Small Towns in South Carolina Worth The Drive

Abbeville Abbeville County

Abbeville has dozens of 19th-century homes and buildings from the early 1900s. Its downtown square combines historic buildings with shops, restaurants and a restored opera house that hosts live theater. source

• Abbeville Opera House Restored venue described as South Carolina's Official State Theatre. source
• Burt-Stark Mansion Greek Revival home built in the 1830s, where the last Council of War of the Confederate cabinet was held. source
• Abbeville Square Historic downtown area with boutiques and restaurants. source
• Abbeville's two lakes Outdoor recreation and scenery. source

Pendleton Anderson County

Pendleton is a 3.8-square-mile Upcountry town at the northeast tip of Lake Hartwell, and the entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More than 50 buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries remain in or just outside the town limits. source

• The Square Antiques and collectibles shops around the square bordered by Main, Exchange, Mechanic and East Queen streets. source
• Timms Mill Historic mill that grinds fresh grits and cornmeal sold at local restaurants and produce stands. source
• Historic homes Four historic homes open for tours. source
• Local arts scene An art gallery of local artists, a woodwork shop and a bluegrass music venue. source

Landrum Spartanburg County

Landrum is a small town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, founded in 1880 and named after John Landrum, who gave the railroad land to build a station. It is described as working well as a day trip or weekend mountain getaway. source

• Downtown Landrum Walkable historic downtown with boutiques, specialty shops and restaurants in vintage brick buildings. source
• Blue Wall Passage, Palmetto Trail Hike through natural areas that passes a 30-foot cascading waterfall. source
• Campbell's Covered Bridge Built in 1909; the only surviving covered bridge in South Carolina. source
• Tryon Hounds fox hunting One of the oldest foxhunts in the Southeast. source

Travelers Rest Greenville County

Travelers Rest sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina's Upcountry. It is a small town close to several outdoor destinations. source

• Swamp Rabbit Trail Route along the Reedy River through the heart of town, popular with cyclists and runners. source
• Trailblazer Park Urban green space with mountain views that hosts many of the town's cultural events. source
• Paris Mountain State Park Nearby park known for off-road biking. source
• Downtown shopping Local shops offering honey, handcrafted goods and outdoor gear. source

Newberry Newberry County

Newberry is a small town midway between Greenville and Columbia, and the Travel Channel named it one of the "Most Charming Small Towns in America". Its historic downtown district preserves the town's heritage in older buildings. source

• Newberry Opera House Downtown venue for live shows. source
• Wells Japanese Garden Garden tucked among downtown's historic buildings and boutiques. source
• Carter & Holmes Orchids Tour of 18 greenhouses of orchids. source
• Enoree River Vineyards and Winery Winery making local hand-crafted wines. source

Newberry events

Camden Kershaw County

Camden, founded in 1732, is South Carolina's oldest inland city. It sits about twenty minutes from Columbia. source

• Historic Camden 106-acre outdoor museum with an 18th-century town site, restored log cabins and the furnished 1785 Craven House. source
• National Steeplechase Museum On the grounds of the historic Springdale Race Course; honors the sport's equine and human athletes. source
• Carolina Motorsports Park Track where visitors can take a lap. source

Camden events

Edgefield Edgefield County

Edgefield is a small rural town of about 4,750 residents on the western edge of South Carolina, known as the home of 10 governors. Its town square and downtown historic district are on the National Register of Historic Places. source

• Courthouse Square Village green with the Edgefield County Courthouse, a Confederate soldiers' obelisk and a statue of Strom Thurmond. source
• Old Edgefield Pottery (Phoenix Factory) Wood-fired stoneware, a local folk-art tradition dating back about 200 years. source
• Horn Creek Baptist Church One-room church built in 1790 in the style of New England meeting houses, recently renovated. source
• Village blacksmith Shop at 206 Jeter St., visit Thursdays and Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. source

Walterboro Colleton County

Walterboro is a small town about 50 miles west of Charleston, just off I-95. It is known for its 19th-century architecture, antique shops and two historic districts. source

• Colleton Museum Housed in a neo-Gothic former jail; covers Colleton County history through exhibits and programs. source
• South Carolina Artisans Center Pottery, fiber art, handmade jewelry and photography from more than 300 South Carolina artists. source
• Tuskegee Airmen Monument Dedicated in 1997 at the Walterboro Army Airfield Memorial Park. source
• Dukes Bar-B-Q Southern cooking and traditional slow-and-low barbecue. source

McClellanville Charleston County

McClellanville is a historic fishing village on South Carolina's coast, known for its slow pace. Its appeal for families is its low-key, uncrowded atmosphere. source

• Pinckney Street Main street lined with small shops, a seafood restaurant and houses. source
• Deerhead Oak Tree more than 1,000 years old at Pinckney and Oak streets. source
• The Chapel of Ease Church with a fairy-tale look. source
• McClellanville Town Park Waterfront park at the end of Pinckney Street with a pirate ship, ship parts, a small museum and water views. source

Edisto Beach Colleton County

Edisto Island is a small sea island in the ACE Basin, about 42 miles south of Historic Charleston. It has almost five miles of beaches and 37 public access points, but no hotels, so rental homes are the main place to stay. source

• Edisto Island National Scenic Byway 14-mile drive through live oaks draped in Spanish moss. source
• Edisto Beach State Park Beach plus campsites, RV sites with hookups and cabins. source
• Public beach accesses 37 access points along the island's beaches. source
• Wildlife watching Dolphins, deer, pelicans, egrets and painted buntings are common. source

Cheraw Chesterfield County

Cheraw takes its name from the American Indians who lived along the Pee Dee River, and it was founded in the mid-1700s. During the Revolutionary War its residents were split between Loyalists and Patriots. source

• Cheraw State Park golf course 18-hole par-72 course mixing pine forests with a lake. source
• Cheraw Fish Hatchery Raises sport fish for the state's lakes and rivers; tours by appointment. source
• Gillespie Home Site Park Huger Street park with stainless steel benches and sculpture honoring jazz great Dizzy Gillespie. source
• Arrowhead Park trail Three-mile loop good for hiking and biking; dogs welcome. source

Darlington Darlington County

Darlington Raceway, known as "The Track Too Tough to Tame," is NASCAR's first superspeedway and hosted the inaugural Southern 500 in 1950. The Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum opened in 1965 and traces NASCAR history with historic cars and drivers' personal items. source

• Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum Traces NASCAR history from early moonshine-runner days; historic cars and drivers' personal items. source
• Darlington County Historical Commission and Museum Grand Gallery covering more than 14,000 years of local history; 204 Hewitt Street; hours and admission not published on the page read. source

Bennettsville Marlboro County

Bennettsville is the county seat of Marlboro County. Blenheim Ginger Ale, one of America's oldest bottled soft drinks, originated in Marlboro County in the late 1800s. source

• Marlboro County Historical Museum Exhibits and artifacts tracing the region's agricultural and cultural heritage. source
• Jennings-Brown House House museum at 123 S Marlboro St; the town's only remaining two-story home built before 1853, on the National Register; served as Union headquarters in March 1865. source
• Breeden Inn Historic 1886 home turned bed and breakfast, on the National Register. source
• Lake Paul Wallace Lake for fishing, kayaking and picnics. source

Hartsville Darlington County

Hartsville is a small town in South Carolina's Pee Dee region. Visitors can explore a downtown with dining and cultural activities, historic sites, or canoe on Black Creek. source

• Hartsville Museum Exhibits and artifacts telling personal stories of local residents. source
• Kalmia Gardens Gardens on the bluffs of Black Creek with rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and mountain laurel. source
• Neptune Island Water park with a lazy river and a three-story waterslide. source
• Hartsville Country Club Public golf course; front nine laid out by Donald Ross in 1926. source

Georgetown Georgetown County

Georgetown is a coastal town where four rivers meet, surrounded by water including Winyah Bay. It is the third-oldest town in South Carolina, and at one point half the nation's rice was grown in Georgetown County. source

• Harborwalk Four-block waterfront walk along the Sampit River with restaurants, shops and parks honoring figures from state history. source
• Kaminski House Mid-to-late 1700s antebellum home with antiques; guided tours Monday through Saturday. source
• Rice Museum Georgetown rice history, a 17-minute film and the Browns Ferry vessel, the oldest known vessel built in the Colonies. source
• South Carolina Maritime Museum Exhibits such as the Fresnel lens from the old North Island lighthouse; hosts the annual Wooden Boat Show each October. source

Pawleys Island Georgetown County

Pawleys Island lies on the South Carolina coast between Charleston and Myrtle Beach. It is among the oldest summer resort destinations on the U.S. East Coast. source

• The Original Hammock Shop Shopping area with about 20 historic specialty shops and restaurants. source
• Atalaya Castle National Historic Landmark, former home and studio of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and Archer Huntington; guided or self-guided grounds tours. source
• Brookgreen Gardens 300-acre sculpture garden and National Historic Landmark within a 9,100-acre coastal preserve. source
• Public beach accesses Largest free public beach access lot in Georgetown County at the south end of Springs Avenue; no lifeguards. source