The most effective spots to check out in South Carolina

Mistie Bugarin

South Carolina is a Southern appeal-infused orchestra of landscapes that performs to perfection calendar year-round. Producing this harmony are earth-class white sand shorelines and mega golf places together its Atlantic edge, Blue Ridge mountain vistas inland, substantial cities that never overwhelm and Lowcountry cities that leave you in the optimum […]

South Carolina is a Southern appeal-infused orchestra of landscapes that performs to perfection calendar year-round.

Producing this harmony are earth-class white sand shorelines and mega golf places together its Atlantic edge, Blue Ridge mountain vistas inland, substantial cities that never overwhelm and Lowcountry cities that leave you in the optimum of spirits.

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South Carolina is primed for a multi-town street journey with many mega interstates and big US roadways zigzagging through the point out. At a minimal, you are going to want to plan a lengthy weekend or a week in the Palmetto Point out to definitely dabble in its geographic miracles and heat and undeniably twangy natives.

From the 26,000-acre nationwide park to the museum-clad capital, and a coastal gem of a town that will go away any foodie loosening their belt a notch, these are the ideal sites to check out in South Carolina. 

A boardwalk leads the way through dense forest in Congaree National Park
Stick to the elevated boardwalk by means of the large Congaree Nationwide Park © iStockphoto / Getty Pictures

Congaree Nationwide Park is the very best position for outdoor adventures

Tucked in the center of South Carolina and close to 20 miles southeast of Columbia, Congaree Countrywide Park is where individuals come to quietly unwind. This approximately 27,000-acre park is a biodiverse spectacle, with towering hardwoods, stringy Spanish moss, a two-moreover mile elevated boardwalk and the tranquil Congaree and Wateree Rivers comprising its landscape.

Central and staffed, Congaree Countrywide Park appeases off-the-grid multi-working day campers and all those trying to find a guided expertise. Every single Saturday calendar year-round, rangers and regional volunteers lead guided tours of some of the park’s most astonishing experiences, including turtles the measurement of a coffee table, hand-sized spiders and “Champion Trees” that rank amongst the premier trees on earth.

A small group of people play beach volleyball in Myrtle Beach South Carolina
Myrtle Seaside has loads to preserve all people occupied © Getty Pictures

Myrtle Beach front is the area to go for a family members day out

As before long as you set foot on Myrtle Beach’s gentle sands, you will get why it’s regarded the lively coronary heart of South Carolina’s “Grand Strand” (a 60-mile stretch of seashores along the Atlantic). Within just its coastal confines, there’s actually a thing for each individual spouse and children member, spanning boardwalk strolls (and probably a SkyWheel trip?), craft brewery excursions with bocce ball action at Crooked Hammock Brewery and, of course, countless days on the seashore.

For a family members-friendly outing, Surfside Beach is the ideal vacation spot, so considerably so that it truly is locally recognized as Loved ones Seaside. A little independent group with almost 2 miles of ocean frontage, it has mini golfing (Journey Falls Golf), the Wild Water & Wheels Water Park and the Surfside Bowling Enjoyment Center, ideal for rainy times. 

Charleston is a leading spot for foodies

“Holy City” is a godsend for people looking for quintessentially Southern or an internationally infused dining knowledge. Its King Avenue artery and urban main tantalizes all the senses, from its mix of Georgian, colonial, and federal-model buildings to its boutique outlets offering the neighborhood necessities like Southern-motivated hats, bowties and suits to its seemingly unlimited array of cafe selections.

You and yours will want to go to Charleston hungry and if there is a ought to-quit cafe on your itinerary, make a reservation in advance. 1 not to overlook is the central Lodge Bennett and its Gabrielle patio overlooking Marion Square. 

Octopus with a side of small portions of potatoes, onions and corn. There's a smear of green sauce on the side of the plate. There's a glass of wine, a fork and knife on a white tablecloth.
The octopus is a common dish at Bistronomy by Nico in Charleston © Andrew Cebulka / Bistronomy by Nico

For arguably the most effective biscuit in city, there is a Callie’s Warm Tiny Biscuit just blocks north (order nearly anything but get it with pimento cheese). For a refined sit-down experience off the most important drag, head to Bistronomy by Nico in the town’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial District. Be sure to check out the mussels (served in a kaffir lime broth) or the curry crab soup that will have you begging for the recipe.

Where by you continue to be is fifty percent the Charleston exciting. Central solutions span the Roaring Twenties-inspired boutique The Spectator Lodge, the French Quarter Inn with a daily wine and cheese reception and the aptly named waterfront HarbourView Inn. 

For a silent retreat with seamless obtain to the city, e book the Embassy Suites by Charleston Harbor Mt. Enjoyable. It has panoramic sights of Charleston’s steeple-stuffed skyline and the close by former Navy plane provider, the USS Yorktown. If you want to do the job off all those people meals, you can walk across the legendary Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge to get to and from downtown. 

Interior of the Senate Chamber of South Carolina State House in Columbia, with a large US flag hanging down
Colombia is household ot the South Carolina Condition Home © Getty Pictures

Columbia is the most effective spot for checking out museums and gardens

Stately structures and open areas await in South Carolina’s funds town. Exactly where the Saluda and Broad Rivers satisfy (and, enjoyable actuality, wherever the Congaree River begins), a lot of of the city’s biggest attracts are on the shores of the rivers, like the Riverbanks Zoo & Backyard garden and, for disc golf lovers, Granby Park.

On the museum front, key draws consist of the South Carolina State Museum, Columbia Museum of Artwork and the almost 100,000 sq ft EdVenture Children’s Museum.

Columbia is as bustling as a South Carolina city gets with a hybrid of governmental structures and youthful buzz stemming from the University of South Carolina. E book a South Carolina State Home tour to make the finest of all worlds.

If you’re checking out South Carolina in the slide or winter season months, capture a College of South Carolina football match. Get ready for optimum pandemonium if they occur to be playing in-condition rival Clemson.

Visitors to Falls Park linger on Liberty Bridge overlooking the Reedy River waterfalls
Admire the falls ahead of grabbing a coffee in Greenville © Alamy Inventory Image

Greenville serves the most effective coffee in South Carolina

This upstate metropolis delivers a rush in so a lot of means. Tucked in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, you will uncover Falls Park on the Reedy in its centre, the place the 345-ft Liberty Bridge guides individuals above a multifaceted waterfall. 

The bordering parks are dwelling to small gardens, theater festivals and locals stretching out for picnics or taking their puppy for a stroll. The vibe helps make it between the best intimate and exclusive spots to pay a visit to in South Carolina.

From Falls Park, you can maintain the hurry likely just north along Main Road. Amid mother-and-pop eating places and regional chains, the Peace Center Live performance Hall and a smattering of hotel solutions, prioritize a trip to Methodical Espresso for the greatest cup of Joe in all of the Palmetto State. 

Born and bred in Greenville, Methodical Coffee has immediately develop into a US specialty espresso heavyweight and has 3 cafes in city. Snag a pour-more than espresso or cold brew – really don’t put any sugar or milk in it, because it will be flavorful adequate without having it.

Florence is a terrific metropolis with a tiny-city aptitude

“Magic City” is residence to roughly 40,000 South Carolinians and is the soul of the state’s Pee Dee area. (You will see different references to Pee Dee plastered alongside interstates – it refers to the nearby river as effectively as the Pee Dee indigenous tribe).

Downtown Florence’s brick-dotted urban core – almost 1.1 sq miles – has expert a revitalization in new decades with modern museums, galleries and public spaces using centre stage.

Primed for a working day excursion, strike the Florence County Museum with rotating reveals showcasing regional artists. Across the street is the Francis Marion College Doing Arts Heart, which has an amphitheater, two theaters and normal orchestra productions. 

Florence’s SC Pecan Festival held in November is a nationwide attract, attracting 50,000-furthermore people seeking to check out pecan-infused every little thing. 

Greenwood is the excellent area for a silent retreat

Greenwood lives up to its title, with lush trees aplenty during its downtown/Key Avenue thoroughfare and encompassing regions. Arts and parks are vital to creating a working day in this quiet city of 25,000, which is around 90 minutes west of Columbia.

The town’s arts hub is the Arts Centre of Greenwood, housed in the stately Federal Building. In this article you can peruse pieces by regional artists (from time to time such as creations by university little ones, adorably). The Middle also hosts art classes. 

Lake Greenwood Point out Park is a major draw for largemouth bass fishers (you have to have a state license to fish) and campers – there are extra than 100 campsites alongside the lake’s shore.

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