GRISWOLDDAD
Parenting, Entertainment, and Travel Tips
Things to Do in South Carolina
*For a list of South Carolina's top yearly events, click here.
Charleston
Charleston is a very historic town. It's filled with colonial history, war history (from multiple wars), and specifically Civil War and Antebellum history. The area, called "the low country," even developed its own language, Gullah, from a mix of English and African used by slaves. The plantations, or what's left of them in some cases, are majestic to this day. If you view them for the beautiful mansions and grounds that they are...and for the purposes of history and education ignore how they came to be, they are a fun experience in which you'll learn a lot about the time period.
Middleton Plantation, a rice plantation, was built between 1738 and 1755. It was home to the president of the First Continental Congress, Henry Middleton, and his son Arthur, who signed the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately, half of this plantation was burned down during the Civil War, but what's left is no less beautiful. The gardens are the oldest landscaped gardens in the US.
Right up the road from Middlteton is Magnolia Plantation. This one, another rice plantation, was built in 1676 by the Drayton family. It boasts having America's oldest public gardens... Hmmm...what's the difference between oldest public and oldest landscaped? Did the Drayton's not landscape? Did the Middleton's not open theirs to the public? I don't know. However, they're both very old, pretty, and filled with flowers! Ok, so the Magnolia Plantation Draytons begot John Drayton...or is it begat? Well, John was not the first born boy Drayton and was not going to inherit Magnolia Plantation, so he built Drayton Hall just down the street. This plantation was a rice AND indigo plantation.
In Charleston proper, you can see the historic Nathaniel-Russell House, Aiken-Rhett House, Rainbow Row, the Slave Market or "City Market", Battery Park, and the site of Charles Towne Landing, the birthplace of the Carolina colony in 1670. Rainbow Row is a series of colorful historic houses and the longest cluster of Georgian houses in the US. Actually, the entire downtown area of Charleston is gorgeous. They have covenants disallowing many changes to all of the old houses in the area (much like the Garden District in New Orleans), so the history and the beauty show through.
I was a little confused about the "Slave Market," and thought it was where people sold and bought slaves (that is nearby on a cobblestone street...not sure of the name). I had a tour guide explain to me that the "Slave Market" was like the slaves' farmer's market. He said to me, "when you go to a farmer's market, you don't buy farmers do you?" Most easily understood explanation possible!
Being a historic town that not much has changed over the many years of its existence, Charleston is a great place to take a history tour OR a haunted tour, in which you can hear about the scary side of Charleston.
Tour companies: Culinary Tours of Charleston helps you experience Gullah food! Gullah Tours teaches about the Low Country. Old Charleston offers walking tours that show the history of old Charleston. Bulldog Tours has the "Ghosts and Graveyards" walking tour of Charleston.
Rainbow Row
Drayton Hall
The Three Sisters
Middleton Plantation
Magnolia Plantation
Battery Park
Columbia
Columbia is home to a zoo commonly voted as one of the best zoos in America, Riverbanks Zoo. Home to over 2000 animals and a great botanical garden, Riverbanks claim to fame is the close proximity visitors can get with the animals.
Dillon
A great old school roadside attraction can be found in Dillon, SC. "South of the Border" is meant to look like you've crossed the border into Mexico, when all you've done in reality if cross the border from North Carolina to South Carolina. While some of the attractions there have seen better days, it's still a stop filled with great fun. Gas stations, a motel, campsite, and restaurants fill the area, but the draw is the giant fireworks store, the reptile center, mini-golf, and souvenir shops that feel like they'd be more at home at the beach. Also, there are plenty of photo-ops with cartoonish animal statues, usually in sombreros.
Started in 1950 as a stopping point on the highway with a beer stand, the owner added more and more items over time to create a "Mexican Themed World" with a mascot named "Pedro". He then put creative and funny signs as far north as New Jersey and south as Florida to entice people to stop on their way through.
Mount Pleasant
Boone Hall Plantation was a cotton and pecan plantation and is currently toured for its history and its gardens. Patriots Point and Maritime Museum has the USS Yorktown (Aircraft Carrier), USS Laffey (Destroyer), and USS Clamagore (Submarine), all of which can be toured with exhibits within each. Yorktown has numerous old aircraft from WWII and beyond that can also be "toured"...or at least looked in. Before hitting the bridge to the ships, Patriots Point also has a Vietnam era encampment set up with vehicles, weapons, and sound effects.
If you're lucky enough to live somewhat close by, scouting organizations from states away come to stay entire weekends on the Yorktown. With cot-like bunk beds suspended from the ceiling, it's more comfortable than you'd expect.
Myrtle Beach
"Those Myrtle Beach days, having fun in the waves!" If you know that song or you've seen the movie "Shag", you're already familiar with some of the fun Myrtle Beach has to offer. This is a playground. For Families. For Singles. For Golfers. For Bikers. Whichever playground you're looking for, you'll find plenty to do.
Broadway at the Beach is a shopping and fun filled area with cool, unique shops, fun restaurants, amusement rides, miniature golf, and a Ripley's Aquarium. Barefoot Landing is similar to Broadway, except it is in nearby North Myrtle Beach. Carolina Opry has music, dancing, comedy, you name it! The shows of the Opry often change out to keep the entertainment fresh.
Myrtle Beach is filled with traditional beachfront staples like its boardwalk, rides, like at Family Kingdom Amusement Park, miniature golf, hitting the waves of the ocean, and tanning on the beach. Just know that on the main strip shops, you'll see all the typical beach stuff for sell, from hermit crabs to tequila shirts for spring break and senior week. Personally I don't want my boys seeing the shirts OR the hermit crabs! Because neither is coming home with us. I'll give odds on the shirts before the crabs.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk
Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms
Fort Sumter is the federally ran fort that the confederates chose as their first attack, sparking the Civil War. The grounds can be toured and explored, and there are junior ranger programs for children.
Sullivan Island and Isle of Palms are also good places to hit the beach. Sullivan's Island has a pristine, not-too-crowded beach and some cool restaurants, like Dunleavy's Pub and Poe's Tavern. However, Sullivan's Island does NOT have a lot of parking. You have to park on the sides of streets, and those are usually packed, forcing you to circle until something opens up. Isle of Palms is also not too crowded, but its "strip" of activity is only about 1 block long.
