ADOBESTOCK/JASON YODER Hiking fOR alL GET SOME FRESH AIR AND EASY EXERCISE ON FAMILY-FRIENDLY TRAILS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. MANY OF THESE TRAILS ARE FRIENDLY FOR STROLLERS AND WHEELCHAIRS. Congaree National Park features numerous trails rated as “easy,” including the 2.6-mile, wheelchair-accessible Boardwalk Loop Trail, which begins at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and winds through the old-growth bottomland hardwood forest. Be sure to stop by the visitor center to check which trails are open (weather dependent). At Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site in Charleston, explore 7 miles of paved and unpaved interpretive trails through the park. Enjoy park-style gardens blooming with thousands of azaleas and camellias, see animals in a natural habitat zoo and explore the original settlement area from 1670. Riverwalk: Piedmont Medical Center Trail in Rock Hill is a scenic 5-mile (round-trip) paved trail along the Catawba River with beautiful waterfront views and resting benches along the way. After a walk, stop by The Pump House for a bite to eat. 15 Ages 4 and up can attend the weekly public planetarium shows at DuPont Planetarium on the University of South Carolina Aiken campus. After the show, peer into the heavens (weather permitting) with the powerful Bechtel Telescope. During June and July, older kids and teens can go on a guided nighttime loggerhead sea turtle walk at Edisto Beach State Park in Edisto Island for the chance to spot nesting turtles in the wild. 19 Horseback ride along Waites Island beaches at sunset with Inlet Point Plantation in North Myrtle Beach. (For children 6 and younger, opt for a hand-led pony ride through the pecan groves.) VISIT GREENVILLE/FIREWATER PHOTOGRAPHY 16 20 Stand on an elevated platform with zookeepers and feed friendly giraffes at the new Jim and Janice Cordes Giraffe Encounters experience at the Greenville Zoo . Another riverfront trail, Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville is a 22-mile multi-use trail for walking and biking that passes by the Reedy River, city parks and an old railroad corridor. 17 Soar through the skies (as high as 120 feet above the forest floor) on the Upstate Zipline at Keowee-Toxaway State Park in Sunset. You’ll ride 10 lines, cross one suspension bridge and explore nature trails for the full experience. 26 DiscoverSouthCarolina.com VISIT GREENVILLE VISIT MYRTLE BEACH 14 Spend a day beachcombing, picnicking and exploring the maritime forests on St. Phillips Island—part of the state park system— during a naturalist-led eco-tour with Coastal Expeditions Beaufort , departing from St. Helena Island. 18 Take in sweeping views of Hilton Head Island when you climb to the top of the iconic red-and-white-striped Harbour Town Lighthouse . Then, learn about local maritime history at the museum.
South Carolina Vacation Guide SC 2024: Page 26
