It is no surprise that living anywhere comes with risks such as volcanoes, tornadoes (many, many tornadoes), or extreme flooding. There is no surprise that living on the coast is going to come with an obvious risk, but we are talking so much more when it comes to living in South Carolina. Here are some of the biggest risks of living in South Carolina. Some may surprise you!

  1. Fire Ants

Martin LaBar/Flickr They are EVERYWHERE and invade EVERYTHING! Their bite is painful and some people are highly allergic. Growing up in South Carolina, you learn to watch out for these little tiny terrors.

  1. Mosquitos

Sanofi Pasteur/Flickr You’ve got to get used to bugs while living in South Carolina, but getting eaten alive by mosquitos will really put a damper on your day. And the next few days after.

  1. Gnats & Flies

Jon Holt/Flickr Gnats….These horrendous little bits of flying things that invade your personal space. They stick to you like glue and, yes, people have eaten one or two in the lifetimes.

dasWebweib/Flickr Flies are just as bad. When the storms are rolling in they are worse! They may not be one of the most dangerous things in South Carolina, but they sure are one of the most irritating.

  1. Alligators

Reinhard Link/Flickr Now THIS is one of the most dangerous things in South Carolina. Somehow they get in the most unlikeliest of places and take up residence there. You see them sunning themselves on the golfing green and swimming in backyard swimming pools.

  1. Black Bears

Ian Matchett/Flickr These curious bears tend to get in the most trouble. Last winter, a very large one was picked up in the Sonic parking lot in Florence, SC. Before that, they were seen walking down Irby Street as if they owned the entire place. Oh, sure, they look cute and cuddly, but we wouldn’t attempt to hug one.

  1. Deer

Alexander C. Kafka/Flickr Ever tried to drive down a dark country road? The risk to life and limb can be great because of these 4-legged creatures. Sure, they look idyllic, but not so much when you’re driving down the highway and one darts out into your path.

  1. Brown Recluse spiders or spiders in general.

Smithsonian Institution-NMNH-Insect Zoo/Flickr Here in South Carolina we are home to many kinds of spiders, but the two that we need to worry about the most are the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow. The biggest phobia most have is arachnophobia. So, be forewarned you are going to see a lot of spiders and most of them will make you hurt yourself, but will not actually hurt you.

  1. Dum dum da dummm…The Palmetto Bug

Miran Rijavec/Flickr These may not kill you, but may make you kill yourself by trying to get away from them. Then evolution made a funny and gave these suckers wings!

  1. Snakes

Dennis Church/Flickr Rattlesnakes, water mocassins, and coral and some of the most dangerous things in South Carolina, but even the non-venemous variety can cause a panic attack.

  1. Drivers

Taber Andrew Bain/Flickr Laugh if you must, but it is risky business driving in South Carolina. It is like taking your life in your hands when you hit the road.

  1. Rogue Golf Balls

Tord Sollie/Flickr Due to the amount of golf courses here in South Carolina, it is definitely a risk that you, your house (specifically a window), or your car may be hit by a rogue golf ball. Definitely one of the lesser-known bummers about living in South Carolina.

  1. Coyotes

Don McCullough/Flickr And, no, we are actually talking about the animals here guys and gals. They are plentiful here. They are thieves and worse…much, much worse. They are definitely a nuisance to farmers.

  1. Bobcats

Linda Tanner/Flickr The babies will randomly come out of the woods and appear on your doorstep. Awww! They are so cute and cuddly! Until momma appears and then things can get quite ugly real fast.

  1. Bees

Martin LaBar/Flickr Spring arrives and everything blooms. This is when the bees come alive with activity and they are not so discerning between you and a flower. We keep yelling, “I’m not a flower!”, but it doesn’t seem to help. Running does help…sometimes.

  1. Yellow flies/deer flies

Mike Juvrud/Flickr If you have ever taken a hike in the woods you know the feeling. These things will sneak up on you and leave you scratching an itch forever!

  1. Horseflies

Thomas & Dianne Jones/Flickr These things just hurt! Fortunately, you can usually feel them land on you unless you are distracted with something else. However, when they are done being mean you will definitely know they have been there!

  1. Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac

Janet Tarbox/Flickr Talk about itching…We have an abundance of these plants here in South Carolina. We think it is the wonderful weather that we have here they love so much. They will love you too by the way.

  1. Sunburn

Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr Living in South Carolina means having access to beautiful beaches, but if you’re not careful, you’ll pay the price. This picture pretty much sums up what it feels like here when summer is kicking full steam ahead. There is definitely a risk of horrible sunburn or just melting into a puddle.

  1. Carolina/Clemson

Chris/Flickr The risk of angering one or the other is great and it is sometimes very difficult to spot them. So Beware!

  1. Hurricanes

kakela/Flickr Last, but not least, there is a very real risk of hurricanes. Hurricanes are a risk for any coastal state, but it’s especially a risk of living in South Carolina.

Now that we’ve covered some of the biggest risks to living in South Carolina, how about we flip the script and talk about how living in South Carolina is the absolute best?

Martin LaBar/Flickr

They are EVERYWHERE and invade EVERYTHING! Their bite is painful and some people are highly allergic. Growing up in South Carolina, you learn to watch out for these little tiny terrors.

Sanofi Pasteur/Flickr

You’ve got to get used to bugs while living in South Carolina, but getting eaten alive by mosquitos will really put a damper on your day. And the next few days after.

Jon Holt/Flickr

Gnats….These horrendous little bits of flying things that invade your personal space. They stick to you like glue and, yes, people have eaten one or two in the lifetimes.

dasWebweib/Flickr

Flies are just as bad. When the storms are rolling in they are worse! They may not be one of the most dangerous things in South Carolina, but they sure are one of the most irritating.

Reinhard Link/Flickr

Now THIS is one of the most dangerous things in South Carolina. Somehow they get in the most unlikeliest of places and take up residence there. You see them sunning themselves on the golfing green and swimming in backyard swimming pools.

Ian Matchett/Flickr

These curious bears tend to get in the most trouble. Last winter, a very large one was picked up in the Sonic parking lot in Florence, SC. Before that, they were seen walking down Irby Street as if they owned the entire place. Oh, sure, they look cute and cuddly, but we wouldn’t attempt to hug one.

Alexander C. Kafka/Flickr

Ever tried to drive down a dark country road? The risk to life and limb can be great because of these 4-legged creatures. Sure, they look idyllic, but not so much when you’re driving down the highway and one darts out into your path.

Smithsonian Institution-NMNH-Insect Zoo/Flickr

Here in South Carolina we are home to many kinds of spiders, but the two that we need to worry about the most are the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow. The biggest phobia most have is arachnophobia. So, be forewarned you are going to see a lot of spiders and most of them will make you hurt yourself, but will not actually hurt you.

Miran Rijavec/Flickr

These may not kill you, but may make you kill yourself by trying to get away from them. Then evolution made a funny and gave these suckers wings!

Dennis Church/Flickr

Rattlesnakes, water mocassins, and coral and some of the most dangerous things in South Carolina, but even the non-venemous variety can cause a panic attack.

Taber Andrew Bain/Flickr

Laugh if you must, but it is risky business driving in South Carolina. It is like taking your life in your hands when you hit the road.

Tord Sollie/Flickr

Due to the amount of golf courses here in South Carolina, it is definitely a risk that you, your house (specifically a window), or your car may be hit by a rogue golf ball. Definitely one of the lesser-known bummers about living in South Carolina.

Don McCullough/Flickr

And, no, we are actually talking about the animals here guys and gals. They are plentiful here. They are thieves and worse…much, much worse. They are definitely a nuisance to farmers.

Linda Tanner/Flickr

The babies will randomly come out of the woods and appear on your doorstep. Awww! They are so cute and cuddly! Until momma appears and then things can get quite ugly real fast.

Spring arrives and everything blooms. This is when the bees come alive with activity and they are not so discerning between you and a flower. We keep yelling, “I’m not a flower!”, but it doesn’t seem to help. Running does help…sometimes.

Mike Juvrud/Flickr

If you have ever taken a hike in the woods you know the feeling. These things will sneak up on you and leave you scratching an itch forever!

Thomas & Dianne Jones/Flickr

These things just hurt! Fortunately, you can usually feel them land on you unless you are distracted with something else. However, when they are done being mean you will definitely know they have been there!

Janet Tarbox/Flickr

Talk about itching…We have an abundance of these plants here in South Carolina. We think it is the wonderful weather that we have here they love so much. They will love you too by the way.

Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr

Living in South Carolina means having access to beautiful beaches, but if you’re not careful, you’ll pay the price. This picture pretty much sums up what it feels like here when summer is kicking full steam ahead. There is definitely a risk of horrible sunburn or just melting into a puddle.

Chris/Flickr

The risk of angering one or the other is great and it is sometimes very difficult to spot them. So Beware!

kakela/Flickr

Last, but not least, there is a very real risk of hurricanes. Hurricanes are a risk for any coastal state, but it’s especially a risk of living in South Carolina.

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The OIYS Visitor Center

living in South Carolina August 10, 2022 Jackie Ann What are the best things about living in South Carolina? Living in South Carolina is the best! Depending on where you are in the state, you’ll see warm weather for 7-8 months of the year. Many South Carolinians take advantage of the beautiful weather by spending their days at one of the many state parks in South Carolina, but you could always sink your toes in the sand along the beautiful South Carolina beaches, or take a hiking trail up to the top of a mountain. Combine the natural landscape with South Carolina’s incredible culinary landscape, and you’ve got liquid gold. Carolina Gold. What are the most beautiful places in South Carolina? From the coast to the mountains, there are so many beautiful places in South Carolina, that it would take a lifetime to explore them all! For example, South Carolina is peppered with majestic oak trees, but few can compare to the Angel Oak of St. John’s Island, one of the oldest living trees in North America. This 400+-year-old tree needs to be seen in person to be believed. For endless mountain views, you can’t top the views from Caesar’s Head State Park or Table Rock. What is South Carolina known for? If we had to narrow it down to just three, we’d say beaches, golf courses, and history. Hilton Head is a very popular island for living that beach life, but if you want to take the path less traveled, head to one of South Carolina’s lesser-known beaches, like Edisto. In addition to beautiful beaches, you’ll also enjoy Edisto Beach State Park where you can rent a cabin, hike the trails through the marsh, and more. For history, you can’t go wrong with spending a few days in Charleston. Not only is Charleston one of the most beautiful towns in the country, but it has a rich history that is unparalleled…and maybe haunted.

The OIYS Visitor Center

living in South Carolina

August 10, 2022

Jackie Ann

What are the best things about living in South Carolina? Living in South Carolina is the best! Depending on where you are in the state, you’ll see warm weather for 7-8 months of the year. Many South Carolinians take advantage of the beautiful weather by spending their days at one of the many state parks in South Carolina, but you could always sink your toes in the sand along the beautiful South Carolina beaches, or take a hiking trail up to the top of a mountain. Combine the natural landscape with South Carolina’s incredible culinary landscape, and you’ve got liquid gold. Carolina Gold. What are the most beautiful places in South Carolina? From the coast to the mountains, there are so many beautiful places in South Carolina, that it would take a lifetime to explore them all! For example, South Carolina is peppered with majestic oak trees, but few can compare to the Angel Oak of St. John’s Island, one of the oldest living trees in North America. This 400+-year-old tree needs to be seen in person to be believed. For endless mountain views, you can’t top the views from Caesar’s Head State Park or Table Rock. What is South Carolina known for? If we had to narrow it down to just three, we’d say beaches, golf courses, and history. Hilton Head is a very popular island for living that beach life, but if you want to take the path less traveled, head to one of South Carolina’s lesser-known beaches, like Edisto. In addition to beautiful beaches, you’ll also enjoy Edisto Beach State Park where you can rent a cabin, hike the trails through the marsh, and more. For history, you can’t go wrong with spending a few days in Charleston. Not only is Charleston one of the most beautiful towns in the country, but it has a rich history that is unparalleled…and maybe haunted.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Living in South Carolina is the best! Depending on where you are in the state, you’ll see warm weather for 7-8 months of the year. Many South Carolinians take advantage of the beautiful weather by spending their days at one of the many state parks in South Carolina, but you could always sink your toes in the sand along the beautiful South Carolina beaches, or take a hiking trail up to the top of a mountain. Combine the natural landscape with South Carolina’s incredible culinary landscape, and you’ve got liquid gold. Carolina Gold.

What are the most beautiful places in South Carolina?

From the coast to the mountains, there are so many beautiful places in South Carolina, that it would take a lifetime to explore them all! For example, South Carolina is peppered with majestic oak trees, but few can compare to the Angel Oak of St. John’s Island, one of the oldest living trees in North America. This 400+-year-old tree needs to be seen in person to be believed. For endless mountain views, you can’t top the views from Caesar’s Head State Park or Table Rock.

What is South Carolina known for?

If we had to narrow it down to just three, we’d say beaches, golf courses, and history. Hilton Head is a very popular island for living that beach life, but if you want to take the path less traveled, head to one of South Carolina’s lesser-known beaches, like Edisto. In addition to beautiful beaches, you’ll also enjoy Edisto Beach State Park where you can rent a cabin, hike the trails through the marsh, and more. For history, you can’t go wrong with spending a few days in Charleston. Not only is Charleston one of the most beautiful towns in the country, but it has a rich history that is unparalleled…and maybe haunted.