Throughout my years at magnet, I have noticed that many people find it surprising that I live in Hollywood, and ask me many questions. “How long does it take you to get to school?” “Isn’t that really far away?”, “Oh, so you’re country country”, “Do you live on a farm?” just to name a few. I have gone along with the joke and find that it makes for a very interesting conversation topic. However, although Hollywood is a somewhat rural town on the edge of Charleston county, it is filled with many gems other than the abundance of horse filled farmlands. Here are three of the things you may not know about the town:

1. It doesn’t actually take that long to get to school

Almost every day I leave my house at 6:50 and arrive at school at 7:30. This 40-minute drive along south Savannah highway can be compared to the drive that many Park/Dunes West residents experience getting to school from Mount Pleasant, only from a different direction. A good playlist and a cup of coffee makes this drive a great start to my day

2. Not everybody lives on a farm

There are farms. Every rural town probably has a farm, but not everyone lives on one. I, along with a few other magnet students live in the residential neighborhood of Stono Ferry, which hosts the annual Charleston Cup horse race and has one of the best places to horse race and has one of the best places to play golf according to Golf Digest. To me, this is the optimal place to grow up as it is secluded from the city and has a strong and close community of a diverse group of neighbors. It’s on the intercoastal waterway, has a nice pool, a playground, and a great homeowner association which plans many neighborhood events, all without the crazy expensive house prices found closer to town.

3. There are things to do here

To be honest there aren’t many things to do. There isn’t a Towne Center, Moes, or Target, but there are some things that every Charleston resident should experience. First of all, Wide Awake Plantation is located less than 2 minutes from my neighborhood and is one of my favorite places in the county. It’s on the water, never crowded, and looks like the venue for a high-quality southern wedding. Whether you just sit on a bench or walk around, it’s a very calming sight to see. Secondly, although I have not personally enjoyed a meal here, my parents and neighbors claim that one of the best burgers they’ve ever had come from the roadside diner The Fillin Station. This small restaurant is always packed due to its award-winning burgers.

It may not be located in the most time-efficient place, but Hollywood, South Carolina is no town to be slept on. It provides a calm and quaint small-town feel while still being only 30 minutes from downtown. Although it makes for a good joke, I certainly am glad I have grown up here and wouldn’t have it any other way.