The Ultimate South Carolina Hidden Gems Road Trip Will Take You To 10 Incredible Little-Known Spots In The State
For many, getting away for the day or a weekend during the COVID-19 outbreak often means staying within the boundaries of our own state and exploring perfectly awesome places right here in our own backyard. Fortunately, South Carolina is home to a world of mostly undiscovered places that are worthy of a road trip or two. The road trip we feature below is actually 10 hours of driving, but there are countless hours of exploration to add onto the trip. You could spend a weekend exploring the Palmetto State and these 10 special spots.
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
Hike this 5.5-mile trail to a remote waterfall deep within the Cherry Hill Recreation Area near Walhalla. The falls are spectacular and generally accessible all year round. Get the deets from our previous article about Big Bend Falls.
The tallest mountain peak in the state got a brand new observation tower in 2019 and if you haven't discovered this new attraction yet, then you're sure to be pleasantly pleased. From high atop Sassafras Mountain, you can see three states. And while visiting the tower, you can plant your feet in both North Carolina and South Carolina at the same time. Get more information by reading this previous article!
Found in the heart of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, Jones Gap State Park features more than 3,900 acres to explore. Its unique positioning nestled down into a deep mountain cove makes this park even more thrilling to navigate through. The Middle Saluda River runs right through the park and is like something out of a fairy tale. Learn more from this previous article.
Hands down, this is one of the prettiest spots in the state to view a sunrise! Situated on the tippy edge of a mountain cliff, Pretty Place (a.k.a. Fred W Symmes Chapel) is an open-air chapel for the YMCA camp in the upstate. But, it's open the public on many days of the year, and there is usually an Easter Sunday sunrise service broadcast live at dawn on its Facebook page. Learn all about it in this previous article.
Hike a trail straight up a hill to discover a series of three roadside waterfalls and an abundance of wildlife at Wildcat Wayside Falls found right on the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway in South Carolina. Most people think there is only one waterfall here (the one visible from the road), but there are two more found along the trail! Learn all about it here.
Roam through this park where, millions of years ago, an arc of massive volcanoes once loomed high overhead on the landscape. Fast forward millions of years to when this site was instrumental during the American Revolution. Learn more about this historic locale by reading this previous article!
Hike the 1.7-mile loop trail at this heritage preserve near Kershaw to discover brilliantly colored natural pools carved over millions of years into a giant bed of rock that's roughly 14 acres in size. There are plants growing here that can't be found growing naturally anywhere else in the state. Find out more about Forty Acre Rock and this trail by reading this previous article!
Take a little family road trip over to Cottageville to spend the day at this South Carolina zoo and honeybee farm. You'll be surprised at just how much fun you can have at this zoo that's hiding in plain sight out in the countryside! Learn more from this previous article!
You'll feel right at home and instantly at peace at this 160-acre preserve in Moncks Corner. From the beautiful swamp to the largest butterfly house in the state and the swamparium (not to mention the boat rides!), there's a lot to discover here and so very much to see. Learn more about this preserve that sits on the site of a centuries-old rice plantation by reading this previous article!
Discover the beauty of this cultured swamp garden, complete with cypress knees and trees, tupelo trees, and more alligators than you probably care to count. Don't worry, though. As long as you stay on the trail, you should be fine! Learn more about the Audubon Swamp Garden in Charleston here.
What a fun road trip this will be. How many of these have you already discovered in South Carolina? Do you have more awesome places to suggest we write about? Let us know by filling out a nomination form right over here.
Address: Big Bend Falls, South Carolina 29664, USA
Address: 100 YMCA Camp Rd, Cleveland, SC 29635, USA
Address: Jones Gap State Park, 303 Jones Gap Rd, Marietta, SC 29661, USA
Address: 1066 Holly Ridge Ln, Cottageville, SC 29435, USA
Address: Cypress Gardens, 3030 Cypress Gardens Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461, USA
Address: 40 Acre Rock Heritage Preserve, 2207 Conservancy Rd, Kershaw, SC 29067, USA
Address: Sassafras Mountain Tower, Sassafras Mountain Rd, Sunset, SC 29685, USA
Address: 2625 Park Rd, Blacksburg, SC 29702, USA
Address: Peak To Prosperity Passage of the Palmetto Trail, Palmetto Trail, Pomaria, SC 29126, USA
Address: 5500 Geer Hwy, Cleveland, SC 29635, USA
Address: 3550 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
