Must see attractions in South Carolina

  • Top Choice
    McLeod Plantation

    Opened to the public in 2015, this James Island plantation offers an honest and frankly devastating account of the lives of the enslaved and later …

  • Top Choice
    Aiken-Rhett House

    The only surviving urban town-house complex, this 1820 abode gives a fascinating glimpse into antebellum life on a 45-minute self-guided audio tour. The…

  • Top Choice
    Guardians of Charleston Harbor

    The first shots of the Civil War rang out at Fort Sumter, on a pentagon-shaped island in the harbor. A Confederate stronghold, this fort was shelled to…

  • Top Choice
    Old Slave Mart Museum

    Formerly called Ryan's Mart, this building once housed an open-air market that auctioned African American men, women and children in the mid-1800s, the…

  • F
    Top Choice
    Fort Moultrie

    This layered fort encapsulates the history of US coastal defense spanning nearly 200 years and four wars. Aspects of the fort have been restored to help…

  • H
    Top Choice
    Heyward-Washington House

    As the name hints, this 1772 Georgian-style town house is kind of a big deal because George Washington rented it for a week, and visitors can stand in…

  • A
    Top Choice
    Angel Oak Tree

    Some folks reckon this Southern live oak tree is 1500 years old (others says it's 400 to 500 years old). Whatever the case, it's one of the oldest living…

  • T
    Top Choice
    Table Rock State Park

    The Upcountry's marquee natural attraction is Table Rock Mountain, a 3124ft-high mountain with a striking granite face. The 7.2-mile round-trip hike to…

  • D
    Top Choice
    Daufuskie Island

    For those looking for an escape just a touch less discovered than Hilton Head Island, this idyllic island offers a sublime day trip and a window into the…

  • B
    Top Choice
    Bulls Island

    Part of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, this pristine barrier island offers a haunting 'boneyard beach' (pines and myrtles poke out of the sand,…

  • F
    Top Choice
    Falls Park on the Reedy

    In the epicenter of downtown Greenville, this stunning 32-acre oasis is a joy to wander. Be sure to cross the park's Liberty Bridge, a modern wonder…

  • B
    Top Choice
    Brookgreen Gardens

    These magical gardens, 16 miles south of Myrtle Beach on Hwy 17S, are home to the largest collection of American sculpture in the country, set amid more…

  • Magnolia Plantation

    This 500-acre plantation, which has been owned by the Drayton family since 1676, is a veritable theme park. Enjoy a tram tour, a petting zoo and a guided…

  • Drayton Hall

    This 1738 Palladian brick mansion is the country's oldest preserved plantation house open to the public. Yep, it's older than the nation. Drayton Hall was…

  • Middleton Place

    Designed in 1741, this plantation's vast gardens are the oldest in the US. Countless slaves spent years terracing the land and digging the precise…

  • C
    Congaree National Park

    Inky-black water, dyed with tannic acid leached from decaying plant matter. Bone-white cypress stumps like the femurs of long-dead giants. Spanish moss as…

  • C
    Calhoun Mansion

    If you've ever wondered what the wealthiest, fanciest, most well-traveled hoarder's house might look like, visit the Calhoun Mansion. With 35 rooms and 24…

  • A
    ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

    Formerly occupied by large rice plantations, this area fell out of use after the Civil War and was bought up by sportsmen who turned it into a hunting…

  • H
    Hunting Island State Park

    Lush and inviting Hunting Island State Park impresses visitors with acres of spooky maritime forest, tidal lagoons and a bone-white beach littered with…

  • N
    Nathaniel Russell House

    A spectacular, self-supporting spiral staircase is the highlight at this 1808 Federal-style house, built by a Rhode Islander, known in Charleston as 'King…