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South Carolina Area Descriptions |
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(K) SC Upcountry - includes Anderson, Belton, Blacksburg, Clemson, Cowpens, Easley, Gaffney, Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Pendleton, Pickens, Seneca, Simpsonville, Spartanburg, Walhalla, Westminster and Woodruff.
This is South Carolina's mountain country. Actually, Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties share the mountains with North Carolina. Anderson, Spartanburg and Cherokee counties are the foothills. You might enjoy taking a drive along SC-11, a very nice scenic highway which skirts the mountains. There are several state parks and many picnic areas along the route..
Greenville is the economic hub of the Upcountry. I-85 enters SC from Georgia west of Anderson, passes through Greenville, past Spartanburg and finally enters North Carolina near Blacksburg. The industrial/commercial strip parallels this Interstate highway and has been the motivating factor in the rapid growth of the region. Greenville is a very unusual city. It is a financial and cultural center and there is ample evidence of that just in the skyline. But drift downtown to Main Street and you immediately feel as though you are in a small, midwestern town complete with little shops and other interesting spots. There are many very good eateries and coffee shops, - in fact there is actually a street named Coffee Street. It's worth a visit.
A little bit further down South Main Street is the Reedy River Falls Historic Park. You have to look down to see it. There are many ways to access it (by foot, of course) the easiest to find is behind the Peace Center (the large, red brick cluster of buildings with the big water fountain). Take a walk in the park along the river and enjoy. You will probably forget you are in the middle of downtown Greenville.
North of Greenville off US-25 (just west of Travelers Rest) is Paris Mountain State Park. It is a day-use facility. If you want something more involved you might visit Sumter National Forest (north of Walhalla on SC-107. ZM
South Carolina's Pendleton District (Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties) include the National Register Town of Pendleton. Visitors will also discover six state parks, three major lakes, museums, shops, eating and meeting places and a great deal more. Interstate 85, along with U.S. Highways 76, 123 and 178, are the primary accesses to the Pendleton District. Cherokee Scenic Highway 11 includes four state parks, three having cabins or villas; unique shops and scenic sites
Here, also, is the wild and scenic Chattooga River, made famous by the book and movie, "Deliverance". It has three professional rafting outfitters. On SC-Georgia border.
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(L) SC Olde English District - includes Camden, Cheraw, Chester, Chesterfield, Clover, Fort Mill, Great Falls, Jonesville, Kershaw, Lake Wylie, Lancaster, Pageland, Rock Hill, Union, Winnsboro and York.
Spend a day at Carowinds with the family; or spend a weekend winding through the streets of charming town such as Lancaster or Camden. Spend a night in a quaint bed-and-breakfast and wake up to the scent of blossums that lift you into a bright new day of adventure. The Olde English District is dotted with picturesque towns like Winsboro (which has the oldest, continuously running clock in the United States) - or Union (with its 30-column antebellum country Inn at Merridun) - or Camden (would you believe signs reading "Horses Forbidden On Sidewalks"?) right in the middle of the Olde English District horse country.
Then there are the parks (examples of South Carolina's preservation efforts) such as Rose Hill near Union where you can view the rose gardens and mansion of William Henry Gist, the last South Carolina governor to use his home as the official residence.
Kings Mountain National Military Park, the site of the pivotal battle of the Revolutionary War, offers a marked trail, film and exhibits for the history buffs and the kids who like the excitement of learning how our great nation was born. Next door is Kings Mountain State Park and its Living History Farm.
Golfing reigns supreme in the Olde English District with great rates available to play such courses as the 18 hole championship course at Cheraw State Park (Chesterfield County). Other parks include Lake Wateree (between Columbia and Great Falls), Goodale (near Camden) and Chester (near Chester). By the way, Cruse Vineyards and Winery near Chester State Park offers tours and wine tasting.
Interested in Indian lore and history? Visit the Catawba Cultural Preservation Center near Rock Hill. While in Rock Hill, visit the lovely Glencairn Gardens with its terraced lawns and fountain. Just to the west of Rock Hill is Lake Wylie replete with a complete array of water-related facilities.
The Olde English District includes the seven counties (Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Union and York) just south of North Carolina's Southern Foothills. I-77 runs down through the center of the District (connecting Charlotte and Columbia) offering exceptional access to most of the District. Air travelers will find the newly renovated Charlotte airport (CLT) very convenient with service available from most major national and many international airlines. ZM
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(M) SC Pee Dee District - includes Bennettsville, Bishopville, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Hartsville, Kingstree, Lake City, Marion and Mullins.
Carolina, geographically, covers three very different topographies. We call them the Blue Ridge or Mountains, the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain. Pee Dee is a continuation of the Piedmont which runs in a diagonal stripe from Virginia, through the Northern Heartland and Southern Heartland of North Carolina, through the Pee Dee and Santee Cooper districts and on into Georgia. While many of us weren't too thrilled with geography in school, the results of the effect this geography has had on the development of the Carolinas is thrilling indeed. Pee Dee gets its name from the mighty Pee Dee River. (In North Carolina this same river is named the Yadkin River.) Dropping almost one thousand feet from the North-South Carolina border to Winyah Bay at Georgetown, the Pee Dee has been responsible for much of the successful development of the area over the last 150 years and, now, largely because of a series of dams, it has created a recreational paradise.
Florence, in the center of Pee Dee, used to be one of the major railroad hubs. Florence has gone on to become a bustling city with a healthy variety of industry in and around it and residential communities that are, in themselves, tourist attractions. But Florence is also a city of parks. Lake City and Kingstree to the south, Marion and Mullins to the east, Dalton, Darlington and Bennettsville to the north and Bishopville to the west all offer exquisite varieties of attractions ranging from tourable grand old homes and museums, through beautifully developed state parks to golf courses that attract golfers from all over the world. (The Pee Dee is the southwest extension of the Sand Hills of North Carolina.) Race fans know all about Darlington Raceway and the NMPA Stock Car Hall of Fame located there. If you have driven into South Carolina from North Carolina you probably stopped at the famous South of the Border. There is such a variety of attractions you won't find time to see all you want to see - this trip. But you're always welcome back.
Access to the Pee Dee District is excellent. If you will be visiting the Sand Hills National Wildlife Refuge (or Sandhills State Park) you would drive in on SC-151. Coming down from North Carolina are US-1/52/401 and, from the northeast is Interstate 95. From the Atlantic Coast (Myrtle Beach area) are US-501 and US-378 and from the Georgetown area you would take US-521. Primary entry points from the south are US-52 and I-95.
The region is served by Amtrak and the regional airport in Florence. Connector airlines connect the region to the major domestic and international airlines at Atlanta (ATL) and Charlotte (CLT) and include USAirlines, Atlantic Southeast (Delta) Airlines and American Eagle (American) Airlines. ZM
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(N) SC Old 96 - includes Abbeville, Calhoun Falls, Clinton, Due West, Edgefield, Greenwood, Johnston, Laurens, McCormick, Ninety Six and Ware Shoals. includes Abbeville, Calhoun Falls, Clinton, Due West, Edgefield, Greenwood, Johnston, Laurens, McCormick, Ninety Six and Ware Shoals.
"And just WHAT is Old 96?" Yes, it is a curious name and behind it is an even more curious story. Briefly, in the early days of the Colonies, the British built a fort which was (by their measurements) 96 miles south of Keowee (then the lower Cherolee capital). We still have a town named Ninety Six ten miles east of Greenwood on SC-34. Two miles south of town is the Ninety Six National Historic Site where you can tour the archaeological digs, walk an interpretive trail, see the historic star fort and ask all the questions you want at the visitors' center.
From the superb theater productions of Abbeville's Opera House, to the countless antique shops in Edgefield County, to the Revolutionary War sites in Laurens County, the Old 96 District is steeped in rich colonial and Civil War history. The region is also a sportsman's playground. The waters of the Savannah River have been impounded behind a series of dams creating a virtual recreational paradise. Old 96 is South Carolina's freshwater coast with Greenwood and McCormick Counties boasting some of the State's finest parks for boating, fishing, and hunting. Whether you enjoy a quaint bed and breakfast hotel, or a pitched tent in the great outdoors, the Old 96 District truly has something for everybody.
With Interstate highway I-85 to the north, I-26 to the east and I-20 to the south, the Old 96 District is easily accessed from anywhere. Airline service is through the Augusta GA airport to the south or the Greenville SC airport (GSP) to the north. Of course, the Atlanta GA airport (ATL) is only about a 150 mile drive via either I-85 or I-20. ZM
(phone 864-984-2233 for free Visitors' Guide)
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(O) SC Thoroughbred - Thoroughbred Country covers Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg and Barnwell counties, a primarily rural area where the traditional South is quite well-preserved. Key communities in Thoroughbred Country are Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Blackville, Denmark, Fairfax, New Ellenton, North Augusta and Williston.
Aiken County: Although known throughout the world as an equestrian training center claiming National Champions such as Pleasant Colony, 1981 Kentucky Derby winner; Summer Squall, 1990 Preakness winner; and Sea Hero, 1993 Kentucky Derby winner, Aiken County is also a place of history and natural beauty. Aiken Tours offers a 90-minute guided tour featuring Hopeland Gardens and the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame, the equestrian training areas and Aiken's historic districts. At the Aiken County Historical Museum, the diverse history of other county towns such as North Augusta, Beech Island, Graniteville, Salley, Wagener and New Ellenton is featured. Aiken County offers plantation homes of yesteryear and original cotton mills; churches of the past and stories of the Charleston to Hamburg (now North Augusta) rail line; Hitchcock Woods, the largest urban forest in the United States and Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site. Hunting, fishing, golfing and shopping are abundant!
Allendale County: Although the youngest county in South Carolina, Allendale County is proud of a rich culture, filled with history and Southern tradition. Civil War enthusiasts will find stately homes, such as Erwinton Plantation, which served as headquarters for General William Sherman's troops during his famed march through the South. Notice the beauty of Spanish moss gracing the enormous Live Oak trees or the low-lying cypress swamp areas where alligators, turtles and other species choose to dwell. Allendale County has a strong tradition in agriculture, producing cotton, grain, watermelon, peaches, peanuts, corn, okra and other crops. Stop at roadside stands to enjoy some of this fresh produce!
Bamberg County: The cool black waters of the Edisto River provide the backdrop for Bamberg County's history and charm. Denmark is the chosen home of nationally-known artist Jim Harrison who highlights the rural landscape in acrylics. On his march to Columbia, General Sherman was met at Rivers Bridge by a small band of Confederate soldiers who tried to stall his progress. Rivers Bridge State Park shows the scars from that battle in the form of Battle Breastworks. Small towns such as Olar and Ehrhardt are filled with settlement history and boast quaint country grocers from the Depression era. Join local residents for hunting, fishing or canoeing excursions!
Barnwell County: Legends surround several of the attractions here. The Healing Springs in Blackville story dates back to the 1700's when Indians believed in the secret healing powers of the springs. Natives of the area still claim the waters as a cure-all for "what ails ya". The wonderful climate and natural beauty brought Mennonite settlers from western states. They now share with visitors their crafts and great cooking ability, along with insight into their religious practices. Legend also has it that Barnwell's unique, vertical sundial is the only one of its type in the U.S. and though erected two years prior to Standard Time, keeps within two minutes of that.
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(P) SC Columbia/Lake Murray - includes Batesburg, Cayce, Columbia, Lexington, Newberry and Saluda.
There is a beautiful valley in the center of South Carolina where the mighty Saluda and Broad Rivers join to form the Congaree River. Way back in 1786 the South Carolina Legislators recognized this when they moved the seat of government from Charleston to what became known as Columbia. Sure, there are other stories - like it was all political compromise, etc., but we like to believe it was because of the natural beauty and accessibility of this spot. Columbia is full of government office, of course. And it is the host of the University of South Carolina. It is also host of the famous Riverbanks Zoo (cited as one of the ten best in the United States) and its beautiful gardens on the opposite bank of the Saluda River. An old canal (originally used to generate power for the area) is now a city park with a very enjoyable strolling path (bicycles are permitted also) complete with benches for those who would sit and enjoy watching nature's own at play. Like so many other cities in Carolina, Columbia has its share of old buildings many of which are open to visitors. Even the Governor's 'mansion' has visiting hours (and tour guides ready to relate interesting stories).
Then there is the lake: that big lake northwest of the city. Lake Murray is haven to boaters, swimmers, fishing enthusiasts and folks wishing to sit by the shore and picnic. There are entertaining activities almost every month of the year (this is South Carolina, - we don't shovel snow here ... well almost never).
Columbia is at the intersection of Interstate Highways 20, 26 and 77. You can get here easily from about anywhere. Folks on their way to Florida from the Central States frequently come down I-77. Here's a good place to stop, relax a moment and just have a great time. Carolina hospitality can't be beat! ZM
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(Q) not used on map
(R) SC Grand Strand - includes Andrews, Conway, Georgetown, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach.
You hear the name Myrtle Beach and you probably think of miles of beautiful beaches. We get tons of e-mail from folks who have visited the carolina-now web site. Much of this e-mail contains comments about places in Carolina the authors have visited. And reading this e-mail can be very educating. For instance the e-mail from a visitor who said they had toured California's Disneyland, the Las Vegas shows and the Atlantic City casinos but had more fun in the Theaters and waterparks of Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach than anywhere else and, we so busy having fun, they never made it to the beach!
A few years ago there was an Air Base at Myrtle Beach. Then Congress closed it like so many other military installations around the country. The folks in Myrtle Beach campaigned to bring in world-famous entertainers, build new theaters for us to enjoy them in and create a whole new industry for the area. It certainly was a successful campaign from the reaction we get from folks who have been there.
The Grand Strand beaches are still popular - more popular than ever. They stretch for miles along the Atlantic shore and some are almost deserted. You don't have to fight crowds to enjoy beautiful beach here. A complete range of lodgings awaits you from inexpensive motels to luxurious rent-by-the-week beachfront condos. And there are so many fine restaurants it probably will take you longer to decide where to eat than it will take to eat.
Horry and Georgetown counties are the Grand Strand. Georgetown county is home to world famous Brookgreen Gardens and Atalaya, the former winter home of Anna Hyatt and Archer Huntington. So when you need a break from the excitement of the theater strip you may well find a visit to Georgetown county (south on US-17) very rewarding.
If you are northbound on I-95 you can take US-521 (exit 119 - Manning) east to Georgetown and then US-17 to your destination if you are beach bound. If you are southbound on I-95, SC-38 (exit 181) connects with US-501 which takes you to Myrtle Beach. If you are coming in on I-20 (which ends in Florence) continue on the divided boulevard to the intersection of US-76 (Palmetto Street) and follow the signs to Myrtle Beach. Near Marion there is a sign directing you to a shortcut to North Myrtle Beach (continuing on US-76 and connecting with SC-9). If you are going to North Myrtle Beach it is recommended. But if you are going to Myrtle Beach, stay to the right taking the SC-576 connector which connects with US-501. US-501 takes you directly to Myrtle Beach. RWM
(phone 800-356-3016 for free brochures)
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(S) SC Santee Cooper - includes Bowman, Branchville, Goose Creek, Hanahan, Holly Hill, Manning, Moncks Corner, North, Orangeburg, St. Matthews, St. Stephen and Sumter.
During the Great Depression years (completed in 1942) the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers created the mighty inland waterway resulting from the marriage of the Santee and Cooper Rivers through the creation of Lake Marion (Santee River) connecting with the newly created Lake Moultrie (Cooper River). The creation of this 122 mile inland waterway also created a recreational paradise. Great fishing and hunting are the more obvious benefits. Beautiful gardens (and this is the ideal climate for gardening) probably are not so obvious but have become sufficiently well know to attract thousands of visitors every year. But if you are a golfer you have got to try some of the exquisite courses here. From woods to ponds to lakes, there are challenges that should excite any player.
Francis Marion National Forest covers a quarter-million acres and is host to virtually all back-to-nature activities. Santee State Park on the shore of Lake Marion is just off I-95 and makes a nice, extended, rest stop if you're passing through by auto. Woods Bay State Park offers a view of an age-old curiosity as well as the opportunity to enjoy a quiet canoe trail in the swamp.
Easy access to Santee Cooper Country is afforded by both Interstate 26 (Columbia to Charleston) and Interstate 95 (Florence to Savannah).US-76 connects Sumter (and Shaw AFB) to Columbia and Orange sits like the hub of a spoked wagon wheel fed by 4 US highways and a few state highways and just 6 to 8 miles from I-26. So getting here is not only enjoyable, it's easy. RWM
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(T) SC Charleston - includes Charleston, Edisto Beach, Goose Creek, Hanahan, James Island, Moncks Corner, Mt. Pleasant, St. George, St. Stephen and Summerville.
Touring Charleston is an entertaining and illuminating journey through the early history of the United States. Once the aristocratic capital of the South, many folks here are still very strongly attached to their heritage and can overwhelm you with stories about the good old times. Charleston is beautiful. Sitting on a bench at the Charleston Battery can take you back in time in mere moments as you enjoy the scent of all the flowers and witch the ships in the harbor lazily making their ways from somewhere to somewhere else. Charleston, seemingly so laid back during the day, really comes to life at night. Starting in the late afternoon touring the Old City Market, you can continue on through the evening sampling the taste treats in the dozens of restaurants and bistros. No place on earth can beat the taste treats available here. So forget the diet for an evening and create a memory you will cherish the rest of your life!
Charleston is full of art, - all kinds of art. And there are museums for about everything that can be collected. Across the Cooper River (take US-17 over the bridge) is Patriots Point Naval Museum complete with World War II vintage ships (even an aircraft carrier) and a recreation of a Viet Nam naval support encampment. Charleston can be toured by foot, bicycles (available for rent at very reasonable prices), horse-drawn carriage, local tour busses, boat (and that could make another story) and, of course, your personal automobile.
Charleston is at the terminus of Interstate 26 - just a slight detour from Interstate 95 for the Florida bound. There is a seeming endless variety of lodgings ranging from the very inexpensive to the... you name it. Spring springs early, here, peaking in April. If you love flowers and gardens, here is where you'll want to be. Although we have blooms all year, April is a very special and delightful time. RWM
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(U) SC Low Country & Resort Is. - includes Beaufort, Hampton, Hardeeville, Hilton Head Island, Port Royal, Ridgeland and Walterboro. includes Beaufort, Hampton, Hardeeville, Hilton Head Island, Port Royal, Ridgeland and Walterboro.
Long before there was an American flag to fly on this soil, Beaufort/Port Royal has seen the Spanish, French English and (yes, it's true) Scottish flags - each claiming this paradise as part of their national empires. From the early 1500s, this harbor has been a magnet for explorers, privateers and ordinary (?) folks who were just looking for a good place to settle down and raise their families. From the brilliant white sand of the Atlantic beaches to the blackwater swamps, the South Carolina Low Country has held an attraction for the poor and the wealthy. Here is the famous Hilton Head Island with its million-dollar condos and plush resorts. Here are the remains of the once wealthy long-fibered Sea Island cotton planters. Here are the lazy rivers and sedate black bays that beckon to the modern explorers in their canoes and kayaks. Here are the oak trees we've all seen so many times in pictures, draped with their greatcoats of Spanish Moss, colorful birds watching us from the tree limbs.
The residents of yesteryear would spend their winters here and move inland to the Piedmont or Upcountry to escape the hot, humid summers. Today's visitors crowd the beaches and resorts in the summers allowing those of us who know to enjoy the mild winters (usually short-sleeve weather) when the hotels and motels honor greatly reduced winter rates.
Just about every kind of recreational pursuit can be found here. Hilton Head Island is said to have some 300 tennis courts (now who can top that?) and golfers are like ants on a disrupted ant hill. Camping on the beaches here is an experience you will cherish for a good long time but for many of us the best form of recreation is eating. Here you will find dishes hardly ever seen anywhere else; she-crab soup is just one example.
But it isn't all along the coast. The true Lowcountry is inland. Jasper, Hampton and Colleton counties are packed with history that is fun to see. Stroll through some of the many enchanting southern gardens, play in one of the well-maintained state parks or just sit in a town square and enjoy the quiet, unhurried, sedate ambiance of an Old South town.
Interstate 95 splits the region on its way from 'up north' to Savannah a mass of humanity to points south. US-17 (mostly 4-lane) brings you in from historic Charleston. There also are a number of good, 2-lane highways coming in from the west. No, they're not freeways, but they are easy driving and probably more enjoyable. Air travelers can chose either Savannah or Charleston. RWM