SouthCarolina
3
Day Itinerary •
USA
Three days in South Carolina gives you the essential Palmetto State experience, from the extraordinary antebellum grandeur of Charleston, the most beautiful city in the American South, to the magnificent ACE Basin wilderness and the extraordinary sea island culture of the Gullah Geechee people along the Lowcountry coast. This route covers the heart of South Carolina. The extraordinary Rainbow Row and Battery of Charleston, the finest shrimp and grits in America, the extraordinary Magnolia Plantation gardens, the remarkable Congaree National Park old-growth forest and the extraordinary Hunting Island State Park, the finest beach in the Lowcountry.
Best Time To Visit
March to May or October to November
Getting There
Fly into Charleston (CHS)
Getting Around
Rental car essential outside Charleston
Budget Per Day
Approx $120 to $200 per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, mostly walking and driving
DAY 1
CHARLESTON
MORNING
CHARLESTON HISTORIC DISTRICT, RAINBOW ROW AND THE BATTERY
Charleston is the most extraordinary historic city in the American South, its extraordinary Rainbow Row of 13 Georgian townhouses painted in pastel colors along East Bay Street the most photographed streetscape in South Carolina. The Battery seawall promenade with its extraordinary antebellum mansions overlooking Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter is the finest waterfront walk in the South. The French Quarter's extraordinary cobblestone Church Street is unmissable. Stroll to St Philip's Church on Cumberland Street at dawn. Free. Drive: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
MAGNOLIA PLANTATION AND GARDENS, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY GARDEN IN THE SOUTH
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is the most extraordinary historic garden in the American South, its extraordinary 500 acres of Lowcountry landscape continuously cultivated since 1676 containing the finest azalea collection in America, extraordinary cypress swamp gardens alive with great blue herons and alligators and the finest spring flower display in South Carolina. The 1676 plantation house is the oldest public garden in North America. Entry approx $20. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
CHARLESTON CITY MARKET AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA FOOD SCENE
The Charleston City Market is the most extraordinary public market in South Carolina, its extraordinary four-block covered arcade of sweetgrass basket weavers, local art and artisan food vendors operating continuously since 1804 giving the finest Lowcountry craft experience in the state. The sweetgrass basket weaving tradition brought by enslaved West Africans is the most extraordinary living craft tradition in South Carolina. The surrounding King Street of boutiques and restaurants is extraordinary. Market free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Aiken-Rhett House Museum in Charleston is the finest hidden antebellum house museum in America, its extraordinary 1820 urban plantation preserved almost entirely unchanged since the Civil War with original wallpaper, furniture and outbuildings giving the most extraordinary insight into antebellum Charleston life. Entry approx $12.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Husk, Charleston The most celebrated Southern restaurant in America. Extraordinary local South Carolina ingredients. Book weeks ahead. | Lunch: Hominy Grill, Charleston The finest shrimp and grits in Charleston. Extraordinary Lowcountry cuisine in a historic barbershop. | Dinner: FIG, Charleston The finest farm-to-table restaurant in Charleston. Extraordinary local South Carolina produce. Book ahead.
DAY 2
LOWCOUNTRY COAST
MORNING
BEAUFORT, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY SMALL CITY IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
Beaufort is the most extraordinary small city in the South Carolina Lowcountry, its extraordinary antebellum waterfront of white-columned mansions reflecting in the Beaufort River giving a historic streetscape entirely unlike any other in the state. The extraordinary Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, the Verdier House and the Penn Center on St Helena Island, the most important Reconstruction-era African American educational institution in the South, are all unmissable. Free to explore. Drive: 1.5 hr drive
MIDDAY
HUNTING ISLAND STATE PARK, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY BEACH IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
Hunting Island State Park is the most extraordinary state park in South Carolina, its extraordinary 5,000 acres of maritime forest, salt marsh and barrier island beach giving the finest undeveloped barrier island experience in the Lowcountry. The 1875 lighthouse at 132 feet gives the finest view of the coast and sea island landscape. The extraordinary beach of ancient live oaks draped with Spanish moss leaning over the sand is the most atmospheric coastal scene in South Carolina. Entry $4 per person. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
ACE BASIN AND GULLAH GEECHEE SEA ISLAND CULTURE
The ACE Basin, the confluence of the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Rivers, is the most extraordinary coastal wilderness in South Carolina, its extraordinary 350,000 acres of pristine salt marsh, tidal creek and bottomland forest the largest undeveloped estuary on the East Coast. The extraordinary Gullah Geechee culture of the Sea Islands, descended from enslaved West Africans and preserving the most extraordinary African cultural heritage in the United States, is best experienced through the Penn Center. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Daufuskie Island off Hilton Head is the finest hidden sea island in South Carolina, its extraordinary car-free island of Gullah Geechee heritage, abandoned Freedmen's Bureau school buildings and pristine beaches accessible only by ferry giving the most extraordinary hidden island experience in the Lowcountry. Ferry from Hilton Head approx $25.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Blackstone's Cafe, Beaufort The finest breakfast in Beaufort. Extraordinary local eggs, biscuits and strong Lowcountry coffee. | Lunch: Saltus River Grill, Beaufort The finest waterfront lunch in Beaufort. Extraordinary local oysters, shrimp and Lowcountry fish tacos. | Dinner: Plums Restaurant, Beaufort The finest restaurant in Beaufort. Extraordinary local Lowcountry seafood and outstanding South Carolina wine.
DAY 3
CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK
MORNING
CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY OLD-GROWTH FOREST IN THE EAST
Congaree National Park is the most extraordinary old-growth floodplain forest in the eastern United States, its extraordinary 26,000 acres of bottomland hardwood trees including the tallest loblolly pines, cherrybark oaks and champion trees of any species in North America giving a forest of extraordinary scale and antiquity. The 2.4-mile elevated boardwalk loop through the old-growth cathedral of trees beside Cedar Creek is the finest short walk in South Carolina. Entry completely free. Drive: 1.5 hr drive
MIDDAY
CONGAREE CANOE TRAIL AND CEDAR CREEK
The Congaree Canoe Trail along Cedar Creek is the most extraordinary canoe experience in South Carolina, its extraordinary 15-mile route through ancient floodplain forest past bald cypress knees and champion trees in water so dark with tannins it appears black giving a wilderness paddling experience minutes from the state capital. Canoe and kayak rentals from Carolina Canoe Club approx $35. The firefly synchronization event in May and June is extraordinary. Drive: 30 min walk
AFTERNOON
COLUMBIA AND THE FIVE POINTS DISTRICT
Columbia is the most extraordinary state capital in the Carolinas, its extraordinary Five Points arts and dining district, the South Carolina State House with its extraordinary bronze stars marking Union artillery hits and the remarkable Columbia Museum of Art giving a vibrant city experience alongside the park. The extraordinary University of South Carolina Horseshoe, the finest antebellum university campus in the South, is free to walk. State House free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary firefly synchronization event at Congaree National Park in late May and early June is the most extraordinary natural light show in the eastern United States, its extraordinary thousands of synchronous fireflies flashing in unison above the floodplain forest floor in a display seen nowhere else on the East Coast. Free with park entry. Book ranger-led tours ahead.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Motor Supply Co. Bistro, Columbia The finest breakfast in Columbia. Extraordinary locally sourced South Carolina produce. | Lunch: Picnic at Congaree Pack lunch from Columbia. The extraordinary picnic tables beside Cedar Creek in the old-growth forest. | Dinner: The Oak Table, Columbia The finest farm-to-table restaurant in Columbia. Extraordinary local South Carolina produce and craft beer.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Charleston, Night 1 Zero George Street or The Spectator Hotel. Approx $160 to $300 per night. Beaufort, Night 2 The Beaufort Inn or Inn on Bath Creek. Approx $130 to $220 per night. Columbia, Night 3 The Hilton Columbia Center or Hotel Trundle. Approx $110 to $180 per night.
Top Tips
1. Charleston's Magnolia Plantation azalea gardens in March and April are the most extraordinary in the South. Book ahead.
2. Shrimp and grits at Husk or Hominy Grill in Charleston is the finest version of the dish in America.
3. Hunting Island State Park lighthouse climb gives the finest view of the South Carolina Lowcountry coast. Entry $4.
4. Congaree National Park at dawn for firefly season in May and June is the most extraordinary natural light show in America.
5. The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor from Georgetown to Florida is the finest African American heritage route.
6. Charleston ghost tours after dark reveal the most extraordinary stories behind the city's antebellum facades.
Total Budget
$120 to $200/day