South Carolina draws travelers in with its layers of history, distinctive regional flavors, and landscapes that range from quiet marshes to mountain trails. In Charleston, cobblestone streets wind past antebellum homes and hidden courtyards. The city’s historic district offers walking tours that cover everything from the American Revolution to the legacy of the Gullah people. The nearby McLeod Plantation Historic Site gives visitors an unfiltered look at the realities of plantation life and its enduring cultural impact.

Columbia, the state capital, mixes government and college-town energy with growing culinary and arts scenes. The South Carolina State Museum offers four floors of exhibits, including a planetarium and observatory. Just across town, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is a family favorite, known for its botanical gardens and elevated zip line over animal habitats. And for a slower pace, the Congaree National Park features a floodplain forest where massive bald cypress trees rise from swampy trails and boardwalks.

Along the coast, destinations like Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach each offer their own style of sand and surf. Myrtle Beach boasts over 60 miles of beachfront and a classic boardwalk with arcades, rides, and live shows, while Hilton Head leans toward quieter bike paths, golf courses, and protected wetlands. Beaufort, tucked along the Intracoastal Waterway, charms visitors with moss-draped oaks, shrimp boats, and preserved architecture that has earned it comparisons to a living movie set and was indeed, where several films, including *Forrest Gump*, were filmed.