Here’s South Carolina’s Top Outdoor Attraction… And You’ll Definitely Want To Do It
If you’ve ever visited Brookgreen Gardens just south of Murrell’s Inlet, then you know why it’s South Carolina’s top outdoor attraction. You also know you can never spend too much time in this tranquil paradise. From one visit, to 50 and beyond, every visit to Brookgreen Gardens makes its mark on your soul.
This wonderful piece of paradise was created in 1932 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. Originally, the Huntingtons came down from Connecticut looking for some beachfront property to build a house.
But after touring four adjoining plantations comprising 9,100 acres in 1929, Anna fell in love with the idea of creating a garden showcase for her sculptures. They bought all four former rice plantations and got to work building her dream.
Brookgreen Gardens sits entirely on one single plantation that was part of the bundle of four. Tours to two of the other plantations are offered by way of water and over land. On these "special tours," you get a glimpse at the life on Laurel Hill Plantation and get to visit the Alston family cemetery on the Oaks Plantation.
The old Brookgreen Plantation (now Brookgreen Gardens) gets many visitors each year who frequent it not only for the tree-lined walkways that adjoin each of the more than 1,400 works of art displayed here, but also for the eco tours and a zoo. The Native Wildlife Zoo at Brookgreen Gardens is the only accredited zoo on the coast of the Carolinas.
Brookgreen has a 45-foot pontoon that will take you through the backwaters of the old plantations that today make up Brookgreen. This summer, through August 5th, Thursday nights are family night and this creek tour transforms into "A Pirate's Journey Along The Creeks."
During the Christmas season, Brookgreen Gardens opens at night for "Nights of a Thousand Candles." This very popular event sells out every year.
Brookgreen Gardens is more than just a sculpture garden. It's one woman's dedication to showcasing American artists in the beautiful and historic Lowcountry of South Carolina. It's a place where art and nature are one. It's a place to find your inner peace.
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