VISIT GREENVILLE SC

Greenville will win you over bite by bite. Greenville SC’s food scene is buzzing. Choose from more than 110 local eateries downtown and 600 county-wide and plan an epic feast through Greenville. Dive into a Camperdown Club -- so big you'll need a fork and knife -- at Rick's Deli & Market or enjoy seasonal, local, organic ingredients at Roost, with features such as Smoked Rabbit Street Tacos. For a Southern twist on French cuisine, pop over to Stella’s Southern Brasserie for their Buttermilk Fried Chicken “Coq au Vin.” Experience unique Upcountry cuisine like cornmeal fried chicken skins or Ember Grilled Pork Ribs with NC Apple BBQ, created at James Beard award-winning Chef Sean Brock’s Husk. Finish off the evening with an aged cherry-infused Rye "Campfire" while overlooking the Reedy River at Larkin's.

Art is woven into Greenville’s DNA. Stroll the streets of downtown to see more than 70 pieces of public artwork featured as part of Greenville’s Art in Public Places initiative. Marvel at the colors of the "Rose Crystal Tower," created by internationally renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Get lost in the movement of the Octo 2 a kinetic, wind-powered stainless steel sculpture made up of linked shapes rotating around a circular axis. Check out the working galleries along the Reedy River at Art Crossing at RiverPlace or spend some time looking at the largest collection of Andrew Wyeth watercolor paintings at the Greenville County Museum of Art before heading to The Peace Center to catch a Broadway show -- you might even get lucky and catch the 2018 tour of Hamilton!

Discover an array of natural escapes. Bring your morning coffee and a picnic blanket to the new Unity Park or Falls Park on the Reedy and take in the 32-acre park’s splendor, including the one-of-a-kind Liberty Bridge. Stop at Reedy Rides to rent a bike, then hop onto the 21-mile mixed-use GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail. Cruise the trail for a few miles before pit-stopping to grab a fresh cinnamon bun at The Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery, a hub for local foods and artisan products. You’ll work up a bit of a hunger (or thirst) if you pedal the whole way to Traveler’s Rest, so reward yourself with a local brew at award-winning Swamp Rabbit Brewery or with a Lumberjack crepe at Tandem Creperie and Coffeehouse. If on foot is more your speed, hike in one of three nearby State Parks and take in the natural beauty of one of several waterfalls.

FLORENCE

South Carolina Pecan Trail

With a passport as your guide, experience the flavors and excitement of pecans from restaurants and food suppliers in Florence, South Carolina. Explore a network of pecan providers on the South Carolina Pecan Trail, full of down-home deliciousness, ample samples and delightful destinations! Our modern take on traditional dishes puts pecans in the spotlight in everything from pecan-crusted grouper to pecan pie martinis. Whether you like your pecans plain, spicy, topping a pie, or covered in chocolate, you’ll experience a variety of flavors to satisfy your nutty side. Ready to get nutty in Florence? Pick up a South Carolina Pecan Trail Passport at participating businesses and collect stamps with each purchase. Return the stamped passport to the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau in person or by mail to snag pecan swag!

South Carolina Revolutionary Rivers

The South Carolina Revolutionary Rivers paddling trail highlights the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution, and in particular, the famous “Swamp Fox,” General Francis Marion. This scenic, 66-mile national recreation river trail offers paddlers a captivating experience of floating through swampland that was once traversed by Patriots engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Loyalists. Short excursions and overnight rustic camping opportunities are available. For those who prefer a car to a canoe when exploring the remarkable military feats of the general, the Francis Marion Trail is a driving tour complete with audio recordings.

ArtFields, April 

ArtFields, a nine-day epic Southern arts festival held in the spring, brings over 400 established and emerging artists from across the Southeast to compete for more than $120,000 in cash prizes. Stores and businesses in Lake City, South Carolina, bustle with visitors viewing artwork while live performances and artist discussions abound. Restaurants fill with diners talking up their favorite artwork while enjoying farm-to-table daily specials. ArtFields has successfully infused new energy, creativity and growth into Lake City and its surrounding communities. Once considered one of South Carolina’s most prosperous agricultural communities, Lake City has become a living art gallery showcasing the artistic talent of the Southeast.

EXPERIENCE COLUMBIA SC

Hotel Trundle, Columbia’s first downtown boutique hotel property. No two of the 41 rooms will be alike, the hotel features local art and in place of an on-site bar or restaurant, guests are encouraged to explore the many offerings available on Main Street. Local partnerships with Bricker and Beam, Craft and Draft, and Ally & Eloise bakeshop will add to the unique guest experience.

Breweries Hunter-Gatherer, Hazelwood and Savage Craft continue to thrive. Hunter-Gatherer Brewery resides inside the historic Owen Fields airplane hangar that has previously welcomed the likes of Amelia Earhart and Jimmy Doolittle. Hazelwood Brewing Company in Lexington includes an on-site urban farm and functioning hydroelectric turbine in order to focus on sustainability and using local ingredients. Savage Craft is located along the bustling West Columbia waterfront

This year is also gearing up to be an incredible year for Columbia restaurants. Publico will open its second location next to Segra Park in the Bull Street District. Riverfront brewery Bierkeller will be opeing in the new Sola Station development. Rambo's Fat Cat Buscuits opened in the North Main district with a menu focusing heavily on comfort food. Finally, Black Rooster is a French restaurant set to opened in the Brookland Development in West Columbia. The rooftop bar has already been teased to tremendous buzz.

HAMMOCK COAST

Discover the 200-year-old Georgetown lighthouse, accessible only by water and spend a few hours on a deserted island searching for beautiful shells and picking up driftwood. Rover Tours operates March through November and takes trips daily on the tides. While on your way to the lighthouse, see the wreckage of the Union ship Harvest Moon, still visible in the Winyah Bay since being sunk by Georgetown citizens at the end of the Civil War. www.roverboattours.com

Did you know that there is a 9000-acre pre-historic sand dune in the middle of the Waccamaw River? Sandy Island is unique in its geology and its culture. A community founded by a freed rice plantation slave grew and flourished on the Island. The isolation of the citizens preserved the Gullah traditions. The island is also home to South Carolina’s only “school boat,” which takes its children back and forth to school every day. Tours are available of the island and there’s even a tiny cottage “Wilma’s Cottage” available for rent, including meals.  Tours de Sandy Island can provide boat and land tours. www.toursdesandyisland.com  www.wilmascottage.com

Known as the seafood capital of South Carolina, Murrells Inlet is home to dozens of restaurants serving the finest seafood in South Carolina from crabs and shrimp to grouper and flounder. Oyster roast are common during the season. After your meal, stroll the Marshwalk, a boardwalk that follows the inlet, and enjoy the unique scenery and wildlife. You may even catch a glimpse of the local residents, a family of goats that live on a tiny island. www.marshwalk.com

 YORK COUNTY

Carowinds Amusement and Water Park

For over 40 years, Carowinds has been at the heart of where the Carolinas come together, so they know a thing or two about Carolina culture. It is the only theme park in the nation that’s located in two states (North and South Carolinas). It’s the premier entertainment destination of the Carolinas that touts world-class thrill rides, live music and entertainment, delicious dining options featuring Carolina cuisine and so much more. Thrill seekers can grab a friend and scream out loud on spine-tingling thrill rides or experience one of 13 world-class roller coasters. Feel the sting of Fury 325, the world’s tallest and fasted giga coaster, also voted “Best Steel Roller Coaster” in the world by the readers Amusement Today.

NarroWay Productions

While entertainment is changing the world, NarroWay is changing entertainment. Experience the premier Christian theater of the South. One of the top-rated dinner theaters in the Carolinas, NarroWay features award-winning dinner shows every weekend. Experience Southern hospitality at its finest. Be captivated with original scripts, live animals, special effects and a magnificent cast. You will be greeted, seated and served by the performing cast and will enjoy a delicious dinner themed like the show and prepared fresh on-site. Great food! Great shows! A great time!

Kings Mountain National Military Park

President Herbert Hoover declared the battlefield at Kings Mountain to be “a place of inspiring memories.” It is the place that changed the course of history for South Carolina and the United States during the Revolutionary War. The park preserves the entire battlefield in a natural setting evocative of the Carolina frontier of 1780, commemorating one of the most important American victories of the American Revolution. The park includes a 1.5-mile, walking-only battlefield trail that is dotted with monuments and markers, including the Chronicle marker, erected in 1815 and the second-oldest battlefield monument in the U.S.

BEAUFORT

Experience the Reconstruction Era National Monument

Established by proclamation of former president Obama in January 2017, this new National Monument, run by the National Park Service, includes key sites in Beaufort that were critical to the Reconstruction Era – Dara Hall at the Penn Center, Brick Baptist Church and Camp Saxton on the Naval hospital compound – and it recognizes the 14-year period after the Civil War that saw thousands of African Americans work to start their lives as freed people. Perfect for kids and adults alike, this immersive, educational experience lets you experience a lesser-known but critically important time period in America’s history.

Stroll through Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park

Located in downtown Beaufort, along the waters of the Beaufort River, the park is the heart of the city. Grab a seat in a swing and take in views of the Woods Memorial Bridge and downtown marina, stroll through the park with a sweet tea float from Scout Southern Market in hand or grab a seat in the greenspace to listen to live music, host a picnic or simply take in the sea breeze. Restaurants, galleries and coffee shops are all located on the perimeter of the park and its home to annual destination events such as Taste of Beaufort, Water Festival and Shrimp Festival.

Visit Hunting Island State Park

Take a scenic drive 30 minutes out from downtown Beaufort to South Carolina’s most-visited state park, Hunting Island. Known best for its beautiful beaches, prime camping /RV real estate and of course, its iconic – and only publicly accessible – lighthouse. With thousands of acres of marsh and maritime forest, you can spend the day exploring land, beach and ocean by hunting blue crabs, catching the best views of the Atlantic coast from atop the lighthouse and exploring the walking and hiking trails.  

MYRTLE BEACH

The Beach

Myrtle Beach boasts 60 miles of stunning Atlantic Ocean coastline, which is undoubtedly the destination’s best feature. Whether you are admiring it from the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk & Promenade or from atop the SkyWheel, experiencing it through the area’s many water sport options (from surfing to kayaking to jet skiing), or just sinking your toes in the sand – the beach is a must-see while in the Grand Strand.

Brookgreen Gardens

This somewhat hidden gem toward the south end of Myrtle Beach should be on every visitor’s itinerary. A former rice plantation that is now home to the nation’s largest and most comprehensive collection of American figurative sculpture, Brookgreen Gardens boasts expansive outdoor gardens and whimsical live oaks; a Lowcountry History and Wildlife Preserve, including an engaging audio tour detailing the area’s rich past; an onsite Lowcountry zoo; an Enchanted Storybook Forest for little ones, and more. Tip: Admission is good for seven consecutive days, so guests can come back repeatedly during their trip.

Murrells Inlet/Sea-To-Table Dining

Known as the “Seafood Capital of South Carolina,” Murrells Inlet sources most of the state’s seafood from its surrounding waters, including the ultra-fresh options diners can sample at any of the dozens of restaurants in the tiny village. Spots like Wicked Tuna welcome boats right up to their basement fish kitchen, where the catches are processed and brought upstairs to be served in the dining room. Don’t leave the area without perusing the Marshwalk, a half-mile wooden boardwalk that allows visitors to easily hope from eatery to eatery, enjoying the live music and views.