10 Secret Places in South Carolina
South Carolina is indeed a gorgeous state, the hospitality here makes you feel at home in no time and you would definitely revisit this state to make more amazing memories. The mysterious mountains, the rejuvenating beaches and the mystical history of this place are worth seeing and you probably would never want to go back home. Explore the charming seaside towns while savoring a regional culture, a feast of fresh picked seafood.
You can even get your adrenaline tickled with the amazing and thrilling roller coaster rides of Carowinds an amusement park. South Carolina is also a paradise for the golfers, as it has more than 25 golf acres and all of them are beyond comparison. Some of the golf courses are May River Golf Club and The Dunes Golf And Beach Club. South Carolina is also very well recognized for its history, as the chief battle of the civil war took place here. A lot of famous industries also lie in South Carolina such as agribusiness, manufacturing and technology and automotive industries. This state offers a number of scenic views including mountains, beaches, gardens, rivers and so much more.
The South Carolina spectacular journey is deeper than just twisting country roads and remarkable scenes. There are plenty of places to visit in South Carolina, you are sure to find the mysterious and hidden places, you were looking for all along.
Hagood Gristmill and Folklife Center, Pickens
The Hagood Mill Historic Site &Folklife Center is the base of the historic Hagood Gristmill, on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the most primitive known gristmills delivering grain products in this state.
It has the biggest waterwheel made of wood. It is being developed since 1996 and now highlights the completely working gristmill, conventional shelter with family farm exhibition, a building with gift shops for visitors, a blacksmith store, cotton gin palace, and a massive open-air platform for the musical performances. The place constantly draws the attention of guests with folklife festival happening there every month.
One of the strongest of the mill is the music and other additional entertainment offered. Many of this region’s best musicians have performed at here. When you enter Hagood Gristmill you will explore the history of the regional times which are somehow forgotten with time.
Pearl Fryar’s Topiary Garden, Bishopville.
Two acres of carefully modeled plants cover elegant arches, abstract shapes, geometrics, spirals and fantasies, all created by Mr. Pearl Fryar. The garden gained popularity on national and international television and newspapers as well.
You can explore the garden at your pace and sometimes you might find Pearl taking a stroll or working to make his garden better. Pearl has no background of horticulture or gardening, he is completely self-taught and self-inspired and definitely extremely talented and skilled. Pearl’s garden remains famous because he does not use any pesticides, fertilizers on his plants.
He uses water but very rarely. Still, plants which are not meant to grow under South Carolina’s climate are thriving and prospering in his garden with his love and care. He has an over 300 topiaries. You will also find his homemade junk art in these topiaries. When you take a stroll in his topiaries you will find beautiful coral forests there. He gives shape to the trees. What he does in the name of gardening is surely an art to be cherished and remembered.
UFO Welcome Center, Bowman
Well if you are in search of strange, weird, mysterious and a place which will give you goosebumps when you think about it, you should definitely pay a visit to this place called UFO Welcome Center by Jody Yard.
It is a UFO which is shaped like a saucer, this place is open to all and welcomes everyone; be that humans or aliens. Jody started building this in the year 1994, his purpose was to make aliens comfortable meeting humans of the Earth. He made it pretty big, actually s big as a UFO.
This is surely a unique attraction and a must visit for explorers and dreamers. You will find a lot of electronic parts and litter when you enter this massive ‘’UFO’’. Though there have been no Alien invasions there, make sure you pay a visit to Jody, who dares to dream.
Atalaya Castle, Pawleys Island.
Archer M Huntington and his wife Anna Huntington dreamt about creating Atalaya Castle. Mr. Huntington’s extreme affection for art and his wife being a sculptor; they sure had a keen eye for art and culture.
The pair bestowed the land they had; in the Murrells Inlet region to find Brookgreen Gardens in 1932 as an enormous sculpture garden that highlighted the efforts of Anna Huntington as well as works of other famous sculptors. The couple later began to build Atalaya, the architecture was made without any noted or drawn plans. This place had become their winter home.
Now Atalaya is one of the most favorite places along the Grand Strand and a popular spot for weddings and social events. Trips of the castle are accessible through Huntington Beach State Park and if you happen to be in the region during spring, the Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival entertains scores of skilled sculptors displaying their art.
- St. Helena Island Beaufort
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St. Helena Island Beaufortin South Carolina
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St. Helena Island may not be as famous as other big cities and the coastal places of South Carolina, but its faithful guests would definitely deny that. A petite and laid-back place, with an engrossing historical background that visitors are welcome to unleash, this gem is sure to make any new guests acknowledge the advantages of a comfortable, slow-paced living by the water.
The island has a exceptionally rich history as a European settlement that a lot of specialists assume is dated in the year 1520, when Spanish explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón visited the region. Unlike other seaside lands which were originally English settlements, St. Helena Island was first declared by the French, supported by the Spanish, and ultimately the English before the American Revolution.
Guests in the area will positively want to stand by the Penn Center, and the historic Chapel of Ease, the York W. Bailey Museum. Water sports are very popular here such as kayaking and fishing,
Falls Park on the Reedy
This Falls Park is situated near the Reedy River. This river even provides water for the Gristmill of Mr. Vardy McBee. This is the very same river which has been successful in drawing all our attention to visit and take a stroll along the banks of the river.
You can arrange a picnic with your friends and family or maybe take your pet out for a walk. This park is just perfect with its beautiful tiny gardens which have struggles of several of the regions residents and they offer the perfect view of nature. You can also witness kings with wooden swords in the time of Shakespeare Festival, this festival takes place for two months every year.
These festivals also work as the background for special occasions; such as weddings. Falls Park Reedy is a treat for nature and art lovers. You will be amazed to see so much cooperation among the citizen, just to create art.
Morris Island Lighthouse
You can visit Morris Island on a bay boat through the fresh breeze and primitive tidal streams to check out the Morris Island lighthouse. This lighthouse has survived all natural calamities; storms, hurricanes, and earthquakes. This lighthouse was built in 1767 and the original tower got destroyed during the civil war.
Then the tower was rebuilt in 1876, which is 161 ft tall, it has 201 steps. You can reach the top of the lighthouse by climbing all these steps. It’s a tall red and white striped tower, once you land on the island, you will be able to explore the beach for picturesque views and seashells.
Morris Island lighthouse stands tall and strong after facing in numerous struggles; be it man-made or natural. This is a must-visit for history enthusiasts, as it is an epitome in the world of history now.
Bluffton, South Carolina.
Just moments from Hilton Head Island, right beside the river May, lies the tranquil and serene town of Bluffton, South Carolina. Packed with impressive homes, historic churches and monuments and all kinds of creative artisans stores excellent eateries, Bluffton is extremely calm and tranquil in nature.
If you are looking for someplace which is going to refresh your mind and give you a feeling of peace Bluffton is the place for you. The Oak trees here are besieged in green moss and the picturesque view of the May River with the sound of chirping birds give you a beautiful and enchanting feeling of belonging.
If you want to fish or go kayaking with your family, Bluffton can be extremely ideal. This place is even ideal for small family vacations and if you plan to have a wedding in the middle of nature; you now know where to go!
The Aiken Golf Club
The Aiken Golf Club is carved in golf history. Basically built in 1912, it remains to be one of the most primitive golf courses. Designed by John Inglis. Aiken Golf Club is situated in the heart of Aiken.
This place is extremely popular for golfers in the month of winters. The place is not chilly and the weather stays moderate throughout the year, which helps the golfers a lot. A lot of famous golfers come here to play like Babe Didrikson, Patty Berg come here often.
This place is the main golf playing area now in the nation. Aiken Golf Club offers a serene and scenic view while you play golf; it happens to make you relax and concentrate on your game forgetting the hustle bustle of your busy lives. This place got a renovation and was fully opened since 1999.
Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, Spartanburg
The Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, yet tells us another story of a loving couple who decided to create something beautiful and breathtaking after their retirement. They moved from Indianapolis, Indiana, in search of a climate which is warmer.
The place they purchased had beautiful pine trees and a river flowing nearby. These lands were once dumped with garbage and had poor soil type. These problems did not matter to them and they started turning it into a stunning Woodland Preserve. Their efforts definitely did not go unnoticed and soon they started getting recognition for their amazing hard work. They planted over 10,000 trees to give it a spectacular look.
The Spartanburg garden council could not help but notice their effort; they offered to help in constructing the garden. The garden was officially opened in the year 1980 and soon became a popular tourist spot. If you are a nature lover and believe in something dreamy and beautiful, Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve should definitely top your list when visiting South Carolina. Mr. Hatcher died in the year 2003 and donated his garden to the Spartanburg garden council.
Conclusion
When visiting South Carolina; you sure want to travel to the beaches and explore the mountains which are beautiful and breathtaking but why would you go home without exploring something unusual. South Carolina has everything laid out for you, be it beaches, rivers, mountains, gardens and so much more. This place is filled with activities all over. Kayaking, fishing, surfing and many other sports are extremely popular here. You are ought to fall in love with this state; offering you with so many things. You have to make sure to plan a long trip when you decide on exploring this state. You will have the nicest time here in this state. This place is going to be in your memories forever. If you are visiting with your family and have kids, be prepared to be acknowledged for your decision to visit South Carolina. Come here for weekends or longer, this place will never fail to surprise you.
