Aiken, SC

Yes - FREE!! Free concerts all summer long. What a great little town I live in. Aiken, South Carolina.

We are so blessed to have this beautiful public garden in town. Originally part of The Iselin family estate, Hopelands Gardens was given to the City of Aiken, and opened as a public garden in 1959.

Enter the gardens and you get the feeling that you are in a different world - possibly even stepping back into time. Giant old trees tower over the main entrance path provide shade on a summers day. Listen to the birds. Smell the flowers. Hear the fountains from afar. Stroll along the path and you will see fields of grass, flowers galore, beautiful magnolias with flowers the size of dinner plates - really - they are some big old trees!. As you wander through the gardens you will come upon ponds (complete with some ducks and turtles!), fountains, amphitheaters and brides. Yes, brides! And entire wedding parties, lol. Many local brides have their wedding photos done in the gardens :) Actually - so many events are marked with a picture at Hopelands Gardens it seems. Proms - Graduations - Weddings - Family visiting from out of town...! (One of my nieces had her wedding at Hopelands Gardens, it was absolutely beautiful)

There is even a touch-and-feel walkway with braille signs.

Museums on the property

the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame, the Dollhouse, and the Carriage Museum.

Hopelands Gardens offers year round beauty, but in the summer you can combine the beauty of the gardens with the sound of music! A picnic supper, a blanket, family and friends make for a perfect Monday evening during the summer months. Most of the concerts begin at 7:00 P.M. And admission is ALWAYS free. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on, and enjoy!

Here is the 2008 Summer Concert Series Lineup

Come and enjoy the concerts and the gardens. You'll be glad you did.

Hopelands Gardens is located at Whiskey Road and Dupree Place, Aiken SC. Open from 10am till dusk. We'll talk about the Christmas display later in the year! :)

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Yes, right here in the center of lil' ole Aiken, SC, pop. @25,000, is Hitchcock Woods. Over 2000 acres - one of the largest urban forests in America. Over 75 miles of walking/riding trails. ONLY HOOF AND FOOT TRAFFIC ALLOWED!! (oh, horse drawn carriages are also permitted) It is so beautiful, that I just don't have the words to describe. Peaceful, serene, beautiful. So many different trees, birds, flowers, animals, plants - even a river of sand running through it.! People have been riding their horses and foxhunting on this land for over 100 years , (It didn't become Hitchcock Woods till 1939), and the hunt continues today. Of course they don't use live foxes...the hounds follow a scent trail......the horses follow the hounds..... up hills, through meadows, over fences...... very exciting! You can walk your dog in The Woods, go for a stroll, jog, take a picnic........ Walking (or riding) along Kalmia Trail in late spring is so pretty with all the Kalmia blooming, and there is another trail where you can see Spanish Moss (like the Old South)..and beautiful wildflowers - - every trail is different, but just as beautiful.

All of this natural beauty and history right here in the middle of our great city!

The Hitchcock Woods are not funded by The City - but depends on private support.

If you want to learn more about The Hitchcock Woods... you could visit: www.hitchcockwoods.org

Check it out on Google Earth! It is pretty cool. Look at Central Park.... then look at The Hitchcock Woods.

As far as real estate goes....The Hitchcock Woods is like our ocean.....and the property surrounding it is prime beach front property!! LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!! And ohhh - the homes that Aiken's Winter Colony built are absolutely AMAZING! but that will be a different blog!

Here is a little peek into our great city.  I came here on vacation about 12 years ago...and was so 'taken with Aiken' that I moved here 6 weeks later!    I hope you get the opportunity to visit soon.  You may be 'taken with Aiken', too :) A quiet little horse town - very near Augusta, GA. (you know - where they play The Masters Golf Tourny every April)

This week I had the opportunity and privilege to view a new documentary film that gives the audience an in-depth look at the lives of six Thoroughbred trainers, the horses they trained while on the Kentucky Derby trail and an intimate look at those closest to them.
The narrative showcases the disparate personalities and backgrounds of the horsemen, their families, assistant trainers and grooms. The film "The First Saturday in May" was shown Wednesday night at the Aiken Center for the Arts.
Brad Hennegan, who co-wrote the documentary chronicling the rigors of the 2006 Kentucky Derby trail with his brother John Hennegan and Mark Krewatch, attended the screening. The Hennegan brothers also directed and produced the film that was shot over a period of 16 months. The film is eligible to be nominated in the Best Documentary category by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
The six featured trainers and their horses included Michael Matz and Barbaro, Kiaran McLaughlin and Jazil, Dan Hendricks and Brother Derek, Bob Holthus and Lawyer Ron, Dale Romans and Sharp Humor and Frank Amonte and Achilles of Troy.
The Hennegan brothers produced this 97-minute documentary that captures the spirit, presence and challenges of the backside of a racetrack, the joy and jubilation of the Winner's Circle and the heartbreak of defeat.
The viewer is more than just an observer as the audience gets an up close and personal look at the people who've given their lives to the sport of Thoroughbred racing and can share in their emotions which are palpable, touching the viewers' heart and imagination. The documentary reaches not only the Thoroughbred racing fan and horse lover but also the casual fan and layman who can relate to the film's universal themes.
"We followed 12 horses all together," said Brad Hennegan to the audience Wednesday evening. "We followed owners and jockeys, and it just seemed these stories seemed to work the best together."
A portion of the DVD sales will go to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.