South Carolina Vacation Guide - SC 2025

REGION

From boating the wide-open waters of the “Great Lakes of South Carolina” to paddling between cypress and tupelo trees in blackwater creeks, this region attracts anglers, boaters, birdwatchers and swimmers alike. During the day, take your pick from golf courses, nature trails, historic battlegrounds and woodlands hunting. At night, discover low-key eateries and cultural gems in small towns. Santee

REGIONAL MUST SEES Old Santee Canal Park, Moncks Corner | Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center, Orangeburg | Santee State Park, Santee | The Palmetto Traverse at Santee Cooper Golf Resort, Santee | Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Summerton | Sumter Opera House, Sumter

Gardens & Green Spaces

South Carolina's Santee Cooper Country is a haven for nature lovers, boasting some of the state's most beautiful gardens and green spaces.

In Moncks Corner, Mepkin Abbey offers a serene retreat with its expansive gardens and peaceful atmosphere. Take a guided tour of the Mepkin Abbey Church, a historic Trappist monastery, and then wander the blooms and sculptures in the Nancy Bryan Luce Gardens. Stop by the gift shop for jams, honey and other goods made by monks.

Also in Moncks Corner, the 170- acre Cypress Gardens features picturesque footbridges over a blackwater swamp bedecked in lily pads. (Take a rowboat out on the swamp to relive the romance of The Notebook, which was filmed here.) Inside The Butterfly House, get a peek into the beautiful life cycle of live butterflies.

In Sumter, Swan Lake Iris Gardens is a botanical gem, famous for its collection of more than 120 varieties of irises, plus a rainbow of other flowers and more than 100 species of trees. This is also the country’s only public park that features all eight species of swans. Sight-impaired visitors can enjoy the delightful aromas and sounds on the Sensory Trail.

Edisto Memorial Gardens in Orangeburg captivates visitors with its stunning display of thousands of roses, as well as azaleas and camellias. Enjoy the serenity garden, and walk along the boardwalk to view tupelo-cypress wetlands on the Edisto River.