Growing up in Missouri, South Carolina was billed as a summer paradise. For us Midwesterners, any place with a beach was worth dreaming of, but even the names of South Carolina hotspots seemed romantic.
Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, the Isle of Palms—all perfect places for sunbathing and summer flings.
Tens of thousands of travelers flock to these sleepy beaches every summer to soak up the sun, chow down on barbecue, wander around cobblestone streets, and cruise through sunset-tinted waters. Almost like a Taylor Swift music video.
From the outside looking in, it’s easy to classify the state as an American dreamscape.
But is it actually a place that’s worth visiting—or have I been lured in by too many tales? As someone who is often skeptical of things that look too good to be true, I’m happy to announce that summer in South Carolina lives up to the hype. Here’s why.
True charm
South Carolina oozes charm. One of the first things you’ll notice is a sense of hospitality. Locals are friendly and chatty—which is usually a positive for travelers.
If you drive through the state, you’ll encounter a bevy of tiny towns that are proudly preserving their history and style. It’s like a wonderland of antebellum architecture.
Towns like York, Edisto Island, Beaufort, Pendleton, and even Clemson (home of Clemson University and their Tigers athletic program) are perfect places for some idle exploration.
Whether just passing through or taking a day trip, South Carolina only gets better when you zoom in on the details.
Walkable Charleston
I’m personally obsessed with the city of Charleston. First, because this city is listed as one of the most haunted in the US. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, that’s always a strong indicator that there’s a lot of history at play.
Charleston was a place of heavy fighting during both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. History nerds like me will find the placards dotting Charleston endlessly fascinating.
Aside from its historical relevance, it’s also one of the US’s only walkable cities. For summer visitors, that offers a chance to soak up the storied atmosphere of this uniquely and deeply American destination. I can almost hear the summer cicadas and taste the ice cream cones.
Iconic beaches
Who doesn’t love a trip to the beach during the hot summer months? South Carolina is particularly humid, which makes taking a dip in the Atlantic (known for being cooler) a treat.
But there aren’t just beaches lining the coast. South Carolina is home to beach towns that come alive with festivities all summer long.
Watermelon and peach festivals span the state in places like Hampton, Pageland, and Lexington. Along the beaches, you can find dozens of July 4th fireworks shows, country fairs, minor league baseball games, and more.
If you’re heading to more remote (and famous) places like Kiawah Island, top-notch resorts also make it easy to golf, fish, and more.
The unexpected
South Carolina is home to a ‘creole corridor’ where the Gullah live. Gullah people descend from enslaved West and Central Africans.
Their language is based on English, along with a variety of native African dialects from the Kongo, Fula, Mende, and Vai people, amongst others. It’s officially called Geechee., which is also used to refer to people who speak Geechee. (Though you’ll probably see Gullah-Geechee used more.)
Gullah culture is alive and well—and you can experience it in South Carolina’s southern regions. If you head to Beaufort, Murrells Inlet, Huger, Ravenel, and James Island, you’ll find Gullah Geechee museums and historic sites. You’ll probably also find a few locals who are passionate about the topic and can point you in the right direction.
If you’d like to learn more, I suggest starting with the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission.
Jungle vibes
I’ve got another surprising factoid to share about South Carolina: it’s home to the cutest little carnivorous plants in the world. Venus flytraps.
That’s right—this plant isn’t from the Amazon. Instead, they prefer the subtropical wetlands found in South Carolina and North Carolina.
The Venus flytrap is native only to the coastal bogs that span a 60-mile radius. Though they’ve been exported to other environments around the world, the flytraps are in a bit of a crisis right now thanks to environmental changes and overharvesting.
If you’d like to see one in the wild, you can drive to North Carolina’s Green Swamp Preserve. (It’s located just across state lines.) You’ll see plenty of placards and resources outlining the Venus fly trap and its environment.