A Day Trip to Chapin SC: Treasures, Tastes & Small-Town Charm

A Day in Chapin: Treasures, Tastes, and a Twist of Humor

Situated conveniently near Lake Murray, the charming town of Chapin, South Carolina, offers an inviting escape for a day trip. Whether you are a local or a visitor, Chapin is a perfect destination to explore quaint shops, dine on delicious food, and soak up the warm southern hospitality. A day spent in this picturesque town can be both relaxing and entertaining, making it ideal for friends, families, or even a solo adventure.

Thrifting in Chapin

E.B. and I recently took a little road trip to Chapin, and let me tell you—it was a day worth remembering. Chapin is one of those towns where you arrive expecting “small town charm” and end up with stories to tell, treasures to carry home, and a Cobb salad you’ll be bragging about for months.

We started our day doing what we call “thrifting.” That’s our fancy name for rummaging through thrift stores and gift shops in search of buried treasure. And treasure we found—an early 1940s set of Homer Laughlin “Virginia Rose” dinnerware. More than 70 pieces, beautifully packed by the kind ladies who made sure not a plate was lost in the journey.

E.B. and I were thrilled. Some folks chase gold; that day, we chase china patterns. What a bargain we found!

Lunch in Chapin

Lunch was at Doza Rizen, a deli-style spot tucked beside the Food Lion. Don’t let the strip mall setting fool you. Inside, it was part restaurant, part neighborhood reunion. Folks weren’t just eating; they were visiting. Strangers chatted like old friends, and the staff made sure everyone felt like family.

The Cobb salad was one of the best we’ve had in years. E.B ordered the “small”—but it was way more than she could eat, so she shared it with me. And I had ordered the small Mediterranean wrap, which didn’t lag behind for size. It was more than I could eat, so I shared it with E.B. We put a dent in the salad and the wrap, but there was some left over when we were done eating—and these were both the “small” version.

Prices? Let’s just say, in today’s world, you expect a sandwich to require a co-signer almost anywhere you go, but Doza Rizen gave us honest value for great food.

Lost in the Historic District

Now, about Chapin’s Historic District. The storefronts look like something out of Georgetown or old Alexandria—quaint, charming, full of promise. We couldn’t wait to explore. But when we arrived… yikes!

Doors were locked. Lights were out. It felt like we’d come to a party on the wrong day.

To be fair, Miss Cocky was open and buzzing, but most of the other shops were closed tight. And this was at 10:30 on a weekday morning in what appeared to be the “business district.”

We stood on the sidewalk scratching our heads, wondering if Chapin had switched to a new time zone. Fortunately, we don’t quit that easily, and we got in our car, leaving the Historic (business) district in our rear view mirrors to explore what else was going on in the town of Chapin. And yes, our story has a happy ending, which we put up front in this story. We found great thrifting! We met many wonderful and genuinely friendly people, and we had one of the best lunches we can remember for a day trip!

Chapin is a marvelous town—even when the Historic District is closed. Go! Visit! Enjoy!

Our Story

Well, folks, that’s our story, and we’re sticking to it. We’ll have some more stories about small towns and great folks here on Palmetto Places soon!

We’re adding a small gallery of cartoons from our recent visit. If you’re new to us here on Palmetto Places (sctowns.org), we caricature almost everything from people to animals to buildings. And that’s mostly what we share in our galleries.

Vivat Jesus! You can trust Him!