Why you'd want to live in Seneca

Located in the South Carolina foothills at the southern end of Lake Keowee, Seneca has always drawn outdoor enthusiasts looking to hike, bike, kayak or fish in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just 15 minutes from Clemson, it’s also a popular place to stay if you’re visiting the university or attending a Tigers football game. But this small Upstate city offers much more than just a convenient location to access surrounding attractions. In recent years, its historic downtown has become a destination in and of itself with lots of fun bars, trendy restaurants and cool shops. Ram Cat Alley, its version of Main Street, features fine dining restaurants like Vangeli’s Bistro and Bonaterra, hip watering holes, including Brews on the Alley and The Spot on the Alley, as well as a wide array of independently owned boutiques and antique stores. In the 1900s, the town’s main corridor was home to pool halls, bars and the Fred Hopkins Meat Market, earning it the nickname Ram Cat Alley by locals for the large number of cats who gathered for scraps. They quipped, “You couldn’t ram another cat into the alley!” In 2000, the street was added to the National Register of Historic Places with 18 historically significant commercial buildings dating between 1887 and 1930. Today, the pedestrian-friendly block hosts a number of annual community events, including Jazz in the Alley, Cruizin on Main and Seneca Fest. via discoversouthcarolina.com