South Carolina Top Attractions

Top 17 things to see and do in South Carolina

1 Historic Charleston

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Historic Charleston is located in the state of South Carolina. The city was previously called "Charles Towne", after King Charles II of England. Aside from being historic, Charleston is also known as "The Holy City" because of the many churches that are located within the area.

Charleston's proximity to the sea made it open to numerous trades and vulnerable to civil war attempts. The Colonial Dorchester and Fort Moultrie sites serve as testament to the city's role during the American Revolution ...
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2 Charleston Plantations

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In the 18th and 19th century, the city of Charleston thrived on the merchandise, which was grown in its many plantations. Charleston's main produce were rice and indigo, which the city managed to export, many thanks to its seaside location.

When slavery was abolished in 1865, many plantations were abandoned and burned. Thankfully, five Charleston plantations are still left intact, which serve as areas of historic and educational importance to many tourists.

One such plantation is the Drayton Hall, which remains to be the oldest, unrestored plantation in America still open for tours ...
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3 Drayton Hall

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Drayton Hall, which was built in the year 1738, is considered as a National Historic Landmark. It served as a big rice plantation during its' heyday, until it was bought in 1974. Up to now, Drayton Hall continues to be the oldest unrestored plantation hall in America still open for tours.

Drayton Hall became the staging grounds of the British during the American Revolution, and was shaken by the 1886 earthquake, yet it remains to be one of the few architectural landmines that remain intact and close to its original condition ...
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4 Fort Sumter

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Fort Sumter is a coastal fort located along the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Fort Sumter was named after Thomas Sumter, a general and Revolutionary war patriot. The fort was one of the many coast forts built in the southern part of the United States. The construction of Fort Sumter started in 1827, and remained unfinished until 1861, when the Civil war started.

The Confederates who occupied Fort Sumter built a sand bar, which continues to dawn the entrance to the harbor of Charleston ...
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5 Patriots Point Naval Museum

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The Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum is home to three museum ships, namely the USS Clamagore, a naval submarine; USS Yorktown, a naval aircraft carrier; and USS Laffey, a naval destroyer which was closed in August 2009 and recently reopened to the public December 2011.

The Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum can be found at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. It sits on Charleston River's famed Cooper River. It also served as exhibit grounds of the USCGC Comanche and USCGC Ingham, both Coast Guard Cutters. The NS Savannah, the only nuclear merchant vessel of the
American naval fleet, called Patriots Point its home until 1994 ...
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6 Folly Beach

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Folly Beach, tagged as the "Edge of America", is a city situated on Folly Island, one of the districts of Charleston County, South Carolina.

This beach town is famous for its surfing attractions, such as the Folly Beach County Park, 10th Street, and Washout. The waters of Folly Beach are usually calm, yet it has drawn the attention of many surfers. Now, it's one of the most popular surfing locations at the East Coast. The city is truly a haven for surfers. The city's main road, Center Street, is filled with restaurants, shops (specifically surf shops,) and bars ...
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7 Sullivan's Island

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Located along the Harbor of Charleston County, South Carolina is Sullivan's Island. Also called as S.I., the island served a major role in the American Revolution, when it became the main battle grounds of the attack that took place on June 28, 1776. The date is now known as Carolina Day, is honor of the Battle of Sullivan Island.

The island was named after Captain Florence O'Sullivan, who served as the island's lighthouse keeper during the 17th century ...
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8 The Carolina Opry Theatre

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The Carolina Opry Theatre is located at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The first Carolina Opry Theatre was situated at Surfside Beach. The theatre bore a 1000-seat capacity. It first opened its doors with a presentation of the Carolina Opry show in May 2, 1986.

Night after night, the theatre boasted of sold-out shows. That's why it was named as the Most Outstanding Attraction of South Carolina in 1987.

In 1990, the Carolina Opry Theatre was constructed by Myrtle Beach ...
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9 Myrtle Beach SkyWheel

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The Myrtle Beach SkyWheel is a 57-meter tall Ferris wheel located at the Oceanside Boardwalk and Promenade, in the town of Myrtle in South Carolina. As of its opening in May 20, 2011, it is considered as the highest Ferris wheel in the country, east of the famed Mississippi river. It is also heralded as the sole "observation wheel" in the entire country.

The Myrtle Beach SkyWheel is a joint project of Ronald Bussink and Chance Morgan. The developers, Pacific Development and Koch Development Company, chose the location because of its beautiful boardwalk ...
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10 Mytle Beach Beaches

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Myrtle Beach is famous for its miles and miles of white sandy beaches. Myrtle Beach, which is the largest area in Grand Strand, serves as home to about 250,000 people. There are many beautiful beaches in this city next to the Atlantic Ocean, that's why the Travel Channel considers Myrtle Beach as one of the best beaches in the east coast.

North Myrtle Beach is famous for its long shoreline and white sand beaches. Aside from that, its piers and beachside attractions make it one of the greatest features of Myrtle Beach ...
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11 Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

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Located in Columbia County, South Carolina is the 69-hectare Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, an all-in-one botanical garden, aquarium, and zoo. Riverbanks averages 1,000,000 visits annually, making it the state's biggest gated attraction.

The Riverbanks Zoo serves as home to about 3000 species of fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Newest inclusions in the zoo include a collection of Koalas, Gorillas, and African Elephants. A 2-acre attraction, named African plains, displays ostriches, giraffes, and zebras ...
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12 Saluda Shoals Park

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Located along the Saluda River is the Saluda Shoals Park, a haven for people who wish to commune with the different elements of the environment. This 400-acre South Carolina natural park features a wide array of amenities which continue to attract thousands and thousands of visitors.

Saluda Shoals Park features River Observation Deck, where people can revel in the picturesque riverside view. There are also Picnic Shelters where friends can eat amidst the beauty of the park. People who want to traverse the river course of the park can start at the Boat/Kayak/Canoe Ramp and Launch ...
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13 South Carolina State Museum

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The South Carolina State Museum is deemed as the biggest museum in the southeastern part of the United States. The museum is located by the Congaree River, in Columbia, South Carolina. It has been in existence even before the Civil War began, and thus chronicles much of the lifestyle and history of the great state of South Carolina.

The South Carolina State Museum first opened its doors in October 29, 1988. The museum considers one of its buildings, the Columbia Mills building, as its oldest artifact on display ...
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14 South Carolina State House

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The South Carolina State House is where the government officials of South Carolina hold their offices. The state house is located at the corner of Gervais and Assembly Streets, in Columbia City, and occupies about 12,000 square meters of space. Officials housed in the "Greek revival" style building are the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the state's General assembly.

The state house's first architect was P.H. Hammerskold, and was replaced by John Niernsee. Other architects who contributed to the building's design are Frank McHenry Niernsee, Frank Pierce Milburn and Charles Coker Wilson ...
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15 Kensington Mansion

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The Kensington Plantation Mansion-House.

The Kensington Mansion is located at the Headquarters Plantation by the Wateree River in Richland County, South Carolina. The mansion was built in 1854 through the efforts of Matthew Richard Singleton. The mansion was placed across the Singleton family's property in the county of Sumter.
Kensington Mansion was designed by Francis D. Lee and Edward C. Jones architects based in Charleston County. The mansion boasts 12,000 square feet of space and 29 spacious rooms. The basement is home to a cistern, which once contained 10,000 gallons of water for the mansion's residents ...
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16 Lake Murray

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South Carolina is home to Lake Murray, a 200 square-kilometer reservoir with an 800-kilometer shoreline. Lake Murray obtains its water from the Saluda River.

In the 1920's, Lake Murray was commissioned to generate hydroelectric power for the state of South Carolina. Lake Murray is named after William S. Murray, the chief engineer of the Lake Murray hydroelectric project.

Aside from generating hydroelectric power, Lake Murray is also famous for being a tourist destination ...
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17 Confederate Military Museum

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The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum, also called the Confederate Military Museum, was established in 1896. Considered as the third oldest museum in South Carolina, it serves as the repository of the state's military artifacts from the colonial era to present times.

The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum was previously located at the South Carolina State House, but was transferred to the War Memorial Building near the University of South Carolina during the middle of the 20th century ...
Read more about the Confederate Military Museum

* Regular pre-pandemic touristic activity level.

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