Posted in South Carolina Attractions, Road Trips April 27, 2022 by

This South Carolina Road Trip Takes You From The Peachoid To The UFO Welcome Center

It’s time for another road trip and this one is anchored by two of the state’s most notable roadside attractions: the Peachoid in Gaffney and the acclaimed UFO Welcome Center in Bowman. In between these two fun attractions, we’ve added some other fun stops making this South Carolina road trip a full day of entertainment the whole family can enjoy.

The road trip gets underway over in Gaffney as we make a stop right underneath the 135-foot tower with a giant peach on top.
Google Maps [enhanced with map pins, numbers, text, and graphics]
As with all of our road trips, we've created an interactive Google Map to make the journey easier.
The Peachoid, as it's called, holds one million gallons of water.
Flickr/anokarina
Peachoid, Peachoid Rd, Gaffney, SC 29341, USA
Google/john hale
Peachoid is visible for miles and miles as folks travel through the area on Interstate 85. Learn more about it and why a peach was chosen for this water tower by reading this previous article.
Next up is the ghost town of Pinckneyville.
National Register of Historic Places/ SCDAH
Flickr/MarksPhotoTravels
Once a thriving 1800s town, Pinckneyville now sits mostly in ruins. Learn more about it here.
Pinckneyville, SC, USA
Whether you're getting an early start to your day or it's actually lunch time when you arrive at stop number three on this road trip, Bill & Frans will plate up one of the best meals you'll ever have.
TripAdvisor/JEB - Asheville
Bill & Fran's Restaurant, 11724 SC-34, Newberry, SC 29108, USA
TripAdvisor/danawhite
Learn more about this family-friendly country restaurant, right over here.
Passing through Columbia, you'll be glad you stopped at the Governor's Mansion. No matter which side of the fence your politics land on, you'll love the FREE gardens that surround the mansion.
Google/Sara Beth Wade
Discover room after outdoor garden room as you wander around. Learn more here.
Governor's Mansion, 800 Richland St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
The next stop on this fun road trip is Congaree National Park.
Google/Jayne Lim
Congaree National Park, South Carolina, USA
Google/Waleed Kahlid
This FREE national park is one of the most underrated and under visited parks in the state. Explore it on foot on the boardwalk trail or several other trails or bring a kayak and see it from the water. Learn more about what makes Congaree National Park so special by reading this previous article.
After all of this sightseeing, it will likely be time to eat - again and Lonestar BBQ serves up some of the best BBQ around.
Google/Jacob Draper
Lone Star BBQ Tavern and Grille, 2212 State Park Rd, Santee, SC 29142, USA
Google/BB Tanganyikan
The buffet-style restaurant allows you to plate up as much or as little as you like. Check it out here.
The final stop on this quirky road trip is at the one and only UFO Welcome Center in the world.
Robin Jarvis (Do Not Use Without Permission)
UFO Welcome Center, Homestead Road, Bowman, SC, USA
Google/JEFF MCNEESE
This roadside attraction is located in the tiny bedroom community of Bowman, which has been made famous around the world just by the folks who make it a point to visit the UFO Welcome Center. Read all about it right here.

Do you love a day filled with a good South Carolina road trip as much as we do? Where else would you like to go on a road trip? Let us know here!

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