A travel guide to South Carolina that includes highlights of the state's three regions.
Though a small state, South Carolina is a place of extremes. In the northern part of the state (nicknamed the Foothills due to its proximity to the Appalachians), the geography consists of rolling hills and gently sloping mountains and is covered with lush green vegetation. This area is a unique blend of history and arts cohabiting in a heavily forested environment. The coastal part of the state (referred to as the low country) is just the opposite with white sandy beaches and an almost treeless landscape. The low country is home to several popular beach resorts including Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach as well as the charming and friendly southern city of Charleston. In between these two extremes is the interior of the state in which the capital, Columbia, is located. The interior of the state is a combination of both the Foothills and the low country, but mostly resembles the coastal cities in terms of temperature, humidity, and the landscape. A trip through South Carolina invites the traveler to take a rare glimpse back into history at the birth of a new nation as well to sample an inviting and diverse landscape of beaches, mountains, and rolling hills.
Traveling through the Foothills of the Upstate, one cannot help but to be drawn to the allure of the mountains. Indeed, the mountains of South Carolina are not only a place of recreation, they are an important part of American history. During the Revolutionary War, Kings Mountain, located on the border between North and South Carolina, helped play a decisive role in the ultimate victory of the American Continental Army over the British. The Kings Mountain National Military Park marks the spot where on October 7, 1780, the American Patriots were able to defeat General Charles Cornwallis' British loyalists, preventing them from advancing into North Carolina and effectively ending loyalists support in the South. Not far from Kings Mountain lies the Cowpens National Battleground where roughly three months later, American patriots fought and won yet another major victory against General Cornwallis and his British army. These two victories in South Carolina are considered major turning points in the Revolutionary War that ended nine months later when General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington at Yorktown. Both parks in South Carolina serve as educational centers as well as offer hiking and outdoor recreation.
The Upstate of South Carolina also includes several other points of interest. In Spartanburg, travelers can tour the 18th century Walnut Grove Plantation and its nature trails, outbuildings, and family cemetery. Nearby Greenville offers travelers a chance to partake in the arts with a performance by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra or the Carolina Ballet Theater. Table Rock State Park, in northern Greenville, affords travelers magnificent mountain scenery and plentiful hiking trails that crisscross much of the Upstate. The highest point in South Carolina, Sassafras Mountain, standing at 3560 feet, can also be accessed either by car or from the 85-mile long Foothills Trail that passes through the Upstate.
Not to be outdone, the low country also has its share of exciting opportunities for those traveling through South Carolina. Hilton Head Island, the second largest Barrier Island on the East Coast offers a host of different activities including yachting, charter fishing, kayaking, tennis, golfing, snorkeling, bicycling, and dolphin touring. In fact, the endless white beaches of Hilton Head Island are a beach lover's paradise. Not far from Hilton Head Island, travelers can take in the charm and Southern hospitality of Charleston. Like Hilton Head, Charleston offers some of the finest beaches and golf courses in the country, but Charleston also offers visitors a taste of history as well. Fort Sumter still stands as a reminder of the bitter divide and rivalry between the North and South during the 19th century. Today, the Fort Sumter National Monument marks the spot where on April 12, 1861 the Civil War began. Visitors to the area can also visit the White Point Gardens, located in the heart of the historic district that was used to help fortify the city during the Civil War. Various weaponry used to defend the city from the Union army is still on display in the gardens. Other highlights to explore in Charleston include a pre-Revolutionary dungeon, the haunted Old City Jail, and the South Carolina Aquarium.
Travel to South Carolina would not be complete without a tour to the state capital, Columbia. Located in the middle of the state, Columbia is home to the popular and renowned Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens that houses over 2000 animals and where recently the zoo's first baby Koala, Karoo, was born. Visitors can also tour the South Carolina Capitol Building and State House, which withstood an attack by the Union army during the Civil War. Reminders of General Sherman's attack on the city can still be found in the sidewalk where bronze stars mark the spots where cannonballs struck.
