South Carolina Vacation Guide - SC 2025

REGION

As one of the country’s most beautifully preserved architectural treasures, the historic city of Charleston features cobblestone streets, pastel mansions with lacy wrought iron balconies, homes turned museums and grand hotels. Just outside downtown, award-winning golf courses overlook the Atlantic Ocean, stately plantations hold centuries of stories, and the laid-back sea islands beckon with sandy beaches and casual dock-and-dine eateries.

REGIONAL MUST SEES Old South Carriage Co., Charleston | Folly Beach | Tidal Wave Water Sports, Isle of Palms | Freshfields Village, Kiawah Island | Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Mount Pleasant | Tanger Outlets Charleston, North Charleston | Seabrook Beach, Seabrook Island | Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, Sullivan’s Island | Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, Summerville

AWARD-WINNING EATS

It isn’t by chance that the Charleston area serves up accolade-laden restaurants year after year, from old favorites to new hits. Here’s what's cooking at local hot spots that have gotten the nod.

Nikko Cagalanan was a 2024 finalist for James Beard’s Emerging Chef award, and for good reason: Diners at his restaurant, Kultura, love the Filipino takes on picadillo and carbonara and fun touches like bright purple halo-halo cocktails topped with Fruity Pebbles. Bring your appetite (and singing voice) to its popular weekend karaoke brunch.

Named one of America's Best Restaurants in 2024 by The New York Times, fire-to-table eatery Lost Isle on Johns Island is renowned for chef Josh Taylor's perfectly charred, globally inspired dishes — think tamarind-chili-glazed chicken and harissa cauliflower steak.

Taste French, Italian and Spanish influences at The Obstinate Daughter on Sullivan’s Island, a top pizza restaurant on Yelp! with a bonus: It’s a certified green “food fort” where you can also find polenta frites and griddled octopus.

Little Palm is a big gem, and Esquire magazine agrees — it named Little Palm among the best bars in America, with its open-air courtyard and cutely named craft cocktails (Paid Vacation and Seven Day Weekend sound pretty good, right?).