The 3 Most Colorful Places You Can Find in South Carolina

We’re quickly approaching one of the best seasons! Springtime is when the most colorful places in South Carolina show off their incredible blooms, painting the landscape with a kaleidoscope of color that invites us all to get outside and enjoy Mother Nature’s artwork. As the days get longer and you start planning out your adventures, be sure to add some of these colorful places in South Carolina to your itinerary. 

The Most Colorful Places to Visit in South Carolina

Brookgreen Gardens

Conveniently located on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, Brookgreen Gardens is easily one of the most colorful places in South Carolina. The 9,127-acre site is a beautiful destination in every season, but it sure does pop in the spring. The Butterfly Garden is especially mesmerizing, and if you get your timing right, your visit will be blessed with both beautiful blooms and butterflies!

Hatcher Garden

Open 365 days a year, Hatcher Garden in Spartanburg offers several different gardens to stroll through. The Walter Soderberg Ericaceous Collection is particularly popular in the spring when the azaleas and rhododendrons begin to bloom, and the Josephine Hatcher Woodland Garden Room also comes alive in the spring when the Virginia bluebells and trout lilies show off their colors. 

Airlie Gardens

Airlie Garden’s history is as colorful as its blooms. Sarah and Pembroke Jones purchased the property in 1884 and began transforming the land into their dream gardens. Today, the 67-acre garden is run by the Airlie Gardens Foundation, a non-profit that helps preserve the gardens and helps educate others. There’s always an upcoming event to look forward to at Airlie, like Blooms & Brews in March. Come see the iconic azaleas and tulips, and see what’s in bloom.

When to Visit for the Best Color and Light

Tying Mother Nature down to a specific date that aligns with your schedule is wishful thinking. 

The best advice is to stay flexible. Much like tracking the fall foliage, peak spring flower blooms are tricky to nail down. Luckily, most public gardens and arboretums keep everyone updated on what’s in bloom through their websites and social media accounts. A little research before you head over could be the difference between a full-blooming garden and one that’s just on the cusp of a color explosion. 

In general, April and May are the best months to enjoy the colors. We’d recommend visiting more than once throughout the season so you can experiment with sunlight and cloud cover. You don’t need a professional camera to capture incredible photos; these days, a cell phone is more than capable of the task. Play around with your composition! Get low to the ground, and let your creativity shine—those are often the photos that capture our interest the most.

Plan your own springtime road trip and check out our ultimate guide to South Carolina in the spring to start planning your itinerary. Only In Your State’s itinerary planner makes it easier than ever to plan a trip!