Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Wanderlog staff Updated • updatedApr 10, 2023
How long is the drive from Mooresville to Charleston?
The direct drive from Mooresville to Charleston is 234 mi (376 km), and should have a drive time of 3 hrs 40 mins in normal traffic.
If you’re going on a road trip from Mooresville to Charleston, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with Charlotte, Columbia, and Concord, as well as top places to visit like Rankin Lake Park and SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord, or the ever-popular Jetton Park.
The top cities between Mooresville and Charleston are Charlotte, Columbia, and Concord. Charlotte is the most popular city on the route. It's less than an hour from Mooresville and 3 hours from Charleston.
1
Concord
Concord is the county seat and most populous city in Cabarrus County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 105,240. Wikipedia.
12% as popular as Charlotte
20 minutes off the main route, 13% of way to Charleston
Located in North Carolina, Charlotte is a bustling metropolis and a significant economic center. Its contemporary downtown area, known as Uptown, is home to various attractions such as the Levine Museum of the New South that delves into the history of the South post-Civil War and Discovery Place which showcases interactive science exhibits. Additionally, Uptown boasts the NASCAR Hall of Fame that celebrates auto racing through immersive displays and movies.
Most popular city on this route
5 minutes off the main route, 13% of way to Charleston
Need a place to stay?
WhereWhere are you going
When
–
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
When
–
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Columbia, the largest city in South Carolina, serves as the state's capital. The area boasts a number of notable attractions including the South Carolina State House, which is characterized by its Greek Revival architecture and accompanied by an array of monuments. For those interested in wildlife and nature, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden offers expansive animal enclosures as well as stunning botanical gardens.
40% as popular as Charlotte
4 minutes off the main route, 51% of way to Charleston
Best stops along Mooresville to Charleston drive
The top stops along the way from Mooresville to Charleston (with short detours) are Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Carowinds, and Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. Other popular stops include Middleton Place, NASCAR Hall of Fame, and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
1
Jetton Park
Park
Nature & Parks
Tree-covered 104-acre park on Lake Norman with a small beach, tennis courts, a trail & picnic area.
I absolutely love this park, it’s located in the perfect spot right by the lake. It’s always quiet and clear right before closing. It’s the perfect place to reset and paint. Maybe some grilling …. Whatever you like to do at a park you can do it here PG13.
Talayisa — Google review
You must visit this park if you are looking for a clean, shady, convenient, and awesome place to have picnic at or just enjoy your day walking on the trails. I was absolutely amazed at how convenient this place is especially the parking around the park near good spots. No need to walk a mile to take your belongings or to get to your vehicle. Every little spot has its own parking and being with 2 kids i loved that.
The entire park has a paved trail. The restrooms are only by the main building and they were clean. There is an event center and while we were there we saw people doing photo shoots, there was also a wedding event going on.
My kids had a great time playing by the water. Beware that swimming is not allowed and you will be asked to leave the water if spotted by the police or park ranger.
Find yourself a spot and enjoy your day!
SB Khan — Google review
Beautiful park for a mid January visit. Lots of trails, benches, swings and more. A great spot for your four legged friends too.
Lucy Dee — Google review
Really nice park. Lots of trails, areas around the beaches to relax and enjoy the lake and picnic.
Paul Raubertas — Google review
I enjoyed being there. It's a wonderful nature spot that close to the lake and I was enjoyed seating on a swing and looking at the lake. It's peaceful and nice. Also there are a lot if benches in the park and a place where you can have a family celebration or a wedding. They have a beach there, but they don't recommend to swim. Anyway people can play in the water.
Elena Makoviy — Google review
Every time I come to this park I truly enjoyed it! There’s a beautiful lake view when you walk on pavement. There’s picnic tables and it’s dog friendly as well. I love watching a sunset and taking some pics!! It’s a great place for landscape and portrait photography.
Mery M — Google review
Wonderful park with lots of walking trails. Several beachy areas. Apparently you are not allowed to swim or play in the water at the beaches. You can get your feet wet but that is it. Signs with fines and security/park police will write tickets.
Several boaters came near beach dropped in swimmers. That seems to be ok.
Several people launched paddle board, kayak and blow up boats. Nobody seemed to bother these individuals. So that too may be ok.
Enjoyed a little picnic and dice game while watching the water.
S R — Google review
I frequent Jetton weekly! Jetton is a great park to walk at, enjoy a picnic, and sit by the lake. My dog loves Jetton. It is very pet friendly and she loves being able to splash on the shore line. I also do a lot of photography here. My clients like that they have the option to shoot beach-like photos as well as utilizing the beautiful green trees and various flower blooms. I don’t have kids myself- but the playground is always full of kids and laughter!
Mia Guadagna — Google review
Beautiful park, great to just go for a walk or have a fun day with family/friends. Many fun activities, bbq, picnic, swim in the lake ...
Ruth Picciotto — Google review
I love this park! I wish we lived closer. It's a perfect walk for the dogs, lots of people so it feels safe even when I'm alone. The views of the lake are beautiful and the trash cans are plentiful which means less dog poop just hanging around. Beautiful park!
Chantelle Coones — Google review
Beautiful park, but beware it can get busy. On some days, it’s hard to find a spot to park our car.
But I love the walking trails & the views! The little beach is nice, too.
They also have a great playground for the little ones.
I took a decent amount of pics and videos.
Check out Jetton Park the next time you are in the mood for nature.
Enjoy!
JOSEPHINE LOCAL GUIDE — Google review
Huge park on the water, tons of places to sit and enjoy the views, there’s lots of paths and this is one place I can say feels very safe to be, there’s tons of parking, a beach, playgrounds, basically everything you could want in a park but add on that it’s extra beautiful.
Savannah Stanton — Google review
A very nice park with a great walkway all the way around in a loop. You can also ride your bike, skateboard scooter etc. on the same path. There are tennis courts, playground and a gazebo. They even have a beach area, however going into the water is not allowed. There are lots of nooks & crannies and of course trees where you hang your hammock for a siesta. You'll often find wildlife buzzing around, with lots of birds, ducks, geese, squirrels, etc. and occasional snake. Plenty of areas with picknick tables and BBQ grills. Overall a great place to come a relax a little piece of nature.
Angelo Vieira — Google review
What a gorgeous park to spend the day at! We were traveling through the state with our travel trailer and stopped at this gem for a couple of hours to stretch our legs and have a meal. We biked around the whole park with my son and he played on the playground, then we had a meal at a picnic table and went on our way. There weren't any parking for RVs but we found a spot to park at. We loved
it so much that we stopped here on the way home as well.
Lilla Pal — Google review
I adore this park! Absolutely love it!
I have it as my home park, I refuse to live far away from it.
The walking trails are beautiful, the barbecue pits are plentiful and spaced out, so there's options in case one family got there before you. The playground is amazing! It is shaded and helps prevent heat stroke and sunburn in the summer.
There's a little beach where you can tan and watch the boats.
All in all, my favorite park!
Park featuring a reservoir, picnic shelters, horseshoes, paved trails, fishing, boating & more.
Brilliant, wide open park with a giant lake surrounded completely by a paved shoreline walkway. Numerous benches, a long bridge and several nice fishing piers are featured. Great place to walk your dog and picnicking spots abound. One whole side of the park is flanked by a sprawling swamp where access is wisely forbidden and well posted. Would be extremely peaceful were it not for the loud gunfire emanating from the firing range across the swamp.
mark johnson — Google review
Folks, we are lucky to have a place like this so close. A very nice 1.5 mile paved walking track, with a beautiful continuous view of the lake and all of the things of nature that come with it. You can watch the eagles fly, the ducks playing on top of the water. You can see fish swimming and an occasional harmless banded water snake. Even deer are present at the park sometimes. This is a pet friendly park, and they have stations that supply bags to pick up poop that comes from your pet (please pick up after your dog). A nice playground for the kids, that includes a zip-line, just a great place to spend some relaxing time.
Craig Fincher — Google review
Beautiful park with paved walking paths that is dog friendly. It also has a kids' playset and a small amphitheater-esque area for meditation or yoga.
Erin Miller — Google review
Park is really beautiful and great for our county! Nice place for a picnic with friends and family. Clean, well-maintained, and usually staff are present. I would recommend the park to anyone whether you are fishing, walking, playing disc golf, canoeing or paddle boating, or just relaxing watching the children play on the new playground. The Zipline is a wonderful addition I had to give it a try myself and must say I felt like a kid again.
Mike Henderson — Google review
My family recently had a picnic near the lake at this park. This is a beautiful and very clean location. It was a plus the restrooms were very close to us. It was very hot day, but the occasional wind blowing off the lake and the water fight kept us cool. I will definitely return. We had an amazing time. I appreciate the park employees being very attentive.
sharla bridges — Google review
Nice little park with a paved trail around the lake. Pavillions were well maintained.
Justin Redemann — Google review
Beautiful lake and walk around it has so many views and things to do. We just walked around the park for the exercise and beauty. They have fishing areas, rental boats on weekends in the fall, pavilions, disc golf, bathrooms, grills at pavilions and horseshoe pits. I am not the biggest fan of Gastonia but this is a gem in the rough.
Wendy Jackson — Google review
My kids really enjoyed the lake and the playground. The atmosphere was very relaxing. I can not wait until we return.
Brea W — Google review
Super nice place! Get place for a run, walk, kayaking, canoeing, etc. Dog friendly too. Great views. Very safe. Highly recommend this place. We will be back.
Patrick Murphy — Google review
Beautiful park to go on a walk!! Stunning lake views and you can see a pretty cool sunset at golden hour! I keep coming back here all year long.
Mery M — Google review
This a beautiful lake with lots of spots to fish. There are Small/Large Mouth Bass, Brim (Sunfish) and Crappie. Did not see a boat launch, but did overhear someone discussing bringing their kayak on occasion. There is a well defined path to walk around the lake if you choose too. Will definitely bring the family again.
Darryl Pittman — Google review
Peaceful, a nice place to relax and/or go fishing. Very pleasant experience.
Yessenia Nazario — Google review
I like to come here for a quick motivating run. Nice ring around the lake, over a mile. Nice to walk as well. Has places to sit, fish and a play ground. Gorgeous in the fall. People are friendly and give greeting! Has a lot of green space for a picnic. There are grills also on site.
L McGuire — Google review
Rankin Lake State Park is a beautiful and serene park that offers various outdoor activities. The park is well-maintained, and the staff is friendly and helpful. The lake is perfect for fishing and paddling, boating, kayaking, and the hiking trails offer picturesque views of the surrounding nature.
We rented a motor boat and we only paid 10 dollars for an hour and that’s really affordable.
Ino Mong — Google review
He loved the zipline. I had an adrenaline rush from it and the spinning chair lol
Megan Parker — Google review
Very calm quiet and picturesque for walks. Chance upon some fish, ducks, turtles, or geese and dragonfly, or like us a crayfish while chatting with your mate, just makes it better!!!
Thomas Beringer — Google review
Such a beautiful park and lake, but I didn't realize the shooting range was right next door. Shots were going off the entire time we walked around the lake. My dog wasn't having it. I would definitely go back during the hours the range isn't open.
Morgan Holben — Google review
This is a nice park with easy walking paths and some pretty, peaceful scenery.
SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord Aquarium, situated in the Concord Mills Mall, offers a diverse range of family-friendly exhibits featuring an array of sea creatures. These exhibits provide play areas and group packages for added convenience. With over 5,000 underwater creatures including jellyfish, clown fish, green moray eels, octopus, triggerfish, and various sharks, visitors can explore more than 20 themed showcases that mirror North Carolina's natural surroundings.
I had a great time! Reasonable price for 6 hours of aquarium time! Walk-through took about 45 minutes at a slow-casual pace. Beautifully themed displays, fish, jellies, and turtles live in close up exhibits. A touch pool lets you touch urchins and sea stars. Gift shop at the end had a lot of varied choices for souvenirs.
Tracy Rudzinski — Google review
We went here while we were on vacation. Very busy place. It was just us two adults with no kids. We really enjoyed it, it was smaller than most aquariums we have been to, but the price was good and we did enjoy it. They did have several different species they are trying to save. Very informative if you read the information provided. The staff were friendly and actually seemed to like their jobs.
Jami Clark — Google review
I had a birthday party here for my son. It was really nice. Staff was nice they even set up the party room. It was a little pricey but well worth it. They let you bring your own food unlike most places. My guests had a good time. I would definitely recommend it.
Octavia Lindsay — Google review
Wonderful little aquarium. Very nicely done. Neat tunnel and varying views of large tanks. You could buzz thru quickly, but we spent a couple hours really watching everything. They do have an intractive touch tank as well. We were surprised it was located at a mall, but that made it very convenient.
Marla Bingham-Connelly — Google review
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!!!!
Please do not judge this place by what you see from the outside. Not that the outside is in bad shape or anything, but you would think that there's not a lot to see............you would be wrong!!
This is a very informative, colorful, and clean aquarium. You can tell that the sea life is well cared for and that the habitat encourages growth and comfort.
I actually came for Beasley but found so much more. I definitely recommend for children, family and friends, and even an evening date. I can't imagine this place will disappoint. ESPECIALLY THE TUNNEL!!!
I hope you enjoy the pictures and videos. This place is as cool as it looks.
PS - If you time your visit right, you can watch them feed throughout the aquarium.
Romeo Brown — Google review
It is a nice day out place with kids. Mu daughter loved being in the aquarium and collecting fun stamps at each exhibition. Nice full filled day activity for parents and kids. Must visit.
ritika razdan — Google review
Was a great time for the family and kids! They have quite a lot packed in and some pretty amazing aquatic life. We had a great time, and the costs were not excessive, especially considering it kept us busy for hours. Would absolutely recommend for a family afternoon out if you are looking for something fun and educational for your friends and family.
A+
Daniel Farrow — Google review
So much fun! We got there closer to close than I would've liked, but the staff was so friendly and helpful. We got to see brand new baby seahorses and there was a super friendly looking puffer fish. We loved the tunnel!
Heather Ball — Google review
Great experience but the cost should be much lower for the size. We paid more here to visit that many other aquariums that were double and triple the size. As for the variety of sea life and staff, they were above and beyond. I also like how they provided extra education activities for younger ages. A great 30 to 40 minute activity with a younger child.
A Spice Below the Horizon — Google review
Had a great time. It took about an hour to walk through everything, but you could return at any point during the day. We also did the behind the scenes tour and the host, Matt, was great. He also interacted with the adults and kids in the group. Amanda was amazing at answering questions. We bought the VIP picture pass and it was definitely worth it.
Hades Daughter — Google review
Little pricey for as small as it is. I was not expecting it to be in a mall. Can get crowded in a heartbeat with little wiggle room to see anything or to get away. They do let you go through as many times as you want, so that helps, some. They have a tunnel which is cool but the lighting isn't set up well, so it's not easy to tell what you are looking at sometimes.
I did NOT realize this was geared directly at kids. My bad for not doing more research but it's super kid friendly, which means it's not adult friendly in terms of viewing or moving around. Also, by kid friendly, I mean exhausted parents that don't give AF what their kids are doing, which is screaming, yelling, tapping glass, shoving each other, crying and running.
So yeah, I just wanted out of our Airbnb on a rainy day and thought a visit to an aquarium would be cool. It wasn't as awesome as I hoped. But hey, floaty-butt turtles always make any day better.
Vee — Google review
We had our daughters' birthday party here on Friday! It was an amazing experience for all that came! The room was beautiful! The staff was great! Highly recommend Sea Life for a fun unique birthday party experience!
Jennifer Harper — Google review
An absolute must for kids!!! Everything is their height, 100% interactive displays, hidden portholes and the Junior Range kit keeps them engaged looking closely to really appreciate the different species. We did the behind the scenes tour and learned a lot. Staff are all top notch. Worth every dollar. Went with grandma and my 5 year old son and they were both beyond thrilled.
Adrienne Hand — Google review
Some very nice exhibits but it is very small for the price.
There is a nice kid’s area and some good pop up spots for viewing fish. The tunnel is short but has many creatures swimming overhead.
Rachel Parton — Google review
We visited while we were in town for the holiday weekend. SeaLife was fantastic and they had a lot of aquatic life. We loved our time there. Unfortunately, we went on the busiest shopping day of the year, so getting out of the parking lot was a nightmare. Would recommend visiting on any other day though.
Jill T — Google review
My husband and I are both in our 20’s without kids and we were pleasantly surprised by this aquarium! They had a good amount of different animals including stingrays, sharks, fish, turtles, and many more. We were able to touch starfish and sea urchins. I enjoyed the turtle rehab section where we could see a turtle who was rescued from the ocean because he was stranded and injured. They had a cool tunnel you could walk through to see the animals as well. This was a great experience for the price!
Rachel Beatty — Google review
Sea Life was nice. We were hoping it was a longer undersea stroll but the location is probably the reason. All the exhibits were breath taking.
I'm not sure but I was trying to add a video. I was trying to show an exhibit where it looked like skinny snakes poking out of sand trying to get the small fish. It was so amazing to watch. I can't seem to show.
Jackie Hoyle — Google review
Went there with a group of people, and it was a blast. I loved the little shipwreck they had and we loved doing the stamps. Even though it was a great experience overall, it was kind of short. But yet again not surprising since it's in a mall. It's a great place to go to with kids or to go to on a day out.
Ray — Google review
How delightful to have an aquarium within the Concord Mills mall! We're not from the area and I love aquariums so this was a pleasant surprise. I was really impressed with the size of the aquarium itself and everything it has to offer. They have a touch pool which is fun for kids and adults alike. They have an underwater tunnel which is exciting. I think the porcupine fish might've been my favorite. He was huge! Highly recommend and will visit again.
Deanna White — Google review
My family and I visited a beautiful place over the weekend. An aquarium where you can see unusual bright fish. Electric skates, sharks, moray eels, sea stars and much more. There is a petting pool where you can touch starfish. It's unusual and interesting. Come see this beauty. Lots of useful stuff.
vika rup4eva — Google review
My wife and I went here while we were in the area on our honeymoon. It was fascinating to observe the creatures up close. We developed several favorites. Personally, I enjoyed watching the stingrays, sharks, and the fish that tirelessly dug holes in the sand. The staff, notably Greer, whom we spoke with, was exceptionally helpful, polite, and informative.
Zulu — Google review
Took a school trip here with my Grandson, first time we visited. The experience was a very good one. My Grandson who's 5 really enjoyed the exhibits. It's a beautiful place, takes about 30-40 mins to go thru and see everything. The staff was really friendly and very helpful.
Gee Crowder — Google review
Bought our tickets in advance, and it was easy. There is plenty of parking and easy to find. It is attached to Concord Mills Mall. Staff was super friendly and awesome. Plenty of sealife to see and interact with. I highly recommend checking this place out if in the area.
MAC — Google review
For being a small aquarium in a mall, they have several fish and even a cute rehabilitation tank that currently is hosting Beasley. It was really cute and had a lot of exhibits in it, surprisingly, including an interactive touch pool. My nephews enjoyed it, smallest barely wanted to leave. I would definitely recommend it for younger kids or people who love sea life in general.
Khadijah Surratt — Google review
It is bigger than I expected it and they’ve done a great job with this aquarium. Organize, clean, different fishes. Easy to navigate. Pretty good size, not too big or too small. The staff were polite.
I went Friday at 12pm and there were only two more families at the time so it was a great experience.
Once you buy tickets you can leave and get back inside as many times as you want. At least that’s what they told us on this date.
Veronica — Google review
Very neat stuff here. Staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Just wish it was a longer attraction for the money. The kids enjoyed it but I don't see this being a "season pass" type attraction.
Eddie Varh — Google review
When I saw this aquarium was located in a mall I had low expectations. I could not have been more incorrect. Not only was this location large enough to entertain adults for an hour, but they have an ocean tunnel, in a mall! The facility was well kept, the tanks were all large and not overcrowded, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Plus it was affordable. 10/10 would recommend checking it out while you're in the area. Then you can go shopping in the mall, knowing you're in the same building with fun things like sharks, eels, and jellyfish 💛
Nainsi McK — Google review
Sea Life Charlotte-Concord is an incredible little place. I worked with several staff members (Kaitlin, Jasmine, and Erin) who treated me like royalty to make for a very VERY special night.
I was able to set up a beautiful proposal and evening and they helped at every step. They set up special lights and stayed open a little late to help make this magical moment happen.
The aquarium itself is very nice. The decorations are perfect (lots of pirate decor) and the flow from room to room makes the aquarium feel five times bigger than it actually is.
I am forever grateful to the lovely people that helped me propose to my wonderful partner. And I will be back many times to enjoy both the aquarium and the memories made that evening.
Richard Cameron — Google review
An aquarium that's:
1. In the mall
2. Has a touch tank
3. Has a scavenger hunt and other kid activities
4. Has an awesome gift shop
5. Excellent staff
Yep... Take my money!
John Harley — Google review
4.2
(3695)
•
4.0
(530)
8111 Concord Mills Boulevard, Concord, NC 28027, USA
The Charlotte Motor Speedway is a highly-rated, 138,000 seat stadium which hosts NASCAR races as well as other events. It's also home to a drag racing track and other attractions.
We did the drive through fan experience and it was way better than you would imagine from their website description. The history of the track was great and we got to drive and walk on the track and stop in the winners circle as well as the start/ finish line. It was pretty awesome!
angie b ramirez — Google review
Very nice and updated track, huge! Seating is bench seating with looonnggg benches, so if you are seated in the middle grab your food and go potty before sitting down, it is nearly impossible to slid back out. Be prepared for the children, this track offers $10 child tickets, so if you are not kid friendly, you may want to skip this one. Otherwise, great food & bars on site, plenty of bathrooms, and handicapped accessibility. Overall a great track!
Marsha Shelton — Google review
We went here with a group from our neighborhood for lunch and a tour. Lunch was wonderful, but the tour was awesome! We were driven on the track and took a fast and furious drive around the turns!
So much fun! If you ever have the chance to do this tour, do it!
Cruisejunkie — Google review
Christmas lights at the speedway were wonderful. Although the wait was nearly 4 hours, once we made it to the lights it was like we never even waited. Such a magical experience with lots of effort put into setting up the lights, the music, everything. Great way to celebrate Christmas imo
Lucy Beattie — Google review
I absolutely LOVED this track. It was my first experience with a Nascar event and I enjoyed every moment! It was a bit confusing getting to my seat but the staff was very helpful.
Parking was complicated. The people directing traffic sent us to an RV park and we drove in circles for 20 minutes trying to get out. It was 20$ once we found a place to park.
As always, I want more vegan options but the atmosphere was decent and the patrons were diverse and kind.
SaBreena Lovelady — Google review
My husband and son loved their birthday/graduation/Christmas presents. They did the tide along with an experienced driver followed by driving the cars all by themselves. They absolutely loved it. I've never seen them smile so big. They are still coming down off their high. I scored big brownie points.
Iceblue Eyes — Google review
Visited the Speedway for the Xtreme Xperience and all I can say is wow! There was also a similar NASCAR drive event happening there at the same time so it was great to hear the real sounds associated with stock car racing while simultaneously experiencing the high speed / exotic cars we were there to drive! Ventured to the restrooms while there and was pleasantly surprised how clean they were.
N Garland — Google review
Great track to watch a race. Went to see the 2022 Coca-Cola 600 & 2022 Alsco 300 Great signage inside and out. Lots of food choices including food trucks inside the track. Now parking was a nightmare. Even had prepaid parking but no one directing traffic into lots.
James Scott — Google review
Went to the Arca and truck race.. both were awesome and good seats. Food is way overpriced and even water. Some places were selling water for $5-$10 outrageous. So bring your own and pick up food before, and they did not accept cash for anythingthing in the gates, so it was card only
Derrick H. — Google review
The speedway is spectacular and to talk about The Bank of America ROVAL 400. It is an unforgettable experience filled with energy and adrenaline. The race lasts just over 3 hours with 109 laps, each featuring 17 thrilling turns. Watching the cars zoom by is exhilarating, and the engine sounds are unique. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; it's perfect for family outings, hanging out with friends, or even a memorable first date. It's an experience that will stay with you forever.
S Kandra — Google review
We attended the holiday lights festival. The kids, especially the younger ones, really enjoyed it. The adults enjoyed driving on the track. We arrived at 6pm on a Monday night and only waited in line for about 15mins to enter.
Brad Kosar — Google review
We went to see Christmas decorations. The entrants cost is 45 $ per car. And its a bit much for the light show that we saw. There are some nice lights decorations and there're very simple one. They have a village Christmas lights in the middle where you can walk, grilled smorth on fire. And there's a shop you can buy different things. Also you can buy snacks.
There's a screen you can watch a movie seating in a car.
Elena Makoviy — Google review
Ford Driving Experience is amazing, you get to drive in the Oval and eat dinner in the VIP box.
Daniel Germain — Google review
The autofair/swap meet was not worth the 6hr ride .. alot of really nice cars 8n the car show --made up for it....
Jeff Justus — Google review
Went to see the Christmas light show. It was amazing. Definitely a must see if you have kids. They will enjoy it. Afterwards you can park and watch a Christmas movie or walk through the Christmas village. It's a fun holiday family night.
Pat Elenowitz — Google review
My husband and grandson got the Richard Petty driving experience. My husband drove a car and my grandson did a ride along. They had a blast!!!
Leatrice McDaniel — Google review
I was invited by my sponsor Blackpearlshowboards along with Mr Ed. It was Mustang 6oth Anniversary. We were right outside the Pavillion Auto Show Case. Joey Logano his family and dad all came back and saw Black Beauty. I autographed pictures for Joey Logano kids. Now I can mark that off my bucket list
Teresa McDaniel — Google review
The whole facility around CMS is top tier. I love this track especially for the Coke 600 on Labor Day Weekend. It’s one of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks and I always enjoy spending a weekend here. The whole track area is laid out very nicely and we even found a great area for parking! The fan zone and fan experience is amazing as well. Overall Charlotte is one of the best NASCAR Tracks to visit for a race weekend.
The Bank of America Stadium is a football stadium located in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers. The 75,523-seat stadium has been designed specifically for NFL football and features luxurious boxes and an open-air grass field. The stadium also has a large tailgating area which makes it popular with fans of all teams.
Overall my experience was good. I am Atlanta fan and came to the opening game where Charlotte FC played LA Galaxy. Good atmosphere. Looking forward to more games here.
The only negative: need better security at the gates when coming in and fixing the lines. I think this will come in time as they handle big games.
David Firestine — Google review
As far as NFL stadiums go, I would put BOA in the middle of the pack as far as how nice it is. We have been here for a few events the last couple of years and always have a good time. There are lots of food options in the concourse to choose from as well as plenty of drink options. Our last visit we were up in the suite section, which is really nice. Everything up there is air conditioned and we had everything catered for food and drinks, which made everything pretty easy and quick. I would always recommend getting a Bojangles box, it is worth the money more than anything in the stadium.
Steven Beecher — Google review
Haven't had a bad experience here. I think I've been twice and both times were great. Entry is simple and quick, in my experience. Plenty of resources, the bathrooms are clean and sufficient, and the seating is good. Definitely recommend for whatever events people may be looking to attend.
jeremy kilgore — Google review
A clean and stunning stadium in downtown Charlotte. The city skyline made for a beautiful backdrop; especially when all the lights started coming on. The staff were friendly and helpful. There were a few unruly fans in our section and security did a great job diffusing the situation and kept everyone around from being interrupted from watching the game. The food selection was beyond amazing. The souvenir cup for free refills is definitely worth it. A great stadium to enjoy a game!
H Caballero — Google review
I came here for the Panthers Bucs Game. It was with some family friends and it was my first ever NFL game. The atmosphere here is amazing and they have a really nice stadium and everything. They lost 10-3 but it was alright. I was in one of the sections near the scoreboard but still they were great seats and saw a lot. Wasn’t terrible coming in or leaving and it was a fun game and fun experience. I’m a NY Giants fan but I’d certainly go to another panthers game knowing I’m from Durham and it’s not terribly far
Team 7 Channel — Google review
We had a great time visiting the Bank of America Stadium as we saw Charlotte FC’s first inaugural home game! It was well worth the visit as we enjoyed the experience and how friendly everyone was! I’ll definitely come back to check out another game here in the future!
Daniel Duran — Google review
What a great experience, very easy to navigate, each employee was friendly, very clean & so well set up. I mostly appreciated the escalators lol! The Stadium is HUGE & great for many types of venues. It's very easy to get to from the interstate & parking was expensive but not bad for the walk. I didn't see much security in the Stadium as I did outside, I may have just missed them, but I never felt unsafe.
Melinda Frye — Google review
Home of the roaring Panthers and the cheers of their loyal fans 🏈🐾 Welcome to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina! 🌟 #PantherNation #CharlotteNC #FootballSeason
This stadium is located in the heart of uptown Charlotte. The seating is comfortable and offers great sightlines of the field. They offered a variety of food and beverage options, from classic stadium fare like hot dogs and nachos to more upscale options like BBQ and craft beer. Lines can get long, especially during peak game times, so it is advisable to arrive early or plan accordingly.
The stadium also offers a variety of amenities, including a team store, a Panthers Hall of Honor, and a kid’s zone. The team store offers a wide selection of merchandise, from jerseys and hats to unique souvenirs. The Hall of Honor is a great way to learn about the history of the Carolina Panthers and the NFL. The kid’s zone offers a variety of fun activities for children, including inflatable games and a climbing wall.
One of the unique features of Bank of America Stadium is the ability to take a tour of the stadium. Tour guides take visitors through the stadium, including the locker rooms, press box, and field. The tours are informative and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the stadium.
Dixon — Google review
Beautiful stadium with plenty to eat and drink. Prices here were very good - I had a 5-piece chicken tender with a refillable cup for around $20.
Brandon Carraway — Google review
First time here 12/24- Packers vs Panthers. We got to the stadium early. Nice Stadium and Great Atmosphere! Staff was very friendly and helpful! We were in Section 542 with many other Packers fans. The seats were comfortable! Plenty of options for beverages and food. Really enjoyed the Packers vs Panthers game! 💚💛💚💛
Tracy Berthelson — Google review
My son and I were in attendance for the Charlotte FC inaugural home match. The stadium is a very nice venue, especially considering it's age. Entry into the stadium was extremely quick. Traffic was very slow near the stadium. We parked in a garage across from the stadium. We won't make that mistake again, but will plan a little better and just walk a few blocks to the stadium.
Overall it was a great time.
Brian Smith — Google review
Did the 5k for the Levine cancer center this morning. The best Saturday I've spent in a while. We were fortunate to have 3 generations walking for family. Must say that I'm not fond of the field being a soccer field though. Very nicely done, clean, and will be back soon for my panther's games. Loved the experience, and was well planned.👍💙🖤
Katherine Carroll — Google review
Dream come true. I thought I would never get to see panther football game in my life. After I wining the football tickets form Amazon. I finally get to see the game. My first time ever going to watch the Panthers game at the stadium. It was humongous! I had a good time with friends . But hey, what do you expect, it’s costly going to a football game. I would definitely go again though. There was face painting there too and I got myself one. I say, go give yourself this experience just once to see if you like it.
Myo Z Oo — Google review
Absolutely the best NFL facility with the cleanest, most well kept, and amazing amminities and staff. Their business, security, and operations teams are exemplary and second to none. Amazing to get to work with these folks, a true pleasure.
ESCALATOR CLEANING (BANKS ESCALATOR CLEANING) — Google review
Bank of America Panthers Stadium has been newly renovated to include better tech, seating as well as a locker room for the men's soccer team. We attended the epic Beyoncé Renaissance World Tour concert at the stadium and the new design is impeccable. The entire staff was extremely attentive and approachable. A beautiful venue.
360 MAGAZINE — Google review
It was my first NFL game and my 58th birthday!! Except for the loss and the cost of some items, I was very happy with my experience. Tickets were cheap because it was a preseason game. Parking cost near the stadium was astronomical, so I opted for free parking and the low-cost LYNX rail ride into downtown Charlotte. It was easy, safe, and convenient. Stadium concessions were very pricey, but I was impressed with the fact they offered alcoholic drinks other than just beer: You could get cocktails, wine, and hard seltzer too!
Scherron Lytch — Google review
First time attending a game here and the experience was very good. My daughter and I came to town to watch our Dallas Cowboys play the Panthers and I gotta hand it to the Panthers organization, this was a very smooth and well organized event. I would recommend arriving when the gates open and just walk around and familiarise yourself with where things are located (it’s really pretty self explanatory and well marked). The staff members are very helpful and friendly. Plenty of security. It really was a very enjoyable experience especially since the Cowboys won
Tim Mitchell — Google review
We had an excellent first time experience here at the Bank of America stadium in Charlotte. We sat in the silver club seats (section 313), which gives you access to a comfy indoor area with nice restrooms and plenty of bar & food options. The seats were comfortable folded-chair-back seats. There are two large score board screens at each end zone, and the game info (down, yards, play clock, etc) can also be seen directly across the field on a smaller screen. The staff was very prepared and made sure things went very smoothly, such as security check and scanning your phones for tickets. If you want to be sheltered from weather and sun, choose the higher rows in this section (19-21).
Kathryn Wilson — Google review
Went there to see the Dallas Cowboys vs panthers. Was a very awsome experience :). Was our first NFL game. Are seats were really good. Section 112 row 1A seats 3 & 4 about the 50 yard line. Will post better seat pictures when I download them from my camera :)
cindy richardson — Google review
Went there for the Charlotte FC 1st game of the season and loved the experience! Plenty of food and drink options (even hot cocoa). The picture attached is the view from section 542 seat 18
Ginna Buestan Russell — Google review
Atmosphere is electric here and the fan base for Charlotte fc is phenomenal. I’m coming from RSL culture in Utah and their fan base is a joke compared to here.
Bank of America stadium was well kept and looks stunning. Workers didn’t seem to know a clue about any sections but it was the home opener
Riley Boren — Google review
Back of America Stadium is a great place to watch football! This stadium gets a bad rap as talks of a new stadium are continually being mentioned. Let's be honest, BofA has some old bones. Some of the railings are bent. There are parts that are rusted. Some of the chairs are squeaky. It has character for its age. The best thing about BofA stadium is that there isn't a bad view in the stadium. You may be winded going up those flights of stairs, but you can still see everything just fine. A bonus is if you sit on the 550s side, you'll get a great view of the skyline. The concessions are solid. Bojangles, Krispy Kreme, & Domino's are our usual choices. The beer prices are as expected ($11-12 each). Whatever may happen to this stadium, I don't know, but for now, I'll continue to enjoy football games here & I hope to someday catch a concert here as well.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina is dedicated to the sport of stock car racing and features interactive exhibits and a theater. The museum has grown from dirt tracks to super-speedways over the years and features memorabilia from famous NASCAR drivers. Race fans can visit the museum even if there is no race meeting going on.
My boyfriend and I came here for a day date, there was no line or anything- we like to do things that are fun and interactive. This was my first time at the hall of fame and there was more to do than I expected. The tickets are pricey but It would be a great place to bring kids if I had any. But it’s great for just adults too! I definitely recommend doing the racing simulation if you go, they were closing soon and let us do it for free and it was super fun, but typically you have to pay extra for it. We live uptown so we didn’t have to pay for parking but I suggest finding street parking and walking a little bit as opposed to a parking deck.
Sable Jeanette — Google review
If you are in Charlotte, it is a fun place to visit and good for all age groups. You can buy tickets at the booth or book online, either you it works. Consider family membership option if you are family of two and have 2-3 kids, as the family membership provides more value for money and you get two buddy passes which you can use immediately during the visit if you have more than two adults in your group. Simulation drive is included with the family membership, so value instead of combo tickets. It is a long line sometimes and probably most times to get into simulation. You can easily spend 3-4 hours at the museum, rest rooms are clean and very accessible.
satish baratam — Google review
NASCAR hall of fame museum is a must visit! I enjoyed this a lot with my family. The experience wasn’t what I had expected at all— in a great way! Stimulations and interactive activities all throughout. Very clean and well kept facility. Loved the gear shop as well. Highly recommend purchasing the Combo 1 package as you’re provided a cool lanyard for your hard card and unlimited rides on the race stimulator. Would love to visit again.
Aniya Eley — Google review
Its interesting and they have guided tours as well as a pit crew test where you can compete against other people. Not very expensive and they have a military discount, but not first responder for entrance tickets. Parking is not free unless you are a "Legends and Champions" member-I assume you'd know if you meet that qualification.
S W — Google review
Whether you're newly introduced to NASCAR or you're an avid fan, this place is a must-see. My mom and I went today, and it was a treat! We were able to take our time to look through all of the exhibits, and the staff was so courteous. They were very enthusiastic and willing to answer any questions. A memorable experience all around.
Meagan R — Google review
I am glad to finally visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame. My son is a big fan and I watch it a bit but we both had a blast! Learning the history and seeing everything on display was mesmerizing. The simulators were exciting and it was great to experience what the NASCAR life is like. I wish there were a few more sections so kids can interact since they are fans too but we made it work. The staff was very friendly and answered any questions we had.
jan tye — Google review
Even though I'm only a moderate NASCAR fan, and my wife has no love for any motor sport this place is an absolute must visit. The exhibitions are fun and brilliantly done. It's reasonably priced to get in with lots of combinations to make it cheaper.
Phillip Williams — Google review
It's interesting and neat to see the cars. But for 34 dollars and 12 dollars for parking. Unless your a really big fan of racing save yourself some money and skip this. There's a 12 minute movie that was interesting. But the best thing that is offered is the simulation it will have a long wait unless your going to stay all day plan on going on it once. Nascar is a billion dollar sport and this was the best they could do for its hall of fame, sorry but it's a big disappointment.
Jason Brandt — Google review
We had an absolutely amazing time here. About $ 80+ for 3 people with 2 of our tickets being discounted military. There are packages you can purchase to include a simulator ride. Very interactive. You get a card to scan at the stations for more information or to activate the kiosks. You can take a picture and get your face and name on the large jumbo screen with your favorite drivers you select underneath your picture welcoming you. There was a simulator qualifier, the real thing and a timed pit crew simulator. Super cool museum to view the history of NASCAR, owner and driver history. Amazing time for all.
Tonya Johnson-Jenkins — Google review
Clean facilities, everything was easy to read and adequate labelling of where to go. Good explanation of interactive activities or what was displayed. Best part was the staff, they were all very happy to help, explain and keep you engaged. Definitely recommend the simulator combo. Didn't eat there but food smelled and looked delicious.
Sam Pender — Google review
We got to go after hours with our convention, so it was pretty packed, and im not sure how that compares to a normal experience. If you're interested in Nascar, you'll love this place! There is lots of information for the history buffs, and lots to see! There was even interactive displays and "games."
Melissa Henning Independent Scentsy Consultant — Google review
Pretty cool for a half day activity and have fun games and activities for the kids. Wish there was more representation of diversity and some bumper cart action to tie it all together. A bit underwhelming for how big the building is.
Ilma Vallee — Google review
Great for kids, honestly it was much more interactive than I thought it would be. They have an individual card for you to use and scan throughout the tour to customize your experience, lots of models of the engineering and building of the cars too. They went all out on decoration and props, the place is extremely clean and well kept. 4 stories, but with elevators and ramps leading all the way up it's not a difficult jot though they said it takes about 3 hours to complete we were done in about 2. If you pay the extra for the driving simulator, there will be a bit of a wait and we didn't have that kind of time. All in all, great value and a good memory
Spencer T — Google review
I’m not a NASCAR fan but the hall of fame is definitely worth visiting if you are in town and have time. We visited on a Monday right when it opened and it was empty. We did the racing simulator multiple times as well as the pit crew station; both were fun. There are a lot of exhibits for those that are fans. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable and clearly loved working there.
Travelbuff — Google review
Great place to visit if you're a Nascar fan of any kind that said, overall great place to visit. Even if you are just a car fan, it's well laid out and very interesting.
Extremely clean, if you care to eat there the cafeteria is not overpriced and is much faster than trying to eat in Buffalo wild wings which is attached. You can wait there till you're gray-haired and probably never get a table.
Parking is just around the corner from the front door and easily accessible to the Hall of Fame
Bob “Doc” R — Google review
What a fantastic experience. One of the friendliest environments I have ever been in. From the front desk to the workers on the floor it’s like they were all trained at Chick fil a. Super high level of customer service at the hall of fame. The exhibits were beautiful and the car simulators were awesome. But the most fun had to be the pit lane simulator where you physically have to do a pit stop on a car. Such a great place to visit I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone
Jonathan Batista — Google review
We visited early afternoon on a weekday, no waiting to get in and I recommend you pick a ticket package that best suit your needs. You may not want to take part in all the Halls attractions. We did the simulator and photo with lunch credit package. You also get a $10 speed (gift) shop voucher included. The displaces are beautifully displaced with detailed narration. We enjoyed ourselves.
Todd Matthews — Google review
I am not a Nascar fan, but I did enjoy the museum. The interactive race simulator was so much fun! Very clean, with fun exhibits. My husband thoroughly enjoyed!
Amy Mertz — Google review
Looking back at old pictures then realized I need to tell you to go! I went August 2022. I did not know exactly what to expect, but it exceeded any expectations. It was large, clean, informative, interactive and interesting. Its very well made. A must see in Charlotte.
Michele Kim — Google review
I'll admit, I'm not a die-hard NASCAR fan, but my visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte was surprisingly enjoyable! From the moment I walked in, I could appreciate the rich history and the excitement that surrounds NASCAR.
The exhibits were thoughtfully put together with interactive displays and engaging videos, making it easy for someone like me to learn and get into it. I was especially impressed by the Hall of Honor, which introduced me to the legends of the sport and their incredible stories.
Even though I'm not a racing enthusiast, I had a blast with the simulator experiences. It was a unique chance to feel what it's like to be on a NASCAR track, and I found it really fun.
The staff members were friendly and happy to share their knowledge, which helped me understand more about the sport. And the gift shop had some cool NASCAR merchandise that even a casual fan like me couldn't resist.
So, even if you're not a NASCAR fanatic, the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte can still be a fun and educational experience. It certainly was for me!
Jacob Edmisten — Google review
I had a great time exploring the history and memorabilia of the Nascar Hall of Fame. Seeing the cars up close and on the banked track of the rotunda, you really get a feel for what it's like being a driver. Upon entry, every ticket holder receives a plastic, credit card sized card that helps you interact with the displays and make it a more personal experience. With the race simulator (for an additional charge) and the pit crew challenge (included in general admission), you get to experience what it's like to sit in the driver seat and be a pit crew member.
There are also tons of artifacts on display with a brief story behind the person that wore, drove, owned, or turned a wrench on. With so much to see and learn about, you really need multiple days to explore, but it's also makes a good day trip. Whether you are a Nascar fan or not, it's worth seeing at least once.
erik roberts — Google review
We were in town for a conference and I decided to take my little one to check out the cool cars! Let me just say he loved it! He is a big fan of lightning McQueen, so that was a lovely surprise for him!
I purchased the number three combo pack and it was definitely worth it! The barbeque beef sandwich was great! You also get a $10 credit for the gift shop which is pretty cool and a free photo! There is the option to buy a second photo for $15.
The employees were friendly and it was fun exploring the museum!
Tamra Roney — Google review
I don’t know what kid or adult wouldn’t like this place!! Definitely going back! Well worth the money. I bought tickets online, but there still would have been no wait! Very organized and structured. Bought a package that comes with the simulator, lunch, a certificate to the gift shop and other goodies! Very interactive and educational museum! There’s like 3 or 4 levels to the museum so wear your walking shoes. A theater with a 20 minute show is included you can watch at your leisure.
Shynekia Riley — Google review
Beautiful facility with kind and welcoming staff. The facility is setup so nicely! You will see and learn all aspects of NASCAR including detailed history. Don't skip the simulator and pit crew challenge. Well worth the price of admission. There is limited street parking but there is an attached parking garage. We went on a weekday (Thursday) and it wasn't busy.
Darrell Kennison — Google review
A truly amazing experience. The architecture of the venue alone is a marvel. The cars, suits, helmets, trophies and other exhibits are wonderfully arranged. Do not miss trying the race simulation in a model car and the pit stop challenge. Something not to miss by any means when in Charlotte
Miloš Milosavljević — Google review
Huge place. So much to see and do. So reasonably priced for all you get. Simulators, pit stop challenge and so many more interactive exhibits. We stayed 3 hours but, could have stayed 5. We loved it.
Ladonna Warwick — Google review
If you're a die hard NASCAR fan who appreciates the history, you'll likely really enjoy a visit to the hall of fame. For me as a casual fan at best, I had a very underwhelming experience. Also, I wouldn't bring kids here, they'll be very bored. The best thing was that all of the workers I encountered were nice and helpful. Everything else I found to be very boring and quite overpriced. The driving simulation was kind of cool, but was quite far from a realistic experience overall.
If the cost of admission was half of what they charge, I'd feel a bit more like I got my money's worth. Otherwise, it's just boring and overpriced. Plus you have to pay for parking too.
Kaleb Curl — Google review
This place is fun for all! Knowledgeable about the sport and even had live simulators to enjoy from racing to pit stop challenges. Recommend getting the package to eat and enjoy free memorabilia and photos with crew or family
Dr. Godsey — Google review
Pretty cool experience. I was able to go through a company party so everything was available for use. The driving simulation was really cool. You first qualify on a machine with a steering wheel and then you get in an actual life size Nascar and race with a screen in front of you. 16 people were able to race each other at once. They also had a tire changing challenge. The whole walkway up goes through all the degrees of the tracks. It was pretty cool. It also had a ton of memorabilia for Nascar fans.
bryan debarbieris — Google review
Definitely a bucket list place for any NASCAR fan. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there. I arrived a little later on a Saturday (after lunch) and it wasn't crowded at all. Lots of history and memorabilia there, stuff going way back.
Gary — Google review
Best place for inspiration and race car fans. Their display was beautifully done and they speak for the self. I would recommend go spend atleast few mins to read story around it. Overall was very inspiring and motivational visit
Jagadeesh Rahul — Google review
Fantastic museum completely different than I was expecting.
The cars are very well arranged, clean, all details and information about them with pictures and displays.
Information about the roads where they race, angle of the road in all angles. Their car simulator is a must to do for if you want to have the feeling of drive those cars at high speed.
They have a theater room to show movies of cars competition.
Better yet, they have discounts for seniors.
I recommend this place to all ages and gender.
The Billy Graham Library is a museum and research facility that celebrates the life and legacy of Billy Graham, one of the most influential Christian evangelists in history. The museum has galleries featuring presentations, artifacts, pictures, voices, and more from Graham's lifetime as well as recreations of crucial moments from his life. The library is always free to visit.
Absolutely beautiful. The tour was amazing, inspiring and touched my heart. As a history lover, I enjoyed seeing all the paraphernalia on display. One of my favourites was the suit he wore to see the Queen. The gardens are a lovely addition, and the house is a must see. It's maintained so well. Staff are kind, friendly, and accommodating. Didn't get to spend a lot of time at the library because we came late but it had a good selection of books and we bought some. My husband and I stopped to just watch Billy Graham's recorded sermons and he is charismatic and the sermons were very relevant to today. So grateful to visit and would highly recommend a visit here! 😁
Ranita Isaac — Google review
I visited Billy Graham Library this past week. It was such an amazing experience. The volunteers were friendly and welcoming. There was plenty of parking and no waiting in line although there were plenty of people around visiting.
As I approached the house where the Grahams once lived, I could hear worship music emanating from the garden and throughout the grounds...such a serene atmosphere. There was a prayer bench/garden that I sat at and prayed (see photo).
I was told that the house is 60% of the original house construction the Grahams lived in when he was a young boy from 7-17 years old. Every brick, according to the tour guide, was disassembled, numbered one by one, moved from one location of NC and reassembled/built to sit on this property at the Billy Graham Library. Amazing…
The barn with the cross is the actual Library and where the cafe is located. Again, everyone was welcoming and inviting. The food at the cafe is good and reasonably priced. .
Leslie Howard?s Motivations — Google review
I loved the history here! From his childhood home to all the amazing accomplishments from his life. One of my all time favorite museums. Everyone here was so friendly and inviting. The gift shop was really nice. Enjoyed every moment here! Can wait to go back soon.
Brent Turner — Google review
Our first visit to this holy place was truly a blessing. The staff were kind, gracious, and welcoming, embodying the love of Christ in their actions. It was an inspiration to learn about the life and work of Billy Graham, and how he devoted himself to spreading the word of God. His unwavering faith and commitment to serving the Lord is a shining example for us all. We left feeling uplifted and renewed in our own faith. Praise be to God for this wonderful experience.
E Z — Google review
God bless you when you go to this blessing site.
There are two structures of this site. One is library itself, alone with a bookstore and a shop. They have some decent souvenirs.
The other one is the Graham family homeplace. There are volunteers as tour guides that tell you the family history and the building history.
I especially paid a visit to the cemetery. That's the main reason I came to this site.
I bumped into one volunteer. After he heard my road trip story, he put hand on my head and he prayed for me.
It really touched my heart. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏❣️❣️❣️❣️
Project Entry — Google review
This is a wonderful place to visit! I was pleasantly surprised at the level of technology used to make this a very interesting stop. The focus of the library is not on the person of Billy Graham, but on how God used him. His evangelical efforts continue in this museum. It was amazing to see the people and places that Billy and Ruth Graham impacted for Christ. Truly an amazing life and a great memorial to his dedication to Jesus Christ!
Lynn McCord — Google review
The Billy Graham Library and Journey of Faith is a must see. We thoroughly enjoyed it! Since we came on November 30, we were also able to view the live nativity which was very nice.
Nancy P. Blough — Google review
What a cool experience! The production quality of the “journey of faith” was top notch. Felt like something out of Disney World. Very encouraging experience and fun for the family. The little restaurant is great too. Don’t sleep on the coffee, it was better than Starbucks.
Michael Will — Google review
The Billy Graham Library is a beautiful, peaceful place to be able to hear the gospel preached. The staff here is very caring and give such a warm welcome to everyone. My family was asked by several staff members if there was anything they could pray over for us. Love coming here and do so about every year.
Tabitha Long — Google review
This was such a great place to visit in Charlotte. It's so peaceful and beautiful. The staff was really kind and very knowledgeable, willing to explain everything in detail.
The exhibit is well organized and even their store is nice.
I particularly loved the gallery of photos and the display about the life of Billy Graham.
This could be such a great venue for a wedding.
I loved that there was no entry fee too.
Definitely worth a visit.
Adriana Perez — Google review
A very pleasant surprise stop on our trip. The staff is really friendly and eager to connect and help. The whole exhibition on Billy Graham's life is really well done and worth every second! Would definitely recommend. Not only is informational and entertaining, but it also really straightens one's faith.
Josh Binder — Google review
Very moving. It's amazing to see what he did in his lifetime. It inspired me to do better, be better. The cafe is reasonable with great food. Allow time to enjoy each and every part of the experience.
May B. — Google review
First time to this museum — it is a very well curated museum. It specializes in detailing the life and ministry of evangelist Billy Graham. The presentation and flow of the museum was very well done. Lots of information, lots of artifacts. If one is a fan of Graham or just curious as to who he was, it should be satisfying. Admission was free though they will accept donations. The museum part takes about 1.5 hours to do. Went on a Monday, it was not busy.
Christopher Weeks — Google review
Beautiful experience with the family. Inspired to live my life more fulfilling and following the Lord’s will! My kids also enjoyed it and my eldest cried. The snippets of Billy Graham’s sermons were so powerful and moving. We highly recommend going out of your way to visit this anointed place!!
Miriam Miriam — Google review
First time visiting. Found the experience to be very enriching.
Hearing the journey of faith 🙏 beginning was amazing.
Visited Ruth attic which had many gift ideas.
the original home that Billy grew up in.
Grave sites for Billy and his wife.
Great experience! Highly recommend when in Charlotte.
Also the concession stand that offered good food choices.
Raquel M — Google review
We toured the museum & library on March 14, 2024. Absolutely amazing !!!
Very moving and heart warming. he was such a wonderful evangelist. Unfortunately, I never appreciated him growing up as I did when I got older. I had tears when I walked through the exhibits. You can visit his boyhood home which has been moved to that site. He and his wifeare buried next to the museum. It is truly a fantastic place to visit. Absolutely a must. Staffed by volunteers The restaurant served delicious food very reasonably priced.
Phyllis — Google review
What an amazing experience it was to visit this place. An honorable man of God who has left such an everlasting impact for God’s kingdom and a legacy for generations to come. Clean, hospitable, inviting, educational and enlightening. Kudos for the amazing staff and their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit to drop anything they’re doing to pray with and for someone
Bonnie Cerezo — Google review
Entry is free and they even give you a gift bag for filling out a survey because they truly want to make the museum a blessing to people. There is a tour that takes you through the life of Billy Graham and family. The first half or so is guided with the last half being self directed. There's a bathroom at the entry and half way through the museum. You learn so much about him the impact he made. In the same building is an adorable gift shop and cafe.
You'll also find a prayer garden where Billy and Ruth are buried along with his childhood home that was disassembled and rebuilt there. You can tour both at a self directed pace.
Most of the workers are volunteers and know a ton about the Graham family and are even ready to pray with you.
What an amazing way for Billy and Ruth Graham to reach people after their earthly life! A must go when in Charlotte.
Crystal Clow — Google review
The Billy Graham Library is peaceful, full of history and Christian heritage. The Journey of Faith is so enlightening and Billy and Ruth Graham are examples of humility, love and serving others. I spent a lot of time in the gift shop. The Dairy Barn has the best scones! Each volunteer is friendly and gracious.
Sheila Deese — Google review
Offers a self tour of the home of Billy Graham. The home and library have plenty of memorabilia from Mr & Mrs Graham’s life and ministry. Plenty of friendly staff throughout to help and answer any questions. Large bookstore and a place to eat inside. Walking trails with benches and the final resting place of the Grahams on site. Very nice place to visit.
RWS — Google review
The Holy Spirit of Truth was felt the moment my wife and I stepped out of the vehicle. It has such a peaceful atmosphere. Great intimate details and displays of his life, family and team through his Evangelical journey. Set aside about 3 hours and become immersed in his history and more important God's word.
It will be on our visit list every time we come to Charlotte North Carolina. Peace and blessings!
Richard Riley — Google review
One of the most beautiful and serene experiences I've had. It is a beautiful library/museum, that offers free admission, a bookstore, cafe, and history about Billy Graham and his ministry. And wonderful staff and volunteers who will even pray with you at the end. I'm grateful to have been able to visit the Library, which it's main goal is to magnify and glorify Jesus Christ.
Ben — Google review
This place is so special! You really feel God’s heart through everything here. We love the tour and enjoy sharing with our friends and loved ones. Have been many times. The Library also hosts events like the women’s tea which is lovely! The Christmas event at the Library is one you don’t want to miss! The food is good! The gift shop is great!
Courtney D — Google review
Weeknight visit in Dec. Had prebooked tickets (general admission/parking free).
Beautiful place that is well-maintained and well-staffed with volunteers and paid help. Shuttles came quickly as it was not busy. Live nativity with bonus kangaroo. Waking paths were well-lit. Workers said there were carolers on-site for 30 minutes but we never saw them or heard ANY music on the grounds throughout our trip (outside of the Journey of Faith tour which showcased Billy Graham's life of evangelism). This tour was free and lasted about 90 min. They have kids' activity sheets to keep them engaged in the tour (two versions: younger and older). 8 year old did the pictire-based scavenger-hunt one and 12 year old did the older version which held their attention and resulted in a small gift for each of them in the gift shop.
Carriage rides were additional, $12 adult/$6 child. We didn't participate in the sit-down dinner as it was sold out when I booked tickets at Thanksgiving time. (If you're on the mailing list list, they send an email when the dinner bookings start in early Nov.)
19th-century mine with a visitor center, panning for gold & tours through restored tunnels.
We loved it here. Fun, educational, beautiful and easy short trails. (Note, there are steps.) My littles (6 & 4.5) we’re a little nervy/scared to enter the mine but they did and they really liked it. We went in the off season. We’d love to come back when the panning is open so we can do that too.
Desiree Johnson — Google review
It was a unique experience and was able to learn a lot. You are able to do most things around here for free. The only thing that costs is the gold panning and its only $3. We did it for each kid and one pan had a little fleck of gold and the other had nothing.
Kind of surprised they didn't have more in the gift shop or a way to donate to the place.
A ton of walking paths and tables for a picnic. Recommend going and bring the kids!
Nick Villanti — Google review
Took my teenage sons and we had a really good time! The museum does a really good job of balancing education with fascinating experiences. We found gold while we were panning!! Another group found some as well. Well worth the visit.
Jonathan Erdman — Google review
Great place to spend a few hours. The only charge is for the optional gold panning. The visitor center offers a 10 minute video about the site and the discovery of gold in North Carolina. The exhibits are extensive and educational. The underground tour is an easy level walk though it ends with stairs. The stairs lead up to additional points of interest on the grounds. There are also some trails on the extensive grounds. On the downside the entrance road is in bad condition.
Joseph Tallent — Google review
Definitely a space to check out at least once. Has some great historical features and the underground mine is really cool and takes you back to a time in the past. The grounds are well maintained and perfect to walk on a nice day like we did!
A Ready — Google review
Visited over Father's Day for the 2nd time (with 3 generations - age 6 to 74). I've done the self-guided tour before but did the guided tour this time. I enjoy both. My 6-year-old REALLY loved the panning for gold and was the only one to find a fleck. She is proudly displaying her vial on a shelf in her bedroom. It's a fun way to spend a few hours with family.
Quick advice, check for ticks when you leave. We found a few after walking around after the mine tour. (That wouldn't stop us from going back.)
T Quinn — Google review
Staff was very friendly and helpful especially the gentlemen helping at the panning station. Exhibits were very well done and informational. Walking through the old Mine was so cool. Literally as the temp was much lower than the outside Temps so it was quite a relief from the heat. Looking forward to taking my family of 6 back again. It was able to keep everyone interested from our oldest (11 yo) to our youngest (2 yo). Free to tour, $3 per person to pan for gold.
Chris Mailliard — Google review
Enjoyed this a lot. Most of the museum is free. You have to pay for gold panning. The employee who taught us how to pan was very nice as was the front desk staff. There are a lot of picnic tables. The trails are nice and well maintained as is the mine and museum. The only thing that could be improved is that the bathrooms could use some maintenance/cleaning.
Tonya Cruz — Google review
We took our children there (7 & 1) for a homeschool learning day. Carolina Gold Rush Day was the theme.. very educational and can't stop talking about it. It was cool to go down in the mine and see what it was like. Alot of walking.. do not recommend taking a stroller. Both kids loved it.
Carol Brooks — Google review
This is a great place for learning about a local gold mine. You can walk through the old mine guided or on your own. They have a few trails and for a small fee you can pan for gold!
Melanie Taylor — Google review
Great weekend activity! We enjoyed the visitor center and all the interesting facts/displays.
We loved that you could do a self guided tour of the grounds and the mine.
The panning was also such a fun little activity and we actually found a tiny flake!
We also enjoyed the mass amount of other activities around this area. All kinds of wineries and a prison turned distillery!
Katie Hawkins — Google review
Boomtown bash! Going to this event that included historical reenactments + retelling of the history of Reed Gold Mine was a great experience. Follow Gorgeous trails as you explore the mine, panning area, and stamping mill. Prepare to learn about a piece of Charlottes history dating back nearly 200+ years that May still be relatively unknown. Thanks to all at Reed + NC Historic Sites who continue to tell these stories and maintain the living history of this site!!
Lukas Pestalozzi — Google review
We were lucky to pick a day where they had a historical event planned. A lot of reenactors with loads of information. The kiddos loved it!
Stephanie Mitchell — Google review
A beautiful property that we had the opportunity to explore with re-enactors working, on day one of gold panning, and also got engaged here! That aside (don’t let my fiancée see that) we had a great time here for quite a few hours, all of the staff were lovely and the history of the property and the mining option were enjoyable to learn about.
Danny Levy — Google review
Interesting experience! Very affordable and lots of historical information provided!! You get a self-guide pamphlet to go explore underground in pleasantly cool tunnels (it's summertime!) Panning was also educational for children, haven't found anything though. Be careful: Roads leading up to the mine are in need of patching and there are lots of stairs in the mine. Good thing there are benches everywhere in the woods trail area and a nice gift shop to explore. BTW you pay only for Panning.
Alla S. — Google review
We had a blast! The trails are beautiful. The staff are so friendly! 10⭐️ to the staff!
Management should encourage tipping!! Shame on you management!! The tour guide and the guys at the panning station didn’t get any tips. I gave the guy at the panning station a tip and he didn’t know what to do with himself!
He said, “what’s this? You can pay inside.” He told me they had never been tipped. WHAT?! Every tour guide gets tipped!
They set us up for mining, gave instructions, checked on everyone, helped so many people, then cleaned up after everyone. Admission is free, but the tour and mining cost. The museum is also free. The mining was $3 and worth it. So fun!
PLEASE TIP THE STAFF HERE! 😊😊
The tunnels were cool. The trails are beautiful. There are picnic tables and benches everywhere. Everything was very clean. I’ll definitely go back!
J Reviewer — Google review
This place is free! What a wealth of knowledge. Learned so much about mining and the Carolina golden state. They have a movie you can watch. A fun trail you can walk and a mine you can walk through for a self guided tour. The gift shop is not super impressive. There is no earring or gold jewelry type item. I liked that they had shirts. I think the gift shop could do better. I really enjoyed the entire experience. It was great to do on a rainy day. Loved it.
Carowinds is a seasonal, family-friendly amusement park that offers a variety of thrilling rides and attractions. It is known as the Thrill Capital of the Southeast and boasts 13 world-class roller coasters, including Peanuts-themed rides in Planet Snoopy. In addition to these adrenaline-pumping options, there are plenty of other family rides like Boo Blasters on Boo Hill, Skytower, Rip Roarin Rapids, and Dinosaurs Alive featuring lifelike animatronic creatures.
Went with my family during Winter Fest. We had so much fun and all the lights and Christmas trees were beautiful. So much to do and look at and all the hot chocolate you can drink. After the initial purchase all refills are free. Huge plus that the smaller coasters were operational. I love all coasters it was just a little chilly for me but plenty of people were riding so it's nice to have that option
Jacob Gonzales — Google review
I purchased a seasonal pass & food pass which I highly recommend. A meal can cost around $18 and that's without a drink. I've been going here for years and my daughters really enjoys it. They have a new section Aeronautica which has some cool rides.
Deanna Troy-Billups — Google review
Went with my bestie, it was fun, we walked around and rode the Viper, completely shook us!🤣 not much good food choices, panda express is there but seems to be lacking. It was a good walking park though, and there was also a parade which the kids enjoyed. Not that busy when we went there which was a Sunday.
ANNE — Google review
I absolutely love this park! The park is beautiful with a huge variety of rides. The majority of the coasters were great. My favorite coaster was Fury 325! We ate at several restaurants and the food was good. I can't wait to come back!
Will Gausman — Google review
It was excellent! They had plenty of help, security had a presence. Everyone had a great time. The food was outstanding too! I love to eat, so I thought there was plenty of food portioned out. Get the dining package. If you eat twice, you've got your money's worth.
jay shepherd — Google review
We have been to a lot of amusement parks and this one was setup correctly. My kids loved the snoopy land! The staff is amazing to work with and the whole process was simple from start to finish!
Matt Williams — Google review
Cedar Fair parks are fun, but to bad Fury 325 is down because of cracked support.
I'm glad, After Burner still has airplane there. Hint when finished with it can I have it 😉
Park needs a Chicken Shack like Kings Island has.
I have VIP pass but want a waste of money. Bait and switch when they said soda and snacks. I only saw a water pitcher there. I will never get VIP on my pass next year.
Missed Parade that was at 5pm when thinking it was 8pm. Couldn't get info on it inside the park..
All in all, I had a great time. See ya in 2024...
Chuck Allred — Google review
A little on the pricey side but if you want to try to save money you can always go to the website and pay for day tickets a day in advance (for the cheaper tickets in the evening.. It looked like if you paid for tickets for 4pm and after a day in advance, you could get tickets for $37.99). We paid about $43.00 (because we purchased tickets for the same day for 4pm and after) per person but it was better than $75.00 or $80.00 per person that they charge if you try go earlier (for us anyways, to each their own). I definitely recommend buying tickets online, especially if you plan to go at 4 or after, I didn't see any ticket booth open to buy tickets). When I called the number, it straight up told me we had to purchase tickets online. Also, be prepared to go through a metal detector if you have anything metallic on you. I highly recommend checking your pockets and purse and leaving anything unnecessary in the car before walking into the park. They will go through everything you have (and dump it all out on the table in front of everyone) to find out what is causing the metal detector to go off. We had fun though. The kids had fun. That's what it's about anyways. We got to enjoy the park and all of its rides and it was open until 9 that evening (well, it was supposed to be but that's another story for another day). Just so you know, parking has to be paid separately as well and it was $30.00. This was on a Thursday (Just mentioning that because I kept seeing people online saying it was $25.00). That's not the price we paid. Just want you all to be able to make an informed decision and still be able to have fun at a price that works for you. Be safe!
Amanda Reed — Google review
My family and I love coming here. We get Gold passes every year so we can go to Scarowinds and WinterFest. It is crowded so I suggest taking a picture of your child with what they are wearing that day incase you might get separated, especially if you have a runner, and I always put my phone number in my kids bag just to make sure.
Brianna Hughes — Google review
Fantastic Park. Very clean, and super clean restrooms (which is an oddity). I will note that the food is good all around. They have a lot of GREAT roller coasters. The Fury is wild!
We have been here 2 times and have had a blast. We had a minor issue with our Fast Pass but Shane in Guest Services was awesome and took care of us.
We will be back soon!
Mark Henry — Google review
Went for Winter Fest to celebrate New Year's Eve with family. Enjoyed the festive mood, decorations, hot cocoa, and variety of warm beverages. Riding the attractions that were open was fun!
Cel St.Pierre — Google review
Haven't been to the park since I was 25..Many years ago!!! It's very well kept,lots of attendants to help find your way around!! The food is very expensive so it's worth getting the meal ticket if your gonna be there all day!!! The rides were just as I remembered!!! Fun and full of excitement!!!!
Robin Bryant — Google review
Came here for the first time for Winter fest. Lights were really done well. Copperhead was the best ride they had operating, very fun. Only complaints were that there was no directory of what rides are operational, causing a lot of wandering around. Food was limited as well.
Mucko LA — Google review
We visited here in the evening. So the entrance admission fee was less than regular. It's the holiday season and pretty chilled at night. Part of the exciting rides were closed, but those roller coaster rides were open. Your teens still can have great exciting fun. For those young children, Snoopy Camp is a good area to impress them. There were also a lot singing/dancing shows to watch. Finally, there was a parade like Disney which brought a perfect end of night. Holiday lighting decorations here is one of the attractions for all visitors.... Merry Christmas and Happy holidays!!
Peng Hsu — Google review
A fun time for all ages, friends, family, & co-workers. Tons to do for all from thrill-seekers to the more calmer individuals. Definitely worth the trip, but be sure to get the season pass and meal plan if you plan on going more than one day, as this will definitely pay for itself.
Bobby Guthy — Google review
We had a great time, we arrived early to make sure we avoid the crowd. We got into several lines and by noon the wait time was about an hour. Still we had fun. The park is very nice, clean, the staff is nice, mostly tan by young adults. When we got hungry we ate at the big food court and the food was decent, we got chicken strips and fries. We are definitely coming back
Carla Rodriguez — Google review
Great place, but they're getting greedy. $30 for parking is ridiculous! Buy tickets online prior to visiting because it's much cheaper.
Dameka Watson — Google review
This visit was for winter fest. Do not go expecting rides very few are running but the lights and magic feeling of Christmas is great try being the kid you know you want to be.we had a blast worth the trip as long as you know what to expect. Also find scrooge and tell him I sent you bet dressed group there and keep a eye out for deer they got loose when we were there
john baker — Google review
We went for Winter Fest. The park was decorated nicely and I absolutely loved the parade. There were people walking around in costumes of Christmas old. There were performances throughout the park and the times and locations were posted in several locations. We didn't ride while we were there...we just enjoyed the festivities.
Trena — Google review
Amazing amusement park! Very clean and well kept, staff that we interacted with were all very friendly and helpful. Beautiful decorations for their winter festivities and so many fun things for kids and kids at heart! Everything was easily found and we found the app to be helpful finding locations around the park. Handicap accessible areas and restrooms available.
-Artsy Photos LLC- — Google review
We were able to go pretty early in the morning, before many people were there and the lines got too long. Every ride had about a 15 minute wait once it got a little more busy. The food places there were good and they have cute souvenirs. The rides are all amazing and so much fun!!!
Jay G — Google review
Lots of fun for all ages. We purchased tickets online and added the meal and drinks for the entire day. Be careful with the food if you are planning to dine later, while it states that food is available up to the time the park closes, we found that most of the "restaurants" were closed an hour earlier.
Melissa Ashurst — Google review
I visited the place during the opening weekend. It was a fun thrilling experience. Since the park wasn't that busy, there weren'tany long queue for the rides, so was able to go on all the thrilling roller coasters. Fury 325, thunder strike, night hawk are my top 3! I also tried the ripcord and it was an amazing experience!
Arya Saraswathi Potti — Google review
Terrible experience. Paid a lot of money for myself and 2 grandchildren to get in. Most rides were down and only running intermittently. Not a weather problem. Someone said they were having electrical problems??? Then close down and refund money. See all of the down ride pictures in my view!
Terri Johnston — Google review
Dear Mr Carowinds. Today was spring break and may daughter who is six almost seven and I thought this would be a fun place to adventure. We got to the park just after open. It was easy to get in. Although 30 dollars to park was almost the same price of a third ticket. We entered the park quick and were ready to ride. The park was very clean. My mini me is 46 inch. Which was just under the 48 inch mark. Seems to be a gap in the small kids rides to the big kids 58 inch tall. But we did find a lot to ride. Four roller coasters, three that were age, appropriate and one that was for smaller kids. We did find about seven other things to ride. The haunted house was fun. It was a bit extreme on the prices of food. $17 for a piece of pizza was really pricey. But we did manage to have a great day. At the very end of the day we got one the gear spin. Sophia was running it. She closed the line right after we got in line at 8:02. She was amazing and made our day. As we got on she talked the ride up and made the last ride of the day so much fun. She went far and beyond someone who just enjoyed their job. We did have an amazing day. It would have just been a little been in a year or two when she can ride more of the bigger coasters. See you again in a couple years and thanks for the memories.
Troy Faries — Google review
Winterfest (New Years Eve celebration) was great! Our family had an amazing time. There were lots of people, but lines were not long for the rides that were open, and hot chocolate and cider were amazing and kept you warm. We enjoyed the rides, the food, the parade, and the live bands! (No issues, and it appeared that everyone was having a good time)
We have season passes, so being able to enjoy a year-round experience is always fun for our family. You can't go wrong buying a season pass if you live in the area.
Great way to end 2023!🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉
Cherise Johnson - MS — Google review
Nice clean park. Food is food and rides are top notch. Our home park is cedar point but we like to make this a yearly trip.
Always a treat coming out to Treetop Vineyards! Today we enjoyed live music on a sunny fall day sampling our favorite local white wine. The mood is always relaxed, and the staff is on point with their suggestions and assistance. We will highly recommend this little gem in Monroe, for any wine enthusiast in the Charlotte area 😊
Michael R. Ingelsby — Google review
Surprisingly Wonderful! We had Friends visiting from Iowa in Charlotte, so we drove down to meet them on Sunday. We found only 2 vineyards in the area open on Sunday, so we drove past Dover and decided it wasn't for us and made a reservation for tasting at Treehouse! A beautiful drive to the vineyard, a wonderfully welcoming staff greeted us, and we were able to shop the lovely gift collection before our tasting. To our surprise, there was a beautiful Israeli history area attached with a lovely mock-up of the original tabernacle, dreidel collection, a lighted mock-up of Anne Frank House, and so much more! We said it was meant to be for us to come here! The wines are lovel. The tasting with the history of the vineyard, its family, and treehouse stories is delightful! You will not want to miss this💎 gem of a vineyard! Beautiful land and wines!
Sherry Short — Google review
Nice place to be in peace, nature. Thanks to the man who help me back up. Don't park in the rocks unless u know how to drive 🤣 the wine 🍷 is SOOO delicious 😋 Good place for wedding or honeymooners ☺️
Kizzie Haynes — Google review
Nice winery in the Charlotte area. Great wine, salsa and other wine related food. Nice grounds.
Kara Holmes — Google review
Giving one star for the atmosphere!
I’ve been here for many times, but today was something horrible! The wine is great, the view and atmosphere is amazing, but some stuff shouldn’t be there! Few months ago, like 4, we didn’t paid for kids, today we paid the same price for a 3YO like for an adult! Insane! And then, Miss Karen walked at our table and saw a kids water bottle and even didn’t smell it, just dumped it in the middle of the area where the kids played. So sad, was a good place for parents and kids, but is not anymore.
Doina Dogari — Google review
Five of us stayed in there biggest treehouse for the weekend Horsefeathers hideaway. Inside and outside was clean. We all had such a wonderful time relaxing. There wine was really good and everyone was so nice. I have already recommended family and friends to visit here.
Jon T — Google review
It was my first time there and enjoyed an afternoon out for a friend's birthday. The grounds and staff were super great and they have a decent selection of wines made on site and other wine accessories/decor! Can't wait to go back!
Jake Gordon — Google review
The rehearsal dinner for my daughter was beautiful here! They also supplied our wine and beer for the wedding and it was prompt, correct and delicious! Thank you for being so easy to work with!!! The food was great, the people friendly and the atmosphere laid back and fun!
Tiffany Hawkins — Google review
I really hope someone sees this, I loved this winery.
I have visited many times over the last 10 years. My most recent visit was Christmas Eve Day.
My son planned a tasting for us and his wife's family. They booked 12 o'clock, were told to arrive 10 minutes early, the place isn't even open. The tasting hostess shuffles us in, sat us at 2 separate tables and then seemed to speed through the wine tasting. This was my least favorite visit, I understand keeping time and schedules but her manner made it very unpleasant.
Signs posted no outside food, when you used to allow picnics, website still says you can,why did this change?
This was a very negative experience. The tastings should be more laid back as they once were. Her attitude may have been about having to work at Christmas time, I just know we dropped over 300$ for a 30 minute rush through and rush us out. We had planned to bring lunch there. The property used to feel inviting, about love and family, not just profit .
Anastasia M — Google review
My visit was spectacular. The staff is very friendly. They have a lot of different activities. The day I went was a Chili competition and a live band entertainment. We tasted all of their wines; loved them. It was my birthday, and we purchased 6 bottles plus other stuff. I highly recommend this place 👌.
Joann Smith — Google review
Our first time here. My Wife took me there for my birthday for a reserved wine 🍷 tasting. It was really nice and our hostess Mia was awesome. All of the staff that we came in contact with were great. So come in and support a local vineyard to do a wine tasting, their wines are so good. They even have 3 different tree houses that you can reserve to chill in with a 4th one coming soon. Too much to say about this place so I hope the pics will tell all I have to say. We will definitely be coming back to reserve one of the bigger treehouses.
DC Roy — Google review
I was visiting family who know my love of fine vino and this is the winery they chose. It was fabulous! It was a Monday and, as expected, it wasn't busy. I would LOVE to return on a weekend when they have live entertainment. It's set up to be a great outdoor venue. It even has a tree house you can rent by the hour & hang out in while the band plays! The wine is EXCELLENT. We did a tasting...well worth itI I love sweet wine & most of their offerings were SWEET & PERFECT to me! The tasting was not just a tasting, it was a very interesting & entertaining story of the winery itself, & the owners. We actually got to meet the lovely lady in the parking lot as we were leaving. I purchased a few bottles; wish I got more. Got some cool souvenirs. I will visit again!
Adrienne Lanuti Howanitz — Google review
What a shame....really neat atmosphere and pretty lake with lots of seating. No pets allowed, not sure why they have plenty of seating all around to space people out. Went to order my wine inside and both ladies were rude and seemed like I was a bother to them. She poured the wrong wine and old us, "well I already poured it." Looked at us like we had no other option. Really a shame, if they had more welcoming staff, it would make a huge difference. Been wanting to come here for awhile but won't be back.
Megan Zeyher — Google review
Had a blast! Did the tasting and candle making and stayed for 80/90 party. Everyone was so fun and hospitable. Stayed in treehouse which is cute and in great shape! Would definitely come back soon.
Andrew Jackson State Park is a park with historical significance in the area where Andrew Jackson grew up. The park provides visitors with a museum, educational programs, and opportunities for camping and fishing. It features walking trails that require some repairs as they appear to have been neglected over time. Despite this, it remains one of the most beautiful state parks to visit due to its peacefulness and cleanliness.
This is a nice park combined with history. I only walked the circle with the museum and historic markers to include a large statue of young Andrew Jackson on a horse. I was going to walk one of the trails but it was getting late and my girls were so tired from the trip.
Tilly Lo — Google review
Pretty park, with a beautiful walkway around the pond. Older park, in need of updates but the restrooms were clean & the sites were pretty good. Only negative is the traffic noise - took away from the sounds of nature & true camping experience for me. I feel the pricing should reflect this and be reduced for this park. But we did feel safe and enjoyed all the walking/hiking areas and all the firefly's lightening up the night skies ☺️
Stephanie B — Google review
We live a few minutes away and is a very beautiful park. But it will need some repairs throughout the walking trails as it looks like it has been neglected for awhile.
David Garcia — Google review
We rented the Meeting House for a family get together. Wonderful building with a ramp at the back. Individual bathrooms and very basic kitchen area. Plenty of room inside for everyone.
David Shook — Google review
Everyone is different. For me a small quite park is amazing. Sitting beside a small lake with the sun coming up with a hot cup of coffee is heaven. This park is a little tight to drive thru with my 30’ TT but most sites are angled nice so easy to back in.
Richard Mack — Google review
One of the most beautiful state park we have visited. Very peaceful and clean park. We will be back.
Jimmy Edmonds — Google review
Very nice campground at A beautiful state park. Camped lakeside and enjoyed great Facilities. Bathroom and shower Facilities were very clean and the host was very friendly. They offer boat rentals and fishing as well as a small museum.
Marty Emigh — Google review
Went for a walk. It was quiet except for the locals firing guns in the distance. Typical Sunday afternoon in the South so I'm used to it. Nature walk was only a mile but it was well kept and fairly easy to traverse in Crocs! Most of the trail is covered in pine needles. There's several trail markers and educational plaques about Andrew Jackson. There is a replica meeting house. I did not venture near the actual birthplace house but maybe on my next visit!
Carlos B Rich — Google review
Amazing safe place to just relax and camp! Me and my daughter caught 4 fish! She was excited lol oh and this year they are going to drain the lake for repairs so be aware of call them
David Erdy — Google review
1st time i have been here and attended a wedding.it was very besutiful and will be back soon to explore the whole park
Stephanie Owen — Google review
Went to the annual lamp light tour. There were stops along the way with actors portraying life in the 1700s and Andrew Jackson. It was well done and a lot of fun
Shannon Radzunas — Google review
Very clean, well maintained park with nice RV campsites. We camped in a 34' motorhome and had plenty of room. Park offers water and electric hookups at each site, along with a picnic table and firepit. Sites are nicely paved and level. Good bath/shower house available as well. Beautiful lake view from several sites. RV dump station onsite.
Michele Pappagallo — Google review
We had such a fun time camping here! Between the museum, the hiking trail, and the playground there was so much fun stuff to do! I was really impressed at how well the bathroom facilities were maintained. Super clean! The playground area needs a little bit of maintenance but my kids didn't mind.
Hannah Edwards — Google review
great place to hang out, very peaceful with beautiful nature. Also includes a designated play area for kids
Lena K — Google review
Andre Jackson State Park is a hidden gem nestled in the lush greenery of Lewis County, New York. Spread across 1,200 acres, the park offers visitors a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, fishing, camping, and boating. The park's centerpiece is its pristine lake, which provides a tranquil and scenic backdrop for picnics, swimming, and kayaking. Nature enthusiasts will be delighted by the park's diverse ecosystem, which features rare plant and animal species, including the endangered bog turtle. With its natural beauty and abundance of outdoor activities, Andre Jackson State Park is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
JC RXN — Google review
4.5
(1048)
•
4.0
(69)
196 Andrew Jackson Park Rd, Lancaster, SC 29720, USA
Outdoor park with camping has 100 miles of riding trails plus attractions that include a drag strip.
Had a blast Saturday! We’ve been coming here for 10 years or so, it’s always a good time. I love what y'all have done with the camp spots, and we’re so glad to see that y’all have brought the prices back down some. The trails were great, as always. Looking forward to another trip next month! Posted some pics from Saturday, And some favorites from past trips too. 😁
Savannah Sanders — Google review
This place has so much potential. Lacks essential necessities. Restrooms, showers, additional cabins. Great trails but could be enhanced with clear signs. The kids love it. Hospitality awesome, a gentleman came to your campsite and thanked us for being here and a little conversation. Very nice touch.
Sergio Mesa — Google review
What an amazing place to ride! Katie, the manager at the front desk was very pleasant to speak to and was very helpful! I highly recommend this place. The RV sites are immaculately maintained and the tent sites are in great condition with all the amenities you could need. My family and I will definitely be back. Plan for a 2-day trip because you will not want to stop riding! There is so much to explore.
Alex O — Google review
We've been here a few times but never needed anything in the service center thankfully. This time we bummed a axle on our Maverick X3
and had the opportunity to meet Mr.
Shane in the service center. GREAT GUY. Definitely living by the pay it forward mentality. He's someone to get to know if you go to Carolina Adventure World. We all could use that motto in our lives. Help somebody if you can. Shane if you ever move to NC and want a Job come find us! Your definitely a great asset to have. Thanks for your help.
Randy's Auto Repair — Google review
Awesome place! Trails are marked well and maintained well. Place is a ghost town during the week but packed during the weekend. We stayed for three days and had a great time.
Jackson Elliott — Google review
Just an hour from Charlotte. Lots of trails with varied difficulty. The trails are not marked very well. I have come across many riders that were looking for a trail sign. Bring the trail map with you for the first couple of rides.
Overall a Beautiful area you can see for miles from the main building. There is a shop with limited selection, basics like goggles, gloves, and helmets. There is a wash down area which is very helpful. I have not needed but did notice they have storage units and bike rentals.
A little pricey but everything thing is now.
Pkl504 — Google review
We had an absolute blast. We parked the Jeeps for a change and gave something else a go and absolutely loved it. The staff were beyond helpful and friendly. Definitely plan to return.
david willis — Google review
Was coming up from FL on the way back to VA when we decided to stop by. This place did not disappoint! Best described as a cross between Hatfield McCoy Trails, Outlaw trails and the best parts of Busco Beach. Everything from rock trails to mud holes and creeks. Cabins are nice as well. Definitely coming back!
Anthony Barber — Google review
I'm hoping this review helps a potential first-timer, like my friends and I were a few days ago. I will begin with the cons and then go into the pros:
CONS
1. If you're renting vehicles like we did, note that when they say you get a "Full Day Rental" on the website, they don't actually mean full day. They mean until 4pm, so if you show up like we did around noon expecting to ride until close at 8pm, you're in for an extremely disappointing surprise. You also of course need to fill out a ton of paperwork beforehand (not unexpected), as well as watch a safety video, etc. All of that ate up so much of our time, so despite our intention to ride for eight hours that day, we only got to ride for three. Kind of was a waste of the near-$1000 we spent to ride there.
2. Be aware too that the rentals aren't good quality. They're beat up, worn out, and my ATV in particular sounded like it was going to explode whenever going too fast. Combined with the sound of constant raddles and whatnot that was going on around the engine, the entire time I was worried my ATV might break down and I'd be charged the repair fee.
3. When we went to Carolina Adventure World, there were several trails that we couldn't go on since they were being repaired and restored. This wasn't an issue, but the map that we were given was horrible. We got lost multiple times and the markers on the trails themselves were too few and too far between. I read many reviews about this place before going that warned of these two things: A horrible map and poorly marked trails. Believe it. It's true.
4. Don't buy the food from the restaurant. Bring your own. It's not that the food we had was bad, but rather it was just very poor quality for what you were paying for it.
PROS
1. You are going to have fun. Once you're on the trails, in the rocks, splashing through mud, or whatever, all your concerns will fade away. Going fast on the roads was great, dodging stones was awesome, and the experience was incredibly pleasing.
2. Even though we rode for three hours, we didn't even get to see half of this place, it felt like. Carolina Adventure World is HUGE in scale and you'll be exploring it for hours. I admit, we ended up doing a few trails more than once due to the poor map (as mentioned above), but that's okay.
3. We went on a weekday (Friday) and it was not crowded in the slightest. I genuinely think there were only six people there other than us. We only saw two while on the trails, so it was a really relaxing experience. I'm sure on the weekends though this place is crowded!
4. The location is very easy to find and get to, located right off the highway.
In conclusion, despite issues we all had a fantastic time. I just wish we could've stayed longer and didn't have to return the "Full Day" (lol) rentals half way through the day. You live and learn, I suppose. We will certainly be back soon!
Nixxiom on YouTube — Google review
This was a beautiful time of year to ride! The trees are starting to change color and when the leaves would fall I felt just like a princess.... but one that drives a sxs and is covered in mud! (Disney! Where you at on this???) The trails were well maintained and I was very happy with the family friendly atmosphere. I've been to CAW for day trips but this was the first time staying in our RV. The astroterf "lawn" at each site is brilliant! It rained one night but mud directly outside the camper entrance was not an issue. The only mud I had to truly manage was on our children who still don't see why I care! I will for sure make this an annual event to kick off our pleasure riding season! The staff was friendly, helpful and professional. I will forever cherish the memories and experience we had! Thank you CAW!!!
Kristina Stoner — Google review
This place is worth the trip. You can ride here all day and never ride the same trail. Restaurant with a bar on grounds and camping.
M Kowalski — Google review
Fun little park to ride. We (wife and I) paid for two days to ride in our CanAm X3. $121 is on the pricey side. First day we ate at the restaurant; I would advise to either get pizza or bring your own food which we did for day 2.
Stacy C — Google review
Very enjoyable! Good trails with a variety of difficulties. Sinage was good for the most part to keep you on the right trails. A few more at major intersections would be better. I will come back again
Landon D “Doug's Homestead” Summey — Google review
We had a great first time experience at CAW today. While we were riding,, I had some tire trouble but with the help of Pablo, “Pops”, and Antwan from the Trail Boss shop, they got back up and going in no time! They were all very friendly and accommodating….first class staff! We’ll definitely be back.
Jacks Crook — Google review
We just went for 4 nights (Fri-Tues) to meet our son and daughter in law and we all had a blast and had perfect weather! Trails were awesome and well marked. Cabin was clean and comfortable. We went on all the trails over the 4 days we rode and found them well marked. The service roads were really good to get to a particular trail and saved time having to travel another trail to get there. We had 2 ATVs and 1 SxS. All our machines handled all the trails well and even me and my poor, 18 year old Polaris ATV made it down safely on the double black diamond trail I got on by accident. Trails can be dusty, I found that helmets, gaiters and goggles were a godsend. Crowded on Fri and Sat but we had the place to ourselves on Sunday and Monday!
Center for historic trains of the Rockton, Rion & Western Railroad, with rides, displays & charters.
It was great, nice people and the everything was inviting and well done. We had lots of fun on the train ride and my son already wants to go on another one. The train ride only cost 15 a person and was well worth the price.
Leona Prescott — Google review
There was a Dosen there to greet us and this young man's knowledge about this locomotive 🚂 engine was impressive. They we're giving free train rides for Easter.
Mike Heckman — Google review
A great experience at this local attraction! They offer seasonally specific rides on some of their train cars, and boast a significant collection!
Thank you
Jeremey Dillon — Google review
If I’m not mistaken, this is the roadway that also had a cave near it and we went into the cave and it’s a hollow cave where the old train station used to go through and their water and they’re flowing. It was a great experience and a lot of family fun that we had that day, but don’t get me wrong I’m not 100% sure if this is the right location that I posted my videos and pictures on I could be wrong. I’m not originally from South Carolina I’m from Texas So. Yea
Greg moss — Google review
Update: came for a train ride and pumpkin patch experience! It was awesome. Staff is great and the kiddos have a wonderful time.
Great place but didn't get to fully experience due to the weather not being friendly. Got to see the Easter Bunny and heard about future events they have. Will definitely revisit!
Octavious Smith — Google review
Tried something new today. When I was young I lived near some train tracks. I used to love seeing g them come down the rails, flatten pennies, and just make good memories. My wife bought so e tickets for the train ride and museum. The ride was only a 10 mile ride, but it was fun. Plus you learn alot of history that most probably don't know. When we got back they had cars and other train to tour. It was a good time, and just to learn so much about trains. Staff were super friendly and a very nice experience.
bhuffine2557 — Google review
We took a ride on a very old but well maintained train. Their dedicated track is 6 miles at present, with plans to make it longer. Once you hit the 6 mile mark, you go back the other way, so 12 miles round trip. Takes roughly an hour I think. I also found out they do a Valentines day ride aimed more towards couples. Will be checking that out. Some interesting and historic scenery along the way. We did the first ride of the day, and it does get a bit warm in the cars, so bring a bottle of water for the kiddos. The volunteer staff was very knowledgeable and fun to chat with. The museum has some pretty neat items, my favorite was a wood trunk type tool box that entered service around 1861!! How cool is that?!
Lots of stationary cars you can tour on your own, including a passenger car that I'm guessing was first class. Individual bedrooms with private heads. Ornate wood molding, and a nice little dining area. Very cool.
Check them out, it is worth a few hours on a sunny day!
J Elch — Google review
A wonderfully organized train ride to Pamkin Patch for children's activities with prizes. A great excursion while driving🙂. Thanks to the staff for their politeness and attentiveness. There was a feeling that they were waiting for you in the field😁 and greeted you with joy, just as they saw you off on your way back🥰
Nat Shor — Google review
I just want to say I've never been on the train before but this was a very exciting thing for me and my boyfriend. It was a nice to sit up there with a conductor and see how a train can be rund and if something different. People here are very friendly and nice and they have shirts to change color in the sun. I got one and it is awesome
Kimberly Sarvis — Google review
My kids love trains, so we have been to several train museums. We didn’t take the train ride, so this is a shorter stop. However, this was one of my favorite train museum stops. I loved walking through the old train, definitely worth stopping!
This is free to walk though. You need to pay for the train ride and they have a gift shop.
Jessica Brennan — Google review
Loved the cab ride, staff is great as well! I'd definitely recommend a visit, you can pay for a cab ride or ride in the passenger cars.
John Soul — Google review
The staff and the conductors were wonderful. The trip, which was my first was also great! The issues I had was with the food vendor selling raw chicken strips....and the lack of seating at the stop over. Due to rain the night before, the ground was damp.
The staff refunded me and vowed to fix the food issue. The staff told us that the food vendor was not associated with them.....ok, what checks and balance are there to allow anyone to sell to their guest and verify a joyful experience?
Daniel Monroe — Google review
An interesting museum with a collection of railroad cars, but they need better/more informative signage. It seems they're doing the best with the resources they have, though (keep in mind that there's no admission fee). It's not something I'd travel to the area for as a primary stop, but certainly worth stopping by if you're in the area.
Park spanning multiple islands on Lake Murray offering water activities, nature hikes & fishing.
Such a great state park. Definitely one of the best in the state. The best time to go is in the fall when the Autumn breeze is out and the trees are a beautiful color. It's only $3 per adult to get in, but just get a state park pass and go all the time. They have these adorable cabins that you can rent and they have tent areas if you wanna rough it. It's an awesome place and people should utilize it.
Michael Waddell — Google review
Many of the camp spots are about to be unavailable for renovations, they are much needed. The spots are small and close to each other, but really a nice place to stay. Views at sunset/sunrise are great. Light pollution at night, though if that's important to you. This was our second trip and won't be our last.
Steven Miceli — Google review
This was my first time tent camping as an adult. It was comfortable. The bathrooms were clean and accessible. I can't say more good things. One tiny issue...I wish people were not allowed to play their tvs or be outside talking loudly after 11 and before 7am. It was a vacation for us, whereas I get others probably live here. It just would have been nice to get a good night sleep if not for that. Our entire stay was fun and relaxing.
Alison Clemency — Google review
The only thing that I didn't like (which was my own fault) is that we got a R.V. camping site. Which meant a mid-size hill to walk up and down because we tent camped. The bathroom could use a path to it as well, but we're camping so can't really complain about that much. Other than that the scenery was beautiful, fishing was great and company was wonderful. It was quiet and just what the doctor ordered!
Rachyl H — Google review
We stayed in Camper Cabin # 10 and it was the perfect location. Great view of the lake and easy access to the lake for fishing or swimming. It was convenient to the bathhouse. The cabin was the perfect size for our family of four. Our boys loved the bunk beds. The cabin had a mini fridge and microwave and a nice covered porch. It was a very nice park with nice hiking trails.
Andrew Novack — Google review
Stayed in the Islander RV campground. We love the park. Only downside is it is very difficult to park a boat trailer with a tow vehicle at most spots. There is limited overflow parking and some people leave boats tied up on shore. The park is well maintained, super friendly staff, clean and well kept. Spots are mostly full on weekends.
Mark Smith — Google review
We just picked this place randomly and it was worth the drive. There were plenty of places to cookout. And each spot had a nice little cove to swim. This State Park has nice camp areas too. Will definitely have to come back for more than just the day!
Jen Williams — Google review
3rd time staying here and it's always so nice. It's Hard to get a lake front site but if you can It's worth it! We prefer the Anglers camp as it seems to be quieter and sites are larger. Also all the sites there have full hookups
Bob McGregor — Google review
The cabin was great except for the fact that the minifridge didn't work and the blinds were tore up, giving us no privacy. The service was wonderful because they did send someone to immediately replace the fridge, I guess they didn't have extra blinds laying around, so they didn't replace them. We just ended up hanging a towel from the window inside to cover the huge hole in the blinds. The location was wonderful and relaxing, not too many loud guests around. We were close to the bathroom, which was nice, and had a little private fishing hole (except for a few boats that came in here and there). We stayed with family in cabins 2 and 3.
michael jones — Google review
Very nice and clean State Park. The campsites were well kept up and the views were amazing. The roads in the camping areas were very narrow, but not unmanageable. I would definitely Camp here again and recommend this park to anyone. My only negative was that the weekends are loud. Music playing until midnight and the sound of voices carried throughout the park.
Benjamin Vasquez — Google review
My wife and I LOVED this state park. We've traveled all over the United States in an RV and this is one of the best state parks we have stayed at. We were in site 60 which was right on the water and we had a blast. There was a nice hiking trail nearby in the park and we had a blast swimming with our yellow lab, Luna in the water. It was early may and the water wasn't too cold. The view was pretty, the campsite was quiet, and everyone seemed friendly. There was plenty of stuff within 20 or 30 minutes, like a grocery store, liquor store, beer taproom, and restaurants. We would definitely go back here especially with our stand up paddle board because the lake is huge, nice and beautiful. Would 100% definitely recommend.
Eric Rising — Google review
I stayed on the group primitive site with GWHSC. We stayed for two nights. It was a great location and spot. The bathrooms were still within walking distance. Everyone was nice. We were able to get floats and kayaks out on the water at our site too.
Everyone in the tackle shop was nice and they have everything you'll forget to bring on your camping trip! Also, great selection of souvenirs and stickers! I collect stickers and silicone cups from all the SPs.
lilwetduckie — Google review
Our site (81) was very challenging to level our small camper. The electric hookup was very close to road and the pavement was bulged in areas. Many other campers did not follow leash guidelines and we were charged by several different dogs while walking our own. Also, some campers were extremely inconsiderate with loud music and bright lights on throughout the night. There seemed to be very little security presence and our neighbors had someone cut off their water and power during the night. Beautiful views and friendly park ranger (Sam). We enjoyed our stay but felt that there was room for improvement.
Cassie Cogburn — Google review
Beautiful campgrounds in a peaceful, well kept park. Very family oriented with plenty of things to do: swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, etc. Our campsite had the perfect view. Easy access to the parking area, bathrooms, etc. We had a wonderful time and will definitely be back!
Candace Powell — Google review
This state park is a real gem. Sparkling clean, warm lake water with wooded camp sites make this the ideal place to relax. The bath houses are modern and well maintained.
Friendly park staff were full of helpful answers.
The park is also conveniently located 30 minutes from a fabulous, year round ice skating rink in Irmo.
teresa onofrio — Google review
Dreher Island is a beautiful calm peaceful campground. It is our favorite for our family to gather and enjoy fun times. We are senior citizens so we aren't using it for our party house.
At other state parks we have encountered over zealous rangers who are borderline harassers!! Dreher Island We have not had that problem! Their rules are doable and most people abide.
I would suggest that showers in bath houses have lockable doors! There is a strong safety hazard with only a shower curtain hanging not only for ladies but men. I personally encountered a young man who had had too much to drink coming to the ladies bathroom! I was just stepping out of the shower had already put my night clothes on and open the curtain and there he stood! A Very confused alcoholic! I instructed him firmly to leave and go to the other side of the building!! He left with no incident.
Dale Holsenback — Google review
This is one of the best state parks in South Carolina. My wife and I have camped here in our travel trailer as well as in the camper cabins, and it's quiet and beautiful.
The camper sites are paved and level, which is surprisingly rare. Very easy to set up the camper and not have to fool with leveling blocks. I'm surprised they only have 30 amp service (at least at my site), but 30 is good enough for me.
The camper cabins are awesome for those without a camper who want to get into this lifestyle but don't want to tent it. Cozy and everything you need, these are great.
Douglas Polen — Google review
Campground is excellent and same for boat ramps. Bathrooms very clean, BUT the first shower never got hot water (Angler's point). Crazy. Finally moved to the larger end one and OK. Faucets were goofy. Sorry, I should have reported it.
Tom Niemeier — Google review
Recommended only for camping, fishing or boating. It's a beautiful location, don't get me wrong, but there's not many trails and, with the above exceptions, not much to do.
We had a relaxing time.
Jonathan Billker — Google review
The location was great, the staff was fantastic...the cabins were lovely until we discovered bed bugs. They were kind enough to move the party to a other cabin but it was massively disturbing to watch them rent the same bed bug infested cabin to another party within 24 hours of us reporting the issue without really a clean out mattress swap out etc. They handled our situation with grace and class but overall it seems like a massive public health concern to continue to allow people into that unit knowing the issue at hand
kevin braitsch — Google review
We enjoyed camping here. Clean sites fairly level. Our site was waterfront with a peaceful feeling. Staff is very pleasant and helpful. Thank you for a great visit!
Bonita Burden — Google review
This is a fantastic park and now one of my favorites. RV spots are mostly waterfront, level and well appointed. It's geared towards fishing sports but the lake views are gorgeous.
Museum charting the Revolutionary War & colonial era in an 18th-century mansion on an old estate.
Self-guided adult tickets $10 USD each. Buildings from the 1700's to 1800's. Docent said piano in 1st pic dates from 1795-1805. Liked the ability to explore on our own. Had fun!
A Campbell — Google review
Excellent recreation/ restoration of pre-revolutionary war America. We lucked out and met a historian from the project who explained some very neat facts about the buildings, the grounds, the project timeline and scope… lots of great stuff happening here. Wonderful walk around the grounds — I particularly liked the redoubts.
Joshua Harvey — Google review
I enjoyed a lovely evening at Historic Camden’s Jollification event on Dec 3. The 1800 little building was cozy with decor, candles, and live, period music. A variety of drinks were available, both with alcohol and without and enjoyed at a wonderful table while playing old timey board games. One hour is sufficient time spent at this event. I’ll be back!
Shannon Houser — Google review
A great place to learn about the history of our town and the Revolutionary War. There are lots of events/activities that go on here every month. They have house tours, lantern tours, tea parties, craft classes, and demonstrations happening all the time.
We come and walk the grounds and the nature trail alot. The trail is short and flat, but if it has rained it will be muddy in places. It runs along the Pine Tree Creek.
Beth McK — Google review
I love getting to visit this historic site. The Revolutionary War played such an integral role in American history, and it’s wonderful to be able to visit a site where part of this history took place. They have made a number of nice changes to the site, it is well-maintained, and the gift shop is really nice. I would certainly recommend visiting went in the area.
Robert Wilson — Google review
A growing Historic Site with late 18th/early 19th Century structures, reconstructed period buildings, and recreations of period buildings near the site of Camden, SC during the American Revolution. The staff and your guides are friendly and knowledgeable, pay extra for the guided tour.
Mac McCormick III — Google review
Due to an upcoming event, most parts were not accessible. However, very knowledgeable staff gave us a lot of information about the site and we enjoyed exploring what we could. We will definitely be back.
Gloria Gaddy — Google review
I love this place! We stopped here on the way to visit friends. I am so glad we did. We arrived on the perfect day. The second Saturday of every month they have a reenactment. The volunteers dress in period costume and demonstrate many aspects of life in the time period. George Washington makes an appearance and I think there is a parade. We had a wonderful time and learned a lot. I would recommend this stop for anyone of any age.
Penelopebananapants — Google review
Stopped here to check out the battlefield in Camden. There are several historic buildings you can tour and some reconstructed fortifications that were part of cornwallis's headquarters during the southern campaign in and around Camden. Tickets can be purchased at the gift shop to tour the buildings. I spent a couple hours wandering around the site. Staff was very helpful and knowledgeable and I enjoyed my time here.
Christopher Caudle — Google review
Had a wonderful time listening to the recordings in the museum and learning of Camdens role. The staff was very friendly and informative. Had small children with me and they also enjoyed it, especially the search and find animals. Plus it was free.
Nanette Schmader — Google review
Very interesting and informative historical site. Visited after listening to the Mission History podcast about the Revolutionary War. Everyone was very informative and knowledgeable about the history and even made recommendations about other points of interest in the area. Would definitely recommend visiting this site!
Donald Johnson Jr — Google review
Great informative and interesting time visiting the historical village of Camden. Highly recommend that you do it with the guide as you learn so much more about it than just doing it alone. Takes about 60-120m so not a quick stop but worth it overall. Super nice people in a great American town.
Mark Schurer — Google review
Elizabeth is very knowledgeable and is a wonderful public speaker. It was a great night with my daughter and SIL. We will be back often!
Lori Perrin — Google review
Very interesting visitor center - free to check out the main exhibit and I believe to walk the grounds. Clean restrooms & friendly staff / volunteers. Lots of history here! Ample parking & seemed to be dog friendly outside.
Seasonal, weekend-only drive-in theater with double features, snack-bar food & a kids' play area.
Great experience. Reminded me of when I was a kid. Great value for the money and experience. The concessions do take cash and debit or credit cards. Definitely an experience u will want to experience.
william mobley — Google review
The Big Mo drive-in movie theater is truly a gem. I was willing to drive over an hour just to experience its unique charm, and it did not disappoint. Having visited before, I'm certain I'll return again in the future. One of the standout features is the reasonable pricing, making it an appealing choice for movie enthusiasts. The delicious taste of the popcorn was a delightful surprise, adding to the overall enjoyment of the evening. The drive-in atmosphere itself is captivating, offering a nostalgic touch that's hard to find elsewhere. While the experience is predominantly positive, it's worth noting that some other cars can occasionally be a distraction with their loud engines and people smoking. However, this minor inconvenience is balanced out by the overwhelmingly pleasant attitude of most attendees. In conclusion, The Big Mo drive-in movie theater is a must-visit destination. Its unique appeal, reasonable prices, and flavorful popcorn make it an ideal spot for movie lovers seeking something different. While the occasional disturbances from other cars might occur, the overall experience and friendly crowd make it a fantastic place to enjoy a movie night under the stars.
Reed spilmann — Google review
The Big Mo is the best. It's a 50 min drive from where I live but worth it. Best deal in watching movies. There really is nothing like sitting outside under the stars and watching movies, it's $10 bucks for a double feature. The concession stand is the best, the food is delicious, although, get in line early everybody wants some too you don't want to miss any of your movie. Don't sleep on this awesome place I've been going here since I got my driver's license in 2004. It's great if you have kids, go early they have a playground. The staff is always friendly.
Don Larsen — Google review
Wonderful drive in theater! I love the double feature all three screens offer. The workers are all pleasant and helpful and the time between movies is long enough to allow for a potty break as well as a snack break. It's more than well worth a visit. The nostalgia as well as current movies make it 🥰 💞 👌 perfect! I hope you'll enjoy as much as our family does.
Julie Lutz — Google review
Always love the drive in. We get to hang out as a family and enjoy the beautiful weather. Great snacks...clean restrooms and helpful staff make for an excellent time. Only downside is the drive but well worth it.
Amanda Evans — Google review
The Big Mo has always been our family favorite.
It's outdoors enjoying nature while enjoying two features on a big screen
It brings back that nostalgic feeling every time we go and our kids are able to experience the movie going adventure the way we did as kids.
Highly recommend The Big Mo
Mrs. Alicia Turner — Google review
A drive-in theater is rare in the year 2023, so I was thrilled to find this hidden gem. There are 3 screens each showing 2 movies a night on the nights they are open. Unlike in old drive-in theaters you listen to the movie through your car radio. There is a playground for the kids until the show starts. This is a place where the entire family (pets included) can enjoy an evening of entertainment.
The food and restrooms are located in the giant "peach." Food prices are reasonable compared to many other family outings but if you are looking to minimize costs you can bring in snacks or a picnic from home. The restrooms are also in the Peach. They were my only real issue with the experience. It is an older building so I did not expect any new amenities but there are only two stalls in the girls bathroom. One stall seems like it was an afterthought because it is so tiny you cannot move to close or open the door. It will make you feel claustrophobic. And, you definitely cannot fit in there with your young child.
I noticed people around us brought air mattresses and laid them in the bed of their trucks to watch movies with pillows and blankets. Watching a movie under the stars is a unique experience that many people are not used to. Until visiting the Big Mo, I had not been to a drive-in theater since I was very young (think E.T.) and it made me very nostalgic for a simpler way of life. We drove the 45 minutes from Augusta for the experience and will definitely be returning for family nights more often.
Beth Clarke — Google review
Classic drive in movie experience. Grounds where you park are setup well. Restroom facilities are poorly maintained and in need of a small nvestment to repair. Would be more stars if they improved the restrooms.
R W — Google review
Been coming here off and on for almost 20 years. Always loved it. Friendly people, clean bathrooms (if not small), nice space, good food/snacks for a little grill. Never had any issues with the movie or sound! Appreciate you can rent a radio if needed. Bring cash tho!!! Only cash for entry and they charge to use credit card at the grill. Also appreciate they have a little playground for the kids.
Megan — Google review
First time at a drive in and I was pleasantly surprised. Still prefer the movie theater but it was really cool. A must try experience and bring your bug spray lol will be back
Jay Jpeso — Google review
Fun, clean, and safe. We really enjoy going there. They have a concession stand and restrooms. We sit in front of our car in our chairs and listen to movie on radio. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You want regret it.
Donna Howard — Google review
I have always wanted to go to a drive in movie. I finally got the chance. Nice place to visit. Clean bathrooms near field 3 and good concessions. One field has a play ground for kids. You should always go early to get a good spot. Enjoyed the community; people were out with their families with blankets and food and fun while we all waited for the movie. I did not have cell service while I was out there but some did.
Marqell Campbell — Google review
Great wonderful amazing movie theaters. Out doors you can bring your own snacks blankets chairs etc. concession stand bathrooms and big movie screen!
Fight depression with Christ — Google review
We love the Big Mo! The prices are reasonable, the food stands offer a large variety of food and drinks, and there’s no bad “seat” in the house. The food lines get really long, so either bring your own snacks or get there early. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and pillows to lay on the ground or in your trunk. Don’t forget the bug spray!
Lexi Haddock — Google review
There's nothing quite like the drive-in. The Big Mo was a staple of my childhood, and I've seen many a double showing here.
Kristen Michelle — Google review
Great way to spend a weekend night with friends or family. They have consessions stand that runs till the end of the 1st movie set. A line forms before the gates open at 7pm, we arrived at 645, and their were already 15 vehicles in line. Overall, it was a good night.
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is a family-friendly zoo with African and Australian animals, reptile galleries, a bird house, a farm, and botanical gardens. The zoo features a splash pad with rubber surfaces that has been upgraded in the summer. There are also playhouses, treehouses, a large field with toys and games, a waterfall and 2 splash pads.
Riverbanks zoo reminds of Animal Kingdom set in good old Disney World without the financial hard ship going there. Riverbanks is simply an amazing zoo. I would recommend setting aside 3-4 hours to see everything, this of course is set with a two old in mind. We stopped and saw just about everything and even petted some very friendly goats. Some stuff does cost extra, $20 on the zoo card will be more than enough for two children.The giraffe feeding stops at 1:30pm so if that is on your agenda I would get in line early. We went on a Sunday and the crowds were not too bad. We will definitely become frequent visitors. 10/10 I highly recommend.
Tai Sanders — Google review
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is fabulous! We absolutely love it here and have been visiting regularly for 10+ years. The animal variety is second to none. The layout of the zoo flows very nice to ensure you can enjoy each stop to see all that it offers during your visits. The staff do a great job of keeping the zoo very clean and safe. They are very, attentive, and provide excellent service every time we are there. The expansions keep coming and continue improving and evolving this Zoo into one of the best visits you and your family can make.
If I was going to provide a critique, I would recommend more fans through out the park. South Carolina (especially in the midlands) can get very hot and humid during the summer months and that heat can make visiting the park a less than pleasant experience if you are not use to the heat down here (heck even if you are 😂). More fans through out the park would add to the already amazing atmosphere and help create some more much needed cool zones through out.
One last add. Please visit during the Halloween and Christmas events. They are fantastic and highly recommended. For adults the Brew at the Zoo is one of the best attractions around. Enjoy!
Jacob Gillen — Google review
This was an amazing experience! The $5 parking is worth it if you are wanting to go to the botanical gardens/splash pad first or last on your visit. The prices were fair for adults at $26 for how big of a zoo it is! There were some of every animal including giraffes you can feed, a kangaroo exhibit you can walk through, and sea lions you can stand next to. Animals included monkeys, gorillas, lions, tigers, snakes, birds of all kinds, goats, alpacas, bears, otters, tortoises, penguins, tropical fish, jellyfish, sea turtles, koalas, sloths, and so much more. I even tried out the ropes course within the zoo (requires shoes w/ heel strap) which was priced at $7 for non-members. It was a good ropes course for the price! I do recommend having a parent or older sibling go up with a younger child if they're new to ropes courses. The height can be a fear factor and the way the harness is attached to the top of the course can make it harder for smaller kids to reach in order to move around the course. As an adult, it's a fun add-on especially if you're looking for some more thrill with your zoo experience. The botanical gardens were gorgeous! They were located right next to the $5 parking and the tram. Overall, I really enjoyed visiting the Riverbanks Zoo and all of the staff here were polite and happy.
Michelle Luna — Google review
Wild Nights was awesome! Really looked great from the front gate fungi/coral to the animated creatures. Went on Black Friday with family in town for the holidays. Highly recommend buying tickets in advance as another group mentioned it was already sold out when we arrived right after 5pm. The kids loved that the train and carousel were both running.
The person at the gate was very helpful as we had multiple ticket purchases across several confirmation emails. Would definitely go again.
Jeremy Lane — Google review
A place where families can come and witness animals from around the world in a protected and safe environment. The Riverbanks Zoo rescues animals from around the globe to rehabilitate them and care for them with such love. The zoo is filled with a variety of animals ranging from tigers, lions, gorillas, and birds from all countries. This place is clean, family friendly, and caters to all ages. If you're ever in Columbia, SC, I would definitely recommend this place for a fun family outing. If you wish to take friends, you can purchase yearly passes that give you 4-8 guest passes, depending on your choice of yearly pass.
Alexander Nunez (Alex) — Google review
The zoo is well maintained, clean, and organized.
There’s a $5 dollar fee for the parking and they have plenty of parking spaces.
You can book in advance “behind the scenes” to pet some of the animals. (Check their website).
If you go early in the morning you can feed the giraffes.
There are plenty of restrooms around, some of them smell bad and are messy, specially
If the zoo is pretty busy.
The bird part smells bad but is just the smell of the birds. Just be aware.
They rent strollers
Gift shop available
They have photographers at the entrance with a giant green screen.
They have an interactive farm for kids, a carousel, and more.
Food and drinks from outside are not allowed.
Veronica — Google review
we love this place! this is my fourth time at the riverbanks zoo, and it's never failed to please. easy access, plenty of parking, affordable ticket prices (I recommend getting the extended bracelet deal, feeding the giraffes is part of it, and it's really worth it). the animals seem to be well taken care of, and if you go earlier in the day, you'll be able to see everyone waking up and hanging out (the otters were especially excited for the sunshine and company). definitely dress comfy and bring plenty of water! there's lots of shade and several drinking fountains, but it was nice to have our own on hand. this was our first time making it up to the gardens, and that was also really worth the trip up. the waterfall splash area is great for the kiddos in the heat. I believe there's a lot on the west side where you can park and the access is much easier for the gardens and play area. all around great time!
Heather Hitz — Google review
The zoo was awesome! There were a lot of nice animals, and the enclosures/habitats were more than adequate for the animals. Healthy animals! My favorite places to visit had the flamingos and the lions. They had a grizzly bear, which I had not seen before. The botanical gardens were nice, as well. Small, but nice. There is a tram that takes you from the zoo to the garden. It took me and my partner about 3.5 hours to do the zoo and the garden.
Mar Pepin — Google review
I visited her in the spring, and it was fantastic. We enjoyed feeding the giraffes. We were able to get up close to the gorillas even though their enclosure is going through renovations. I loved the sea lion exhibit. The aquarium had just recently opened back up and was super crowded. We were not able to check that out, but it looked super nice from the outside. My daughter and nephew loved all the activities this zoo offers. This zoo is very well kept, and the animals looked happy and healthy.
Marsha Dowdle — Google review
Went this past week with my nieces (1 yo) and they had a blast. There are lots of exhibits and we saw all of them and stayed for about 2 hours total. We were able to see all of the animals except the tiger(s). My nieces especially loved the aquarium and the penguin exhibit. We got to see them performing maintenance/cleaning in one of the aquarium tanks which was pretty cool. Also got to see a couple of young gorillas nursing. I would recommend bringing some bug spray and sunscreen. There’s a lot of tree cover and canopies at exhibits providing shade throughout the park but there are also areas in direct sunlight at many of the exhibits. The park overall was very clean and there was lots to do. Also recommend going during the week/off season as the temperature is cooler so you’re able to see more animals and it is WAY less busy. There were maybe a max of 5 other people at an exhibit with us. Did not see or visit the garden this time, but definitely have plans to visit next time. This was our 2nd time making the trip to this zoo and we will definitely be back!
Faith Lide — Google review
Beautiful and spacious zoo. There are unique animals that live here, that are not at a typical zoo. Lots of shade to keep you cool while viewing the animals. And very, very clean!
The enclosures have lots of space and the animals seemed happy and energetic, compared to other zoos I’ve visited. There are friendly zookeepers posted around the zoo to share interesting information on the animals. They were well informed and were able to answer all the questions we asked. My favorite part was visiting the Kangaroos. You are able to actually go inside the enclosure (while staying on the path) to view the kangaroos from a short distance without any fence or obstruction blocking your view. The experience felt up close, but was a safe distance away.
We enjoyed the trek up the trail to the garden through dense trees that felt like it’s own separate space from the zoo. The garden is well taken care of and has a calming atmosphere. We then rode the tram back down the trail where we were brought back to the zoo. It is nice the facility offers the tram at no extra cost.
Overall, we had a great time! This is probably my favorite zoo now.
Gabi Bambach — Google review
I visited with my kids here during the Christmas holidays. The weather was pleasant.
There was no wait line at the ticket counter.
The charges for kids and adults are almost the same.
It's not very big zoo but there are lots of animals and well maintained.
There are more than one lion, tiger, orangutan and many more.
There are different animal talk times for more information.
With special bands you can go near few animals like giraffe, feed birds and play games.
Sometimes the layout gets confusing but it's small enough to trace the steps back.
The alligator 🐊 was not there.
There are lots of picnic tables.
I could go near kangaroo 🦘.
Zoo rangers are always nearby and helpful with information or directions.
There are many eating outlets.
It's a good to spend with kids.
Archie — Google review
The zoo was pretty big, and had a good selection of animals. Compared to other zoos I've visited, it was ok. Animals were on the smaller size, and the one grizzly bear we saw looked like he had mange (fur was patchy in several places). The plus for me was that you can take the free tram to the botanical gardens which was included in the ticket price. That was my favorite part. Walking through the gardens was a nice outing, and there were places with seating, food, activities, and a splash park for kids. Overall I enjoyed it.
Tonya — Google review
I would recommend getting here EARLY and leaving before 1-2pm. It gets extremely busy after lunch time, but aside from that I had a wonderful time! I had to bring my service dog with me and the staff were respectful and understanding! There are some places you aren’t allowed to go with a service animal but that is understandable and totally fine! Bathrooms were kept clean and smelled fine, there wasn’t trash or debris everywhere. The animals confinements looked clean and well taken care of which was a favorite of mine! I will say it took a while to get our food when we went up to a food truck. This was at lunch time and the place was getting pretty crowded by then. I had an absolute blast here and will definitely come back.
Jayden Cash — Google review
I dropped in unexpectedly, looking to get some steps in. Lots of trails and flora. Many places to sit and take a load off.
You can walk from the garden to the zoo, it's only 3/10 mile. Zoo was a bit more crowded, but pretty cool....and they sell beer 😁.
Check out Saluda Ruins, BEAUTIFUL walk and an interesting story. I was there for about 2 hours and got in my 10k steps.
Erik Summers — Google review
Well worth the visit! I went with my wife and 2 kiddos, oldest is 9. We really liked the aquarium with a wide variety of up close exhibits. The ocean exhibit had numerous "Coming Soon" attractions. Note that to ride the carousel or do the climbing wall, you must buy extra tickets like at a carnival, but the prices are not ridiculous. When we went, the carousel cost $2 per ride. We also let our daughter try the high ropes obstacle course. This was another fee ($7 per person) but well worth it. Mom and Dad enjoyed the bridge and trails to the botanical gardens, which was included with the zoo admission. Great family outing!
Jarrod Reed — Google review
Free zoo map is available. I was able to see all the animals so close. Was also able to feed a giraffe and brush the goats. They are very cute. Don't forget to get some merchandises too on the way to the parking lot.
Andita Meilyana — Google review
I've always loved the zoo, and now I get the joy of taking my girls. I do suggest a membership as it pays for itself and tickets are pricey but it's worth it. We usually take snacks with us and we have the souvenir cups. We love doing boo at the zoo and the lights at the zoo
Angel Watters — Google review
Such a great place to bring the family to! The kids loved seeing the animals and learning about all them. Love their aquarium area too! So neat to see them all and watch the kids eyes light up with joy over seeing how they live. If you haven’t gone yet I’d strongly suggest going asap!
Danielle Ortega — Google review
Beautiful zoo, kept clean, prices are as you'd expect going to any big park these days. Good food variety, as well as snacks, drinks. Tons of animal exhibits, overall great for the fam & everyone!
Great parking options.
C Price — Google review
Took advantage of the last free Friday for this month. First time at the zoo and was not disappointed. Only spent about 2 1/2 hours but really enjoyed. I pretty much stuck to one side of the zoo this time and will explore the other half later on. Highly recommend. The only thing I wish they had was more food options but I’m not complaining because i know how that goes but I went prepared! Took my own food!
Annie Maiden Gipson — Google review
Very well put together Zoo and Gardens. There is a lot of various animals to see, such as gorillas, giraffes, kangaroos, grizzly bear, sea lions and so forth. I recommend you bring some water for your walk around this zoo you will be doing a lot of walking especially if you want to walk across the pedestrian bridge.
There are a couple different options you can take to get to and from the Zoo side and the Botanical Garden side. One way is taking the Woodland Trail beginning on the garden side. Next would be taking the walking path that runs along the Tram Road it is rather steep. Finally is the Tram with are two Ford Super Duty Pickups with three “wagons” attached behind each pickup it will take you to and from the Zoo side and the Garden side. There however is usually a wait for the Tram. We chose to walk the path along the Tram road.
This Zoo was extremely crowded. It is probably best if you try to go on a weekday. We went on a Saturday it was extremely busy. I highly recommend checking out the gift shop and buying a souvenir. This is one of the best Zoos I have been to.
Jake Young — Google review
We had a great time,animals were cool food was good and wait times were a bit long on a few things but other wise it was great, it’s very nice and nothing is to far apart so it’s not that bad when walking from place to place extra things were very affordable being 2 dollars a person just so you know the zoo does a coin system kind of so if you want to do an extra and you had 3 people it would 6 dollars with each coin being 1 dollar a piece,extras were very cool with the extras being feeding giraffes,feeding birds and other things. I would recommend getting to the zoo as early as possible because it gets crowded very fast you could get to see more things actually moving and running around and that’s just a few things to keep in mind.
Mc Bojangles — Google review
God have us an absolutely perfect day for our visit! It was 75°, partly cloudy, and a gentle breeze. Although it was fairly busy, everyone moved along through all the exhibits quickly. I'd have to say that our group's highlights were feeding the Coconut Lorikeet, walking among the kangaroos, and visiting the botanical garden (took the tram up). It's a great place for kids of all ages. The garden has quite a few play areas of all different themes and many water features. The kids were having a blast in the water activities. They even have a cabana for bathing suit changes. It's a "must see" if you're in the area. We'll be visiting again in the future.
Patricia Vasko — Google review
Came to the zoo in the morning. Most animals were out as breakfast was being served to some of the animals. It was pleasant that the weather was cool, so a light coat or long sleeves did the trick. By the time it was 11 a.m., it warmed up. Not very crowded, it was nice to walk through and take some time to see the animals starting their day. Since it was 9:30 am when I got in, not many food/drink places were available until closer to 11, so I purchased a bottle of water from one of the vending machines and kept exploring. If you're looking for a slower pace to venture, I recommend the morning, I enjoyed it.
Ari George — Google review
"Love taking the kids here! Awesome zoo with aquarium and aviaries. Large habitats are great but animals can be shy. Park lacked water due to a break on a hot day, $4 for water bottles is steep. Offering cheap bottles until boil mandate lifted would've helped. Kids enjoyed feeding birds and the sky high safari was a highlight!"
Cobey Riley — Google review
Riverbank zoo is a all day adventure for the family! I recommend buying tickets online as somedays it's packed here. Always building new and exciting exhibits for the animals. This is definitely a all day trip for all ages. Many many animals to see and multiple locations thay are indoors and cooled when you get too hot. There is also petting zoo areas and small rides like a train and carousel for the little ones. They do sell food and drinks there but they are very very expensive. We bring food and eat it outside on the benches then go back inside.
Tony Goehring — Google review
Riverbanks Zoo is always a fun day for the kids. Even after multiple visits, it never gets old. A great way for the kids to get their energy out. They absolutely love it when Waterfall Junction is open and love the giraffe feeding, too! The grounds and gardens are always beautiful!
Deanna Breivik — Google review
This is a great Zoo. Downside is make sure you get the wristbands to actually participate in feeding the 🦒 and doing a good amount of things the kids will want to do. Downside was we didn't see the large tortoise or many monkeys. There were no cats available to view either as a lot of exhibits were being renovated. The food is definitely not great, everything costs so much these days. Expect to spend at least $160 for a few hours and 2 people. Clean, well staffed and easy to find.
Ree C — Google review
Here visiting for the weekend and came on a Friday. Really enjoyed this zoo! I think it is very kid friendly and has a lot of activities for them to do, not just see the animals. We came at a good time (10 am) so most of the animals were pretty active. We enjoyed seeing the reptiles and Gorillas the most. It was definitely busy that day due to many schools having field trips to the zoo. They only really had snacks around the park, which is expected at a zoo. I do recommend doing to Tuskers if you real food while visiting though. We also really enjoyed walking the Garden trails. I highly recommend checking out this zoo!
Lauren Lowell — Google review
Other than the number of people, we had a great time. The staff was nice and all the animals were out. Can't wait to go on a weekday and be able to take our time watching the animals.
Lydia Dean — Google review
We got there at 1pm and had enough time to stop by most the exhibits, but many of the animals were sleeping. I'd recommend getting there earlier so you can go back to see the animals you missed on the first round. The zoo itself was not very big, so you can easily make a couple laps. The parking lot was hectic when we got there (1pm on a Saturday), but once we got past the entrance, we found many open spots, while others were fighting for closer parking.
The South Carolina State Museum is a large museum located in Columbia, SC that houses both permanent and rotating exhibits on a variety of topics ranging from art to history to science and technology. The museum also has a planetarium and an interactive 4D theater that are great for kids.
This is definitely a gem. They have 4 floors of exhibits. We didn’t get thru it all today. They have kid friendly exhibits as well. They have a gift shop an they also show mini movies. Today admission was $1 per person. ( First Sunday of each month).
Kimbryea Walker — Google review
Great museum with multiple levels of interesting exhibits to view. Short historical movies were free for viewing. Great lunch cafe if you’re hungry and gift shop on first floor. Would recommend to others.
Nicole McMorris — Google review
I’ve been to the museum multiple times, as I am a local. Which also means I’ve seen many different exhibits featured here. I believe the museum is well known for the massive great white shark hanging in the entrance and can be seen from every level of the museum (4 floors ). While it’s very impressive it’s also very intimidating for younger visitors as well. My most previous trip here was a random Tuesday in April. Total spur of the moment with my 4 year old son, sister and nephew (2 years old). My son thought the giant shark was the coolest thing ever and my nephew couldn’t run away fast enough (he was leashed to his momma and just about pulled her down he ran so fast 😂). After convincing him it wasn’t going to eat him we saw the cool dinosaur exhibit, explored prehistoric times, walked the many different destinations SC has to offer, learned about SC history and saw the planetarium 🪐 they are currently completing renovations on multiple floors, so many of the hands on exhibits and interactive displays were gone. Honestly the 3rd and 4th floors held very little interest for everyone. The museum is geared more towards older kids interested in history. Although it’s a great place to visit, make sure to check the website to see what new exhibits they have and if any are unable to access. In the past they have had some great exhibits, you just have to keep an eye out. All in all, it’s a great place to take friends and family from out of town or a trip to the past on a random Tuesday with your kiddos to reminisce about horse and buggy times, rotary phones, and 1970’s televisions. Definitely a must visit when in South Carolina 💖
Courtney W. — Google review
What a fun place to discover a little bit about everything. The stars, the sea, the land, technology, people. This museum has it all and everyone at every age is sure to have fun. The is a cafe for snacks, a gift shop, planetarium, and hands on activities throughout. It is four levels of fun. It is handicap accessible and elevators are handy. It is a lot of walking so if you do have mobility issues they have provided benches throughout for a rest.
S Gomez — Google review
Although it's showing its age in places (some of the exhibits are 25+ years old) the museum is clearly undergoing a renewal. Many signboards and displays have recent updates, exhibits are being tweaked, new displays are going on. It's true this isn't the state of the art museum it was in the early 90s, but it's still a solid place to pick up on state history and I still love coming here to see what's been updated since my last visit. Watching the changes from one visit to the next in almost real time has been pretty exciting!
In good weather, definitely check out the observatory. Even if it's closed due to clouds or rain, they're always happy to have a chat about the telescope and show off pictures they've taken with it, which is extremely cool. The updated space exhibits are also fantastic, as are the telescopes on display and the recent acquisitions hall. Showing its age in places, yes, but like I said it's still definitely worth the visit.
Cara C. — Google review
Staff were pretty friendly. I was with a large group of people. I believe there could of been a better explanation of how we could navigate the area. There was construction going on during this time. Like any museum the food in the cafe was over priced for the quality of food. There are 4 floors so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. The hours are work friendly.
Mickeal Rhaney — Google review
The state museum really is a Columbia treasure. I've been going my whole life and now take my kids, ages 6 and 8. They are just now getting to the age where they understand and appreciate what they're seeing. I'd say any younger than 6 it's probably a better idea to check out the children's museum across the street, Edventure. This museum is definitely geared towards ages 7-8 and up, in my opinion. You can easily spend 3-4 hours at the state museum, especially if you stop to read things. There's so much rich history in SC! The planetarium theater is awesome and we've enjoyed the different shows featured over the last year or two. The 4D theater is cool, but if you have a little one scared by sudden noises, feels, etc I'd skip it. Certain films have effects where they may mist you with water, the seat may vibrate, or you may feel some other sensation. So just know that in advance. My Boys love the military exhibits, dinosaurs, and space exploration exhibits the best. There's also a very impressive telescope collection, lots of prehistoric animals, a look at transportation and daily life over the years, life of the early Native Americans, and so much more!
Beth Banco — Google review
What an absolutely overwhelming experience this museum is. We spent nearly 3 hours exploring and only saw maybe half of what there is to see. It has everything from history to science, to amazing planetarium shows that are worth every penny. I can't wait to make it back to Columbia to see the rest!
Christopher Caudle — Google review
This museum is AMAZING! 4 floors of soooo much information and exhibits. I got there at 11 thinking I’d be there thinking I’d be there just a couple hours but 4hrs later I was still there enjoying myself. Such a great way to spend a day.
Cynthia R — Google review
Great place to explore. The building itself is cool. The planetarium is a great experience. Also do the observatory. Impressive telescope and knowledgeable staff. The other displays throughout are fantastic, but there isn't much change. Still, I enjoyed repeated visits. The manually powered submarine model is fascinating. We went this last time for the eclipse. The staff members really make you feel welcome.
Jimmy Sadler — Google review
Really awesome museum! I highly recommend visiting! Probably plan on showing up earlier in the day if you do plan to go.
Jeremiah Corgatelli — Google review
My daughter and I had a wonderful time exploring the exhibits. Make sure you plan to spend the entire day as there is a lot to see. My daughter really enjoyed the fossils, space, and habitat exhibits. We visited on a Friday and had very little traffic in the exhibits. There were a handful of other guests and one field trip. Something of note, the bathrooms are being renovated so they are few and far between. We ate lunch at the cafe, which had a small wait but was fair priced.
Tonja Suttles — Google review
It is always a great place to take friends and family from out of town. Fun and educational. 4D educational films are available also. The NASA exhibit is really cool.
Dawn Skipper — Google review
Ever since I can remember I have loved coming to the museum! I love the exhibits, even the ones they've had for years and years! There's so much to see and do and I learn something new each trip. I'm excited (and also slightly sad) that they are updating some of the older exhibits. I'll miss the old classics but I'm looking forward to whatever is next!
Katie Ratcliff — Google review
Really enjoyed the museum. The telescopes were some of my favorite things but I really loved seeing a piece of the moon! Really interactive parts and a great mix of science, history, and nature! I would recommend this place to anyone and I would especially encourage checking out one of the shows in the large dome.
Milen Patel — Google review
Nice, well curated museum. It contains information mostly on South Carolina and it's history and ecology, but there is also a sound and light exhibit.
Dylan Woessner — Google review
A nice museum over several floors: 2-3 hours recommended to fully experience the site.
Free public WiFi available, free parking, and a cafe on site as well.
Ryan Smith — Google review
You can tell it's built with huge budget. It doesn't have expensive dinosaur bones.
However, they managed to make it look interesting and diverse.
It definitely shows quality and character
Ali Bakir — Google review
Educational museum. Great promotion on the first Sunday of the month, entry is $1. I'm delighted with the planitarium. You can also visit the 4D cinema. There is a cafe and children's activities.
Nat Shor — Google review
Wonderful and so full of interesting South Carolina, natural, and technology history (radio, TV, automobile) and earth science that we couldn't finish. Fascinating telescopes, a small cafe, and dioramas too. Great for all ages.
V Mars — Google review
This was a letdown in a lot of ways. The displays were vast spectacles of nothingness. Large dioramas made more to take up space and less about educational content. Many, if not all of the interactive displays were broken or in some state of disrepair.
J C — Google review
My son and grandkids live in Irmo. We were visiting from NY and found this museum and planetarium a fantastic place. We arrived for the 1:30pm show and it was OK. But the history in the museum was amazing. We only had a couple of hours to go through the museum but you really need half a day to take eveything in. When we return we will certainly come back again and spend more time.
The State House is a famous tourist destination and the capital of South Carolina. It is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture and was built in 1851. The highly-regarded design work of John Niernsee makes it one of the most beautiful state government offices in the country. The grounds include monuments to historical figures such as George Washington and S.C. Senators, as well as fallen State Law Enforcement Officers.
A friend of ours who lives in the area took us on a tour of the grounds and then we went into the building for a quick peek inside.
The grounds are well kept with a lot of statues/monuments and history. We especially loved their African American History Monument - long overdue.
The picture of the “ship” etched into the ground is an eye opener. You can see the way the laves were transported side by each and crammed in there. The way they were treated is horrible and the story needs to be told.
The State Building had gone through a long renovation and it is beautiful inside.
We loved the law enforcement memorial and it is very cool that the blue lights leading up to it from the walkway light up at night.
Sheri Lucas — Google review
My first time visiting and I enjoyed walking the grounds of the SC State House. The staff on-site were very friendly and informative. I wish I could of stayed to explore more, but it was a hot day.. and my children were not very thrilled to be walking around in the heat. We will be back though once the weather cools down a bit.
Dina — Google review
Definitely recommend a stop here. There is also a parking garage near by and a short walk to the main street area as well. We spent a solid hour just outside walking around the grounds. Very beautiful building and interesting history here. Lots of it. The stairs and view outside is worth going to view alone. When facing the building from main street the original building was a little to the right until it was burnt down in a war. The city was great to view and enjoy for the bringing in of the new year. The fireworks were great and wonderful to watch from the middle of main street and the oldest streets in the city.
brittany hemingway — Google review
Beautiful state capital. The grounds and all the history present is wonderful. So proud that the South Carolina state capital counties to honor the citizens of its past . Beautiful Confederate monuments on grounds. Love showing my family our countries history. Great job !
C Davis — Google review
Highlight of my Columbia visit. Awesome grounds very well kept. Nice statuary and interesting stories about origins and age of trees planted. The capital building itself had great architecture and artwork. Stained glass windows were awesome pictures cant do justice. Lawmakers were not in session so we could look anywhere there wasn't a locked door. Well worth visit. Don,t bring any knives, guard took my swiss army and held it at guard station til done looking around, nice polite man too.
dan theman — Google review
Visited the State House on Saturday after visiting the Soda City Market a block away. The security guard was very friendly & courteous. We removed our personal belongings to be x-rayed & walked through the metal detector without issue. We did not take the free tour, but wandered around on our own. 3 floors & not all rooms are open. There’s a gift shop on exit. Make sure you walk around the grounds outside. Very nice state house.
Hung Do — Google review
By far South Carolina State Capital grounds were the prettiest we’ve seen out of 30+ Capitals that we’ve been to 🏢⛪️ 🌸🌼🌺🌷
N M — Google review
I live nearby to the State house itself. We generally go for walks there. The state house is a tourist attraction which show cases the African American history. It’s a must see place for everyone who visits Columbia, South Carolina.
They have great architecture and have statues of important personnel. Also, the place is well lit for Christmas.
It is Located in downtown Columbia, Visitors can take free guided and self-guided tours of the South Carolina State House. It is open Mon-Sat until 5pm
Sai Yaswanth — Google review
Exquisite architecture, paintings, history and workmanship at this state house. Beautiful grounds. Statues and monuments outside. Inside there is a very nice gift shop. You can take a guided tour or if you have watched the interesting and detailed video on the dot gov site, you will have gotten a good background on the state house, so that you can tour yourself with a sufficient understanding of the place.
V Mars — Google review
The South Carolina capitol was quite busy and festive. We had to wait our turn to take a photo with the huge Christmas tree. There were other festive displays that people were taking pictures with. There is a parking lot across the street that wasn't busy and offered metered parking.
Felicia Forletta — Google review
The grounds of the State House and the building itself are worth a visit. Both are impressive and filled with history, but we really like walking around the grounds. There is a scavenger hunt sheet and map on their website that can be downloaded, and it is filled with interesting facts about the monuments and gardens. There is a lot to see here. If you visit on the weekends, there are usually parking spaces on Sumter Street right next to the grounds available.
Beth McK — Google review
Had a good time at the State House on yesterday. Received a tour around some parts of the building. I will tell you to wear good shoes. I got my exercise in yesterday!! There are soo many stairs to climb. My legs are screaming today. Great experience if you get a chance to stop by.
Hope McGill — Google review
Absolutely amazing to see the architectural beauty this building has to offer. Off street parking and easy to walk around the property to explore the area. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Jennifer Rowlinson — Google review
The state house is open for the public. You can enter from the left side of the building just go through the security check. There is guided tour or you can just go around with the pamphlet. The three storey building is a magnificent piece of art. Kids were super excited to see the inside and got to take lots of pictures too. Definitely worth visiting if you are around the area.
Babita — Google review
Beautiful state house - arrived too late to get to see the inside on this trip although I’ve been in previously. Can spend a solid hour looking at the various monuments and beautiful landscaping surrounding the building. Kids loved running up and down the steps.
The University of South Carolina is a large public university located in the heart of the state capital. The university has many historic buildings and museums on its campus that are popular with students and visitors alike. With close proximity to many attractions, the hotel is perfect for visitors who want to explore the city while they're in town.
My wife and I are early 70's graduates 🎓 from Carolina. Today we observed the 55 anniversary of my proposal which took place in the fountain garden adjacent to the Administration Building ... walking around the Horseshoe was a pleasant trip down memory lane.
Hal Turner — Google review
Got a degree in 2019 via the “Palmetto College.” Life appeared good. The covid mess shut down everything as I started looking for jobs! Still having hope in my college degree, I started to look for jobs after the extreme covid mess calmed down…no jobs hire college students now. I went to school for nothing!!! I even called to see if the Palmetto College degree even had value, to see if I actually had a degree. So now I owe money on garbage, college landfill garbage. I am academically advanced to flip burgers. Don’t go to college. Don’t. USC has no regard for graduates. Handshake? Garbage. Don’t offer regional campuses when the regions don’t even network with regional area jobs. I am #!%~ing mad! I regret my years in college. I could have rotted without my degree and degree debt. Oh, and don’t expect to afford payments on 10 dollars hourly. So, anyone stay away!!!!! Don’t go. What an absolute shame!!!!
Swull — Google review
Quiet and good place to focus on your school away from other busy cities. There are great teachers who are willing to help you if you ask. A lot services are provided by the school to help students with their school and social work. It get boring sometimes because it is a small city but overall there are a lot of activities to do
A. K. (Jeff) — Google review
Couldn’t be more disappointed to a university which sent an offer message, and as late as two days afterwards told me that it was a “clerical error.” Even worse, after the declination, the migration office sent me messages of congratulations and guidance on how to get a VISA in order to study there. Wow, what an unforgettable series of nightmares!
Steven N. — Google review
L, this university is filled with Mold. I couldn’t focus with the train horns always going off. Some professors like to manipulate our thinking into being in a “I’m poor” mindset. One professor was so old and skinny and he chucked a white board eraser across the room when a student asked a ‘boring’ question. They also don’t put enough care into engineering students: how are engineering students supposed to maintain a certain gpa within a scholar program in which people could take other easier majors and have it easy until later in life. But to just exist here it felt like 20 years in the past. Everything is old. The way things run are outdated and don’t make sense. About half the buildings and student housing need to be condemned. The city is a disaster of a mess. Parking is impossible when the whole city has to park somewhere too. I don’t have any hopes for this university succeeding in creating future students of America.
Chipper Levy — Google review
Had an awesome time. Katt Williams was phenomenal. I was great to see Monique on stage again. She killed it.
TdotHarris Muhammad — Google review
Just passed through whilst visiting Columbia, and I was quite impressed. The trees were outstanding and tall, the buildings were old but still looked good, and there was a fairly distinctive campus feel despite being in a rather large city. The palmettos make the campus much nicer and southern-feeling, and the various live oaks around campus give a very “Old South” feel. Cannot attest to the academics, though I did see a lot of “frat boy-types” and wondered if this school has that type of culture. The few people I chatted with were very nice and welcoming, and I would recommend visit the McKissick Museum or other places around here to get a sense of the culture and history of the school. G(oh) Cocks! Cheers.
Kyle Hartmann — Google review
Fantastic campus setting. First time visit and was impressed with the architecture and upkeep of the entire area. It will be a great 1st year experience for my son.
Jeff Wermers — Google review
Noelle Ziggy continues to use homophobic slurs when seeing me. due to being bound to a wheelchair and having red hair, she likes to point at me and scream "Hot Wheels" infront of everyone.
Bill Smith — Google review
Came here by accident looking for a place to eat, but my 12 yo son loved the atmosphere 👌🏼😉
J M — Google review
Amazing first college experience wish I could go back every day
Chipper Levy — Google review
It's definitely a Beautiful place, GORGEOUS campus, with loyal faculty, staff, professors, teachers, administrators, security, coaches, players, and a host of students with smiling faces everywhere. One of the biggest school in the state of South Carolina and most definitely one of my favorite schools.
Congaree National Park boasts an expansive hardwood forest with abundant opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, canoeing and fishing. Volunteer-led programs attract weekend visitors while ranger-led programs are more frequent during peak season. While the educational sections of the park's center are partially closed, numerous items can be purchased at its gift shop. This newly developed park caters to urban enthusiasts and is highly recommended for experiencing the firefly season.
I almost hesitate to review because we LOVED it so much and don't want it to become over crowded. This is one of our favorite hiking spots! The 2.6 Mile boardwalk was easily doable with me and my elementary aged kids. It feels like an adventure but also quite safe and clean. We also picnicked in one of the many, shady spots by the lodge. After lunch we were a bit more adventurous with off boardwalk trails. There are many and they're rated by difficulty with listed distances so you can easily determine what's the best fit for you/your group. The staff was AMAZING! We availed ourselves of the gift shop for a few items. We also picked up our junior ranger books, completed the activities during our adventures, and were then sworn in as junior rangers! Including me ☺️ We got beautiful Congaree ranger badges that absolutely thrilled them. We will return as soon as we are able! It is a little more than 2 hours each way for us and totally worth it!!
Katy Beebe — Google review
A nice national park to go to. The board walk was definitely worth it with a nice raised path and information markers along the way. A good 2.5 mile hike and took about an hour. It is in a swampy area so depending on the time of year might be a little buggy and or muggy; so come prepared with water and bug repellent. But a very nice and easy walk with great information along the way and plenty of wildlife to observe!
Paige Vickers — Google review
Very cool National Park, right here in South Carolina. Swampy and buggy, so bring your bug spray, but its nice to see nature other than beach or mountains - this is how the entire southeastern US looked before Europeans settled here and deforested this brautiful place.
kerri hatcher — Google review
I had never heard of this park before planning this trip, but I am very glad that I went out of my way to come here! Very beautiful park with the informative Boardwalk Trail and easy breezy paths around the visitor center. I'm not much of a hiker, but all the trails in and around the visitor center were very walkable.
An Pham — Google review
Free admission National park. Good for a day-trip hike. They are known for fireflies at night. There are multiple trails to hike. Some were flooded because its low altitude. Park rangers were friendly and helpful. It’s a beautiful and serene park. It’s very close to Columbia, SC. Restrooms were clean. The famous boardwalk was nice and handicap accessible.
Wind Napol — Google review
Went here and did the boardwalk trail, although much of it was flooded, so do be aware of park closures. It is a nice and peaceful walk in nature, although nothing outstanding like many of the other national parks are. Probably wouldn’t go back, unless I lived close by or in the area.
Gabriella — Google review
The park was so popular on the weekends, which included volunteers led programs. The ranger led programs are more concentrated during the peak season. The center was partially closed, mostly educational sections, however, they have a lot of stuff for purchasing and for sales. You could tell that this park is very new and geared towards urban people. I recommend to come for the firefly season. Would love to do kayaking programs with the rangers in this park too. But it's super popular and hard for accessibility.
Aaron Yang — Google review
We've visited many national parks over the years. But this was our first swamp! It was nothing like I'd ever experienced. We went late may, so the weather was perfect, and the mosquitoes were non-existent. We saw a wild hogs body, and several alligators swimming in the distance. The trails are all boardwalks, making it super easy to walk miles around the park.
Naomi Cardoza — Google review
An amazing place. Nice Ada accessible board walk. 2.8 miles. Lots to see with different animals , plants and layouts within a few biomes. Lots of hiking trails. Visitors center.
escott bergren — Google review
We always see something interesting here. This time it was 3 snakes, 4 turtles, and tons of fish. There are lots of trails and they are well marked, but it is easy to get off trail if you are not careful. Staying on the boardwalk is great with small kids. We always see water snakes in the summer, but this time we saw a Cottonmouth and a Rattler. Check the website before you go - sometimes it is flooded and only a few trails will be open.
Beth McK — Google review
Little known National Park that offers a lot of natural history of area vegetation and native wildlife. Great walking paths. The 2.5 mile boardwalk offers easy walking but not much to offer for younger kids.
Larry Taylor — Google review
This place was amazing. Part of the boardwalk was flooded about 4-8 inches which made for a really cool barefoot hike ! Weather was perfect (end of march) and this place was just beautiful. Lots of little reptiles and massive trees (100+ft) very simple hike on the boardwalk. Even saw someone with an electric wheelchair out there. Absolutely recommend this place!! And entry is free !!!
Jonathon Hutton — Google review
Took my sisters here for their first hike and their first National Park trip, and they had an absolute blast. The rangers were super kind and helpful, the hikes we found were easy to follow (especially for first-timers), and the place is absolutely gorgeous. Would definitely recommend for camping as well.
It is safe to say that I have successfully recruited them into the world of collecting National Park cancellation stamps, and it's largely due to the great time exploring this awesome park.
Aniyah Pendleton — Google review
Great hidden gem! I took my young kids and we did the boardwalk trail. Felt very safe clean and sturdy for being in a swamp. It was so peaceful. Park ranger was very friendly and informative. Will definitely come back when the weather is more cooperative to explore the other trails!
Sara Miskin — Google review
It is such a shame this is one of the least visited national parks. And its free!
This park is beautiful. The cypress trees provide great shade but it can be humid and hot in the summer. But there are lots of bugs everywhere playing bumper cars with your face!
There are many trails to hike depending on your level of experience and appetite for adventure. We did the boardwalk trail which was easy. We wanted to hike the weston lake trail but saw gators and water moccasins close to the banks of the lake and decided not to for precaution. Trails are marked throughout.
However, I can see why this is one of the least visited parks. The visitor center was lacking pizzazz. It would be better if there were more interactions between the park ranger and visitors through educational programs or ranger talks. But rangers do not approach you and try to talk to you.
I am not sure I would come back again but am glad I had the chance to stop by while in the area.
j h — Google review
We visited the park after 5pm so didn’t get to see visitor center. About 1 of 2.5 miles of boardwalk was under water but we managed to walk it all the way (barefooted, kneedeep). On the trail we saw Otters, Snakes, leaches and an Owl (real up close, see video). Despite the flood it was a great experience
maarten van Lier — Google review
We went for the boardwalk trail. It was a really nice walk. We saw a lot of animals on the way, including alligator and turtles! For those who are going first time, don't forget to take a paper trail guide as there are many interesting points a long the trail. There are available at visitor center.
Justyna — Google review
One of more unknown and underrated National Parks, Congaree was a pleasant surprise. Start at the visitor center, where there is free parking, picnic tables and grills, restrooms and the gift shop. The visitor center is a little dated and could use a refresh, especially the restrooms.
The boardwalk trail was lovely and has a lot to look at. It does get crowded on the weekends because it’s great for families. If you want more of a secluded longer hike, we did the Weston Lake Loop, which took a couple of hours but it was worth it.
Chris Listenfelt — Google review
The biodiversity is this floodplain is amazing. From trees(bald cypress) having swollen trunk base to knees(roots that rise above ground) to support trees during floods to switch canes because elevation rise by only a few inches, and tallest deciduous trees (130-150 feet) in the world, and dwarf palmetto, to how the area was used by slaves to hide away and bootleggers to make alcohol during the ban. Do hike the Weston lake and oak ridge trails to get a chance to see some wildlife.
Shalin Rathi — Google review
Such a great park!
Plenty of trails, ranging from easy to difficult, Short to long.
Very clean, nice, restrooms on site at visitors center.
Boardwalk trail is fantastic, shaded, smooth. Little under 3 miles but not bad at all. Wheelchair accessible.
Absolutely wonderful park, kept up with.
Free entry.
Campsites available
Kind staff & helpful people.
C Price — Google review
Fun! We waded through the Swamp to make it all the way around the boardwalk. Not many people. It was nice that pets were allowed.
We were grateful for the time of year we visited because I'm sure mosquitoes are terrible when it's hot!
Amanda Gresiak — Google review
A beautiful and unique national park experience - specifically if you take a canoe or kayak to explore it.. highly recommended to book a guided canoe tour, to include no worries about getting lost in the swamp!
Ryan Smith — Google review
Great! Went 3/21 about a week after rain. Boardwalks were fine. You could see how high the water was! A great little place for also bringing kids and dogs! If I were to go again I would want to kayak/canoe!
A — Google review
Congaree National Park was free to enter, and parking was plentiful. I went on a weekday perhaps, that's why it wasn't busy. The main attraction in the park is the board walk. It's about 2 miles, and it's a loop that ends where you began. I was pretty excited to see a swamp, having never seen one before. However, after the first few hundred feet, it quickly becomes redundant. The visitor center gives you a small map that tells you about the different numbered signs along the walk.
I believe every national park is worth visiting. This one was probably the most uneventful national park I have been to, though. Or maybe swamps aren't my thing.
Dan Stewart — Google review
Such a lovely national park. Part of the boardwalk trail was flooded out, but there was still plenty to see and experience. We definitely want to return!
Allison Rensberger — Google review
We came here during flood season but it was still fun. There's a few trails you can take while it's flooded, and it's kind of nice to see that side of the park. If you want to avoid flood season, I Believe you need to go in the summer and fall. The park rangers are so nice and helpful, and there were no mosquitos.
Dani Drugan — Google review
A smaller National Park but a unique ecosystem. This park is basically a large swamp. The boardwalk trail is 2.4 miles and is very easy to walk. You can walk through an old growth hardwood forest that includes native bald cypress, beech, tupelo, and loblolly pine. Water was high this visit due to recent storms but not quite at flood level. The great thing about visiting in March, no mosquitoes. I hear they can be quite thick in the summer. If you are a National Park enthusiast like I am, this is a great place to experience something different. Unlike other parks, there were no crowds, and we enjoyed the solitude during the hike. There is off boardwalk hiking but did not attempt because of the high waters.
Steve Karl — Google review
This park isn't going to "wow" you with views and geological structures. Enchanted forest feel. Old growth trees are amazing. Very quiet and peaceful place. Boardwalk is a great hike. Entrance to the park is free.
Scenic park boasting multi-use trails, grist mill ruins, campsites & a 10-acre lake with fishing.
Such a beautiful place for a peaceful, relaxing Mother's Day! We love exploring our state parks and this was our first time to this one.
They have plenty of picnic tables and adirondack chairs by the lake, as well as several picnic shelters throughout the park. One of the picnic shelters was near where we settled by the lake for the afternoon, close to a nice, large grassy area for playing and playground equipment for younger children.
We didn't hike any of the trails on this visit but they have several ranging from 0.4 mile up to over 5 miles long. My daughter and I enjoyed some canoeing - got pretty close to an egret, just missed a turtle, and thankfully did not encounter any gators. Although, we were told by the ranger that they are more scared of us than we are of them.
Anne Newsome, Realtor (Anne Newsome, Realtor) — Google review
Nice, quite campground with water and electric only. The bathhouse was directly behind us. They are very clean but need some maintenance. Rusty the host was very friendly. Andrew the Ranger was very friendly too.
The lake and office is about a half mile from the campground.
Site 7, 2 bars Verizon, 20A & 30A only, Water, no sewer. Does have a dumping station. Fairly level site. Had to lift one side about 1.5" and the front about 3". Dirt/sandy site.
Holt Hopkins — Google review
We made a quick pit stop after picking up my daughter from her camp.
Poinsett state park has lake where kids and dogs can swim/ play with water.
They also has cam ground site and cabin to rent for your stay.
Quite nature place and not really busy even on the week end.
Has playground and clean bathroom for the visitors.
Although our visit was short but we enjoyed it.
Brothers Builders and Restoration, LLC — Google review
Quite out of the way park, good campsites with good space between sites. Good clean bath house. Small lake with paddle and Jon boats. Be sure to bring everything you need, camp store is nice but small and they don't carry ice.lots of hiking & biking trails.
Mark Rose — Google review
The park's lake is small, but the site provides paddle boats and fishing; the pathways offer a variety of lengths for both the beginner and advanced hiker, and the on-site store has the basic plus the "absolute minimum" of hiking and tourism items. A very positive experience all the way around!
Darin Hassell — Google review
Local treasure! Well maintained and clean. My family visited for the first time yesterday. The lake, creeks and babbling streams were absolutely beautiful. Great picnic areas and plenty of options for family fun with cabin rentals, playground, paddle boats, canoes, etc. Plenty of space for frisbee or other backyard sporting options. Our dog loved it. Parking lot is right beside the picnic area so it's very convenient to get supplies.
Holly Murrah — Google review
Busy on the weekends, quite during the week days (campground). Trails are nice and interconnecting allowing for new hikes daily. Mountain biking is also pretty quality. The first few spots at the campground are the "difficult" sites to get into due to angles, trees, and space. If you have anything bigger than a travel trailer look for a bigger spot/higher numbered spot. Mine is site 2 and is pinned between two entry trees and a tree at site 3 making it difficult to get into. 22 foot trailer.
Chris Reed — Google review
We loved our RV camping experience at Poinsett!! They have awesome walking/biking trails with beautiful streams. Lots of hills for people in search of more challenging trails. The staff are all very friendly and the campgrounds are well maintained. Perfect family fun!!! We can’t wait to go back again for a longer stay!
Heather Sweatman — Google review
Clean and beautiful park with various walking and biking trails, a lake you can fish in or rent a paddle or Jon boat for $10 an hour or bring your own kayak. Well taken care of trails and grounds - making it an enjoyable sanctuary for a picnic or just to take your children to the playground. You do have to put cash in an envelope for entry- $3/adult and $1/child or $1.50 for seniors, SC guard or disabled vets.
Miranda Wood — Google review
This is one of my favorite State Parks. The quiet and low-key atmosphere is refreshing.
Trails for all skill levels are extensive throughout this compact park.
Tent camping sites are spacious with a clean bathhouse.
Mattis A Pottiger II — Google review
Nice place, love the trails. I've been trail running here a couple times and really enjoyed it. Trails are marked fairly well, very thick trees so the temp is lower and even rain doesn't get all the way through. There are some hills to keep it interesting, but nothing too major. Really nice.
Darrin Taylor — Google review
We loved camping here over labor day weekend!! The staff is very nice and accommodating, the bathrooms are clean and the prices for everything is super affordable! We will definitely be visiting again in the future!!
Bryttani Graham — Google review
Had an AMAZING time this weekend camping. We chose sites 34 and 32. Amazing space. Canoeing was awesome! Everyone in the park was so helpful and the trails are amazing, some of the less traveled ones could use a refresh but are GORGEOUS. Will 100% be back
Amanda Jordan — Google review
Beautiful and peaceful. Miles and miles of trails, brand new playground for the kids. Friendly staff. I love these old Civilian Conservation Corps sites. A wonderful place with awesome history.
Jonathan Billker — Google review
Wow. This place was awesome. Very attentive camp hosts. Clean restrooms and great hiking and biking trails throughout the park. Rich in History. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Debbie Lattimore — Google review
Beautiful spot to visit. Nice paved trails and beautiful views. Ponds with a nice bridge crossing. You don’t get cellular service out there so be warned. It’s a no fishing zone. Wasn’t very crowded and not much garbage laying around. It’s feels like a safe environment for the whole family. They have things for adults and children. Large play ground and thing of that sort. Picnic tables with tree cover to keep the sun from burning you up. Restrooms are not the best. They do have a water fountain for drinking water. I also like that animals are allowed on the trails.
Anthony Rowland — Google review
What a fabulous state park! Great hiking, excellent bike trails, AMAZING CCC architecture (that coquina stone!!!), wonderful staff, beautiful campground--this place has it all! Special shoutout to Ranger Andy and his co-worker (sorry, I forgot your name AGAIN). They were so helpful and full of interesting history and facts and I really enjoyed chatting with them.
Jenny Williams — Google review
Very cool state park with lots of trails for hiking/biking. Campground was very well maintained and bathrooms were clean.
Park at Lake Marion offering hiking trails, boating & fishing also has campsites & cabins for rent.
We stayed in one of the land cabins. Very well equipped and shockingly clean. All kitchen equipment from utensils to dishes was provided to cook standard meals from spaghetti to microwave popcorn. Outdoor grill for your burgers and lake catches. Roughly 10 miles of hiking/biking trails at the park which we found enjoyable. Nice visitors center described the local geography very well. One of our activities outside the park was a pontoon boat tour with a local company. That was well worth the time. The staff we encountered were all very friendly and informative. Would stay again.
Janis Nisbet — Google review
This was our first visit to South Carolina as a family, and Santee State Park was wonderful. It has a 'buggy' reputation but coming from Florida, it certainly wasn't bad. Cabin was nice, views were great, trails were fun and achievable; if you get a chance, visit this park...
John Grim — Google review
Beautiful park. Easy to make reservations. Won’t be staying in cabin 9 again. Holes in the walls, water damage in ceiling. Make sure you bring paper towels, hand soap and dish soap. Really helpful staff.
Terri Alotto — Google review
We stayed in cabin 26 and had a great time! The park is nice with some good trails. We enjoyed being close to the water and the sunsets were awesome! I saw my first armadillo at night too.
Ed Komasara — Google review
Large park on a huge and unique lake. So many fishermen. Santee city caters to them with many bait shops. Very well kept park.
Galina Difort — Google review
I enjoyed my time here, I walked the sinkhole pond trail which was nice. Explored more of the park to find some beautiful beach areas off of lake Marion you can swim if you want. I definitely would go back to see more and do another trail.
Anthony Harris — Google review
We really enjoyed our overnight in the Lakeshore campground. Easy access to view the lake...and surprisingly low-key & quiet for as many people that were there. We will be back!
Kimberlee Walgamotte — Google review
Beautiful campground. Well maintained. Bath houses are clean and modern. Great lake for fishing, boating, kayaking, etc. Nearly 10 miles of easy walking/biking trails. A few areas were wet, but we found easy ways to navigate through without getting our feet wet. We'll definitely return. We stayed stayed at the Cypress view campground. All of the sites are large and easy to back into. Pull-throughs are nearly straight shots in and out.
Glory Cone — Google review
Nice campground, cool park. Right on the lake and many lake views. There is a nice mountain bike trail and some nice short hikes too.
Daniel Randolph — Google review
This was a great place to stay for a relaxing weekend. The cabin was neat, clean, and well furnished. Staff were super friendly and welcoming.
Wyked Rhodes — Google review
Cool place, four or five decent hiking trails plus one for mountain bikes. Fishing and boating accomodated, decent camp sites. Not too busy, lush and peaceful. Bring bug dope. A horse fly just took a chunk out of me.
Igor Winiarczyk — Google review
The other reviews are correct that this is a quiet relaxing campground during the week but know that on the weekends it is full of many people with kids, dogs, golf carts, and lot's of excitement enjoying the outdoors.
The Lakeshore campground is the most spacious. The bath house near me was in excellent condition but it seemed to take forever for the shower to get warm and I didn't have to use the cold water at all.
There is a double lane boat ramp nearby Lakeshore with a sandy beach which is good for kayaks. The ramp at the camp store is not so good for kayaks.
BEWARE! The road leading into the Park is a SPEED TRAP! It is a favorite of the SC Highway Patrol. From the town of Santee it's a two lane road about two miles long with mostly pine forest on each side which looks like it should be a 45 - 55 Mph but it is a 30 Mph zone and there are no speed limit signs posted in either direction letting drivers know the limit. It is a TRAP and nothing much kills a camping adventure like a speeding ticket.
Tip- If you don't have a Yeti cooler but a regular one then you can extend the ice by covering it with a silver solar space blanket. Also the Park has abundant pine cones which make great kindling.
Have a great time at Santee State Park. I'll be back soon.
Mark — Google review
Great park for a quiet getaway! Have visited many times in tents, cabins, and in the camper spots - all great experiences! My husband had named the SP Rd. Whitetail Alley for a reason - be careful coming and going. If you visit during duck hunting season, be prepared for lots of shots in the morning.
Allison Hubbard — Google review
Fabulous park! Quiet and beautiful. Miles of maintained hiking trails. Large open arras and playground equipment. Clean bathrooms and showers. Absolutely a treasure.
Noreen Light — Google review
It was a little hard to figure out where I was at first. GPS took me to a sign in the woods. You have to travel straight down that road until you see a 4 way stop, then continue straight some more before actually arriving at the park office. Once I got here it was a nice little park. It was windy and cold the day I went so no fishing for me. The ladies at the park were super friendly & nice. The trails aren't so well marked or maintained. I did see several types of mushrooms, an armadillo and a bald eagle. I'll return to fish very soon.
Jessica Eves — Google review
I was just passing through on my way to Florida and decided to visit and stretch from a long day of traveling. The park is very nice and appears to offer boating, lodging, camping, mountain biking and all the things that go with it Appeals to be a nice place for an extended family visit.... although I didn't stay long enough to enjoy all its offerings.
John Adels — Google review
Great park for hiking, swimming, camping, boating. We camped in the Lakeshore Campground. The campsites are spaced nicely and easy to pull in/out. Restrooms and showers in the camping area are immaculate. Staff, very friendly and knowledgeable. I highly recommend a visit.
Cynthia Staley — Google review
We LOVE camping at Santee! Such a beautiful place to relax and you always leave feeling rejuvenated. Great place for camping, celebrating birthday parties, church events, or just enjoying a weekend of relaxation. There are two different campsites, however, I recommend lakeshore as it gives best access to the lake for kayaking and fishing. There is a general store on the park next to the boat ramp that has some necessities for camping, fishing, etc. There are several hiking/hiking trails as well as areas for picnics or family gatherings. Santee is such a beautiful place and I highly recommend coming and exploring it.
Lauren Rogers — Google review
We are planning a visit next summer and stopped in to see what the park was like. We found it to be well maintained, clean, the employees/park rangers were polite and informative. The cabins over the water are very nice as are all of them.
What a great place to visit in Walterboro, SC! Beautiful artwork in every type of media imaginable. Excellent displays and information on individual artists. Support of local artists is admirable. Knowledgeable and friendly staff members were more than willing to introduce us to the center and tell us about the artists and their crafts. Highly recommend a visit here!
Mb Ney — Google review
A wonderful gem of a shop featuring the work of numerous SC artists and crafters. If you need a unique gift, this is the place to go. They have amazing, one of a kind sculptures, paintings, ceramics, jewelry, woodwork, fabric art, glass art and more. Items range from inexpensive to $$$$ - quite a variety.
Sherry Glaab — Google review
The SCAC is laid out beautifully and has something for everyone. Prices are accessible as well truly making art something everyone can own. They do a great job supporting their artists and being involved in the community.
Meredith Covert — Google review
Always a great place to stop for wonderful art. All artwork created by SC artists. Constantly changing inventory. Some of the artists come out on 3rd Saturdays from 10am till 2pm.
Ember Blythe Estridge — Google review
Great place and very moderately priced
Cyndi Wensinger — Google review
The SC Artisan's Center had beautiful, local art. There were many things other than stained glass also. I loved the nativity and fireplace cover. The building is quaint. I had to be careful bringing my kids inside.
Adam Hopler — Google review
I would have given this five stars, if we'd been greeted a tad more cordially!
My friend had been here before, & wanting to find a specific type gift, traveling from a FL wedding, back home to TN, we slid in here by the seat of our pants, which was probably rude of us.
However, she thought enough of the different artisan's works, to show me the place, and I do want to come back, for a longer visit.
The lady who told us, "We close in a few minutes, so you'll have to look quick, and .... will be with you, when she gets out of the restroom!" then ran out the door, isn't a very good ambassador, in my opinion...
Her tone of voice, said more than her spoken words, though.
We will be back, and I hope she'd just had a bad day, and we were the only 2 who got the sour grapes.
The art is phenomenal, prices competitive to works in our area and the center is laid out well. I understand the building is a step up, and it's nice to see the quality and quantity of art you have!
Anita Markland Smithson — Google review
It was an amazing experience visiting this place. I was visiting from New York and the place was great, filled with arts of all mediums from over 200 local South Carolina artists and artisans. Got some beautiful presents for my family here! Do yourself a favor, if you love art, the is the place to stop on your travels!
Juan B — Google review
This is a great place for one of a kind pieces made by South Carolina artists. The lady working there was fabulous and very knowledgeable about the artists. I love having a unique piece and some background on the creator, it really gives the art extra life. I felt the prices were reasonable as well. A must see place!
Michelle G — Google review
Lovely place filled with lots of arts and crafts. Building seems larger on the inside than it does from outside. They didn't overfill the building with to many pieces so you could take your time to look at pieces and not be overwhelmed. Driveway was a bit difficult too see. We drove by and had to turn around. Not a big thing but be alert.
They're a crafts none profit and use a jury selection process to police artists to exhibit. It shows. Take what ever time you need to get here and enjoy seeing all the art work.
Jim Weimer — Google review
A hidden Gem! We discovered this place by accident when we came to Walterboro. All of the crafts are made in SC!
We found Handmade stained glass, pottery, paintings by local artists, hand carved wooden items, to name a few. The quality of the items is what you would find at a Craft Guild.
Trappist monks at this abbey welcome the public for guided tours, retreats & gift-shop visits.
This is such a calm, serene place, where you can get away from the traffic and the crowd. The oaks are grand and marvelous. The gardens are beautiful.
Marty Martin — Google review
Today I visited Mepkin Abbey, a real and active Roman Catholic Monastery. This is where Moncks Corner gets it's name. It's on the Cooper River in the Charleston Metro area. It has beautiful live oaks; flowers; sculptures and river views. Enjoy the photos. I can't wait to bring my children here.
Roger Fincher — Google review
So beautiful and peaceful! We went a little after 5 on a Thursday and didn’t see anyone else there (except a man who kind of shooed us out at like 5:50). Worth going out of the way to get here (especially because it’s free!) Be aware that the gift shop closes at 4, while the rest of the area open to the public closes at 6.
Haylee Dahlin — Google review
Beauty, simplicity, and peace. These are the gifts of Mepkin. My favorite place to be on retreat.
David Fuquay — Google review
A magical, mystical place where Heaven and Earth meet despite it's horrific history as a former plantation and the inexcusable brutality of stealing and enslaving Africans and their descendants to work there (and around the US).
There is some comfort in knowing that the Trappist Monks who now live and work the land have begun a visible and palpable effort to acknowledge the ugly plantation history through their African cemetery, gardens, and other physical structures of "racial reconciliation" at Mepkin Abbey.
That said, I felt the presence of God in one of the most intense ways at Mepkin Abbey! So, my visit to the Monastery is unforgettable, and I will continue to go back and support the Monastery.
NaijaFly Fabrics — Google review
Peacefulness. We visited on a Sunday and it was quiet with only a couple of other visitors. We walked the gardens and labyrinth enjoying the quiet solitude. It's a lovely get away.
Jobie Jobe — Google review
It is definitely a spiritual experience, in this place you can breathe so much tranquility and so much peace. 🙏
Yesi Fiandanese — Google review
This place is SO relaxing. The gardens are nice and refreshing. The maze is a nice added touch. The gift shop is very reasonably priced and goes to a good cause. I always enjoy our visits here.
Aaron Reed — Google review
Visiting MA has been in my list for 7+ years. We had guests visiting for Thanksgiving and thought this was the perfect time to head up. Checked them out online to get the necessary info (hours, location, etc.). Planned out our day, drive 1+ hours to get there to read a sign on the door stating “Sorry No Tours Today”. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! We still walked in to inquire and it was confirmed. We inquired as to why it’s not posted online and Angel (worker behind counter) said that wasn’t her job. No apologies, no customer service, nothing. She later explained they gave volunteers off that week because of holiday. So they did plan ahead for volunteers, just didn’t care to inform public.
I appreciate volunteers and their service. They deserve a break. MA needs to keep future guests informed about lack of tours.
Sadly, I just cannot return because of the lack of care and concern Angel had. I left without even buying the Christmas presents I wanted to purchase for family members, plus the mushrooms I heard were amazing. 💔
This review is not to give them a bad score. But rather to inform future visitors to CALL AHEAD!
dara liberatore — Google review
It was very nice and peaceful to come visit and pray with the monks. Their botanical gardens are very beautiful, and they gave a pretty comprehensive tour about the history of the Abbey and plantation site. They have a gift shop that also acts as the starting point of the tour. It's perfect for picnics and for self reflection. They also offer retreats here and a chance to live the lifestyle of a Trappist monk for a time. They host the Nativity scene festival here as well, and people come from all over to see it
Andrew Canton — Google review
My time at the monastery this week was grand!!!
I did not audibly pray the entire stay. No worship music (except an hour the final day before 7p). No sounds of nature to soothe me into sleep when I was restless. I wanted to get all my stuff "purely" sKraight from the source this week. ANNNDDD
I liked it!
I look forward to doing it again, even annually, except...
I want to do it without a Spiritual Director involved next time.
It was a great experience.
However,
D Nicole Williams — Google review
Really enjoyed my visit to Mepkin Abbey. They have a tour or you can explore on your own, or better, do both. Learned a lot on the tour I would not have fully appreciated exploring on my own. Glad we were able to attend morning vespers. I am not Catholic, but that does not matter.
Monty — Google review
Mepkin Abbey is such a beautiful place to visit. We enjoyed the market, the gift shops and exploring the grounds. Definitely worth the drive!
Stephanie Krauss — Google review
I never get tired of going out to this serene place. One of the most beautiful places to see in the lowcountry and off the beaten path for sure. Lots of landscape to have picnic or take photos. I absolutely reccomend taking the walking tour over to the chapel and sitting in on service. It was ver interesting to watch. You also get lots of great info on the tour. Drive back towards the river to see the tree sculptures of Christ...they are breathtaking. There's a labyrinth you can walk and a wonderful gift shop with unique pieces. It's all free except the walking tour and in think that's $5.
Tiffany Blackwell — Google review
4.9
(444)
•
4.5
(114)
1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461, USA
Swamp garden with giant cypress trees offering boat tours plus a butterfly house attraction.
This place is absolutely beautiful! If you love the Notebook, you want to take this guided boat tour! So lovely and relaxing, even the gators didn’t bother us!! I never would have thought a black swamp could be so wonderful!!! A must do!!
As far as the rest of the park, it is absolutely lovely too!! I wish for two things….. more butterflies in their butterfly pavilion and maybe a little place to get burgers and fries!! But honestly, this is just a wonderful place to visit!
Lyn S. — Google review
Was a cute and interesting place to visit! Man made swamp with lots of history and allure, especially by Hollywood since many movies and TV shows have been filmed here. All this was shared in the guided boat tour, but you could also row yourself for free, and plenty of trails for hiking (just watch for roaming gators). Small live fish and reptile aquarium and a butterfly house were also included. Great experience overall! They also have holiday specific events like Halloween and Christmas!
Joshua Frejosky — Google review
Highly recommend! It's really hard to find this type of experience that is this cheap. You can take your own self guided paddle boat tour at no extra cost. We had a 6-8 foot long gator come out and lead around for a few minutes, that made my whole vacation. The playground is really nice and the nature exhibits are awesome. The employees were 10 out of 10. I have nothing negative to say about it.
Don Adams — Google review
I’ve had this place on my wanna go list for year and it was waaay more incredible than I thought it would be 😍 If you’re interested in taking out one of the boats just head straight to the dock because the line can get quite long. Once in the boat we thought we had to stick to the course so we pretty much speed ran it 😂 Next time we will take our time and explore. Being out on the boat was dream -one of the most magical and serene moments of my life. LOVED it!
Bea Hall — Google review
Beautiful gardens with many walking trails of varying difficulty. Rowing a boat through the swamp is free and you get up and close with tons of gators, it's amazing. There is also a little aquarium and nice gift shop. The snow cone stand is a perfect touch on a hot day, too. Great value for the price of a ticket.
Julie Hogan — Google review
Amazing place to visit. Went early on a Sunday in July, timing was just right. Definitely do the swamp boat guided tour, it was amazing. They start the first ride at 10am, you have to buy the tickets in the gift shop, and they're $5/person. Make sure you buy the tickets early because the boats fill up and sell out. Staff was all friendly and helpful. The trails were very well maintained, with most of them as paved blacktop and some were a little rougher as you started to get farther out. I would say that they had trails for all abilities, if you have someone in your group that can't walk far, there's some short ones and there were plenty of benches on the trails. I would defintiely recommend that you bring water, it was very hot in late July! But the swamp boat ride was incredibly peaceful. Amazing how still the water is!
Joe Miklovic — Google review
It's one of the absolute best hidden gems I've ever visited. No other place is like it for the price. We were able to take the boat tour, which takes about 45 min on your own without a tour guide. It will forever be a core memory for my family. We saw an alligator nest ( it was breeding season) and lots of turtles. It is an incredible little experience for all ages.
Anthony Midgett — Google review
Cypress Gardens is a must-see! The scenery is gorgeous, and well kept. The boats are very fun, giving you a real-life notebook experience. We got there when it opened and there was no wait. The aquarium and other amenities were great to see as well, with a nice walking trail. Beautiful place!
Brittany Jay — Google review
This is a wonderful place for all ages. Walking paths, paddle-your-own rowboat through the swamp, large playground, swamparium, & butterfly house are all included in entry fee. There are also boat tours for a small fee and a gift shop. Great people to help you with the boat rides, too. I stayed for hours, enjoying every moment.
DAWN QUIGLEY MCCLURE — Google review
Honestly 10/10 would recommend. It was breathtaking, peaceful, and so much fun. Plus your $10 entrance fee gets you access to self-row a little boat around the swamp. We saw a baby gator and it was so gorgeous.
Chelle Burri — Google review
Cypress Gardens is an absolute dream. A hidden Gem located in Moncks Corner, it’s filled with serene views and breathtaking wildlife along with a friendly staff. The gorgeous grounds were part of the filming for “The Notebook” and my husband and I really felt like we got to live our own version of the boat scene. It’s so peaceful out on the water even with the gator population. They are majestic creatures and they were basking in the sun as we rode by. We also got to stop in to the butterfly room and the aquarium to see some other animals. The cherry on top of this whole trip is that this experience can be had for a low cost. Just pay a modest entry fee and the entire site is yours. We will definitely come back again before the year is out.
Ashley — Google review
Beautiful park with walking trails and a canoe tour! We did the self-guided boat tour and it was wonderful! It took about 45 minutes and the “swamp” was easy to navigate with the markings on the cypress trees. The reptile/amphibian habitat house offered a break from the outside and had lots to see and learn. Would highly recommend!
Felicia Losh — Google review
I was visiting my daughter with my 4 year old grandson (her nephew) and we were looking for something to do with him that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. This place was perfect! Tickets were only $10 per person over 5 years old and you can stay as long as you want. You pay as you drive onto the property so you can bring lunch or snacks. There are several playground areas beside the parking lot with lots of picnic tables you can eat at as well. They have an awesome reptile/amphibian building with fish, crocodiles, snakes, turtles, lizards, etc., as well as a butterfly house and several bird cages. I highly recommend adding this to your itinerary for the next trip to the Goose Creek/Charleston area!
Michelle Richardson — Google review
Took some friends from out of town. We had an absolute blast. I would highly recommend going in the row boats and seeing the sites. There are so many things to experience: LowCountry history, beautiful flowers, animals, and the biggest alligator I have ever seen in my life. Your kids will love it also.
Allen G — Google review
Love this place! You can easily spend half a day here. We went as a group on a Sunday and added the guided boat tour option for an additional $5 per person and it was worth it. Our guide was very nice and friendly and very knowledgeable. If you do not want to do the guided option, you can still do the paddle boat option on your own and we saw many people doing that. Butterfly garden is nice too. Plenty of parking available.
Sanjeeta Pai — Google review
This place was enjoyable. Really enjoyed the row boats to make you were apart of the Notebook. Got to see several alligators while on the self guided boats. Walked around the pink path to the green path which was fun. Plenty of shade throughout the park. For $10 per person felt it was definitely worth the cost. Last garden type place I visited was in Vegas was $17 per person and not nearly as beautiful or fun.
Mike Williams — Google review
Great place to visit - probably one of the best value tourist attractions in the area. They have an awesome playground if you have kids as well as a butterfly house and some birds (including peacocks). Guided boat tour takes an hour which may be a bit long for the really little kids if you have them but they’ll still be able to have a great time at the other things that are available. Everyone that works here is super nice as well and the tour guide was knowledgeable and funny. Great place to take pictures at as well. Parking is free but you do need to pay to enter the park (aka there’s not an additional fee to park)
Bobby Kaye — Google review
I cant explain how amazing it was all for 10 dollars a person. The place is beautiful and great for kids to include butterfly exhibit and play ground! The boat ride was so fun and very enjoyable for my son and family. Please go and have fun with your family here! I will 100 percent be back!
Jacob Kinter (PvtJacobClutch) — Google review
Such a fun place. Definitely recommend doing the boat ride. It was a 30 minute wait but well worth it. They suggest it takes about 45 minutes to do the loop in the boat but if you have two good rowers you can do it in 20 minutes. Very fun to get up close to some alligators and butterflies.
Addy Merrill — Google review
Wow, what an incredible day at Cypress Gardens! My family and I had an amazing time exploring the beautiful gardens and enjoying the variety of activities. But what truly made our experience stand out was the exceptional hospitality from the staff, especially Menager Jackie ( hope I’m spelling her name correctly) ! They went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, even treating my son to a special toy and a private alligator showing! The attention to detail and kindness shown by the staff made our visit truly unforgettable. We can't wait to come back and experience the magic of Cypress Gardens again. 5 stars isn't enough - we give it 10 stars!"
marta kaczor — Google review
If you do anything in Charleston you need to go here! Made so many great memories between spotting the abundance of wildlife, the boat ride, and a leisurely stroll around the pond. Would love to comeback and visit again at a later date!
Tyler Johnson — Google review
This is an amazing place to visit. Loved everything about it. We had different age levels in our group from teenager to grandma, and we all loved it. There are self guided boat tours that you paddle, which have arrows to guide your trip. You can see alligators, butterflies, birds, reptiles, and more. There are cute trails to walk around and see the wildlife. It was very cheap and worth spending a day at. They have a playground for little ones, and you can bring a picnic lunch. We highly recommend it and would definitely go back.
Heather Eiynk — Google review
If you are a fan of the movie The Notebook this is absolutely a must. We were able to row our own boat through the swamp (about 50 minutes round trip) for no additional cost from the $10 entrance fee. We saw massive alligators as well. We will be coming back again hopefully in the spring to catch blooming flowers.
Callen Smith — Google review
Great experience seeing the animals. You can even row in the swamp. Didn't see any alligators but others have. There is also a trail that goes around the lake. Line for kayaking does get long so get there early in the morning.
Pronob B (Pro) — Google review
4.8
(2633)
•
4.5
(257)
3030 Cypress Gardens Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461, USA
Middleton Place, a sprawling rice plantation on the Ashley River dating back to the 1730s, is located about fifteen miles northwest of Charleston. Once home to the Middleton family, who played significant roles in South Carolina's colonial and antebellum history, this landmark suffered damage during both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Despite being ransacked by British troops and burned by Union soldiers, Middleton Place stands today as a National Historic Landmark District.
We have visited four plantations in the Charleston area. This is our favorite setting and relaxing atmosphere. The grounds are exceptionally maintained. We spent two hours walking the grounds. It is the various buildings that tell the story. One stop shows a very large number of Middleton slaves. Depicted by each location and where they determined their value to the plantations.
The house tour is self guided after a short synopsis of the Middleton family and furnishings.
We had lunch outdoors in a very relaxed setting. Salad with baked chicken breast, green fried tomatoes with sauce and corn fritters with honey butter.
Runnsun — Google review
Lovely grounds. You pull into the gravel parking lot and there is a Cafe/market to the left. Please know that is not the only place to grab a bite. You can access this, as well as the gift shop, prior to your paid entrance. We opted for a tour of the house for an additional $15pp. Not sure if I would do that again. We were maybe in there 15 minutes....maybe. it's self guided but there are volunteers to tell stories or answer questions. If you are expecting a grand southern plantation mansion, this is not it. Its a small 2 story home. The first thing you see upon entering the plantation is the large reflecting pond. Very beautiful. The next thing you'll notice is the livestock running amuck. Namely sheep. So be careful where you walk. 😉 they do have a lovely dining room. It was a very nice plantation. Lots of grounds to explore. Everyone was very nice. Just not that grand southern home. Not sure the livestock gets the best care. Which is why I gave it 4 stars.
Sherri Fischer — Google review
We visited Middleton in late September 2022. Granted, hurricane Ian provided atypical weather, but in general, it’s probably not the best time to visit. Little to nothing was in bloom. The grounds were well kept and people were friendly and helpful. There were a few animals freely roaming - a handful of sheep and some swans. They had horse stables but nothing super interactive. There are some small buildings to showcase how the enslaved lived, but it’s not very detailed. The grounds had easy walking paths - mostly sand-based so if you are wearing sandals, know you’ll get a little
dusty. There’s a restaurant on site which is nice. The beyond the fields tour … wasn’t a tour. You gather around under a tree, sit on benches and listen to a historian explain the enslaved conditions. It was informative, but different than how it was presented. There is a restroom, gift shop and plant shop in the parking area. It’s not a must-see for me. We spent about 2.5 hours here.
Cortney Ayers — Google review
Absolutely gorgeous location. The oak trees are stunning, the gardens are lovely to stroll through, and I love a history lesson. We went to the restaurant last week and enjoyed the drive out, delicious food and cocktails and friendly and helpful staff. Shout out to Maggie who helped us make memorable dish selections. Looking forward to coming back later this fall for a wine stroll. I went last year and enjoyed it so much, I am coming back with girlfriends! I would recommend it as a date or as a nice evening with friends.
BKV — Google review
Middleton Place is really special. First the staff are very helpful. And they are easy to find. Everything is well organized & with the map, it's not hard to get around. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful. There are plenty of beaches to set and enjoy the views. It's nice the restaurant is on the grounds. Having a place to set, cool off and relax helps so much.
K A — Google review
Restaurant had a very good steak, but the locally made cinnamon ice cream, I honestly cannot stop thinking about it. The view outside this restaurant, although "wild" not tamed, alligators were ALL OVER THE PROPERTY, was Southern thick farmland and just spectacular. The property tour was very neat and the history was rich and interesting. The Inn was very different and unique, rooms had ceiling to floor windows showing the lush grounds. An interesting property worth the visit.
cyndi becker — Google review
Breathtaking! This place was the highlight of our honeymoon. The cured gardens and ponds were like a dream. The staff are all very helpful and know their stuff or will send you to someone who does. What a pleasant and enjoyable day. Give yourself a whole day to soak in the history and experience of this estate. Enjoy!
Kevin Keller — Google review
Beautiful grounds and house. Wonderful restaurant on property with absolutely amazing food. House tour was very informative as were the historical interpreters around the grounds. Very relaxing and serene surroundings.
US 1 — Google review
What a wonderful place to visit. It has great trails throughout the property, and it is so peaceful and beautiful. It is truly a step back in time. I loved the trails that were bordering the Ashley River.... phenomenal! A huge Osprey dove down, caught a fish, and flew right by us. So cool! We did not do the house tour, but I was perfectly content outside with the beautiful topography and interacting with all the animals, most excellent visit!
MA B-B — Google review
Great historical place to visit. Beautiful landscapes and the old buildings are amazing. Bring bottled water as it was hot a d humid and there is a lot of walking but, worth every minute of it.
Jeff King — Google review
Absolutely beautiful! Loved getting to walk around and explore the gardens- there were tons of free garden tours or other guides that you could listen to- to learn more information about. But overall it was such a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. It’s pretty far North Charleston- and tons of walking- we got there around 9:30am and didn’t get done until 12:45pm- so allocate for a good chunk of time here!
Kelley — Google review
Absolutely loved it! Amazing grounds and scenery. The house tour was really cool, lots of history in the building. The restaurant waa nice, I didn't eat there, but it smelled amazing. Had a couple drinks at bar, beat Old Fashioned I have had in years! Huge shout out to Colby H.....kudos buddy!
Gloria Worthington — Google review
We booked a tour van out to the estate which included transportation, tour of house and lunch. Self guided tour of grounds and gardens in between the timed tour and lunch.Beautiful place and well preserved house with interesting articles from the Middletons. Gardens are beautifully maintained. All of the staff were extremely helpful and kind. A must if visiting Charleston.
Bernadette Jamieson — Google review
This is a lovely place to spend the day. We went specifically to see the Middleton Oak. The ticket agent was helpful with directions to get to the oak on the shortest route. The grounds are lovely with lots of wooded, shady paths. We saw swans in the reflecting pond and alligators in the flooded rice fields, which my daughter was very excited about. The two gift shops are very nice and well stocked with a variety of items of different price points.
Rhonda Waterhouse — Google review
Visiting from Georgia and this was such a fun outing! Bought student tickets online, quick and easy. The parking is good. The whole estate is very large and worth the price. There are some small trails around the swamp, some by the water, some around the garden. It is all well maintained and beautiful. We were not able to attend any of the tours but there are plenty scheduled throughout the day. The livestock here are very nice and obviously well taken care of. The chickens ran up to us expecting food, which kind of startled my partner. I loved the whole experience here. Though I do recommend coming when the heat of summer isn’t in full affect, we were dripping sweat by the time we were done here in July.
Unknown Inc. — Google review
Middleton has beautiful gardens and grounds along the Ashley River. You can find period reenactment of many of the trades that used to exist on the plantation, along with animals that would have been present during the Middleton family's residency. It has also been the set for movies, such as "The Patriot."
The Foundation that runs Middleton does an excellent job maintaining the property and in recent years has been very open about the tragic reality that the Middleton family owned hundreds of enslaved people. It seems they are trying to do their part to preserve history and acknowledge the failings of the past.
Scott Penick — Google review
Went on a Wednesday night when they were having one of their annual wine walks. Four stations with a red and a white wine as well as a cheese board and finger sandwiches at each station. The grounds were beautiful, not a lot of colorful flowers, but lots of greenery. The ponds had alligators and turtles, made for a magical night. Highly recommend.
Jaime Kessler-Gengler — Google review
Huge property, nicely laid out walking tour of the gardens and working areas. The day we were here, they were doing guided golf cart tours of the rice field.
There is an extra cost to see the home on this site. I would suggest going earlier in the day rather than later due to heat during this late spring and summer.
Leith Britt — Google review
I have been to Middleton multiple times over the years. It has beautiful gardens that you can get lost in. Don't look at the pics here. Just get out and see it. I went to a Creative mornings event that was hosted here and didn't pay but there is usually a fee. There is a cute garden center where you can buy plants, but the big draw is the incredible southern landscape. Enjoy!
Descartes — Google review
Incredible tour with lots to do! My husband and I spent 6 hours walking around the beautiful property, ate an incredible lunch and toured the main house. So many beautiful things to look at and a lot of rich history. Make sure to say hello to Arthur, the resident stable cat!
Miranda Zook — Google review
Amazing plantation with knowledgeable guides and tons of history. We visited early October and the weather was spectacular. Did Beyond the Fields and Guided Garden Tour. Both were included in the admission price. Ate lunch in the restaurant which was wonderful. Our wait staff was engaging and attentive. (No tax on the bill!) Learned so much about slavery and history of the plantation. The trees alone were worth the visit. One was 1,000 years old! I highly recommend.
Robyn Brooks — Google review
Great way to spend the afternoon in Charleston area. This place was brimming with history but had enough to keep all ages occupied. I have 4 kids aged 12-17 and they really enjoyed the grounds. The house tour is an addition that added a lot of context. They have numerous guided tours on the grounds themselves including a garden tour and a stable tour. Beautiful place and worth the trip.
Andrew Jameson — Google review
Magnificent! You could spend all day here and still want to come back for more. The volunteers there are very knowledgeable and helpful, you can tell they love being there. A ton of history to absorb there. Animals are friendly and there is no shortage of picture opportunities. Restaurant on site is good but a little pricey.
Katie Ishee — Google review
Beautiful ❤️ and Natural Surroundings. Please check Flower Blossoms season and you will enjoy it.
Yes, live alligator 🐊 all around the place.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is a historic plantation dating back to the early 1700s, with gardens which are popular with visitors for their lovely natural surroundings and fascinating history. Besides the garden itself, there are attractions such as an animal zoo and nature center. There's also a train that takes visitors around the grounds, as well as boat tours.
This was our first plantation tour. We had a great time. We did not tour inside the big house, but went on the tram tour and the From Slave to Freedom cabin tour. I recommend both very highly. After the tours we went though some of the gardens and around the ponds. Great scenery and views. We were surprised to come upon two large alligators near a walking path alongside one of the ponds. We were told there were many alligators on the property, but did not expect this encounter and left expediently. They made no aggressive moves, but we did not hang around. The rest of our walk was very nice and relaxing.
Daniel Brown — Google review
My family had a lovely visit to Magnolia Plantation. We came early on a Wednesday, and were able to quickly purchase tickets and get started with exploring the grounds.
The plantation’s massive Live Oak trees are picturesque, and the house itself is well maintained. While waiting for our tour, we visited the conservatory which was lovely. We ended our tour in the gift shop which had a wide assortment of lovely items.
We chose to pay for the Nature Tram since we had folks in our group who couldn’t walk far. It was a great choice since we were able to see the grounds and gain some historical perspective without walking a lot. On the tram we were able to see the slave houses, several rice fields, and many wild animals including alligators, birds, and turtles!
Although we didn’t go into the house or take the From Slavery to Freedom tour, I imagine these are as well done as the Nature Tram and well worth their money!
Dana B (WI - MN - TN) — Google review
What a beautiful place! So glad we went to visit. The grounds were gorgeous! There was a wedding there yesterday, so the various vendors were there tearing down their set ups. Other than that, all areas were open. We spotted many gators, so be mindful when walking near ponds and waterways. Lots of turtles too. The magnolias were so fragrant while we were walking around. We just did the house tour, but they had other tours available too. Those can be booked ahead of time right online. Lovely visit.
Lynne L — Google review
Magnolia was one of the best experiences we had while visiting Charleston. The tour guides were all very knowledgeable about the plantation. We did the house tour, train tour, and the Slavery to Freedom tour. The tour guide for Slavery to Freedom was Vanessa and she was absolutely amazing. I would recommend more then 4 hours for the entirety of the plantation. We only were able to do our tours and visit the gift shop in the four hours we were there. We wish we would have had more time to explore the gardens because this place is absolutely amazing. They also have an app that was extremely helpful for navigating the grounds and location the tours and restrooms.
Kierra Thiry — Google review
The plantation is absolutely gorgeous. The scenery and flowers were breathtaking and the farm animals made the experience so much fun for the kids. When walking the different gardens, the signs leading there could have been more clear. Most importantly, be prepared to be completely devoured by herds of mosquitos, so prepare accordingly. Otherwise, the experience was top notch! Highly recommended.
Hussein Fayad — Google review
Such a nice way to spend the day. The house is smaller than you’d guess, but the tour was one of my favorites. Full of history and interesting facts. The Slavery to Freedom tour literally made my eyes tear up with emotion, the guide couldn’t have been more perfect, it is clear that she loves her job and takes the history seriously. The grounds are beautiful. And my favorite part - the wild gators were all out and sunbathing, not at all phased by the visitors.
Kirsten C — Google review
This is a truly special place. We visited on a Thursday in late March. We took the train around the gardens and walked around some of the trails. There are many benches to sit on if you get tired easily. Bikes are allowed on some of the trails. There are so many great photo ops, so definitely bring a camera. There's plenty of parking and a bathhouse by the ticket booth. There's also a cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks. You download the Magnolia app on your phone and it has a map and info on events. There's a "From Slavery to Freedom" talk and a guided tour of the house. There's a very nice gift shop in the ground floor of the house. I bought an art print, Gullah seagrass basket and a cool candy on a stick for my son.
Amber Connell — Google review
Extensive gardens and large tracks of natural habitat. The Ashley river runs along the edge of the property providing beautiful views from the gardens. There are interesting trees to be found including redwood. There is a biblical garden as well as a conservatory. There are places with picnic tables and benches to rest at. There is a petting zoo. And children's garden. We did see little blue herons, great egrets, alligators and turtles. There is an excellent presentation "from slave to freedom" that takes about 30 minutes. Takes place at the remaining original slave quarters on the plantation. Gives a good snapshot of what life was through the decades from 1850s to 1990, they were still in use by the grounds people. All these can make for an entertaining and informative day.
JMcCoy McCoy — Google review
Had a nice afternoon here with the family. It wasn't peak bloom for anything in late September but there were still plenty of flowers and the overall scenery with the Spanish moss draped trees was stunning.
We did the rice field boat tour, which was very informative. The rice fields were given back to nature and are now just wetlands with a few remnants of the old farm. We saw tons of beautiful birds and alligators. The pontoon boat had a roof, so we were out of the sun.
Definitely should be on your Charleston list. If you are a local, call ahead to learn about what's in bloom and what time of year is best to visit.
M B — Google review
Beautiful grounds and rich in history. Great stop on way to Charleston for a bit of a walk and some lovely pictures! Bring bug spray and pack a lunch. Bit pricey but if you have more time it is well worth the money.
Waterfall Yoga Therapy — Google review
It's definitely a beautiful place filled with lovely flowers, plants and trees. The slavery to freedom tour and petting zoo are included in admission. Personally, I think for the price, everything should be included. There shouldn't be "add ons."
The guide for the freedom tour was exceptional and he deserves a raise. He told the raw history which needs to be said.
Alexa Wallbrown — Google review
A beautiful old world plantation garden. The many acres of the gardens offer many photo opportunities, including the long white bridge and the bamboo garden. There is also a little zoo area with several cool animals to visit with.
Evan Bair — Google review
Unfortunately for me it was a big disappointment. I love flowering plants but the azaleas and camellias had 95% finished blooming. So little to no color except for the plantings at the entrance. Pretty much if you miss the spring blooms you are just strolling through the woods.
There were multiple bus loads of people being dropped off. I felt sorry for those standing in long lines to get food at the small cafe.
There were miles of trails, most of which were not well marked, so we wondered aimlessly until we found our way back.
There were several small ponds and bridges with a couple of alligators floating around.
The entry fee seemed very high at $35. We did not take the house tour or tram tour. Overall disappointing.
Cathie Bales — Google review
I had an amazing time here, it was super beautiful and a really enjoyable experience overall. The "train" tour is nice because you're able to see a lot of the area with a lot of wildlife. The boat ride is also fun and you see a lot of gators. There are also many birds throughout the plantation along with flowers along various paths.
Jawand S. — Google review
Our family had a great time here! It was so nice to get up close to so many animals. We enjoyed our train tour and learned a lot! I only wish it was easier to take pictures during the tour. The cafe had great options for food. The gardens were lovely! We didn’t have time to do the silvery to freedom tour, but we will definitely be back to do it.
Jess W — Google review
Beautiful Plantation with so much to see and do! We loved going over to the “look out platform” and seeing over the whole area! We also saw SO MANY alligators in the ponds! SO cool!
We also LOVED the zoo! It had the coolest animals and was so fun to walk around and see them all up close!
We visited the last week of May and noticed that none of the flowers in the gardens were blooming (could’ve just been an off and cold year for the flowers).
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Bring Bug spray! We were a little unprepared and got EATEN ALIVE
- Look up the tour times! The grounds are beautiful, but each segment (ex: house, garden, train tour etc) costs money and most of the segments have specific your hours! Look up your times to get the most out of your experience
Hannah Upham — Google review
This tour provided real and accurate information about slavery. No sugar coating, Gone With The Wind, it wasn't that bad narrative. Beautiful and breathtaking gardens, swamp and scenery. We did the big house, train and "From Slavery to Freedom" tours. We spent 3.5 hours and could have walked the garden more but, the 🦟 🦟 🦟 were hungry so we left 😂 A great tour and educational experience!
Margra Ferrier — Google review
Beautiful gardens and worth the visit on fresh day, with a chance to see alligators during train ride.
From slavery to freedom tour was
disappointing by our opinion. It was mostly self tour with 20 minutes story while you have to sit in the pavilion.
Guide was rude with kids (not mine but it felt wrong), taking into account that even our kids were bored and didn’t want to sit calmly who are big fun’s of any kid of excursion.
Olga Stryia — Google review
On the west side of the Ashley river are three plantations all within close proximity to one another and around a 20 minutes drive from historic Charleston, one of them being Magnolia. While originally a working rice plantation, Magnolia has now evolved into more of a naturalistic park with a large number of pathways and various types of foliage on display. Like other plantations there is a manor home which tours are offered for (at an additional cost) as well as a complimentary tram ride around the property that is quite pleasant and offers a nice respite from all the walking you would do. A worth stop if visiting the area. Enjoy!
Craig Bromberg — Google review
Terrific gardens!
Lots to see. Excellent variety of azaleas and camellias.
Lots of trails. Enjoy the birds and alligators and snakes.
Swamp boardwalk a huge plus.
So many photo ops.
Can't wait to return!
Mark Shuford — Google review
As a nature lover this was my favorite thing I did while visiting Charleston. Absolutely beautiful grounds with lots of wildlife and flowers to see. I also enjoyed the Slavery to Freedom Tour as it was informative and gave me a better understanding of the property and the hardships slaves faced. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend going in the morning as it started to get more crowded during the day. Bathrooms are easily accessible and very clean. They have a nice cafe as well.
Morgan — Google review
I have never seen anything like this. It’s so beautiful, it looks unreal. The gardens and trails are absolutely breathtaking. We toured the house and the guide was so pleasant.
I still can’t get over how beautiful everything is!
Debbie Collins — Google review
Very enjoyable experience! We took the train through the swamp area and later returned on foot to hike the trail through the swamp. We saw many birds, alligators, and turtles. Very unique atmosphere with an almost mystical quality
Ann Telma — Google review
Visited on a Tuesday afternoon, and there were quite a lot of guests during that time.
It was $38/person to access the gardens, Wildlife Center, Slavery to Freedom Tour, Wildlife Tour, and swamps.
We enjoyed walking through the swamps - alligators, turtles, birds.
Wildlife Tour - very squeaky tram to where we could barely hear the tour guide and definitely couldn't enjoy the sounds of nature.
Slavery to Freedom Tour - very quick history from the guide + Q&A. Didn't get very deep into it and have had better experiences in other cities.
Wildlife Center - small sanctuary with several species (alligator, peacock, goat, deer, owls, racoons, reptiles, fox, turtles, and more)
Gardens - decent views and nice walking paths.
Overall, we enjoyed our day but felt it was overpriced for the experience and offerings.
Drayton Hall is a well-preserved, renowned antebellum plantation situated on the Ashley River in South Carolina. The estate showcases Palladian architecture and holds the distinction of being the sole plantation house to survive both the Revolutionary and Civil wars fully intact. As a National Historic Landmark, Drayton Hall offers visitors tranquil grounds to explore and an African-American cemetery to reflect upon.
BEAUTIFUL place. Way better than the plantation up the street that costs $80 to do everything. Super quiet during the week, especially in the morning. Beautiful and well preserved place. Self guided audio tour is awesome! They did a great job of preserving and showing the area.
Jeff M — Google review
One of very few surviving plantation homes in the area post civil war period. Took the audio tour rather than a guided one which was great as you can wander at your own pace and listen to the guide, pausing her when you want to stay in one area a little longer. Having some info is a must though, to understand what went on in and around the estate and the architecture of the building. Staff were very friendly and informative too.
Kevin Blackley — Google review
We went for a Sip & Stroll that included an audio tour of the grounds, the museum, short film, the caretakers cottage museum, and gift shop plus two drinks tickets per person - so fun and relaxing. No more than 25-30 people and we were all spaced out to where it felt like you were the only ones there on the whole plantation! Would definitely recommend and do it again next spring!
Jennie Meetze — Google review
A wonderful experience, seeing Drayton Hall is like a step back in time. The house is preserved instead of restored, the tour includes information on slaves and tenants post-Civil War, and the guides are friendly and knowledgeable. Part of the house is off limits for now due to ongoing preservation work.
Mac McCormick III — Google review
Exceptionally interesting and well-preserved area offering fascinating insights into the world of a southern plantation. Unlike similar sites, the focus here is on preservation rather than restoration, meaning the old buildings, including the main house, have had minimal work done on them since the 1800s.
The guided audio tours were informative and well-paced, guiding you both through the main house and the grounds. The only downside to an audio tour vs a guided tour would be the inability to visit the top floor of the house, although I don't think one is missing too much there.
On the Sunday I went in September, there were hardly any other people on the grounds, so crowds weren't an issue. There were two historians on site in the main house available to answer additional questions, which was a great feature. Moreover, despite much of what we know about the location coming from the former owner's diaries, I appreciated how the audio tour did what it could to speak from the perspective of the enslaved peoples forced to work the plantation, as well.
For $26 per person, I thought this was a very worthwhile place to visit.
Lance G — Google review
There has been some great improvements at Drayton Hall over the last few years. New gift shop visitor Center and bathrooms. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff
Kathy Woolsey — Google review
I visited Drayton Hall on 1/12 and I absolutely loved it as I love history and appreciate historical structures. They have a very clear introductory video and a very nice display of furniture and other historical pieces in their museum before you head to the house. My tour guide was very informative and I am just sorry that I forgot his name, but he was so knowledgeable on the history of the estate and in general the history of America at that time. The estate itself is beautiful and I can just imagine how this place looked in its prime. I enjoyed reading the map that captured the changes of the land now vs then near the enslaved cemetery and can only imagine where their houses were as there are no standing structures left. I enjoyed listening to the archaeological finds when they were doing some renovations in the basement and on the grounds, tons of history on this land even before the Draytons.
Tiffany Galvan — Google review
Beautiful plantation home with interesting history. We did not do the audio tour but explored the space on our own. The details on the home are amazing. The craftsmanship can’t be found today. It was interesting to see the graffiti from 1874. The staff is very attentive and helpful. They are currently working to put supports in so there is construction equipment on the ground floor.
Tiffany Harmer — Google review
Spent a fascinating afternoon with my son at the Plantation. Very informative audio tour, plus knowledgeable historians were on-site to answer questions. Excellent presentation, a very thorough explanation of this period in American history. We really learned a lot! Gorgeous grounds, trees, and landscape. Very friendly and helpful staff, super clean everywhere. Highly recommend a visit 👌
Wendy Graham — Google review
Tour of the house was great, plus tour guide was knowledgable and friendly! Beautiful home, and an amazing amount of history there and on the grounds. We also purchased Sip & Stroll event. The self guided tour on the phone was ok but the landmark number markers were not as clear, and overall was little lack luster. Could have easy had same experience without the small glasses of wine included and saved some money. However super cute signature wine glass souvenir was nice and everyone from gate check-in, sip and stroll check-in, gift shop gentleman, and tour guide were great. Recommend to anyone to do the house tour for a serious dose of history!
Charity D — Google review
Recent trip to Charleston and Drayton Hall was on our list. Very interesting history. Our guide was informative and was able to answer questions. Not sure if they ever intend to add gardens but I think it would enhance the visit to the property. There is a black cemetery on the grounds that is easy to miss. Our guide mentioned it and I asked for the location.
Joanne Shedrick — Google review
Our tour guide Florence provided many details and painted a realistic picture using their historic knowledge of the estate. Would recommend the house tour and to walk the grounds using the audio tour. Would go again anytime we visit, very interesting US history!
Dan Smith — Google review
the tour of Drayton Hall was my one of my favorite parts of our trip to Charleston! Florence was our tour guide and WOW. amazing! the best tour my fiancé and i have ever taken! Florence made it the best! So knowledgeable and passionate about the history of charleston
Kimmy Harker — Google review
A very historic and picturesque place by the Ashley River. The rooms of the house are empty of pieces of furniture that can be seen in a separate exhibit, but they are full of memories of the souls who throughout time spent their life here.
Alex L — Google review
I had visited Drayton Hall over 50 years ago, around the time of National Trust start for this preservation and restoration. Back then I felt I stumbled on to a hidden treasure. Now the grounds are pristine, the public entry, parking welcome center are appreciated improvements. When I found that Drayton Hall is now open with guided tours and encouraging archaeological digs in progress, I knew this tasks of preservation there were going to be immense. I've sought out Villa La Rotonda in Vincenza, Italy and even London's La Rotonda. To Palladio: you've made a big impression!
Greg Hargus — Google review
Great experience. We did the tour and our interpreter Makayla really brought the history to life. Her passion for Drayton Hall's stories was evident. The fact that the home has stood since the mid 1700s is amazing. If you are into history, Drayton is a must see.
Ken Wolf — Google review
One of the best plantations we've seen! The beauty was the original works were still in place and magnificently maintained. Our guide, Morgan, did a phenomenal job on the tour! The trees are gorgeous and the small garden was very pretty. Large grounds to tour, just watch out for the gators! So glad we visited Drayton Hall.
Lynne L — Google review
An amazing historic plantation just outside of Charleston. We enjoyed our tour with a knowledgable guide. The grounds are beautiful and the staff is incredibly friendly. Would definitely come here again!
Peter Reckling — Google review
The staff was friendly and informative! The museum and video were interesting. The buildings up front are fresh and done well!
The grounds were beautiful! The audio tour was a nice addition. There are great photo opportunities!!! We did see alligators as well! The ones we saw were little ones!
FYI
**I did not realize you could not tour the whole house without an extra fee and specific tour time. The upstairs was roped off with a sign saying it was for a specific tour only. That was disappointing, we found that out while on the self guided tour of the house. We were able to see the cellar and the first floor**
We were told the upstairs is the same as the first floor. There is no furniture in the house. They are all empty rooms. No AC but they did have fans going. It was in the 70’s when we went, the house temperature was comfortable. In the summer, I am not sure how hot it will be inside!
We really enjoyed walking around!
C U — Google review
February $10 rate for locals was a great deal. Drayton Hall was a wonderful experience. Archeological dig was very interesting, as was all the treasures found. The tour guide was unbelievable, giving an extensive history of the site, the owners, and the architecture. Every question guests had was answered in detail. Watched a brief movie, visited the archeological lab, and shopped in the fabulous gift store. It is one of the best historic sites in Charleston. Thoroughly enjoyed my visit.
Absolute treasure. Such a experience stopping on the way home from a long beach day. I've loved everything I've gotten from here. The banana pudding though is the best I've ever had. 😋 The people are always so friendly. Make to stop get anything and you won't regret it.
Tides to travels — Google review
Wow, best strawberries we ever had. In season now for u-pick, must do, so juicy. Must stop by and stock up on veggies plus more. Very nice ladies at checkout. Thank you! God has blessed this farm.
Tyler Kas — Google review
Love local sells. Priced high. Casseroles were really good BUT both shimp casserole & pot pie had hairs in them. Friendly staff and nice cat, -peanut.
Hair nets? Would have gone back to personally let them know of our experience but they are closed in January and after 2 today. 12-31-21.
Jeff Jones — Google review
Such a hidden treasure worth your discovery, and the drive from Charleston. It would be so easy to ask for one of each please. Some delicious forgotten southern low country family favorites dishes, common a hundred years ago in this area. In the end the baked treats, desserts, and pies was our take away. Just a delight, and wonderfully enjoyable experience of old world cookery meeting modern day delicatessen staples that dazzles ones taste buds. Quite delightful team happy to help, and so pleasant to interact with. A soothing open air market experience of time almost forgotten yet preserved within the decor of the establishment.
s — Google review
the key lime pie is great! maybe too big for my needs but probably great for a group of more than 2 people! I have returned here on multiple trips to edisto but they usually don't have much I want other than that key lime pie. they really should sell potted plants! always on the hunt for a plant for my campsite but I end up having to go to the ace hardware down the road ... but the pie is really good here. and I got some really good lime beans one time!
lil Sloth — Google review
We visited to get a key lime pie. My son and I love key lime pie and we were told that King's had the best. The pie was excellent. They do have frozen home made meals that you can cook yourself.
It was over crowded and difficult to move inside. My wife does not like crowded places so we didn't stay long.
Patrick Welch — Google review
The best boiled peanuts I’ve ever had. They were perfect. Get the big bag.
We always stop and get a tomato pie and/or the onion pie and tomatoes or corn for the week, but make sure to get a few lemon bars. You can also get Clemson blue cheese and local dressing for your salads!
Kathleen Cook — Google review
Love visiting the market to get fresh vegetables. Last week I was delighted to find fresh baby yellow squash. Immediately started gathering everything for a fresh vegetable stir fry. It was amazing. I added sausage to top it off. They have homemade deserts, too. Nicest young ladies on staff. A must visit...
Anne Darnell — Google review
Adorable market. We LOVED their pies… especially the Key Lime Pie. The canned salsas were delicious and so was the Chicken Pot Pie casserole. Great produce and friendly people!
ederinjune23 — Google review
A quaint little farm stand. Looked like most options are seasonal (total understandable, being a farm fresh thing). Beautiful dried floral wreaths. Husband was excited to find cherry slices. No Gluten-free options.
The Southern Fried Yankee — Google review
Beautiful and wonderful place to stop and smell the flowers, pick fresh strawberries, get some fresh fruits and vegetables, watch the purple martins, feed the chickens and watch baskets being hand made. Delicious casserole, pickles, cookies and pies. Also awesome boiled peanuts! Everything is amazing!
Esther Daniel — Google review
Always fun to explore at King's market. Most times of the year you can get farm fresh vegetables, and I do mean fresh. Just look in the fields adjacent to their store and you will see what they are offering, growing only a few yards away. Also have delicious frozen entrees and sides if you want to plan your weekly menu while at the beach. Don't forget their jars of vegetables,jellies, and other goodies they offer year round. Fun place !
Michael Egleston — Google review
The crab dip was really good, and they had a fun selection of stuff to get here. The tortilla chips were delicious.
Samuel Edmondson — Google review
On the way back from Edisto, we stopped here. We've been living in a hotel while our paperwork was settled. Wanted the lasagne, but didn't have an oven. The sweet ladies recommend the quiches. I got the vegetable quiche, and it's was the most amazing one I've ever tasted. The first slice I had was worth the price of the pie, which is more than decently priced. Also, got the key lime pie. It's was better than the Keys. I also got a tomato for mater sammies and it was so good for March. Can't wait to go back this summer and get even fresher veggies and I'm def picking up their lasa
gna. I can only imagine how good that must be bc the quiche was honestly the best one I've ever had.
Melody Gowen — Google review
We stumbled upon this Market on our way to Edisto Beach. They are located on the main street that takes you into Edisto, and they have signs in front that you can't miss. What really made us stop was their sign about Key Lime Pie.
Wow, one of the BEST Key Lime Pies we have had. Probably almost at the same level of the Key Lime Pie of Blond Giraffe in the Florida Keys. Pie crust instead of graham cracker crust. Flaky and tasty crust. The filling was thick, creamy, and had the perfect balance between sweetness and tartness. It comes with no topping; no whipped cream nor meringue.
This small market is well stocked with all different dry staple items: jars of pickled vegetables; jars of jelly, jam and honey; jars of chow chow; different kinds of grits; cornbread mix; several varieties of specialty bagged rice, and many more dry staple and jarred foods.
There is also a great selection of fresh, refrigerated and frozen foods: flowers; herbs; produce; fruits; local beef; eggs; dips and spreads; soups; salads; sandwiches; casseroles/meals; baked goods; desserts; ice cream; etc.
They also sell merchandise, like baskets, postcards, t-shirts, and other small items.
The store is small and all the times we came here to restock it had lots of patrons. Therefore their products run out quickly, even when the employees are constantly restocking them.
We thought the prices were fair to the quality of products sold.
They take debit/credit cards and cash .
The staff is friendly enough, all of them wearing masks; and there is adequate parking. There is a porta-potty outside by the parking lot.
Everything we purchased here was amazing!!! It made eating in at our rental very easy and enjoyable. We didn't try all of their products, but the ones we bought and are worth mentioning are:
Of course, the Key Lime Pie: which I already described, and the reason why we stopped here.
The Vidalia Onion Pie: creamy, tasty, and with their signature pie crust.
Susan's Breakfast Quiche: one of the best quiches we have had, even though I wouldn't consider it a typical quiche, but more of a breakfast casserole. Still, one of the best!
King's Corn Pie: delicious!! It makes a great side dish. Yet it is really not a pie, but a corn casserole.
Tomato Pie: very good, made with their wonderful pie crust. Although their pie here is not as good as the one we had in Beaufort, SC.
This is a great stop to stock if you are staying at one of the rentals on the island and then stop on your way back home to take their amazing products with you...you will crave them!
Angela Katsavavakis — Google review
Friendly staff, good selection of fruits, veggies and ready to bake entrees. Also very good prices on pies and cakes, baked in their kitchen. We can attest that the key lime pie is tasty as is the chicken pot pie.