There’s a lot of wide open America to fall in love with between your home and your destination. Taking the long way or the road less traveled isn’t a bad thing. It can lead to new adventures that end up as fond memories.
Almost as important as the destination itself is the vehicle you choose to road trip in. Click here to see AutomotiveMap’s picks for best road trip SUV and here to see the best road trip cars. Click here to see AutomotiveMap’s advice for planning the perfect road trip.
The next time you’re planning a road trip to South Carolina, consider the following destinations, which are not on the usual tourist roster.
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Photo courtesy of Discover South Carolina
The Swamp Rabbit Trail features 22 miles of greenway path for cycling, walking, and running. It winds along the Reedy River from Travelers Rest to Greenville, South Carolina via an old railroad corridor. While some parts of the trail are rural, one of the best gems of the path is its span along Reedy Falls Park in downtown Greenville. In addition to recreation, there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops that serve as a good destination for your recreation adventure.
Lake Murray
South Carolina’s Lake Murray offers recreation and relaxation. In-town, enjoy antiques shopping to exploring history, to eating your way through all the Souther cuisine and barbecue you can handle. Head out on the lake to enjoy boating, fishing, rowing, paddle boarding, and more. Accommodations surrounding the centrally located lake aren’t pricey compared to what you’ll find in South Carolina’s other tourist areas.
Huntington Beach State Park
Photo courtesy of South Carolina State Parks
Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet is one of the grandest of the Grand Strand state parks. It is home to Atalaya, the former winter home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, 173 campsites, over 300 species of birds, and three miles of beaches. There is an admission fee to enter the park and a separate fee to tour Atalaya.
Hopsewee Plantation
Hopsewee Plantation was built 40 years before the America Revolution. It was one of the most important rice plantations in the South and the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The main house still stands and is used as a private residence, however, tours are offered, as are basket weaving classes and dining.
South Carolina State House
Photo courtesy of Discover South Carolina
Free and self-guided tours are available of the Greek Revival-style South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina during typical business hours, Monday through Friday. Arrangements for guided tours can be arranged in advance. Before you go, check out the State House’s tour brochure here for more info. You can also take a virtual tour here.
Cypress Gardens
Cypress Gardens is full of things to do. There are 3.5 miles of hiking trails, swamp boat rides (extra $5.00/person), a reptile center called the Swamparium, butterfly house, and wildlife galore (be on the lookout for alligators) at the Monocks Corner attraction. A long list of movies have been shot at the location including “The Patriot” (2000) and “Cold Mountain” (2003).
Supernatural Walking Tour of Charleston
Photo courtesy of Discover South Carolina
It’s always fun to tour a new place, or learn more about a town you love by seeing it from a whole new perspective. A ghost tour will tick both of those boxes. Charleston is chock full of hundreds of years of history, just waiting to be explored as part of this 90-minute walking tour, which begins and ends at Marion Square.
The Avian Conservation Center & Center for Birds of Prey
Awendaw is home to The Avian Conservation Center & Center for Birds of Prey, an attraction that wins praise from wildlife activists as well as visitors. There are 50 species represented at the Center including eagles, hawks, owls, falcons, kites, and vultures. Visitors can partake in a guided tour and flight demonstration, a two-hour event that costs an additional $18/person. In the autumn they also offer an owl discovery program in the evening.
Caesars Head State Park
Photo courtesy of Discover South Carolina
The Blue Ride Mountains in northwest South Carolina give visitors a visual feast for thier eyes delivering sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, lakes, and vast swaths of trees that extends into Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. Caesars Head State Park features over 60 miles of hiking trails, including one that take visitors across a suspension bridge that goes above Raven Cliff Falls (the tallest water fall in South Carolina). There are 18 primitive campsites. The park is part of a natural migratory path for hawks three months of the year along the Atlantic Flyway.
Myrtle Beach Pinball Museum
Reconnect with your youth at the Myrtle Beach Pinball Museum. There are over 25 pinball museums at the attraction, where visitors pay a $12 flat rate for the ability to play for a full hour on any of the machines. To gain entry, you must buy your tickets online ahead of time. The museum limits the number of tickets to help alleviate overcrowding.
