State Parks – www.scouthcarolinaparks.com

 

Edisto Memorial Gardens
Now covering 175 acres, there are beautiful azaleas, camellias, roses and flowering trees among centuries-old, moss-draped cypress trees. Nestled along the banks of the Edisto River, the longest undammed blackwater river in the world, the Edisto Memorial Gardens is an ideal location for a day outing. Wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring your camera and binoculars along.
The Edisto Memorial Gardens are open daily from dawn to dusk free of charge.
The All-America Rose Selections Inc. Public Display Garden is home to more than 4,000 rose plants representing approximately 120 labeled varieties. The Edisto Memorial Gardens is also one of only 23 test gardens in the United States.
In addition to its hundreds of flowers, plants and trees, the Gardens also features a soldier's memorial fountain, a novel water wheel and pieces of unique sculpture. There is also a Butterfly Garden that provides food, water and shelter for winged creatures.
The city and the Pilot Club of Orangeburg have developed a Sensory Garden, designed especially for visually impaired visitors, in the Edisto Memorial Gardens. The Sensory Garden features plants with distinctive textures and fragrances that are described on plaques in Braille and in English. The grounds also have a water garden with a waterfall.
For a nominal fee, families can enjoy the adjacent Spray Park, which is open May through August and weekends only during September. The Spray Park features a 6,000-square-foot spray pad with spray equipment, rest rooms, a picnic shelter and a traditional playground.
Discover Horne Wetlands Park, and view plants and wildlife in their natural setting by strolling along the 2,600-foot boardwalk located between the rose garden and north fork of the Edisto River in the Gardens.
If your trip to the Edisto Memorial Gardens is planned as a week-day outing, take time to visit the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center located in the gardens. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A variety of artwork such as paintings, mosaics, pottery, woodcarvings, quilts and more are on display at the arts center. Special exhibits are also featured in the second-floor Lusty Art Gallery.


Museums and more

Santee

Santee State Park offers cabins, camping, biking, hiking, boating and fishing in the heart of one of the nation’s best-known outdoors destinations – Santee Cooper Country.
The park sits along Lake Marion, one of the two lakes (the other’s Moultrie) that gave birth to America’s inland striped bass fishery. Together, the lakes cover more than 170,000 acres and now also are known for their abundant populations of huge catfish.
The park’s rondette cabins, including 10 on piers over the lake, have been hosting outdoorsmen and families for generations. A community meeting building, with its large, screened-in grilling facility, also attracts groups.
Out in the lake across from the park is Lake Marion’s flooded cypress forest. Pontoon boat tours into the lake’s swampy headwaters are based out of the park’s marina/park store.
Admissions: $2 adults; $1.25 SC seniors; age 15 & younger free
Office Hours: M-Su 8am-5pm (Hours may extend during peak season)
Days and Hours of Operation: M-Su 6am-10pm (year-round)
LOCATION:
Driving Directions:
From I-95: Take exit 98 to Hwy 6 toward Elloree, the park is located 1 mi. W. of the town of Santee.
From Columbia: Take I-26 to Hwy 6, exit 136, travel through St. Matthews, continue on Hwy 6 for approximately 15 mile to Elloree and follow signs.
Santee State Park is on the south side of Lake Marion, just outside of the town of Santee. Access is easy from I-95, and a wide variety of activities are available.
Features and facilities:
Public restrooms
Drinking water
Picnic tables, shelters
Playground
Store
Hiking trails
Bicycling trails: Unpaved
Bicycle rentals
Developed campground
Primitive campground
Lakeside campsites
Cabins
Meeting facility
Tennis courts
Volleyball courts
Water features: Lake Marion, Park ponds
Swimming
Fishing
Boat ramp
Boat rental
Hours: 6:00 am – 10:00 pm
Admission:
Youth (ages 15 and under), Free
Adults, $2.00
South Carolina senior citizens, $1.25
Camping fee: $16.00 - $18.00 per campsite per night
Other fees: Vacation cabins, $80.00 - $120.00 per night
Meeting buildings, $200 - $250.00 per day

 

 

The Palmetto Trail runs near this state park, but does not pass thru it.

 

ELLOREE
Elloree was founded in 1886. The town is named for an Indian word meaning, "Home I Love." It is located in the eastern part of Orangeburg county and is surrounded by some of the best farmland in the state. The community is well organized with a community center, a branch of the county library, athletic fields and a town Park. Santee State Park is only five miles away on Lake Marion and offers fishing, camping, boating, swimming and other activities. The Elloree Trails, a flat race for thoroughbred horses, is an annual event of nationwide interest among owners of fine houses.

 

EUTAWVILLE
The first home in Eutaw Village was erected in 1836, "On high ground in the healthy pines." Planters on the Santee River seeking refuge from the humidity and mosquitoes found the pinelands of Eutawville near enough to allow occasional trips to their homes. They chose an area near Eutaw Springs. Since "Eutaw" in Cherokee means "pine tree," the name was appropriate for their summer village. The famous Battle of Eutaw Springs on September 8, 1781, was the first major Revolutionary Battle in South Carolina. A British commander camped 2300 soldiers and was attacked by the Southern Army. Both armies lost nearly thirty percent of their men. Although the battle ended in a stalemate, both sides claimed victory. The Eutaw Village Festival provides a time to enjoy a parade, arts and crafts, bands and food. Fishing tournaments draw thousands of visitors to town. Boat racing, bluegrass music and a National Catfish Stew Cook-off are other annual events.