy Burroughs is a noted travel writer and blogger who travels throughout the historic South, nationally and all over Europe. She is published widely including The New York Times international supplement.