Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thank you for your opinion and suggestion. Being from Virginia, I've always loved the Blue Ridge in fall. I think we will do just that----even spend three or four days to get a "feel" for the commute. Greensville-Spartansburg is a cropdusting airport----but its functional. How far would Hartsfield or Charlotte-Douglass be from the lake for international flights?
They are both 2.5 hours from the north end of the lake. But you can get international flights out of GSP as well.
A few thoughts from being on the lake for over 30 years. In my mind there are really 3 sections.
South End
Closest to (and in) Seneca. All modern conveniences, restaurants, medical, etc. Views not as good, it gets flatter the further south you go. The marina is down there as well, it's fun to visit. Keowee Key, South Cove are some things to Google.
The Middle
The long stretch. Big houses. THE waterfall. A dinky marina. Better views. ~20 minutes to Seneca.
The North End
The Reserve. Jump off rock(s) and narrower water. The Vineyards. There is one tiny but nice grocery store and a couple of gas stations. A small Ace Hardware. Outstanding views, Highway 11. 40 mins to Seneca.
3 seasons there is very little traffic, in the winter you will have it all to yourself. The summer days are crowded, the big summer holidays are CRAZY. (I got pulled over by the water cops 4 times in one Labor day, checking PFDs and making sure we weren't too drunk I suppose)
Before the 07-08 crash there was a boom in the north end. Lots of neighborhood roads were built but never got houses.
And that's my rambling to fill the end of my lunch break. I can answer just about any questions, especially about the extreme north and south ends.
I prefer the South end myself although I do not live there. My mother in law did until she got sick & had to sell. It was closer to stores & the hospital but if you are looking in a community with most of the amenities in the premises you might like the Cliffs. I prefer boating on the South End as it does not seem quite as busy. You really do need to visit before deciding.
Thank you for the great comments and input. I can do remote, but my wife may be a different story. I think a "road trip" is in order. I completely agree about the lot. It has to be a lakefront.
I had no idea several other posters lived on Keowee - my wife and I lived on Lake Keowee in the mid-2000's - and, as I stated in several other threads, I loved it and my wife disliked it - unfortunately, we had no where no near the resources the OP has LOL (we did not have a personal boat, lakefront property, upscale home, or memberships to any of the private lake organizations). We lived on an interior lake lot with a "winter view" LOL but did have direct, private access to Keowee.
A poster above gave a great description of Lake Keowee from south to north - we lived in the mid-section. It was quiet, VERY QUIET - I loved this (we moved from downtown Birmingham, AL with lots of traffic noise). My wife was more accustomed to big city amenities and just wanted more to do (plus, it was difficult to meet younger couples as most people we encountered were older/retired).
Realize that Lake Keowee is one of the three gigantic lakes in NW SC - it's sits in the middle with Jocassee to the north (amazing lake) and Hartwell to the south (my least favorite of the three).
Oconee County, esp Keowee, attracts LOTS of retirees from the Mid-West and Northeast. If you are not into outdoor activities (boating, hiking, swimming, golfing), you may become bored. Please note, IT IS RURAL - yes, you have some amenities in Seneca - but, if you prefer any upscale shopping/dining, it will be a trip to Greenville (generally not Anderson) - Greenville has the Upstate's only Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Apple Store, REI, Total Wine, Cabela's - it also hosts the largest cinema (Regal) and SC's largest indoor mall (Haywood) - and, as you may know, Greenville has its well-known, revitalized downtown with the Peace Center / Falls Park (along with numerous shops restaurants: Brooks Brothers, Anthropologie, Mast General, Tupelo Honey, Kilwin's, etc etc). There is not a decent cinema in Oconee County. There are no Publix locations anywhere in Seneca/Oconee County (my wife strongly prefers Publix for most grocery needs).
Although Oconee Medical Center is excellent (for a rural hospital), if you (or your significant other) require routine specialist care, I advise against living on Keowee as you will be making trips to Anderson and/or Greenville.
Also note, Lake Keowee was built for the primary purpose of cooling the Oconee Nuclear Station (and, to some extent, for generating hydro power at the Keowee Hydro Station). When we visited Keowee for the first time, we noticed large sirens in many areas - we thought these were weather sirens LOL; no, our real estate agent informed us these sirens were utilized only for nuclear emergencies.
Also note: from Seneca, SC you are about 125 miles to Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport (little over a 2 hour drive).
Last edited by drfranklin; 05-22-2014 at 07:54 AM..
after reading this thread, I have to ask, is no one concerned about the nuclear power plant? we were looking hard at this area right up until we checked into the lovely little B and B in Seneca and on the back of our door, instead of fire evac, there was info for nuclear accident evac routes... and what the sirens meant... that ended the search for me.
those plants are shrouded in secrecy, and you never get a straight answer out of any of them here, NC or Calif. so, we passed, I didn't want glow in the dark grandkids.
Maybe we are not educated enough about the affects & to be honest we might not want to know. After working in chemical mixing for 13 years I have been exposed to a lot of dangerous chemicals. I swim in the Lake & as far as I know I'm not glowing yet. To be honest, there are so many unsafe things in this world & knowing I'm going to die at some point it is not a major concern for me. Just personal.
Maybe we are not educated enough about the affects & to be honest we might not want to know. After working in chemical mixing for 13 years I have been exposed to a lot of dangerous chemicals. I swim in the Lake & as far as I know I'm not glowing yet. To be honest, there are so many unsafe things in this world & knowing I'm going to die at some point it is not a major concern for me. Just personal.
Agreed. My chances of death as a result of nuclear energy are significantly lower than death by lightning.
I will take those chances and the lower electric bills that come with those risks.
My parents recently bought property in the Reserve and we went up for a visit over the Memorial Day weekend. Lake Keowee is beautiful and the Reserve is pretty amazing. My parents have never lived in a planned community before and were a little hesitant that it may be a bit "hoity toity" for their taste, but I think they're going to really love it. Everyone we met was very friendly and seemed down-to-earth. There were a ton of young people there as well since the Reserve caters to the members' children and grandchildren by hosting different types of events and activities for them. They had a wonderful barbeque and fireworks display for Memorial Day. And there is so much to do at the Reserve- they have scheduled events every single day so I don't think you could ever get board. The grounds are manicured to a T, they have a fitness center, pools, world-class golf course, hiking trails, etc. Plus, Greenville is just a 45 minute drive away, if you want to go to the city. They'll likely utilize Seneca for groceries and other necessities. I also heard that the Greenville Hospital System is going to buy the Oconee Medical Center in Seneca which may enhance their services. But my parents did say that many of their friends in the Reserve wished there was some sort of emergency clinic near the Reserve in case of a health issue. My parents love the outdoors and my brother and his family live in Oconee county plus I am considering moving down that way after my husband finishes school, so it's another draw for them to live there.
If anyone has insight into neighborhoods or towns a young family should consider moving to around Lake Keowee, I'd appreciate it! I plan to work in Seneca for my brother's business, so I'd like to be within 30 or so minutes from Seneca. My husband will likely work for himself, so it won't be an issue of what town we live in (for the most part). I am wondering if Lake Hartwell/Anderson area may be better for people my age (almost 30)?! Or possibly finding a neighborhood on the southern part of Lake Keowee near Seneca. Or also any towns in between Lake Keowee and Greenville? Thank you in advance for any input!
My parents recently bought property in the Reserve and we went up for a visit over the Memorial Day weekend. Lake Keowee is beautiful and the Reserve is pretty amazing. My parents have never lived in a planned community before and were a little hesitant that it may be a bit "hoity toity" for their taste, but I think they're going to really love it. Everyone we met was very friendly and seemed down-to-earth. There were a ton of young people there as well since the Reserve caters to the members' children and grandchildren by hosting different types of events and activities for them. They had a wonderful barbeque and fireworks display for Memorial Day. And there is so much to do at the Reserve- they have scheduled events every single day so I don't think you could ever get board. The grounds are manicured to a T, they have a fitness center, pools, world-class golf course, hiking trails, etc. Plus, Greenville is just a 45 minute drive away, if you want to go to the city. They'll likely utilize Seneca for groceries and other necessities. I also heard that the Greenville Hospital System is going to buy the Oconee Medical Center in Seneca which may enhance their services. But my parents did say that many of their friends in the Reserve wished there was some sort of emergency clinic near the Reserve in case of a health issue. My parents love the outdoors and my brother and his family live in Oconee county plus I am considering moving down that way after my husband finishes school, so it's another draw for them to live there.
If anyone has insight into neighborhoods or towns a young family should consider moving to around Lake Keowee, I'd appreciate it! I plan to work in Seneca for my brother's business, so I'd like to be within 30 or so minutes from Seneca. My husband will likely work for himself, so it won't be an issue of what town we live in (for the most part). I am wondering if Lake Hartwell/Anderson area may be better for people my age (almost 30)?! Or possibly finding a neighborhood on the southern part of Lake Keowee near Seneca. Or also any towns in between Lake Keowee and Greenville? Thank you in advance for any input!
The Clemson / Central area that feeds into Daniel High School would be one consideration in that area. The North side of Anderson in the Hanna High School attendance zone would be another consideration. Pendleton also has pretty good schools as well. All those areas would be 30 minutes or less to Seneca.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
