Start planning your ultimate South Carolina adventure with a free copy of the 2025 Vacation Guide. Request your free copy, view the guide online or download a PDF version below.
Throughout South Carolina’s Lowcountry, sprawling plantations were once major producers of cash crops such as rice and indigo, produced and cultivated by enslaved Africans who were trafficked to the American South through the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Venture to these countryside properties to learn about this pre-Civil War era, and spend the day exploring the vast grounds of these sites, which hold important stories about our past.
This estate in Charleston that dates to 1679 is a significant historical, cultural and horticultural site and spans hundreds of acres along the Ashley River.
Learn: Delve into the lives of the people who lived and worked on the former rice plantation, first as enslaved laborers and then as paid staff, on the From Slavery to Freedom Tour, featuring numerous restored cabins.
Wildlife-Watching: Peek at local critters, from red fox to turtles, at the Wildlife Center, or spot marsh-dwelling creatures in their natural habitat on a seasonal Wildlife Boat Tour.
Stroll: Explore six miles of walking trails, romantic-style gardens with a world-renowned camellia collection, and boardwalks and bridges through the Audubon Swamp along the Ashley River.
Shop & Eat: Stop for a sandwich and an iced tea at the Peacock Café, and browse locally made food items and books at the gift shop.
This property in Union was an active cotton plantation for 128 years (both during and after slavery) and the South Carolina State Park Service acquired the property in 1960, preserving the site as an important historical destination.
Learn: Take a guided tour of the historic house once occupied by the family of William Henry Gist, Governor of South Carolina (1858–1860), and learn about the cotton boom, secession, Civil War, Reconstruction era and other important themes of the time.
Stroll: Explore the gravestones at the Gist family cemetery and the unmarked stones at an African American cemetery. See heirloom roses in the historic gardens and walk two short nature trails.
Shop: In the brick kitchen behind the museum, browse the park store and gift shop for historical reproductions, books and other items related to regional history.
Perched on the north bank of the Santee River, this Georgetown plantation — once owned by John Hume Lucas — was a major producer of rice crops due to the forced labor of West Africans who lived and worked on the property.
Learn: Join a cultural historian during the acclaimed Gullah Geechee Presentation to learn about the many contributions of the enslaved people who lived and worked here, and then peruse the exhibits and archaeological findings displayed at the Hopsewee Historical Museum.
Tour: Explore the rooms, period furnishings and architectural details of the plantation’s 1740 mansion on the Historic Landmark House Tour.
Arts & Culture: Try your hand at a Lowcountry tradition during the regularly scheduled Sweetgrass Basket Weaving Class, taught by eighth-generation weaver and Gullah descendant Vera Manigault, or experience the beauty and artistry of indigo — the first cash crop for the plantation — at an indigo dyeing workshop.
Eat & Drink: Savor finger sandwiches and scones with a Full Southern Tea spread at the River Oak Cottage Tea Room, or dine al fresco along the North Santee River with seasonal hors d’oeuvres and wine during Wine by the River.
Founded in 1681 by Englishman Major John Boone, this property in Mount Pleasant was a significant producer of cash crops such as cotton, indigo and rice. Today, it is considered one of America’s oldest working plantations.
Learn: Hear stories about the culture, traditions and history of formerly enslaved West Africans during the Exploring the Gullah Culture presentation, shared by descendants of the Gullah Geechee people of the Lowcountry. See historic cabins on the self-guided Black History in America exhibit, and explore the visitor center and museum inside the recently remodeled Cotton Gin House, built in the 1850s for processing cotton.
Tour: Hop on the 35-minute Plantation Tractor Tour to motor around the 738-acre plantation and learn about the farming that still exists on this property.
Stroll: Walk through the moss-draped Avenue of the Oaks, colorful botanical gardens and the seasonal Tropic Conservatory, featuring citrus trees and orchids.
Shop & Eat: Order a pit-cooked barbecue sandwich and a scoop of ice cream at the Butterfly Cafe, and pick up a memento in the gift shop.
Completed in 1859, James Henry Hammond and generations of his descendants lived in the mansion on this Beech Island cotton plantation. Learn about the African American families who also lived here, initially as enslaved laborers and eventually as paid workers.
Learn: Take a guided trip through the historic mansion, which houses more than 4,000 artifacts from four generations of the Hammond family, and learn stories from primary source documents and historic photographs in the visitor center exhibit.
Stroll: Explore the woods on the property along the 1.7-mile hiking trail, and keep an eye out for numerous bird species, from indigo bunting to Carolina wren.
Shop: Near the parking area, stop by the new visitor center for an exhibit about the history of Redcliffe, plus a gift shop, restrooms and water fountain.
Featuring a variety of great stories and exciting trip ideas, the 2025 South Carolina Vacation Guide makes planning your next getaway to the Palmetto State easy. Request your free copy or download the guide today.
