67 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in South Carolina - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in South Carolina

Johns Island, South Carolina

The Angel Oak

One of the oldest living oak trees in the Southeast.

Bishopville, South Carolina

Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden

One man's extraordinary topiary garden in a small South Carolina town.

Cleveland, South Carolina

Devils Kitchen at Caesars Head State Park

According to local lore, this narrow passageway through two large rocks was accidentally created by the devil himself.

Bowman, South Carolina

UFO Welcome Center

This set of rickety spaceships are prepared to give alien travelers a place to relax and go to the bathroom.

Charleston, South Carolina

Old Slave Mart

South Carolina's last remaining slavery auction house is now a museum devoted to its own tragic history.

Yemassee, South Carolina

Old Sheldon Church Ruins

Despite being burnt down multiple times, the ruins of this South Carolina church are still standing.

Hartsville, South Carolina

The Last Yogi Bear Honey Fried Chicken Restaurant

The sole remaining outpost of a once-thriving South Carolina chain still sells “pic-a-nic” baskets.

Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Poinsett Bridge

The oldest bridge in South Carolina may have been designed by the same man who created the Washington Monument.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in South Carolina

Hartsville, South Carolina

The Last Yogi Bear Honey Fried Chicken Restaurant

The sole remaining outpost of a once-thriving South Carolina chain still sells “pic-a-nic” baskets.

Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina

Charleston Tea Garden

The only working large-scale tea plantation in the United States.

Gaffney, South Carolina

Gaffney Peachoid

The record holder for the world’s largest peach.

Blenheim, South Carolina

Blenheim Mineral Springs

Discovered by a soldier during the Revolutionary War, these springs helped create an iconic South Carolina ginger ale.

See all 6 places to eat in South Carolina See all 6 places to eat in South Carolina

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6 Hallowed Grounds in South Carolina

South Carolina is known for its picturesque coastal cities and Southern charm. Given its firm placement in the Bible Belt, the Palmetto State is home to many churches—but it also holds fascinating ruins of houses of worship, wondrous works of art inspired by African traditions, and historic holy grounds hiding in plain sight. As the pandemic continues, we hope this virtual trip helps you explore America’s wonders. If you do choose to venture out, please follow all guidelines, maintain social distance, and wear a mask.

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Stories About South Carolina

Purple straw turns golden as it matures.

The Return of Purple Straw, an Iconic Southern Wheat

It has a whole team of champions working on its comeback.

by Rachel Kester

Podcast: The Gray Man

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange stories.

by The Podcast Team

The Laurens Run, named for the path the revolutionary colonel took to his death, will be part of the Liberty Trail network.

The Death Site of John Laurens, Friend to Alexander Hamilton, Was a Mystery—Until Now

The 18th-century soldier, statesman, and abolitionist was also a character in the hit musical 'Hamilton.'

by Isaac Schultz

August 19, 2020

Please don't taste this rainbow.

The South Carolina Forest That Looks Like Melted Ice Cream

When conditions are right, the waters of Congaree National Park can look like bright scoops pooling on a sidewalk.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

So you want to tag a great white, do you?

The Carolinas' Mysterious Great White Shark Cluster Is Not Mysterious, Not a Cluster

They're just doing what sharks do.

by Sabrina Imbler

February 14, 2020

Conyers dismantles a hog at a Southern Food and Beverage Museum event on South Carolina barbecue.

Meet the Rocket Scientist Who's Also a Whole Hog Pitmaster

Dr. Howard Conyers is preserving a community tradition.

by Debra Freeman

January 15, 2020

Subway cars set sail on a barge in "Weeks 297, 2008."

Photographing the New York City Subway Cars That Retired as Artificial Reefs

How Stephen Mallon captured this unusual voyage to the bottom of the ocean.

My, what big marginal spikes you have.

Venus Flytraps Are a 'Horrid Prison,' But Only for Certain Insects

Medium-size bugs beware.

by Noor Al-Samarrai

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