South Carolina is home to 4.5 million people and is a popular summertime destination because of its attractive beaches, picturesque towns and cities, important historic attractions and beautiful state and national parks. Wildlife refuges protect a diverse array of flora and fauna and families flock to South Carolina's coastal region for fun in the sun.
Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island are two popular family summer destinations. Myrtle Beach offers visitors 60 miles of beaches. Kids will enjoy visiting the Family Kingdom oceanfront water park as well as the Children's Museum of South Carolina. The Sun Fun Festival, Beach Boogie & BBQ Festival, Canadian-American Days Festival and Grand Stand Fishing Rodeo are popular yearly events. At Hilton Head, kids will enjoy the Harbour Town Lighthouse, Adventure Cove and the Coastal Discovery Museum. Adults and kids alike will enjoy biking and hiking Hilton Head's miles of hiking trails and paved pathways. Hilton Head is home to the Verizon Heritage PGA tournament, held every April, and the Hilton Head Island Wine and Food Festival.
Columbia has been the capital of South Carolina since 1786, and today it is the state's largest city with nearly 130,000 inhabitants. Kids will enjoy the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden as well as Lake Murray, with its hiking, picnic and boating opportunities. Museum lovers will want to head to the South Carolina State Museum, showcasing 300-plus years of South Carolina history. The Columbia Museum of Art showcases mostly South Carolina artists and the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum is a tribute to South Carolina military history.
Visiting Charleston is like stepping back into history, with its cobblestone streets and perfectly preserved historic buildings dating as far as the 1600s. Boone Hall Plantation, Middleton Place and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens provide insight into antebellum Charleston, and the American Military Museum, the Gibbs Museum of Art, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum and the Charleston Museum are good sources for Charleston history and culture. Some historic homes worth checking out are the Nathaniel Russell House, the Heyward-Washington House and the Edmondston-Alston House. Or you can just head to one of Charleston's beaches, including Folly Beach, Sullivan's Island, Seabrook Island, Beachwalker State Park and Isle of Palms.
As one of the original 13 colonies, South Carolina has numerous Revolutionary War and Civil War historical sites. For a bit of Revolutionary War history, head to Kings Mountain National Military Park or Cowpens National Battlefield, two sites where the Americans defeated the British Army. Fort Moultrie and Ninety Six National Historic Site are two of the best preserved Revolutionary War sites in the country. If you're a Civil War buff, you'll want to visit Fort Sumter, where the first Civil War shots were fired.
South Carolina is home to 47 state parks, eight national parks or monuments, and 20 wildlife refuges. Congaree National Park is home to one one of the tallest deciduous forests in the world and has 20 miles of hiking trails. Jones Gap State Park lies at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and kids will enjoy Edisto Beach State Park and its Native American history. Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge and Santee Coastal Reserve are good wildlife and birdwatching spots.
