If you’re looking out for a new vacation destination, why not try South Carolina? Although it’s known for the quaint, picturesque beauty of Charleston and the tourist-friendly sunshine of Myrtle Beach, there’s more to the Palmetto State than you may realize. Here are some reasons to check out South Carolina for your next trip.
Incredible Beaches
First of all, South Carolina is full of incredible beaches, whether you want to laze on the sand with your family for a week or take a surfing trip with your friends. Set on the coastline of the Atlantic, there are a lot of secluded beaches alongside more popular ones that are perfect destinations for families hungry for some vacation fun. Let’s start with the most famous one: Myrtle Beach is packed all year round, meaning that you won’t be short of new friends that you can make. The water is warm during the summer and there are activities like scuba diving, parasailing and jet skiing that are suitable for both beginners and people who already have plenty of practice. There are also a lot of local attractions like amusement parks and arcades and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. If you’re looking for somewhere a little more peaceful, Edisto Beach might be for you – it’s perfect for a romantic break with your partner and it’s delightfully uncommercial. There are a lot of great restaurants and you could also try a boat tour, a few games of golf, or a guided kayak tour. Finally, Surfside Beach is one of the most popular beaches for families in the state. The boardwalk is legendary and you can rent beach chairs and umbrellas before going for a dip in the water.
Hundreds Of Years Of History
If you’re a history buff, then your first step will no doubt be Charleston. It is the oldest and largest city in the state, and there are plenty of historical places to go that you can check out. The first settlers in the Province of Carolina landed at the port of Charleston in 1670, and the city originally made a lot of its money through the slave trade and through its plantations, many of which are still open today as historical houses and do not shy away from their often painful histories. Charleston is known for its southern charm and the warm hospitality of its residents along with its well-preserved architecture from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Charleston Museum has been building its collection since 1773 and is notorious for the suspended whale in its lobby. If you love nature, check out the Angel Oak Tree: it is more than four hundred years old, over sixty-five feet tall, and sits on Johns Island, the largest island in the state which is known for its abundant wildlife and flora. Finally, if you love the water and you want to take a break from the city’s shops and markets, why not take a sail on the Schooner Pride? It’s a reproduction 18th-century schooner on which you can take in the sights and look out for dolphins.
Amazing Food
The southern states are known for their incredible soul food, and South Carolina is no different. There are plenty of restaurants where you can get fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, collard greens and mac and cheese with a sweet tea to wash it down. Go for authentic home cooking at a smaller joint for the real soul food experience. Because South Carolina is on the coast, it’s also known for its incredible seafood, from crab legs to shrimp to stuffed clams. North Myrtle Beach restaurants often provide a combination of seafood, steak and soul food, all with a sea view that’s just as good for your soul as the food itself. Go for crab cakes, shrimp and grits, Frogmore stew and South Carolina’s famous boiled peanuts, a state staple that’s sold at festivals and at roadside stands. Finally, you can’t go to South Carolina without checking out the BBQ, from sticky smoky ribs to pulled pork burgers to chicken with BBQ sauce. South Carolina is known for the inclusion of yellow mustard in its sauce alongside the usual vinegar, brown sugar and other assorted spices.
Culture And The Arts
South Carolina is known for its arts and culture scene. Charleston is packed full of galleries, particularly in the French Quarter, while there are also a huge amount of festivals. The Spoleto Festival is one of the most famous, taking place annually and including dance shows, music, Shakespeare, multimedia film performances, modern theater, choral music, and classical orchestras. No matter what area of the arts you love, you’ll find something at Spoleto. The state is also known for being the birthplace of ‘beach music’, an offshoot of rock’n’roll and R&B that spawned The Shag, the state dance (and let’s not forget the Charleston!). The state also has a great jazz and bluegrass scene.
National Parks
Finally, if you love hiking and nature, South Carolina has it all. If you want to hike, why not try Congaree National Park? It has more than twenty thousand acres of land with plenty of day hikes for novice hikers. The trails are well maintained and the Boardwalk Loop Trail is maybe the most popular, giving you a great view of the old-growth forest, the loblolly pines, cypress, and tupelo trees while keeping you off the ground so you don’t disturb any plants or delicate fungi. If you love wildlife, you might see an otter if you hike the Weston Lake Loop Trail, while if you love water you could try kayaking or canoeing on the Congaree River. There are also plenty of campsites if you want to take a longer trip and do some birdwatching. Meanwhile, if you want to check out some beautiful waterfalls, Falls Park in Greenville is ideal. There’s an observation bridge where you’ll want to spend the entire day basking in the beauty of nature.
South Carolina is a state that has it all: no matter what your ideal trip is, you’ll be able to find it in the Palmetto State.
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