South Carolina

No big sprawling city defines South Carolina; there is no central core from which everything else emanates. Instead, it is a state of small towns, lovely pockets of history and charm. This is a place where Southern hospitality is not a cliché, it is a way of life. Old ladies sit in rockers on wide verandas, sipping cold sweet tea while children play on the porch swing. Wafts of lavender and jasmine tinge the air. Giant magnolias burst with generous blooms. Coastal marshlands teem with fish and water birds, while manicured lawns thrive under blue skies and sunshine. From the capital city of Columbia to the sultry coast and the ...

No big sprawling city defines South Carolina; there is no central core from which everything else emanates. Instead, it is a state of small towns, lovely pockets of history and charm. This is a place where Southern hospitality is not a cliché, it is a way of life. Old ladies sit in rockers on wide verandas, sipping cold sweet tea while children play on the porch swing. Wafts of lavender and jasmine tinge the air. Giant magnolias burst with generous blooms. Coastal marshlands teem with fish and water birds, while manicured lawns thrive under blue skies and sunshine. From the capital city of Columbia to the sultry coast and the spectacular city of Charleston, South Carolina has an interesting mix of contradictions. The land is peppered with both sprawling rice plantations and shotgun shacks; the population is a mix of descendants of rich landowners and plantation slaves. Charleston is a city of grand historic homes, while Myrtle Beach is a place of brashness and amusement. Hilton Head is God's gift to golf, while Beaufort embraces its estuarine marshland.

About the Expert

Debra Landau has written eight Lonely Planet guidebooks, including books on the USA, Caribbean, and the South.