Mary McIlrath and Tom Scheele of Prior Lake spend several cold-weather months at Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick, S.C., each year. With its woods and lakes, the area reminds them of northern Minnesota, but with warmer weather. The couple live there from October through May.

They chose the quiet area near national and state parks after friends warned them about traffic congestion in Hilton Head, S.C., and Fort Myers, Fla.

Distance: About 1,200 miles from the Twin Cities. They make the leisurely drive in two and half days.

Best part: Lake Strom Thurmond, a 70,000-acre man-made lake named after the late South Carolina senator. Pristine and well-managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it's a good fishing lake in a quiet and peaceful area. An active adult community, Savannah Lakes Village includes two golf courses in the association. None of the homes looks like a cookie-cutter model, McIlrath said.

Worst part: The somewhat remote area isn't close to airports or shopping. Augusta, Ga., is 45 minutes away, Atlanta is two and half hours and Columbia, S.C., is 90 minutes.

Favorite activities: Boating, golf, hiking state park trails.

Fall fun: Sitting in the hot tub on the deck at night, looking at the stars.

Area must-see: The area is rich in history and quaint small towns. Abbeville, S.C., where the Confederacy started and ended (30 minutes away), has many homes on the Historic Register.

JOHN EWOLDT