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Florence, SC Travel Guide

Calm lake reflecting a tree line on a spring morning with a small boat on the grass bank
Illustrative photo, not Florence.

Destinations › Pee Dee › Florence

Florence is in Florence County, in South Carolina's Pee Dee, with about 40,923 residents (2024 Census estimate). Florence began as a railroad terminal where three rail lines met; in 1853 the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad bought five acres for a depot, and the name honors Florence Harllee, daughter of the railroad's president.

  • Population40,923Census estimate, July 2024
  • CountyFlorence CountyPee Dee region
  • Our Guides Nearby5parks, attractions, venues within 25 mi
  • Things to Do12 pickshours, costs, kids, dogs

Plan It in Three Lines

  1. Things to Do

    12 picks with hours, costs and kid, dog and rain notes.

    Open the list

  2. Where to Park

    Pee Dee State Farmers Market: Free

    All parking below

  3. What's On

    Dated events in and around Florence, checked on organizer pages.

    Events page

Things to Do in Florence Florence Events

About Florence

  • Florence began as a railroad terminal where three rail lines met; in 1853 the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad bought five acres for a depot, and the name honors Florence Harllee, daughter of the railroad's president. source
  • Florence County was created in 1888 and the City of Florence was chartered in 1890; the city is the county seat. source
  • The city sits at the intersection of I-95 and I-20 and has a regional airport; from the 1950s to the early 1970s US Highway 301 brought many motorists through the city. source
  • During the Civil War, wounded Confederate soldiers were taken to the Wayside Hospital in Florence and captured Union soldiers were held at the Florence Stockade. source

Areas Visitors Use

  • Historic Downtown Florence The downtown district around Dargan, Evans and Cheves Streets, where Florence After 5 concerts are held on the 100 block of S. Dargan Street; the Florence County Museum is at 111 West Cheves Street. source
  • Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center A performing arts venue at 201 S Dargan St that hosts touring shows, FMU Theatre and the Florence Symphony. source
  • Florence Center A 10,000-seat arena and a convention center that host concerts, hockey and events. source
  • Veterans Park / Jeffries Creek / Rail Trail corridor City trails and parks: about 10 miles of Rail Trail connections (including the Veterans Park Trail through Jeffries Creek wetlands) and about eight miles of Freedom Florence connections. source
  • West Lucas Street / US 52 (Pee Dee State Farmers Market) The state farmers market is at 2513 West Lucas Street on US Highway 52. source

Getting There and Around

  • Florence is at the intersection of I-95 and I-20. source
  • Florence Regional Airport (FLO) markets nonstop service from Florence to Charlotte; the page names no airline, address or parking rates. source
  • Amtrak lists a Florence, South Carolina station (FLO) at 805 East Day Street, Florence, SC 29506 (station building with waiting room); the page shows no hours or train list. source
  • The city has a trail system: about 10 miles of Rail Trail connections, about eight miles of Freedom Florence connections, and urban connections between city parks and downtown. Rules: keep pets leashed and under control; clean up after your pet. source
  • High Hill Creek Mountain Bike & Run Park is a four-mile park along Interstate 95 at 2502 Prosperity Way, open dawn to dusk. source

Visitor center: Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau (visitflo.com) source

Parking in Florence

WhereRateNotesSource
Pee Dee State Farmers MarketFreeState Department of Agriculture: admission and parking are free.source
Downtown FlorenceNot foundDowntown Florence's site links a 'Parking & Street Closures' page; no rates were readable.source

Dogs

  • City trail rules: keep pets leashed and under control, and clean up after your pet. source
  • The city's Parks & Facilities page does not mention a dog park. source

When to Go

  • The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30; the peak is September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. source
  • Florence After 5 is held the final Friday of each month from April to September. source
  • The Pee Dee State Farmers Market has shorter hours January 1 – March 1 (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) than March 2 – December 31 (8 a.m.-6 p.m.). source
  • The City Center Farmers' Market now runs year-round on Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm. source

Coming Up in and Near Florence

25 more on the full events calendar.

Events within 15 miles, measured in a straight line to the centre of the event's town. Dates come from our checked events list; confirm with the organizer.

Near Florence

Around Florence within 25 miles
10 mi20 mi25 miNSEW12345
  1. 1Florence County Museumart and history museumabout 2 mi
  2. 2Florence Centerarenaabout 3 mi
  3. 3Darlington Racewayracewayabout 11 mi
  4. 4Woods Bay State ParkState Parkabout 20 mi
  5. 5Lee State ParkState Parkabout 23 mi

Straight-line distances between map points, not driving miles. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable.

Nearby Towns With Their Own Guide

FAQ

Is the Florence County Museum free?

Yes, admission is free. It is open Sunday 2-5 pm, Tuesday-Wednesday 10-5, Thursday 10-7, Friday-Saturday 10-5, and closed Monday. source

What are the Pee Dee State Farmers Market hours?

Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from March 2 through December 31 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. January 1 – March 1); closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission and parking are free. source

Is there a Saturday market in town?

The City Center Farmers' Market is every Saturday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, at 200 Sanborn Street. source

How do I get to Florence by train?

Amtrak lists a Florence station at 805 East Day Street; the Amtrak page read shows no train list or hours. source

Where can I see a show?

The Florence Center arena (10,000 seats), the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center (201 S Dargan St) and Florence Little Theatre (417 S Dargan St) list events on their sites. source

When was Florence founded?

The depot was bought in 1853, Florence County was created in 1888 and the city was chartered in 1890. source

How many people live in Florence?

About 40,923, the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimate for July 1, 2024 (Census table).

What We Could Not Confirm

Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.

  • Visitor center: An unofficial summary said the Florence CVB center is at 3290 W Radio Dr (upper level of the Florence Center), daily 9-5, phone 843.664.0330; visitflo.com returned 403/bot-block so none of it was read. Left blank (not confirmed on the official page).
  • Florence Center street address, box office hours and parking not found (arena.florencecenter.com pages returned no content).
  • Florence Regional Airport: official flyflo.com page names only nonstop service to Charlotte; airline, address and parking not on the page read.
  • Amtrak: station hours and trains serving it not on the page read.
  • Downtown parking rates and the City Center Market page's 2026 status: market page read today (every Saturday, year-round).
  • Florence County Museum closure: page says it reopens October 27, 2026.
  • Florence After 5 2026 dates have all passed; 2027 dates not published.
  • No official Florence dog-park or downtown dog rules found.
  • Park hours not published for most city parks (only Recreation office 8:30 am – 5:30 pm Monday-Friday, 513 Barnes Street, 843-665-3253).

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, Vintage 2024
  2. City of Florence
  3. City of Florence – Our History
  4. City of Florence – Visitor Information
  5. City of Florence – Parks & Facilities
  6. City of Florence – Trail System
  7. City of Florence – High Hill Creek park
  8. City of Florence – Veterans Park
  9. City of Florence – City Center Market
  10. Downtown Florence – Florence After 5
  11. Florence County Museum
  12. SC Department of Agriculture – Pee Dee State Farmers Market
  13. Florence Center
  14. FMU Performing Arts Center
  15. Florence Little Theatre
  16. Florence Regional Airport
  17. Amtrak – Florence station
  18. NOAA National Hurricane Center climatology

Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Florence, SC Travel Guide”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/pee-dee/florence/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.