The Avenue of the Oaks in Aiken, S.C. is a breathtaking, majestic natural wonder that will leave you in awe, having captivated both residents and visitors to this city for over a century. Photos of a landscape like this can only go so far. As beautiful as this iconic scene appears when captured on camera, you absolutely must visit in person for the full effect. And it's even more incredible if you're lucky enough to visit during or just after a snowfall in the winter. It's so magical, it could leave you speechless.
This majestic tunnel of trees is the only one of nine in South Carolina that is located outside of the Lowcountry and coastal regions of the state. The striking canopy of oak trees was created out of an effort by an Aiken resident who had moved there in the early 1800s from Michigan and wanted to beautify his daily commute to and from his dairy farm in Montmorenci.
The residents of Aiken don't see snowfall often. The area averages less than an inch of snow annually, with some years seeing none at all.
This scene of the Avenue of the Oaks was captured in 2010, when a blizzard transformed downtown Aiken, S.C. into a winter wonderland with an unusual four inches of snow.
The storm moved through quickly but left about 1,800 people without power.
When it snows in South Carolina, you have to get any photos you want of the scenery immediately, because the snow is usually gone quickly. With the 2010 snow in Aiken, for example, the snow was gone by the next afternoon!
But for that brief period, this stretch in the little city of Aiken known nationally as one of the South's most beautiful streets became an incredible winter landscape.
And in those years that snow never comes to Aiken, you can enjoy delicious fluffy and creamy shaved snow at Vampire Penguin in downtown Aiken. Yum!
You can even stay overnight along this historic street in this charming South Boundary cottage in Aiken. If you go during the winter season, perhaps you'll be lucky enough to get to see this magical winter scene in person. But whether or not it snows while you're there, there are plenty of fun things to do and beauty to see in Aiken in the winter.
Where's your favorite place to be when it snows in South Carolina? Have you captured any other rare, magical snow scenes in the state?
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