The Historic River Town In South Carolina That's Full Of Charm And Perfect For A Day Trip

This mural was inspired by a photo taken by Conway Fire Chief Le Hendrick. The image was drawn out by Deputy City Administrator Mary Catherine Hyman in a 60-color paint-by-number style and then projected onto the building wall at night. A group of city employee volunteers helped outline numerous sizes and shapes with a number placed inside each section. City employees then chose a section and the paint can with the corresponding number to paint. Some employees even came after work and on weekends to continue the painting because they enjoyed the project so much!

The city's magnificent art murals are scattered here and there all along Main Street. This mural is the oldest one, created in 1983 by Jim Frisino depicting the F.G. Burroughs Riverboat on the Waccamaw River delivering freight and people.

The Waccamaw River played a tremendous role in South Carolina history, with the most successful rice plantations in the state found along the river. The mural began to fade over time and was restored in 2015 by local artist Tommy Simpson.

We loved this little cafe. It was comfortable and relaxed with absolutely delicious food. We all had sandwiches, which are made from soft freshly-baked bread. Our waitress was phenomenal.

It was starting to get warm by the time we were eating lunch, so we ate inside. But there's a nice outdoor patio space with another one of the murals to appreciate while eating if you prefer to be outside.

The main bakery space for The Trestle is a few steps down Main Street from the cafe. We stopped in for a bite of dessert after finishing our lunch. There's a nice selection here of baked goods to choose from, including cookies, bars, danishes, donuts, and more.

Tommy Simpson also created the steam engine mural found in Kingston Park, which is a lovely space where people often come for some solitude.

Augustus the Alligator sits outside the church and is one of eight Conway Critters scattered throughout the downtown and Riverwalk areas of the city. These adorable 15-inch bronze animal sculptures were crafted by three Coastal Carolina University students. The animals chosen are native to the area, and each has its own story narrated in a video. Some have a QR code you can scan when you find them, or you can go to the Conway Critters page on the City of Conway website for each critter's story. It's a fun way to learn more about the area and its history. With Augustus's story, for example, comes the history of Conway's live oak trees and their preservation (protected by a city ordinance) as a Tree City USA.



Sweet Pea the Rabbit provides details of the earliest portion of Conway's history, including it's previous name. First known as Kingston in the 1700s, then a village, its name was changed in 1801 to Conwayborough after General Robert Conway of the South Carolina State Militia. Finally, in 1883, the General Assembly shortened the town name to Conway, and it was incorporated in 1898.

On the other side of the street at the corner of 5th and Main opposite the church, we found Maggie the Squirrel outside the Visitor Center and Conway Downtown Alive building.

We chose Bonfire Taqueria along the riverwalk for another wonderful meal. The views of the river from the outdoor dining space are incredible.

This was my husband's favorite meal during our trip. He had the Al Pastor taco, which includes pulled pork, iceberg, grilled pineapple, cotija, and cilantro on a corn tortilla.

We found Beauregard the Black Bear and Ollie the Owl along the Riverwalk. Sadly, Timmy the Turtle is also supposed to be in this area but has recently been stolen. We did find the column where we figured he is supposed to be. My daughter, who is an animal lover, chose Beauregard as her favorite of the critters, while surprisingly (the only alligator I'll ever love ... haha!), Augustus was my favorite. Both the murals and the critters are a fun scavenger hunt while exploring this charming city. And be sure to subscribe to the OnlyInYourState YouTube channel for more incredible videos like this.

For a more in-depth glimpse into Conway, check out our video about the charming city.