40 Best Stops Between Norfolk and Jacksonville (2024)

2 lists

Very nice museum both inside and out! We ended up skipping the videos, spent about 3 hours walking around looking at the exhibits. There are quite a bit of interactive displays inside; and the people dressed in role player costumes are extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and present with sincere enthusiasm.

This was a great place to bring kids and learn important historical info about the first American settlement. They did a great job with all the recreations and all the actors that were dressed up were very informative and stayed in character. The indoor museum and gift shop were also very well laid out and interesting. Highly recommend!

Nice museum! There are two fun movies to watch, interesting things inside and outside. There's a restaurant near the entrance with nice food. We had a fun time! A few hours was more than enough

An incredible experience with history; It's like taking a time machine and going back to colonial time. The exhibits are highly illustrative and interactive. I loved the opportunity to listen to a guide explain the entire complicated process of throwing a shot in the times of the first European settlers in the area.

Jamestown was a great experience, especially for the kids. There's a lot to take in but the kids can touch a lot of it which makes it feel like a real experience. The kids loved putting on the armor and hats and really enjoyed the ship. The indoor exhibit was insightful and interesting as well. The people who were giving demonstrations were great at telling their stories and showing us what the tools were used for, how the bartering system worked and more. You need at least half a day to see and be able to appreciate the whole experience. The cafe had a lot of options to choose from. There are deli sandwiches, hot grilled food, salads, desserts and even snack items for quick bites. The gift shop near the entrance of the lobby when you first arrive is very nice. There was a lot of things to look at and the kids loved looking around and picking out their gifts. There are so many neat toys and books for the little ones.

Interesting place to spend a few hours. Replicas of the ships the first settlers to the United States used, people in period correct costumes sharing knowledge, a village, shot tower, and an indoor museum going back to pre-settlement.Excellent for children and adults alike.

This place was amazing! There is so much to see and do! One of the highlights going with 2 kids and my mother was the abundance of air conditioning options (and cafe) if it gets too hot! The actors were really friendly and informative. Everything was clean and wasn't hard to locate at all! We loved the interactive games outside also! While we were there it wasn't overly crowded. We got in at 9 and we're able to get front row parking and had time to see the entire place before it started filling up with people! Even after, it is a great experience!

It was an amazing experience. Looking back to history. Visualizing how British has started colonization in North America. Understanding and thinking about those old days how people survived. Overall it was a great experience.

Excellent activity. Ships, fort, and museum are a must visit in this area. The cafeteria food was excellent and reasonably priced for a tourist area. Also offered a veteran’s discount.

Beautiful places with lots to see. Plenty of indoor and outdoor exhibits. It was really awesome getting on the ships. The staff are friendly and informative. The price is reasonable. Veterans make sure to ask for a discount.

Loved every second of my four hour visit here. Could have stayed longer. At first I wasn't sure about having to take a guided tour for the outdoor exhibits (in certain weeks in winter they don't allow you to meander around), but I am actually really happy I was offered a tour. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and personable, the interpreters were fantastic fun and I didn't want to leave. The ships and the Fort were definitely highlights. The indoor exhibits are also well done and everything is spotless. Great for all ages. It looks like they experience large crowds in peak season, if that's not your thing plan a visit on a winter weekday and you won't be disappointed.

It was a great experience. We purchased the american historic triangle tickets for multiple places and it was the best bang for the buck. The town, fort and ships were awesome!

Wonderful museum. It really gives you a well rounded view of the history. My favorite "thing" was the obelisk. It's an interesting celebration erected at the 350 year anniversary. The Cafe was also liked by our group.

We had such a great time. We enjoyed touring the inside of the boat. The native Indian live exhibit is a must see. It's respectfully done and so interesting. It's like stepping back into their village. The Jamestown settlement was a little more sparsely done that I would have thought with a lot less actors but the ones there were excellent and informative. The facilities were clean and well maintained. The museum portion was excellent.

It is interesting to see. Is it worth the money, not really. Kids love it. We brought our now 25 year old here when he was 8 and it was great. It seems ever here they have downgraded the entertainment aspect of it. The museum is interesting.

I had a fantastic experience at the Jamestown settlement. The museum is beautifully curated, offering a rich historical insight. The outdoor activities, paired with captivating performances, added a lively and engaging dimension to the visit. Highly recommend!

Very interesting place to visit if you want to understand the history of the settlers in the United States. It was fascinating seeing how people built and lived in a community before modern technology. This is a nice place to stroll leisurely through history. I highly recommend visiting this historical location and seeing what it took to survive in a transitional period.

This was a fun adventure. There was a walk through education center with all sorts of exhibits. The Jamestown replica stronghold was nice and informative. The Native American village was informative. All the staff were friendly, informative and, all around amazing. The 3 boats on the water were very informative. Crazy to think how small they are and that they (are replicas) crossed the ocean. A good place to spend some time and see a lil early Americana.

Great place to visit and learn about our country's history. Between the gallery indoors and the outdoor recreations (villages and ships) we easily spent 3.5 hours. They do offer a military discount and a multi location discount to visit all 3 main museums of history.

I love history, and this is a wonderful place to see and learn. I wish we could have been there at opening time. We got there late in the afternoon and missed the outdoor area. Call for info before you buy the tickets. A bonus is that they do offer military and first responders a discount.

Wow. I was super impressed. Definitely exceeded my expectations. Great place for children and adults alike. And teens that enjoy history. I love how the enhibits were interactive and tactile. Lots of great films. You can walk or drive down to the Glasshouse after and finish by riding the ferry to the fort and back. Definitely worth visiting!

We had a wonderful time! The galleries were much more extensive than I was expecting, with so many artifacts. All the exhibits were displayed so well.The Native American village, ships, and fort really let you experience what life must have been like in 1607.

Amazing museum that is interactive and a fun place to explore. They have a couple of shows to watch, a few demonstrations of musket firing, blacksmithing, cooking and sailing. I recommend getting the combo pass so you get into Yorktown as well with the price of one. All in all, a great experience for the family.

Interactive living history at its best! This trip was a lot of fun here.Save $ by showing your EBT card!

4.7

(7974)

4.5

(4445)

2110 Jamestown Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA

4 lists

It was incredible to see the area first colonized in the USA. The day was perfect, weather-wise, and there was so much to see. The best part was the gentleman native American explaining how he was making an arrowhead in the traditional way. He showed and explained the tools he was using and how he was using them. He even explained the action to flake off pieces of stone to shape and sharpen it.You enter through the main building and purchase tickets. They give you a sticker to wear as proof you paid. It's dog friendly and there is a gift shop/ post office inside. After passing through the building you walk across a long walking bridge. The tall obelisk is the first thing you see, then just beyond it is the church and you walk into the original Jamestown settlement. Beyond it is the building with artifacts.There are plenty of benches to sit and rest while you watch the ferries go by. It was cool with the breeze coming off the water.

Absolutely amazing place. It's so interesting to see the remnants of this country's origins. The archaeologists love taking questions and everyone there is so well-informed and just eager to share with you. Some of the archaeologists had actually found a couple of pieces while we were there and they showed them to us. It was a wonderful experience.

Historic Jamestown is maintained by the National Park Service. Excavations are ongoing. Jamestown is the beginning of America. It is another story of the early struggles of the first settlers. There are lots to see and learn. The first fort on American soil is here. The first mansions are here. It is the story of people coming from all nations for a new beginning and contributing what they bring to the development of a new nation. I wholly recommend this tour.

Highly recommend this historic area that contains both National site with interpretive signs and remaining/restored ruins along with past and ongoing Jamestown Rediscovery (VA) efforts which continues to bring stories to life. Take time in the museum to see the unearthed treasures (and then go back to where they were found!). Tasty sandwiches at the cafe. Archeological staff eagerly shared their recent finds and educated us about the phases and their ongoing efforts. SO glad we chose this over Jamestown Settlement as we were looking for actual historic sites.

The kids had a blast taking in our nation's history. What a fun way to bring our texts books to life! I would recommend good walking shoes as most is gravel and a good refillable water bottle. Restrooms are clean but not all around so potty before heading to the sites! Bring a camera the views are amazing.

Very well cared for park. Plenty of educational materials posted around the grounds. It was fun to see active archeological activities still occurring. The Park Ranger talk was very informative and engaging. It wasn't overly crowded even on a holiday weekend. Definitely recommend a visit.

This is an awesome place just to walk the grounds to see everything restored and preserved from over 400 years ago. The view of the James River is beautiful, and it must have been very interesting starting the first permanent English settlement in North America back in 1607.

I would give it 5 stars but they have fenced off the best parts of the historic areas requiring a separate $15.00 entry fee. I was told this started in October 2023. Sort of a shame what the powers to be did here.

If you are a military family the entrance will be free for all of the member of the family. That itself deserves a five star!Most of the interesting things to see are outside so if you are afraid of Covid, go there confident. At the entrance of the welcome center, someone is at the ready to answer any questions before you buy your tickets.We experienced NO wait, maybe because we traveled there before Christmas and during weekday.Inside the welcoming center, there is a very cute souvenir store. There is also like a video room but that was closed — probably due to Covid restrictions.Outside was lots of fun. The kids loved it. The excavation site was fascinating for them. They also simply loved running around and see the canon and statue of the first governor of Virginia.I recommend that outing.

So awe-inspiring. To see where a nation first began is a piece of history you cannot replace. The interpreters are amazing and full of so much information. To think that the first English settlers also walked around here is thought-provoking. Well kept and rebuilt pieces of history.

The location has so much historical significance and they have done such a wonderful job exploring and preserving and presenting it. We were there for 5 hours and could have spent much longer. They currently have ranger lead programs 10, 1:30 & 3:30, but they said to call beforehand as the schedule changes daily. The National park pass receives 50% off admission.

It's great to see the oldest English settlement in America. Much of the fort has been recreated for you to visit and there are a few original areas including some stone foundations, early graves, and some brickwork.The museum included lots of original artifacts and also some skeletons from original settlers who had been identified using historical records and scientific analysis.The cafe was FANTASTIC. Really great soups and sandwiches.Overall, this was great value - about half the price of visiting Williamsburg, and much more interesting in my opinion. Also, kids get in for free!Everyone was friendly and helpful. The ticket staff helped my parents obtain a discount.

Loved this place it has 2 museums one tou walk through to get to the out side settlement and one just off to the side in the settlement. They also have a live archeology dig they let you(kids) help with.its right by the water and just a nice place to walk in the grounds flat so it's not a hard walk. It's not to bad of a distance to walk neither with lots of shady spots to set and rest.i highly recommend to get a pass such as the triangle pass. But if that to high they offer other opinions. It covers all museums ,reenactment , and touts.

It was cool. Where comfy shoes, not saddles bc it is quite a walk to see all the exhibits and lots of gravel pathways. I appreciate how much available seating sprinkled about so when you get tired from walking and need a break, a bench isn't far away.You can tell they took care and time setting up the exhibits. It is easy to understand the history that took place here.

I haven't been back here for 30 years since I was a child, and I returned today with my kid and got to relive my childhood. Place looks so much better than what I remember as far as the museum areas go, and I'm happy they got as much going on as they do as this is an excellent place to preserve. Would highly recommend and I'm more than likely to come back with the family to tour the grounds a little more slowly. Had a wonderful time!

This is the original Jamestown settlement. There is the US National Park and the Preservation Virginia area. There are two separate admissions. The Preservation Virginia side host the Archaearium Archaeology Museum, the Memorial Church, statues of John Smith and Pocahontas, and a fort replica. The National Park side has an obelisk monument and the grounds of the new Jamestown Settlement.

The site itself is pretty cool, albeit presented without much fanfare. Favorite part is definitely the archaeological museum that they have, whose staff are top notch knowledgeable and very interesting to listen to - in particular one Native speaker, I believe his name was also Daniel, gave one of the most in depth looks into the history of the first peoples here I'd ever heard.

Came for the history. Stayed for the history. Left cause the pork and beans.Great place. BYOF (Bring your own food!)Military is free. But also, free for up to 3 adult guests w/ each military personnel as well. They don’t say that on the website.

Probably the weakest link of the Colonial Triangle, but still a fascinating place to visit. The Church is probably the focal point of the site, but there is still a lot of history to be seen here, and ongoing archaeological work being done to unearth even more. There is also a Wildlife Loop on the site with some very beautiful scenery, and 3 old graves.

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! This is a MUST for schools whether local, or even out of state!! The knowledge found here for children and adults is beyond comprehension! This information is HISTORY IN THE MAKING!! To have visited today and having met a few of the archaeological team currently digging to continuously unearth artifacts dating back some 400+ years to earlier settlers of the Colonial Era when John Smith uprooted the Fort there at Jamestown, and well, … it quite breathtaking for a historian such as I to be standing in a place where the first democracy took shape. There are absolutely no words to express the surrealism of standing in this place. But then to turn and see the name of your ancestors on the wall or yet the very root of your family’s last name and thus your heritage, right there … it’s astounding!! When visiting Williamsburg, VA I recommend staying at Aldrich Bed & Breakfast where you have the opportunity of selecting several personal guided tours from Mr. Tom Patton, he and his wife Sue Patton are the Innkeepers. Mr. Patton is a Licensed Tour Guide. You have the opportunity of selecting a tour of Jamestown Island, Colonial Williamsburg, and/or Yorktown with Mr. Tom Patton. Feel free to visit their website aldrichhouse dot com. Mr. Patton has a knack for making the history of Williamsburg come alive as you tour, ITS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. You literally feel as though you are there during that period!

Very interesting historical place. Our guide Mark was phenomenal. We actually stayed all day to hear his afternoon tour

Love the Jamestowne settlement attractions. The National Parks did a great job as always. The Jamestowne Settlement is also a great place to visit. (2 different places)The actors did a great job in character and the tour guides were great also.There is so much to see and learn.Amazing to be there and learn the history. Loved it!

Great park to walk around and enjoy views of the river and learn the founding history of Virginia and the US. Dog-friendly in the outdoor areas only. Military families are welcomed for free!

4.7

(3890)

4.5

(5560)

1368 Colonial Nat'l Historical Pkwy, Jamestown, VA 23081, USA

Simply beautiful! I’m just in awe of this little gem and history. So serene. So worth the stop!

Gloria LaBoone was our guide while we visited. Guide was very knowledgeable. Very interesting tour of old brick church from 1685. Well preserved and worth the visit. Tour lasted about 45 minutes in length.

Visited for the first time today after hearing about it at the Smithfield Farmer's market. A beautiful old church that's stood the testament of time (nearly 335 years!), Thomas was a fanatic tour guide with so much knowledge to giv. The grounds are well kept, picturesque on a nice day like today and somewhere I'd totally go again.

This is an interesting little church. I appreciated the honesty of the guide in stating that the dating of the church is still unknown. She explained how the church game to be and its significance in the area. She allows detailed the restorations that have occurred.

I would have greatly preferred a self-guided tour with interpretive placards. The tour guide gave jumbled information and repeated herself three or four times. While the site was interesting, ultimately I don't feel like I learned much about the importance or history of the church.

I love tours, learning about history, and facts. Even if it’s something I’m not even interest in, it’s just cool to know. This was an awesome and informative tour. Our tour guide, Maggie F., was very professional, informative, sweet, and answered all our questions. If ever we come back then I’ll request her.

Our church (Grace Church of Richmond) had a WONDERFUL private tour with John today! Highly recommended for ANY CHRISTIAN! Very historic and informative!

We went on a weekday when it was not very busy and ended up getting a private tour. Our guide,Leslie, was a very sweet and knowledgeable lady. We went inside the church and out in the cemetery. We greatly enjoyed it.They are only open certain days so be sure to check their website to make sure they are open.

We totally enjoyed our tour and and the Museum Educator Gloria LaBoone. We were on the last tour of the day and she took her time and made our visit enjoyable.

This is a gorgeous hidden gem in Smithfield! It is well worth the trip for the aesthetic beauty alone. The tour was also a great help in letting you know what life truly would have been like in rural Coastal Virginia for the early years.

Such a gorgeous venue! The church and grounds are breathtaking. Colin was so helpful; he answered all of our questions and was so patient. After our ceremony and outdoor pictures it started to rain and Colin saved us by driving us on a golf cart protecting bridal gown and makeup! We loved it so much we had our reception there as well. A giant tent fit perfectly and dozens of "candles" made for a romantic vintage theme. They worked with us every step of the way. We chose right before sunset giving us gorgeous pictures inside and out of the church. We look forward to returning and enjoying the memories of a wonderful day.

4.5

(98)

5.0

(488)

14477 Benns Church Blvd, Smithfield, VA 23430, USA

2 lists

This place was amazing!!! Love the history and the architecture is amazing!!! The tour guide was great, and extremely knowledgeable!! This place is amazing, and we’ll worth the visit! Even after this first visit, there is so much more to see! This is a must visit for those that have interest in history!! The current owners and their ancestors have done a wonderful job of preserving the history, and presenting it to the public.

My wife, cousin, and I visited Berkeley Plantation last Summer. It was a great place to visit. The history of the property is rather remarkable. If you love history, this place is worth visiting. Many Presidents visited this property. I will let the tour guides tell you the rest of the interesting facts.

Had a great time. The woman in the gift shop was friendly and very knowledgeable. The tour guide was great very friendly knowledgeable. I highly recommend you see this if in the area.

It was absolutely amazing. I'm really into history so we paid for the tour. I went with my Dad&my 15yr old daughter. Shane was our tour guide&my Dad was beyond impressed. We spent a few hours enjoying the property&walking around. The tour is well worth it.

A step back in time, Berkeley Plantation, with an interesting history of changing ownership over the years. We toured the house with Clarence, a fantastic guide, bright-spirited and very knowledgeable. Beautiful house and grounds. Allow an hour to walk around, another hour for the tour. Eye opening family tree - don’t miss it - in the building with bathrooms where a (dated) film runs. The mansion’s entrance hall was used for dancing in the early days, and how I would love to bring my Colonial dance club there!

We did a paranormal ghost hunt so a lot of what we saw was in the dark but the history here is amazing! Shane was so full of information and my husband loved picking his brain. The grounds were beautiful and we now need to go back and see the whole place in the daytime.

We went on a rainy afternoon, not sure what we would find. Found the most informative, animated and engaging guide! He brought history to life and was a wealth of information. If it had been sunny, there would have been more people....GO! AMAZING

We walked through the door, to the moment we left this place was awesome. The lady in the front office was very friendly and helpful and also gave us our tour. She was so sweet and even brought the cat George over to see us.The grounds are very clean and well kept. The house is magical! The history is inspiring...There is a monument about taps that will absolutely pull your heart strings.Will be going back

Beautiful property rich in history. The guided tour was insightful and lasted around thirty minutes. We walked the grounds and went down to the river where the boats would dock to pick up and drop off visitors.

Had a wonderful experience at Berkeley Plantation. Such an historic destination with an unbelievably rich history. Would recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about the origins of this country. The tour guide we had was just awesome.

Loved this plantation. Really enjoyed our guide, I can't quite remember her name but she was really nice, friendly, and informative! She made the tour fun and even had the kids attention the whole time as well. They have a dog there named Chief who roams around the property and he is a super cool friendly loving dog. He toured with us for most of it which was pretty cool.

Good tour though guide had dry or bored humor. Could tell he had given tour thousands of times.But extremely knowledgeable and interesting post tour, one on one.We arrived in time for last tour of the day so very little time to explore on our own the grounds and extras. Happy with what we had time for!End of season, last week open.

4.7

(657)

4.5

(501)

12602 Harrison Landing Rd, Charles City, VA 23030, USA

+34 other lists

This place is amazing! So much to do! We spent 5 hours here and didn't get to enjoy the inside because there's just that much to do! My kids (under five) loved the dinosaur trail, train and all the natural playgrounds! The butterfly enclosure was wonderful as well! The food was very good, pricey but actually worth the money. We spent most of the time outside, which for us, was a plus! Also, there are restrooms EVERYWHERE! A huge plus in this family. Very clean. We went on a weekday so it wasn't crowded. We enjoyed every bit of it and can't wait to return

I have a membership to the Life and Science Museum. It’s so worth it! The new under 5 area is perfect for my 8 month old son. We go about 2-3 times a week. It’s the best spot for my son, they ask that you take your shoes off and strollers are left at the door. They also have a “tasted toy” bin for any toys that end up in your babies mouth! I also have an older daughter who loves the lemurs. It is a really nice walk and my son loves looking at all there is to see. Our favorite exhibits (in order) are the Under 5 area, the lemurs, origami, the bears, the wolves, the butterflies and the outdoor pond (so many turtles. It’s a very safe place for and if you get hungry the food is great. I will continue to bring my kids at least once a week.

A good place to bring your kids. You don’t need to be watch in g them 24/7. I went with three kids under five and they loved the indoor kids area.It was $90 for our family of five to go but we had a friend let us in with their guest pass. I think a membership is only $130 or so a year so if you’re not from out of town make it count and get the membership.They have free days if you have proof of Durham county residence (sorry chapel hill)Free dates in 2023Tuesday, June 6Sunday, June 18Tuesday, July 11Thursday, July 27Sunday, August 6Wednesday, August 16Friday, September 8Sunday, September 24Friday, October 13Tuesday, October 24Sunday, November 5Friday, November 17Wednesday, December 6Sunday, December 17

This is a really cool place for people of all ages. I originally went just to go to the butterfly house but when I saw all the other exhibits and activities I returned for a second day.There is so much to see and do here, inside and out. It’s easy to fill a day, possibly more.

Loved all of the exhibits (the area with the tree houses was closed). The bugs, wolves, butterfly house were awesome. Bears were sleeping. Kids loved the playground by the visitor center, the mist pad, the sailboat pond. Everything was clean, easy to walk around, lovely walking space.

Really great place to bring the whole family.There are tons of exhibits both indoor and out.Bathrooms are readily available throughout the outdoor exhibits as well. Everything is clean, well kept, and cared for. All paths are wide and paved, easy for strollers/wheelchairs. There are also many water fountains and water bottle refill stations. You can bring your own food with you, and eat outside at the picnic tables. There are some misting stations outside as well, which will help cool you down if it gets hot. There is a bathroom right across from the sand and water exhibit, and one changing station as well.This place is worth the trip, and the price.

What a wonderful experience. I came here as a kid growing up and now to have an opportunity to bring my family. We love the Museum and it has only gotten better over the years. It has great indoor and outdoor exhibits, wildlife, plant life, and good food as well. We enjoyed it and can’t wait to come back. You have to come here !!

Great place to take the kids. The staff are extremely friendly and eager to help. Bathrooms and water fountains are plentiful. You can easily spend the entire day there, and the kids won't see everything. There really is something for everyone.

Loved coming here with the kids. It's full of interactive exhibits and an awesome treehouse play area. Kids had a blast and will definitely come back to visit again

There is something here for the entire family. We met up with my brother and his family and they are members. I am considering the membership because of all the play and educational benefits. The Play Learn area for toddlers was just renovated and we did this as the last part of our visit. On a beautiful day, you can spend all the time outdoors visiting the animals, tree house, the sound garden, rope courses and sandbox. My favorite part is the butterfly sanctuary with all of the tropical plants. I believe they are closed Mondays. Fun fun fun and so much to do for all.

We love coming to this museum my kid is always excited to come here. It so much of fun..They have opened a new indoor place and that’s really cool. Kids will spend a lot of time.The restaurant is always busy, food is good but pricy.The train ride is exciting too, we always hop on the train.Butterfly garden is very nice and enjoyable..Everting thing is good in the museum, you need to plan for a long day. We were there from 12 to close.They have EV charging stations but I was not able to charge. It required some approval..

Very large museum of interesting things to both the young and old. Be prepared to do a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes. However, it is a gorgeous place to visit and see all the exhibits. My favorite was the Butterfly House. But if you take your time and read all the information that is provided. It is a fulfilled day of education both indoors and outdoors.

The kids always enjoy going here. Lots of cool exhibits (i.e. space, NC wildlife, etc). The butterfly house is super cool. Make sure to hitch a ride on the train!

Huge museum, a big variety of activities to do and experiences to have. Everything was clean and the staff were friendly and helpful. We got to experience the butterfly room in early spring when they were all out flitting everywhere, and it was positively magical.

My experience at the museum was amazing, I enjoy myself with so many things they have at this museum. To be my first time, I was so amazed, because I know this a place I can take my nieces and they would enjoy it with the different things they have for kids to experience, the train ride was fun even if it was 5$ extra it was fun, the butterfly garden was amazing,the playground,they have animals, the science had so many things kids can do. This is a great place to bring kids. I absolutely loved it.

Really good Museum with lots of indoor/outdoor activities and environments for kids and adults. Some of the activities include the Butterfly House, Hideaway Woods, Farmyard, Sprout Cafe, Explore the Wild nature park, Catch the Wind, Dinosaur Trail, and the Ellerbe Creek C.P. Huntington train ride, and many more.You need to purchase tickets to get in but children from 0-2 years old don’t need tickets. Also, on Durham Community days, Durham County residents get in free with current proof of residence. All adults must have Durham residency to get in free; each adult can bring up to five children. Guests without current proof of residency will need to pay for tickets at check-in.Plenty of restrooms throughout the Museum The indoor and outdoor facilities are well maintained and safe. The animals look well taken care of. It has a small parking at the Museum but there is a large parking deck across the street. Parking is free.

Amazing place and worth the hype for Raleigh Durham area. We went for a kids birthday party. They have a mini zoo with live farm animals! As well as inside they have birds and reptiles, and in a separate area, a butterfly habitat - we saw a little girl covered in them (3-4 of them). Amazing. And really cool scientific interactive exhibits inside, as well as various playgrounds including a ropes based treehouse outside. Awesome experience.

Really impressive experience, especially for kids. Way too much to see in a single day, but you'll want to come back for more anyway. The treehouse alone is worth the price of admission (or better yet, membership)!

This is not a typical museum. There’s so much to see and do. Many interactive play areas. The size is truly impressive. You can spend an entire day here, with your kids, from open to close. The outdoor play areas are the best. ☀️ Wear your walking shoes, bring water bottles & sunscreen. 🩱Take a swimsuit or change of clothes. It’s very stroller accessible. Stop at the cafe or beer garden for drinks and a bite to eat. Highly recommend this for a family fun day! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This place is still a great place to bring the kids and family to. I feel like we always discover something new every time we get to come out here. If you haven't been, or it's been a while, then you should diffently come through

A must see place with kids. Wholesome entertainment, cool and comforting weather, nice trails with variety of play area/structures and clean indoor exhibits. Overall superb fun outing for the family.

4.7

(1610)

4.5

(921)

433 W Murray Ave, Durham, NC 27704, USA

+80 other lists

This place has definitely improved over the years! It's definitely worth your time going. It's free to enter and the paid events are not expensive at all. The best part is, you could spend all day there and still not see everything! I especially love their dinosaur exhibit. My only complaint is I wish the dinosaur exhibit was larger and more interactive for $10 a person. But I was surprised that they move!

Outstanding museum that continues to thrive and innovate. Currently under construction which is a testament to their constant growth. Big dinosaur stuff on the way! So informative and interactive. The exhibits truly come to life. The museum is free however certain exhibits are ticketed. Membership is less than $100 for families! You can’t beat that. A beautiful place to learn and grow. I highly recommend and look forward to coming back, I’ve been visiting this museum since I was a kid! I admire the progress and look forward to more knowledge and creativity. Stop by when you can!

What a great museum North Carolina had! I could spent a whole day here just looking how amazing they created the space. It’s spacious,detailed, and neat, and clean. The museum also has special exhibitions to interact with the visitors. With the amount of what they provide, it’s amazing that they don’t charge visitors to enter the museum. It’s a great place to learn and bring kiddos to explore.They have a cafe if you want to rest a bit and enjoy a cup of coffee while waiting for the kids to explore 😃

This is a free museum that is open to people of all ages. I was so impressed by their collections. It’s a 4-story museum with a breezeway that connects to research labs that are currently in operation. They have interactive exhibits that are so fun for the kids and adults alike. Watch for special exhibits that they are rotating through. Be sure to keep an eye out for some unique finds that are native to North Carolina and even more rare finds that exist only in this museum. The staff is very friendly and helpful!

Loved it. This place was massive and free. Two buildings, one was four floors and the other was three floors it took us about 5 hrs to go though the whole building and see everything. The bug exhibit was amazing especially with the terrariums of live bugs. Sadly the butterfly room was closed but we did see the sloth that was in their and got to watch him eat. They also had live feedings during the week. They also have a nice little Cafe next to the butterfly house on the fourth floor so you can watch the butterflies while eating.

Amazing Place! I took my family here for the first time and had quite the adventure. There are countless things to see and do and I only wish I could've done more. They have almost everything you can imagine in a museum. From the Paleontology Lab to the Living Conservatory, From the Biodiversity Lab to the 3D Cinema, this place has it all. Whether you're taking your kids there to learn something new or just looking for a little bit of nostalgia. No matter the reason, this place certainly has what every adult and child needs.

This museum is in downtown Raleigh and offers a nice variety of things to view and learn about. It is free to get in. The museum also has movies and special exhibits that require payment. Some of the areas close sooner than others. However, whether young or old, this place has something to educate anyone of any age. It is two buildings with multiple floors. There is a parking deck close by to park in, and it's just a short walk to the entrance.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh is a captivating journey through the state's diverse ecosystems and wildlife. With engaging exhibits, interactive displays, and knowledgeable staff, it offers an enriching experience for visitors of all ages. From dinosaur fossils to live animal habitats, the museum provides a hands-on exploration of the natural world, making it a must-visit for anyone curious about science and nature.

Very impressed with the amount of exhibits considering the admission is free. My small children loved it. Worth the visit and your donations. The staff at the Microbe viewing station were awesome. They let me 3 year old use a microscope. He loved every second of it. Very knowledgeable and engaging.

We took our kids here while on vacation in North Carolina. They had such a great time looking at the dinosaur models. I was very impressed that such a neat place was free to visit. You can tell that all of the models were very expensive and well made. My favorite part was learning about space and all of the space rocks they have on display. They also have a really pretty butterfly botanical garden that is also home to a sloth. Sadly this area was closed to visitors being able to go inside. Overall a 5/5 experience, perfect for learning! I can't wait to go back when the kids are a little older and can really appreciate what it has to offer.

Little disappointed that alot of the interactive labs and displays weren't working on the nature side. We originally went here 5 years ago and now again in 2023. As an adult nothing has changed much. Kids enjoyed it as they were to young to remember our first visit. If you do want to do labs do them first as they close at 3.

What an amazing place!! Lots of natural science exhibits from reptiles to dinosaurs with great staff available to answer questions and help with the hands-on displays. Something for all ages from toddlers to adults and there is no cost to get in to see the exhibits. There are some things like movies and such that do have a charge, but with everything to see on multiple levels, we didn't have a need to see any of that. Every time I come to North Carolina, I am more impressed with the states commitment to quality of life for the residents here, and this free museum is a great example.

Great museum! We spent about an hour there but could have spent the whole day. Lots of exhibits to check out, and lots to learn. There were lots of families walking around and enjoying the experience! They have some dinosaurs, spiders, bugs, geology, history, etc. very well laid out among the 4 floors with a cafe on the fourth floor. There is also a Sloth that you may be lucky enough to see like we did!

Went with the kids on field trip to the North Carolina museum and it was totally awesome! Need about 2 days so we could take our time and really check everything out. I think I liked it more than the kids 🤗.

Free admission. Worth your time. 5 floors of a very diverse exhibition. Very kid friendly. Cafe on the 4th floor for a quick snack. Bathrooms everywhere. Easy to navigate. Loads of parking nearby.Staff is very friendly, the mood is great. Variety of live animals (bugs, butterfly, etc)Must visit in Raleigh. Also a great alternative toMarbles just down the road.

This museum was well worth the drive to visit. We have three elementary school age kids and there were plenty of cool things for them to feel engaged with. A lot of real animals, taxidermy animals, humongous skeletons dangling from the ceiling....and plenty of viewpoints to see these things from. There were elevators and escalators to every floor as well as bathrooms on every floor. They also had water bottle refilling stations by every bathroom. There was a large parking lot nearby that is free to park in on the weekends. While we were there, we did the 3D movie which was very enjoyable. It was 25 minutes long, a bit long if you have kids under five, but it went by quickly. The 3D glasses aren't great for small heads, so be prepared to bend/adjust a lot for smaller children. All in all, it's an amazing museum to go to and even better that it's free. Well worth donating to them anyway despite the free admittance.

Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, this museum is an excellent choice for a weekend getaway or a weekday excursion with kids. It boasts an impressive collection of live insects on the top floor, other floors included snakes such as copperheads, cottonmouths, rat snakes, and other snakes commonly found in North Carolina. The dinosaur exhibits were a big hit with the children.We also decided to explore the spider exhibit, but I wouldn't recommend it. There are far more captivating displays and a 3D film to enjoy elsewhere.What's even better is that there's no admission fee, and the place wasn't crowded during our visit. I wholeheartedly recommend this museum for families, kids, or anyone with a passion for spending quality time exploring.Parking is available in public areas, and even on a weekend, we found ample street parking.

First of all, this place is educational. Probably will learn more here than from a teacher. Second, it’s entertaining and can brighten your schedule. Lastly, it’s free, which makes it a wonder without any price that you have you pay. Located in the heart of Raleigh, this place is a must for any visiting people.

We go to this museum all the time! We have never been during Bugfest. It was absolutely amazing!! One of the ladies that work there told us it’s the biggest event of the year. They offer several insects for you to see and touch, they also have lots of vendor set ups outside, you’ll get to see people dressed up in costumes, face painting, and just a lot of education on the several different kinds of insects . My kids loved it. We had so much fun and look forward to going next year.

This place is fantastic. Completely free, very well kept and clean. There is something for everyone there. Will be back soon.

the museum is rich in exhibits 3 or 4 floors, for all ages. About 2 hr walk through. You are your own tour guide. Best part is its no cost at all. You'll learn a bit of history on wildlife and science. The dinosaur exhibit was pretty cool. I was to scared to get in there with the butterflies though, it would be a nice experience if you aren't squirmish like me. Quite fascinating. Something fun to do if you're already in the area. I wouldn't suggest traveling more that 2 hours to get here. I don't like that there's certain life wildlife displayed in cases that aren't the appropriate length requirements for them to thrive in. I hope they are taken out at night or something, but don't believe they are. But overall all great experience.

Good place, I learned a lot here. Meanwhile, many exhibitions are closed due to some reason and some living animals- particularly insects are kind of disturbing.In general, it is a well-designed, educational, and free museum, so I am giving five stars.

Fun and educational place with lots of great exhibits. It was surprise for us knowing the museum is absolutely free to the public. Clean and very well maintained place. They also have canteen with good sandwiches and other snacks. Our favourite section was butterfly dome where we saw several species of butterflies. Love to visit this place again.

A great place to spend time in Raleigh. Entrance is free you only pay for movies and special exhibits. Beautifully maintained and designed museum.

4.8

(2315)

4.5

(2338)

11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA

+102 other lists

Gorgeous place! We usually go there to walk outside and there is lots of space to spread out from other people. What I especially love is that the grass is all natural (not an urban desert like many people’s lawns) and they have wild flowers planted throughout the area. Not only the wild environment looks absolutely stunning but it also supports bees and other insects. If you look closely, the grass has wild clover mixed in which is a native flower and feeds rabbits and other wildlife plus it’s drought resistant and stays green all summer long. It doesn’t grow long so you don’t have to mow as often if at all. We need more (or all) lawns to be natural to support our wildlife. Plus it’s healthier for people too.Another great thing - the NC Museum of Art is dog-friendly! There is a creek in the woods so dogs can quench their thirst there if you forgot water. I recommend all people who are travelling and need a place to stop and stretch their legs and give a break to their dogs/kids to stop at this place! Take advantage of this beautiful place and don’t forget to take pictures!Love this place! Breathe fresh air not pesticides!

Amazing outdoor art in rolling hills where one can picnic, fly kites etc. New building is big glass metal one, old is brown one. Both incredible with insane amount of very famous art. Great to go hang out and do own sketches/art of what you see or feel. They have wee seats one can borrow as well a wheelchairs and walkers for those with impairments

Beautiful museum. We came for the Dutch Art exhibit- it was spectacular. I generally prefer 1-2 hours at the museum, here I was happy to stay for several hours to take it all in and I’d happily return. Our local family purchased memberships which seem really worth it. Cafe was decent- great cappuccino, sandwiches were not bad, salad had great dressing. The outdoor grounds are beautiful and lots of fun for kids and adults!

This place is free all throughout the week The common ground is the free access. there are paid parts of the museum there are paid exhibits. But there is enough there to view for 3 hours of free fun and that's not including outside or reading all of the notes we came in about 12:00 and still left as they were closing. We had a great time. There are also two different buildings that have different exhibits in them. Will definitely be back soon. My favorite part was probably the cigarette machine or the old Roman statues. The cigarette machine has several different artists concept of art. It can arrange from pictures to portraits to sculptures. Definitely read signs around the exhibits some say don't touch some even say do not enter PLEASE READ THE SIGNS AS WE DEFINITELY MADE SOME MISTAKES AS WE WALKED AROUND THE MUSEUM FOR OUR FIRST TIME.

The entire experience at this museum was exceptional!Outdoor areas are great, very peaceful and lots of sculptures. There is a lot of walking involved, so wear comfortable shoes.There are multiple nature trails as well as the outdoor exhibits, they are very relaxing and you can rent a bike. We also had lunch at the cafe and would recommend.The indoor exhibits are simply amazing! There is something for everyone, from Renaissance portraits to the ancient Egyptian collection to the Roman mosaic to the modern art. There is so much to look at and I would have spent a whole week there wandering around. There is also an interactive area that is fun for little and big kids, and even adults.Everything about this museum is great, and I would definitely recommend this for any art lover.

This art museum was under construction when we went but they still had a lot to see. We saw the very cool exhibits inside and they have a vending machine to purchase little handmade art pieces, which was a lot of fun and we got some cute things. The best part was the outdoor exhibits. They have amazing architecture and I want to return soon! It is also a great walking track for families and pets. Tons of parking.

This is a fabulous walking area. Dog and bike friendly too. There are benches and vistas aplenty.A gorgeous combination of meadow, shady woodlands, pond, hills, and resting spots with large scale sculptures and native floral. There is a lovely bee garden with hives and plenty of healthy activity.A must if you are in the area. Open dawn to dusk, plenty of parking. Over 5 miles of trails, I didn't even cover half.The general art museum is free as well, but I didn't have enough time for that.

Absolutely beautiful museum with stunning outdoor spaces. Saw a family having a picnic and people strolling (and biking) around. I was fortunate enough to see Ruth E Carters exhibit and it was so captivating to see her career accomplishments laid out with thorough background information. The amount of research she does for her costume design is above & beyond. I ran out of time to finish seeing the exhibits in the second building, so I'll have to return!

Free admission !! Best museum I have ever been to. There are so much rare ancient pieces in the West building. There’s also a large park outside where you can walk around, or ride bicycle. Huge parking lot with some shaded trees. You can spend the whole day there. Highly recommend it, we really love it there.

We had a great time at this museum! We went with a school group with the Expedition School. The focus was on art made by women and on art made of recycled and found objects. The NC Art Museum offered a excellent docent who taught us about many of the works on display. Our teacher had worked with the museum in advance to create a scavenger hunt for the kids to find the art that will fit into their future science, ELA and Art projects. I’ve been to this museum many times before on my own, but I really appreciated how they handled having a slew of middle school kids trying to navigate their assignment. Excellent space and we loved the art!!

This museum is amazing. We didn't realize how big it was, and came after 12 pm on a Saturday and only had time for the West building. We came back on Sunday and spent the whole day doing the East building and outdoors. You can easily spend days here. There's so much to look at, and the paths outside are great, mostly all paved, and extensive.The bathrooms are clean, and each building has a free locker area to lock up your jackets/bags while you're walking around.

Easily one of the most incredible museums I’ve ever been to! Top 5 for sure. Such a hidden gem. Really thoughtful curation, juxtaposing contemporary & classical art with interesting text. Gorgeous space. Epic permanent collection.

This place is free? I just don't understand how this huge place is free for all to enjoy. Amazing grounds, fun sculptures, interactive art,nature beautifully maintained, extensive walking trails... I could go on about the unique gem that this place is, but instead I say go see for yourself.All the amenities too, free parking, access to a cafe, bicycle rental, great places to relax and take a break.The only thing that it might be worth knowing before going is if you mainly want to stay indoors call before you go, on our particular visit the west building was closed and the east building has a large number of exhibits getting redone, so if you plan was not to be outside and walking around talking it all in you may not have enjoyed it as much as there would be limited things to see.

We went to see one exhibit and quickly realized we should have allowed more time to see the rest of the museum. Loved Afrofuturism. We also had tickets to the outdoor concert featuring Samara Joy. Rain was predicted for the day and hours before the concert was to start I got an email that arrangements were made to change the venue indoors. Brilliant! Bravo to the museum and staff for making this happen.

This is a great thing to explore with your family in Raleigh. They have a lot of knowledgeable staff that works here as well. There is a never ending amount of things you can learn about in these museums. It’s very clean and very cool. It is also free entrance so if you have a big family and looking for something cheap/free to do. I would highly recommend the art and science museums!In the science museum there is a live butterfly exhibit!!

We honestly only walked around outside. But it is a beautiful stroll with plenty to see, read, and do. You can bring your little ones and see sculptures and nature combined for free. It was a great walk on a fall day.

Came here with my boyfriend about a month ago and had a great time. Their were two different buildings, one consisting mainly of art, and the other with a dining area, store, and more art. There were also several outside areas to explore. All the art was very unique and engaging. I would like to mention, their is no admittance fee or anything, unless you want to view the private room. Would definitely like to come back and see more of what the outdoor areas have to offer.

Art in bloom was spectacular! My nephew blessed me with behind the scenes experience. A lot of work, but worth every smile you saw!

An awesome experience if you're looking for something free to do during the week. The art selection is diverse so I feel like there is something for everyone. Take a moment to enjoy the artwork and then head outside for a walk around the museum park pathways. Any day of the week you will find locals going for walks, having picnics, or hanging out with friends.

Awesome museum. Today, I visited the park that's next to the museum. It's prom season, kids flying kites and dogs being walked on a gorgeous 70 degree day.

A multifaceted place with both indoor and outdoor options. It was just a tad cold for us, so we did not explore the trails (but would very much like to.) It definitely seemed like a regular destination for local folks to visit for outdoor walks with families and with their dogs!Inside it has both the formal/historical, and the more current/local, types of exhibits —in the west and east buildings, respectively.The range of the formal presentations is impressive (I.e., African, European, American, Egyptian). Also, their use of unified/simplified large digital touchscreen displays is both very attractive (less clutter) and very effective. They have even used technology to make ordering food at the restaurant/cafeteria easy, right from your seat. Pretty cool.Being slightly out of town makes them easy to get to and easy to park, all for free.If you like museums at all, this is an easy choice to be sure to include in your visit to Raleigh.

For a free place to visit it was outstanding. I was shocked to see so much art from so many different places and times. Requires quite a lot of time to properly enjoy it all. Nice grounds too, for a good walk

Absolutely stunning. I was impressed, both by the exhibitions and the park. You'll need a full day if you really want to delve into the collections. The staff is extremely friendly and the lighting is most of the time ideal, which really stimulates our contemplation of the pieces of art on display. Plus we were warmly welcomed, we really appreciated the passion that the staff showed.

Went with my best friend to look at the art and get some nice pictures. It was really nice . We loved our time there. Spent a couple hours there

From history to modern art, paintings to sculptures, metal to fabric, visuals to audio, indoor and outdoor - here's a little of everything! Must visit for a rejuvenating experience. Choose a day when the temperatures are comfortable for a long walk outdoors to make the most of your day

Wonderful place. It was a surprise to find out the visit was free of charge both to the museum and the park. Wonderful exhibitions. But the park itself is my best choice to visit in the area now)

Visited during my first time in Raleigh and I was blown away by the quality and the quantityof art on display. While the more contemporary artists were my favorites (especially Kehinde Wiley's Judith and Holofernes), there are also ancient and classical works as well. That includes a few Monet paintings, a Botticelli, and others.Rain prevented us from checking out the sculpture garden, but I'd love to go back and see it on a future visit. The café and gift shop were nice as well. The best part is that admission is free!

A museum that hits WAY above its weight. 🎨 10/10 worth going, not least because it's 🆓! (Donation suggested) Great variety of art. It has a surprising amount of antiquities too. It's a beautiful place to take a stroll around the museum grounds.

Overall really nice, some sections being worked on. Free and surrounded by a very large and well manicured park with installations displayed throughout the grounds. I Loved the Egyptian and early century stuff, fiance more of the victorian-euro paintings and portraits. Ourdoor pools and displays were also tasteful and well done. Good mix of times, medium and artistic styles. Definitely agree it's one of the few places you need to visit in Raleigh (that's more of a diss on the city not the museum)

4.8

(9867)

4.5

(1842)

2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA

I'm a trucker and didn't do the motel, I did the steak house, the little joint at the fuel desk is no more.. I don't get here often and didn't know it'd closed. The steak house was pricey, compared to what I intended to do. I rarely go to places like that, so I splurged and ordered a porterhouse.. it was prepared perfectly and the baked potato was as good as they come, salted husk etc.. but to be clear.. very clear.. it was a pretty good T-Bone, it in no way was a Porterhouse. If it hadn't been prepared as well as it was and an excellent salad bar I might add, I'd probably have fussed at them, I surely would have written a scathing review as well.. the young lady who waited on me was very pleasant to.. so there you go.. armed with my perspective.. I'll do it again, as a treat.. not a quick meal ever..

Stopped in for the night. Our first stay. Stayed in a room adjacent to the outdoor pool. Rooms were bare basic but updated and clean. Shower mat could use a scrubbing and when we came into the room the shower faucet was leaking which they remedied. Our family enjoyed using both the indoor and outdoor pools. Outdoor was a salt water pool and indoor was chlorinated. Both mattresses in our double bed room were not the same. One was older with springs you could feel covered over with a padded mattress topper and the mattress on the other bed was newer and more comfortable or less squeaky. Didn’t realize this until I had put my children to bed in the more comfortable one. I could have slept better.Overall not a bad stay by any means at a good price point. Really enjoyed the pools!

South of the Border is in need of some work to upgrade. Yes you can get gas, and yes there is an RV park. But fix the buildings. I bet most of the shops have been there without upgrading from when my mom and dad stopped there when we were children on our way to Homestead, Fla. My dogs have a place to stop and eat. I do appreciate that small luxury.

My family told me to stop at this place on my way back to Florida and I’m so glad I did. It’s funky and fun, loved it! We shopped for a good hour, so many random things. Everyone left with a free things. Worth the stop!!!

We got to spend the night at South Of The Border for our first time ever and we have to that we definitely enjoyed our experience.The check in staff was friendly and helpful. The room was small with no modern conveniences but we didn't need anything like that we were happy to have a place to rest for the night.It was quiet over night so we got our good night's sleep.We look forward to coming back again.

It is not new, nor fancy, but it clean, a reasonable rate, there is plenty to do. The staff was great. The restaurant food, I was only to one location and had a cheeseburger, was cheaper grade. The hamburger patty was one of those patties that was made with every part of the cow, and was small. Again, even in the restaurant, the staff was great. I would definitely stay there a again, but next time I will bring a coffee maker.

Our first time trying this place and it was nice. The room was clean. The bed and pillows very comfortable. The water was very hot for baths and showers. They also have a nice heated pool! Check in and check out was pleasant. It is a motel so you do hear noise from outside people and cars. The Peddler Steakhouse was great and the ice cream shop at Sombrero room was yummy.

During our family annual 1000 mile road trip to and from Florida...South of the border is always a welcome site and indicator that we are half way there! The lights and sight always brings excitement. With plenty of food, souvenir shops and I must mention CLEAN bathrooms (which are always a huge plus when you really have to Gooooo...this is a must pit stop to refuel, re-energize and to stretch weary legs.

Gas was very affordable and the customer service was excellent! Bathrooms are always so clean! Great place to make a pit stop! Never had the food but I've heard great things. The souvenir shops are awesome as well. Everyone is so friendly!

We got there super late into the night. The front desk was helpful and sweet. She hooked up us with accommodation that were right for our party and the taste was completely affordable.The bed was comfortable and the pillows were soft. Not very long after climbing into bed, I was sound asleep.My only regret was that we were unable to stay longer and explore more.

In my opinion, this place is stuck in the 70's. The past 4 times we've stoped here gave us an Erie feeling. It was always empty, I mean the whole place, felt alone no matter what time we stopped there. It was like entering an abandoned town that you just want to hurry up and get out of there quickly. If you like going back in time, this is for you

So, we have driven past S.O.B for years and never had the opportunity to visit or stay, well that changed last night. We couldn't resist the lights and lore of this famous roadside landmark.I reserved online for a standard King room, approximately $107 with 50% down with deposit. When I received my email confirmation, it said that "check in time is 3pm" and "after 7pm, the reservation will be released", so I called the desk to inform them we wouldn't be arriving until 8:30pm or so. When we arrived, the reservation was still there. We paid the balance at check-in. The room was a decent size, clean with tile floor (no carpet). Only one side of the bed had an accessible outlet for charging phones. And a mattress upgrade wouldn't be a bad idea, IMHO The Sombrero restaurant was open until 11pm. Very clean, good hot food, and very friendly staff. After dinner, we went into Polanco's Bar, which was also open until 11pm. Tasty margaritas and friendly bartender. In the morning, we returned to the Sombrero for breakfast, again, good hot food and friendly wait staff. Next stop was Reptile Lagoon, because that was on our travel list (to see alligators). There's a lot to see in there, and for only $8/adult, you can't beat the price.

Place was spacious, nice and clean. The TV was kinda small for the size of the room. They advertise a heated pool but the pool was cold so we didn't spend about 5 minutes in it. If you go after 6 pm every thing was closed except a place that served a little bit of food. If we would have known that there was a Waffle House on the other side of the interstate we would have gone there instead. Other than that a nice souvenir shops and a great fireworks selection.

Cool place. Lots of stuff to see if you are passing through. We loved the Reptile Lagoon. Nicely kept, well fed and fun to look at. Tons of different species! super cheap and a fantastic place to stretch your legs!

Nice safe tourist trap of a small town. I really couldn’t find any negatives for the price I paid. Room was spacious compared to many motels, every room has a parking spot in front of it, no pet fee was a big plus for me. Service was very friendly and professional. Overall a good place to stay if you need to stop and sleep along 95. Would come back for sure.

I haven't been here since I was a kid, and I don't think it's changed at all. The only criticisms I have is that tiles are cracked in the rooms and a lot of the decor is aged... It's dated, yes, but that's the allure. It's also aged and could use some repair... But it's still wonderful. The staff was friendly, rates are cheap, the room was very clean and even pet-friendly. Absolutely loved the place, would definitely recommend to anyone passing through

My husband brought me here 7 years ago for the first time, for me, and this was the 2nd with our kids. It is a great souvenir spot. It is a little outdated, but the souvenirs are good, and there are a lot of them. There are several businesses here. Some are food, and some are just souvenir shops. It is a great place for the kids to see and take pics. It's located around Florence, SC.

The updated rooms are nice. The room we stayed in last night was outdated, but clean. The water in the tub ran all night though. (Not a trickle, it ran. Would not shut off.) We got in too late to really care though. (We just kept the bathroom door closed so we didn't hear it.) The employees are very friendly and the prices are reasonable as well. There's lots to do on the area as well.

Hotel stay was sub-par, we got in so late, no energy to really complain. Hotel staff secured us an “updated” accommodation, however the room itself left a lot to be desired. Hotel pricing was very reasonable, but, may not be worth just sleeping in your truck. Walls are paper-thin, shower water pressure and heat were meh. Truck parking is ample if you get there early enough. Best joint on the compound is “Polanco’s Bar” by and far, Michelle is a sweetheart. We’ve eaten at “The Peddler Steak House” several times, it’s just OK, price point high for what it is (but not much else in the area for “home-cooked” style meal)

We are there off-season, so I'm sure that's why there were no crowds. The places a little bit dated. However, however, it is absolutely sweet. The shops the gift shops, wonderful merchandise, very authentic stuff. Prices are more than reasonable staff and all the locations are great. I hope this place that's better with a little bit of investments of money. A few different rides and attractions. This place would be a destination point all year round.

Everything was very clean, staff was friendly and the food was very good.Kinda got stuck here because we had the rig and were just too tired to drive any further, but we ended up being pleasantly surprised. Dinner at the steak house was excellent (really didn't expect that), breakfast at a different restaurant was very good and was 20% off for booking a room.The rooms were just fine. They even came with their own little car ports. They each have 2 doors. 1 to the car port and 1 to the pool. I wouldn't call it fancy, (it's not supposed to be), but it was clean, the food was great and we had so much fun! (All the statues in various places made for fun pictures.) We will 100% be back on future trips.

We love it here! My family has been staying here often for several years. The staff at the front desk is always extremely helpful and kind. They are pet friendly and make you feel at home here.SOB is friendly to veterans and military as well as their families. We really appreciate this!Security patrols the whole place keeping an eye out. There is lots of room to walk around and look at all of the neat attractions. Several places to eat, including a fancy steakhouse.For the price it can’t be beat! Rooms are spacious, but basic. Some have refrigerators and coffee pots but others do not. You would have to ask when you check in.Two nice pools are available to you.

This has been a half way poit when driving to flordia. Everytime we go the bathrooms are horrendous the workers in there complaining about how it's not worth working there which it shows because the hand dryers don't work and honestly has become a place I don't want to stop by anymore. Yeah shops are nice but really hope they update this place soon I remember being a kid and it was full of life but not anymore.

Stopping by South of the Border was an unexpected blast from the past, triggering a flood of childhood nostalgia from those classic I95 road trips. This iconic roadside attraction is more than just a pit stop – it's a journey through time, filled with quirky charm and vibrant colors that transport you back to simpler days.From the towering Pedro statues to the neon signs and souvenir shops, every corner of South of the Border is steeped in history and Americana. It's impossible not to feel a sense of excitement and wonder as you explore this roadside oasis, rediscovering beloved attractions like the Sombrero Tower and the Reptile Lagoon.Whether you're reliving old memories or creating new ones, a visit to South of the Border is an experience like no other. So next time you're cruising down I95, make sure to take a detour and immerse yourself in the magic of this timeless roadside gem!-Marisa Balletti-Lavoie

Wonderful place and area to stop to visit while traveling. Seems like little mexico. Wonderful shops, food and accessibility. Something to keep the whole family entertained while you relax ,stretch out, and unwind on your brief break from your travels. GREAT REST STOP!!!

Rooms were spacious but creepy, dark and wet feeling. Clean but oddly uncomfortable. Front desk was polite. No cdl discounts despite being right next to truck stop. $107 for a room. Just not worth the money. This poor place is just a “has been”. They have soooo many rules posted for everything that it seems like it would take the fun out of the place. Would not return.

3.9

(23872)

3.0

(977)

3346 US-301, Hamer, SC 29547, USA

3 lists

My husband and I had a great time. We didn't win big, we lost, but it was still a really nice experience. After 3 hours we were ready to get back to land. I highly recommend it for a date night. We only played the slot machines because once people were at tables they wouldn't leave. Great time and we didn't lose a lot. We gained laughs, love and made memories 😘 Staff was very friendly.

First time here. It was awesome!! Didn't win though. I love the upper deck it was very relaxing and the co*cktails were good. Food not so much! Wrap and subs. No thanks. I didn't like it. Staff was very friendly and helpful. I will definitely do again.

Took the 6pm cruise with friends. It was a nice, inexpensive way to enjoy the afternoon and watch the sunset on the ocean. There is a limited menu offered on the boat. $10 for a sandwich with chips and a non-alcoholic drink. Pizza and hotdogs. The crew was constantly wiping down commonly touched areas.

Loved it. You are able to sit on the upper deck and enjoy the views. Don't have to gamble, there were people playing mahjong, dominos on the upper deck. It was a good time to be had. Took the afternoon cruise but I'm sure the evening cruise is just as much fun. It was very enjoyable, and I'm not a gambler.

The casino ship we were on has 3 decks. Machines and tables are on deck 1 and 2. Deck 2 also has a concessions stand where you can buy sandwiches and such, but need to get chit at bar. Deck 3 is really nice for those in it for the cruise only. Tables and chairs on rear deck in the sun. Tables, chairs at mid deck in the shade but open on sides. Fore deck for standing, in the sun, to see where you are going. Basically sailing in a circle, offshore, the required distance from land to legally gamble. Nice, pleasant cruise while wife loses a few bucks. Would recommend if you have a few spare hours and want to get away from it all.

We went on Christmas Eve and it was so fun! Festive with friendly and helpful staff. The rise to off shore was smooth and we even saw a dolphin! Really great!

We had a great day.. had a 5 hour cruise longer than the SS Minnow and we came.back to the dock.. We gambled some, didn't walk away with money but a lady we talked to hit a big pay off.. good for her..

Takes about 45 minutes to get to international waters so you can begin gambling. Plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the ship. Enjoy a cool breeze and beverage at the top deck bar. Very friendly staff and prompt bartenders. It was definitely worth going to check it out.

First time ever on a Casino boat. I was surprised by 2 things: just how much puke one can produce and 2 just how much fun one can have on a Casino boat inspite of motion sickness! They had a bar on every level and lots of view, the staff were really nice, really kind and so professional at the same time!!I would highly recommend for everyone 21+ even people who just want to enjoy being on the water or want to have a delicious sandwich or a drink on the boat.

Great customer service, clean ship/restrooms and hand sanitizer everywhere. Great layout/ use of space. Dealers were fun, professional and helpful if you had questions. You can step outside and see dolphins in the ocean. Didn't have an issue as a non-smoker; there are designated areas for smokers. I just wish they had a couple more food options. Drinks were in small cups but cheap/decent.

Great cruise- only 140 people on boat today Jan 18th, do we had access to almost every game we wanted to play. Everyone on staff friendly.

This was so much fun! The ship is beautiful, very clean and comfortable. The food was great and affordable. The staff were very personable and accommodating. Came home a winner after hitting two big jackpots playing the slot machines. Will definitely go back. Thanks for the memories.

We had a great time for my husband’s birthday! We are use to big cruise ships so we thought it would be a breeze. It’s a nice ship but smaller than we’re used to and it took some adjusting we could feel every wave and got seasick. The staff was very friendly and offered us ginger ale and motion sickness medicine. After that we were good. My husband won $7.50 and I won 50 cents on the slot machines lol 😂 As you can probably tell neither one of us are gamblers we went for the experience and to add memories -goal accomplished 😍We had a great time and they were announcing some really big winners !

I agree with most of the reviews you have hopefully read. We wanted something to do since we’re here at Myrtle Beach all week. Saw big m casino was offering a half day cruise starting at 11am-4 or 6pm-11. The weather caused our trip to be cut a little short. Ship ll is the one we did and I will tell you, it took off right at 11am. At this point you can look around because you can’t start playing games until very close to 12 o’clock. The sub sandwich was good. You could get pizza, cheeseburger, hotdogs or subs and all come with chips of choice. The waiters are nice. They have around 250 games including live tables. There is games on the first and second deck and the third deck is where you can sit or stand and take in the sites or smoke. I’m really glad smoking is not allowed in the casino area. Now what I really like is if you’re a veteran, you get a discount. We paid $30 bucks total which includes the ship and lunch which is $60 bucks for the average non military folks for a party of two. Another thing I liked is if you get a player card, you get cash back if you play their slots. Just take your card to the cashier window and they will scan it. Some people came just for the cruise, but to have both sites and gaming is great. Even though our trip was cut short due to no fault of our own, I think it would have been great if they would have offered everyone a coupon to come another time. They disable the games prior to coming back to the port, so if you’re playing and lord forbid if you’re in a bonus round, the game will just stop so everyone has time to stand in line to cash in your vouchers

The short cruise was a little rough in the beginning, but my body adjusted to it. Just needed to go outside and get some fresh ar. My wife had a great time playing the slots. The food was basic snack food such as sandwiches, hot dogs and pizza. The crew was very friendly.

Had a wonderful get away from the usual. Took the 11:00 am to 4:00 pm cruise out of Little River SC. Arrived an hour early with plenty of parking available. Only a 150 yard walk to the pier. Excellent Boar Head brand sandwiches available to purchase. Free coffee station. Gambling starts about 45 minutes after getting underway. Overall it was an enjoyable experience.

4.3

(2343)

3.5

(473)

4491 Mineola Ave, Little River, SC 29566, USA

What a great place!! Cheep to get in with fabulous walking trails all through. They have a great selection of animals with a lot of them roaming around. Your up close and can feed most from your hand.They had some big cats that your right up close to. We ended up staying for hours enjoy being with nature. We would highly recommend this wonderful zoo if you have kids or even if your a big kid.

Would give zero stars if able. I have read the good reviews posted about this place and can’t for the life of me understand what they saw wonderful about these conditions. The only thing I can gather is that they were either confusing it with another zoo, are fake reviews, or were high as a kite walking through the place. There was nothing enjoyable. My kids and I left feeling sad and upset at the conditions these animals are forced to live in. Social monkeys that usually live in groups are living alone in small cages. All animals looked sick and malnourished, with many looking stressed or like they had bad health problems. The bears (pictured) and various other animals were missing large areas of fur. The monkey pictured below had eyes swollen shut. The Lynx was in a small 10x10 foot cage with no where to climb. All enclosures/exhibits were filthy and run down. 99% of the enclosures were WAY too small for the type of animal it was housing. It was sickening to see large cats and bears with no space to run or climb. No food or water was seen in any enclosure and it was a really hot day we were there. I have been to many zoos where animals get excited for food, but these animals fought each other to get food from us as if they were starving. I wish there was a way to get this place shut down and the animals moved somewhere they can be treated better and thrive.

I would give no stars if I could! I wish I had read reviews before going. I'm shocked that this place has been allowed to remain open! Absolutely disgusted over the state of these poor animals. Not only are the enclosures dirty, tiny and rundown, they're also lacking anything to engage the animals. No trees for the monkeys, some of them are in sheds indoors, the bears have either muddy water, concrete or about a 6 foot cage of mud to live in, the lions have a small concrete rundown cage with no way to see the sun. The animals look so unhappy. I'm contacting PETA to see if there is anything they can do. I'm including pics of the grounds, enclosures and animals.

My family went here the week of July 10th. The reviews online made me very skeptical about what we were going to see. My son had his heart set on going so we gave it a chance. I think that the employees really care about the animals. You can tell that the majority of the animals are well fed and cared for correctly. You can purchase feed at the register to give to the animals and you can definitely tell that the animals are used to that. The animals are really cute. We loved how the peaco*cks just roamed free!My first area of concern is that the zoo does need some repairs. Some of the buildings are run down and it could use some TLC. My second issue is that the map isn’t the easiest to read and you can end up going in a bunch of circles. My third problem is that it’s called a zoo but there are a ton of goats - all different kinds that you see. I would say that the majority of animals are goats. They are adorable though. Finally, it is advertised to see tigers but there were no tigers to see. That was disappointing. It was supposed to be one of the last animals we saw and then there were none. It was a let down.

Visited last week for the first time, had my 8mo daughter & my 14yo neice & we had a lot of fun! The ladies in the front were pleasant! Hand feeding the animals was great & the peaco*cks roaming freely was a sight! The only thing is the SC heat makes for a short visit diring the summer if your not properly packed! All animals (besides the monkeys honestly) looked well kept, just hot!! The big birds were my favorite!! Definitely something we will be back to enjoy!

After reading reviews we weren't expecting much, but it actually turned out to be a pretty cool experience! The zoo is a little run down, but they had more animals than I expected; the lions and bear were a surprise. You could also feed most of the animals. Don't expect a meticulously landscaped and paved park with state-of-the- art exhibits. You will do quite a bit of walking on dirt paths with tree roots along the way.

Beautiful zoo. You get the opportunity to pet so many more types of animals than a standard zoo or petting farm. The bears exhibit was sadly small but all of the other exhibits were large and the animals looked very happy! Feed is cheap and well worth it.

I read the reviews and paid attention to the negative reviews but went anyway. 1) Do the hábitat.for the monkeys, bears, and lions seem to small but later research show they meet FDA standards. 2) Is some items run down? Yes but all in all the property is maintainedIn conclusión do yourself a favor and visit. More visitors means more money to upgrade and renovado. While I was there the staff was doing routi e maintenance and even went out and took pictures of the peaco*cks with babies that were walking freely around the property. The zoo only got a 4 stars because of the few exhibirse that needed upgrading

3.4

(1563)

3.5

(575)

8500 Enterprise Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588, USA

1 list

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!

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.

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.

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.

Finally knocked out the Oakridge Trail. You'll need a decent amount of water. The hike took me around 4 hours to complete. There were areas that have downed trees blocking the winding trails, and also an area that has become completely submerged. I lost the trail twice. One time I had to cross swamp water on a tiny tree trunk to continue the trail so please be vigilant of trail markers. Get lost in your mind not the trails. I highly recommend you come prepared for this hike. Food, water, emergency supplies, and navigation supplies. You end up very far from anyone and isolation is very real. The hike is definitely worth it however. There is so much wildlife when you get this far out!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 !!!

Beautiful boardwalk and nature trails. If you like the serenity of nature, I recommend visiting during the week. Weekends attract more families with small children and larger groups that are loud. Visitors center is beautiful and educational, clean restrooms.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 availableKind staff & helpful people.

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!

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!

Wow!! If you LOVE nature, you'll love this. We saw an owl, gator, raccoon, alligator gar, turtles, dozens of birds, butterflies, fireflies, worms, etc....The trees are AMAZING!! I love birds, trees, and plants, so I used two apps to identify them: Merlin (birds) and Picture This (plants and trees).Easy to Difficult trails. Be prepared with mosquito repellent, which you need to apply in the parking lot before leaving your vehicle (same with sunscreen) so as to protect the natural habitats.Be sure to go to the bathroom and have water with you before entering the trails. There is nothing between you and nature for miles.

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!

Saw a gator, went in April and the trails were open but caterpillars were everywhere in epic paportions- wear a hat. Check the NPS website because there is regular flooding here and sometimes the trails aren't accessible. Visitor center and video are nice.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Unless you're coming from Columbia, it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but well worth the trip. We didn't do any paddling or camping, but the boardwalk through the cypress swamp is beautiful. The visitor center is staffed with knowledgeable rangers and interesting displays. Had a great time there.

4.7

(3330)

4.5

(447)

South Carolina, USA

2 lists

Wow! This was a great experience for our family and they really aim to educate visitors about their beautiful birds. We experienced both the flight demonstration and the owl flight demonstration and both were incredible. You really get a chance to witness and get up close to magnificent birds. They are also doing great work to rescue and rehabilitate injured birds. Love this place!

HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking for a little something to do that’s not on the beaten path or something you would think of as a day adventure. Super informative, the staff are great! It’s worth sitting through the demo and watching the birds they bring out and then walking the grounds. Everything is super clean and the bird enclosures are immaculate. Very impressed, we will absolutely be back.

This place is phenomenal. They do flight demonstrations and discuss the variances of flight and hunting. They flew owls, a red tail and a turkey vulture. They also took time to ask questions. Very knowledgeable people working for a great cause and they are all volunteers.When they are done, you can tour 2 areas (walk) where they keep the birds.Note: Slightly long walk across a fairly flat field to get to the bleacher like seats. It is South Carolina; it will be HOT in the summer so I suggest appropriate clothes, a hat and a water.

The place is absolutely amazing! The types of birds are all beautiful and cool! I was late to see the other things they showed but I still had a great time!

Beautiful birds and wonderful staff and volunteers. The lady that hosted the flight demonstration (Addie) was so knowledgeable and did a beautiful job sharing her knowledge of the birds.

Having worked in the zoo community and visited many exotic animal facilities all over the country, The Center for Birds of Prey really stood out to me as an outstanding measure we should all strive to reach for! The flight demo was so intriguing to watch and anywhere you were in the crowd was a great place to be as birds fly overhead and all around. The adjoining presentation was so informative and entertaining. Stephen made it simple enough for kiddos to understand, but never watered down the information. Young and old alike all had a wonderful time! After the presentation, I spoke to multiple animal caregivers. My visit was on New Year's Eve and the staff was so patient and happy to be there answering my gazillion questions! The love and respect they have for these animals is just so apparent in their words and actions. Afterwards, we were all free to roam the guest facing parts of the center- which is HUGE, so serene, and even more beautiful. That said, words and pictures don't do it justice! You simply have to see for yourself! If you're visiting the area make sure to put this on your itinerary!

The Center for Birds of Prey was one of the highlights of our trip! The flight demonstrations were amazing, as were the presentations about the birds. It was such a treat to see not only raptors, but also a wide variety of owls! You get a multitude of photo opportunities, if you enjoy photography. The birds are well-cared for in every way. The staff and volunteers are highly-knowledgeable and friendly. If you love birds of prey, plan to spend most of the day there - we were there 5 hours and the time just flew by (pun intended!).

Great Experience. Super fun birds of all kind raptors, eagles, owls. Unfortunately I did not get there in time for any shows. But I hear they are great! So get there Early. You can hold the bird claws. Bring some bug spray because there are mosquitoes. I went with my family so it is family firendly! You should go to Sea Wee after for good food.

What a great experience to visit. The work they do to rehabilitate raptors is incredible. We went to "Owls by moonlight" and enjoyed it very much. Whether you are an avid birder or just interested in learning the plight of raptors, I strongly suggest you visit.

Excellent! Knowledgeable and friendly staff. My grandson and I toured the center and went on the guided owl tour. We both learnt a lot about owls in this area and North America. The owl flight exhibition was the highlight of our day - fantastic experience for both of us. Thank you!

Extremely educational. Went with a homeschool group and learned a lot myself as well. Staff is knowledgeable and passionate

Excellent experience for people of all ages! The flight demonstrations were awesome and left us wishing for more!

Been a huge fan of birds of prey for as long as I can remember so had to check this place out while we were in town, accidentally stumbled upon it on maps. It was everything I was hoping it would be: up close and personal with several species of large birds! Staff was super cool and informative on the different bird types. As part of the demonstration, had one of the birds fly about an arms length away!My wife, who was nowhere near as excited as me to go, really enjoyed the visit as well!

We visited the Avian Center on Saturday, and it was fantastic. The flight show of the selected birds was so cool. We enjoyed being able to get up close to see some of the birds of prey. The volunteers were knowledgeable and very pleasant. The fella (did not catch is name) that gave the talk was so entertaining and answered everyone's questions. After the show we did a self-guided tour around the enclosures and the saw owls, falcons, buzzards, eagles, etc. The grounds are well kept, and it was a great day. Since this is a 501c3 all the ticket money goes back to the center. It is a beautiful place to visit and very educatable for kids and adults.

4.8

(234)

5.0

(1358)

4719 N Hwy 17, Awendaw, SC 29429, USA

+71 other lists

This starts with a nice relaxing ferry ride to the island. We loved sitting on the deck outside and looking at the water and the city. Once we arrived at Fort Sumter, we were giving a brief overview by one of the Rangers about the monument. The Rangers are extremely knowledgeable and can answer almost any questions. There is a lot of history there and it is interesting to learn. It’s well preserved a great addition to our Charleston trip. We probably would not go back again but we were glad we went once.

The tour of Fort Sumter was the perfect length at approximately an hour. We took the first tour at 9:30 and I highly recommend it. It is cooler and better yet we rode with all the docents! Ranger Walter gave the history of the Fort and the area. It is mostly preserved in its mostly destroyed state. Restoring it imo would take away from the story.

Highly recommend taking the time to see this tour! The history and the boat ride through the harbor were both memorable! Arrive early to stand in line to board the boat and buy your tickets in advance.

Must do experience while in Charleston. I must admit spending time on the water to and from the island was half the reason I visited Fort Sumter. The views of the Battery, Ravenal Bridge, and Sullivan's Island from the ferry were stunning. Knowledgeable guides and a very well written brochure provided more background and history than could be absorbed for one day. Next time I'd like to go early and stay late, so I could spend more time in the museum. The sound system can't compete with the engine and the waves. More speakers on board are needed to be able to actually hear the park ranger clearly. Old and young alike catch just enough snippets to be tantalized without being informed. Also, the web site refers to a garage on the Charleston side without providing a map or the cost of parking, so we opted for Patriots Park on the Mt Pleasant side for $5. All in all, the excursion was well worth the time and money. I'll make time for a fourth trip when I can make a day of it. Fascinating, really.

This is a must do exhibit if you visit the Charleston area. You have a brief ferry trip to the monument. As you arrive, you can see the stations of where the cannons were pointing outward. The fort itself is well preserved and it’s history is very fascinating. Quick tip: You can take part in the “raising” and lowering of the American flag if you are on either the 9:00 or 4:00 tours. The overall tour was quite informative and pleasant.

While it was one of the hottest days, the Ferry ride and the Fort were amazing. Because we were on the first tour of the day, they needed help raising the garrison flag. I didn't hold the flag but I got to witness my family participating. Bring a water bottle, they have refill fountains at the fort.

The ferry ride to Fort Sumter is pleasant and relaxing. When we got to the fort, we had to wait almost 15 minutes for the ferry in front of us to load and depart before we could disembark and explore the fort, and our time was cut short because of it. My advice, please plan to get back to the ferry on time so others may have the same experience. Other then being rushed, it was a great experience, hearing the story of the history of the fort was fascinating, and the museum was packed full of information and artifacts.

Ft Sumter Is Beautiful a lot of cool history!I recommend you take the Last Ferry of the day you also will have a chance to take down the flag and fold it when arriving at the island for the last Trip!Very beautiful place and the museum is pretty cool!

A beautifully crafted tour to one of our nations most important historical sites. The Park Rangers are exceptionally knowledgeable and provide ample time to ask questions once they concluded their initial speech pertaining to the history of Fort Sumter through the ages.Wear shoes, bring sunblock, and a snack if you get hangry like me.Approx 3 hours from start to finish.

Essential American history expedition. Park Rangers were knowledgeable and did a great job sharing both Union and Confederate viewpoints to give the complete story of one of the pivotal places in our nation’s history.

First, the 30 min ferry ride was relaxing and informational. We were able to spot dolphins several times during the ride. The historic Fort itself is wonderful to explore. They have a museum which explains the history of the Fort and displays historic artifacts. The flag raising ceremony (first trip only) was also very meaningful. Restrooms were clean and well maintained. There’s also a tiny gift store at the fort.

Nice relaxing and informative boat ride out. We were the first tour of the day so we got to see the raising of the flag. Amazing when coupled with the history of the fort. The young lady who gave us the history was amazing at her job. I teared up a couple times. (I'm like that with some history things I guess.) When arriving and going to the flag pole, and continued history, it knocks out 10-15 minute from the hour that you have, The only thing I would like to see is an extra half hour to tour the grounds more. Other than that it was well worth the time and ticket to get there!!

Great place to soak in history. Wish we had a bit more time to get around and read all the plaques and fully experience the museum.

As a history nerd, this monument literally makes me giddy. I spent several hours exploring this place boring my poor parents with every random fact I know. It is definitely worth the trip if you know the history. Even if you don't know the history, it is still pretty darn cool. I mean, who doesn't love old abandoned forts and cannons?

A great experience!! I wish the ferry options allowed for a longer visit, as it did feel rushed. You get about an hour to explore, however I would have probably wanted 2 hours to really immerse myself and read all the history. Also, the ferry will cost you $30+ per person just as a heads up.

Wonderful place, can feel the past come alive here. The ferry ride gives you a chance to see other ships too. Currently a ticket is $35.. Note to park in the lot for the ferry, is $5 same as it has been the last 10+ years.

Very important events in our nation happened here. The rangers on the island & visitors center tell the story well. You have to take a boat ride to go. You can catch it from Liberty Square (difficult to find parking) or from Patriots point at Mount Pleasant. At the Point there is adequate parking for a small fee.

Honest revel I love national parks. The historian did a wonderful job sharing the history. We had 3 park rangers on our ferry. It was about 30 minutes each way plus about and 1 1/2 hours to tour. Not enough time to go through the museum. But loved the information and experience. FYI we had dolphins jumping in front of our ferry...so cool!

Arrived at Patriots Point early and had to wait an hour for the next ferry over, which was fine. The trip across the bay was nice and met some nice folks both ways of the ride. Supposedly, there were dolphins on the way back, but I didn't see them.You are allotted one hour in the fort, which doesn't seem like a lot, but the fort isn't that big, so that's plenty. There is a museum there but did go in.Overall, it was a nice day, as you can see by the picture.The red line on the pole is how high the way used to be.

Pretty nice, interesting history. Not the largest, so an appropriate size for the one hour they give you if you speed run the placards. Maybe a little expensive given the time but probably necessary to find the ferry.Small gift shop that's swipe only, but inside there's a free ink national park stamp for your book if interested.Additionally, challenge coins at the register.

Nice ferry ride to the fort with a speaker who tells a short story about the fort. Impressive information about our nations history. You're only allowed 1 hour on the fort, so don't take too long at the museum or gift shop! !

A definite must when you come to Charleston, especially if you're a historian, you will really enjoy this one. The ferry ⛴️ was nice as well this is a very educational tour, get in line early if you want to pick your seat on the ferry, also I recommended the last one of the day because they have the flag folding ceremony where the you get to participate if you want. I was a bit taken back, standing in the middle of the fort thinking of the events that took place there, I only wish it was a bit longer there was a lot to take in but not a lot of time to do it.

Visited on a Wednesday afternoon - rode the ferry ($37/person) to Fort Sumter, stayed an hour on the island, then rode back.There was a 10 minute history presentation by a ranger upon arrival, and the rangers were available for questions during the visit.Cool to see the cannons, brick walls, etc. But I personally felt it was an overpriced experience.Would recommend for anyone interested in historical monuments.

A piece of history. You can still see the scars from the cannon fire. Great museum inside. Only problem is it's hard to take it all in during the hour you have at the fort. The boat ride there and back is enjoyable.

Certainly the funniest park ranger I've met yet. He was also a wealth of knowledge and as personable as they come. The site is amazing and rife with history at every turn. Ft. Sumter has seen so many pivotal moments in American history. Also enjoyed a nice boat ride out to the island. There is a gift shop at the fort, but prepare yourself. If there are a lot of people, the gift shop gets crowded quickly as it is very small.

Fun historical site. Great place to help your kids have a sense of patriotism and learn some history! Our park ranger, Andy, was amazing. My only complaint was that our national park pass didn't do anything for us at this location.

Fort Sumter has an amazing history that is worth the visit. The ferry takes about 30 mins to get out there and a ranger will give a quick 10 min presentation upon arrival. You only have an hour while you're out there so take full advantage of it. I wish we had more time but it was still a blast. We were even greeted by dolphins at the fort.

4.7

(10126)

4.5

(5906)

South Carolina 29412, USA

+73 other lists

Such an amazing place to walk around and have a nice evening stroll. Lots of benches to sit down and take a moment to relax. Beautiful fountains (including the famous Pineapple fountain) down here! The boardwalk is right next to the water and leads all the way to the water taxi pickup. The grove of trees is like walking through a green tunnel, especially gorgeous close to sunset with the suns rays penetrating the leaves.

Here is a Google traveler review for Joe Riley Waterfront Park:Pros:Beautiful waterfront location with stunning views of the Cooper RiverLarge, open spaces with plenty of room to walk, run, or bikeSeveral playgrounds and splash pads for kidsPicnic areas with grills and tablesPublic restroomsFree parkingCons:Can get crowded during peak timesNo shade in some areasNot much shade for picnickingNo food or drink vendors on-siteOverall:Joe Riley Waterfront Park is a great place to relax, enjoy the outdoors, and get some exercise. It's a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, so be prepared for crowds. If you're looking for a quiet place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, this might not be the park for you. But if you're looking for a beautiful, well-maintained park with plenty of activities to keep you busy, then Joe Riley Waterfront Park is definitely worth a visit.Rating: 4 out of 5 starsDate of visit: June 21, 2023Time of visit: 10:00 AMWeather: Sunny, 75 degrees FahrenheitOverall impression: I really enjoyed my visit to Joe Riley Waterfront Park. The views of the Cooper River are amazing, and there is something for everyone to enjoy. I would definitely recommend this park to anyone visiting Charleston.

We visited on a weekday afternoon in the spring. It was fairly busy with spring break tourists. It was difficult finding parking. We had to circle a lot before we found a lot with open spaces. There are two fountains and a boardwalk. People are allowed to play in the fountains! No one was in them due to the cooler weather. The pier has a covered picnic area and bench swings. My kid loved the swings! There's a Carnival Cruise Line dock next door and there was a ship there! The pineapple fountain was gorgeous. It was much more detailed than I expected. There's an area with benches close by shaded by many live oaks. Just beautiful.

A staple must do on your Charleston visit!Enjoy the park with trails under oaks or along the marsh, benches, swings on the dock leading to the marsh, a dock by the Tug Boats, and of course infamous Pineapple Fountain.One of the best views of the Charleston area bay and especially for sunrise!You can find me here occasionally doing my morning rucks or on the docks enjoying the sea!We hope you enjoy our beautiful city of Charleston!- The Pirate Hunter

Super cool cool park. We felt like we were in a Jane Austin book taking a turn around the gardens. It was incredible beautiful and well cared for. We wish we had more time to just come and chill. This is a must got for a quiet place to rest. It’s very peaceful. Now should be mentioned it’s not a park for kids to run or dogs to be walked etc. even a sign that says no running. It’s a tranquil park. Which is what brings some of it awesomeness.

Beautiful water front park with lots of trees, benches and great views. Check out the pineapple and other fountain. Kids should wear their bathing suits, and adults can dip their toes too! A few restaurants and an ice cream shop are nearby.

Nice walking area along the water. There are 2 fountains that the kids are allowed to play in and cool off, dont forget to bring a towel. I fountain is called the pineapple fountain which looks like a pineapple. The pier is nice, has a shaded area with a couple of swings. Grandchild was able to ride her bike along the path.

Beautiful waterfront location with stunning views of the river. The park is full of large, open spaces with plenty of room to walk. Although some of the sidewalks were under water today due to rain. There are several playgrounds and splash areas for kids. There are picnic areas with grills and tables,Free parking if you can find a spot.

We visited in late March when it is chilly in the mornings but warms to 70’s in the afternoon, perfect time to visit these outdoor locations in Charleston. Flowers were starting bloom and spread through the park. There are two walkways one that is the pier and one the has elaborate homes, lined with huge oak trees. Several cute places to sit and watch the pier or to have a nice picnic. The fountain was beautiful.

AWESOOOOME! SUCH a gorgeous place to walk around and have a nice evening stroll. Beautiful fountains down here! And the boardwalk right next to the water…and the grove of trees is like walking through a tunnel. So beautiful, such a nice little pretty spot. If I lived in Charleston, I’d be down here every week! A MUST VISIT if you ever find yourself in historic Charleston! 👍👍

This park is a great place to take a break from the touring and activity of the city proper. There was a lovely breeze and shade so it was refreshing. It is a peaceful spot to relax and enjoy watching the sailboats in the harbor or the kids playing in the fountains.

Wow. What a beautiful park. The fountains are the main attractions in the park other than the view of Fort Sumter. Great place for kids to dip themselves in the fountains on a hot summer day. Had sail boats floating by. Plenty of shady places to cool off while walking the surrounding area. The swings on the dock are the best. So much to do here. You won't regret giving this beautiful part of Charleston SC a gander. Will definitely be back for more.

Joe Riley Waterfront Park is an easy walk from King Street and City Market. This beautiful and pristine park overlooks the Charleston Harbor. Stop at the Pineapple Fountain, slip off your shoes, and wade in the water. Stroll along the tree-lined pathway and enjoy the beauty of Charleston.

We had a beautiful day. October is a perfect time to visit. Nice place to take a break and rest. You can reflect, watch sail boats, and listen to street artists.

If you are looking to take an early morning or late evening stroll, this is the perfect spot. There are plenty of benches if you want to grab a book to read, have a picnic, or just take in the scenery and enjoy nature.

This park is awesome, it's got the pineapple fountain you can put your feet in and it's also got the splash pad, there is the pier that is a must go to, it's where you can find the famous swings.

Beautiful waterfront park in downtown Charleston. We got to see a cruise ship docked nearby. Perfect place to admire the fountains, sit on swings or benches and relax or visit with friends, have a picnic. Very nice park with water views. We enjoyed it.

Beautiful park for family and friends. It’s an easy walk from city market, plenty of spots for taking pictures and relaxing at the park . It has nice pier, fountains, eco rock, benches along the big trees etc. We enjoyed walking around and took some nice pictures here.

Wonderful waterfront park! We went end of March 2024 and there was a ton of construction which made getting there with a wheelchair a tough experience but once we did it was great! The paths were not very wheelchair friendly because roots had grown under the bricks (not unexpected) so I would suggest having someone assist a wheelchair user. We did see a dolphin on the peer! Swings were busy so we didn’t get to try those. Will return again in warmer months!

Beautiful park with two water fountains overlooking river, with lots of benches for your evening enjoyment.

This place is really nice. Easy to spot dolphins. I saw a dolphin couple. We took a really nice walk. It's also really nice to rent a bike and ride. Pineapple fountain is also really beautiful.

Wow what a beautiful place to spend a few hours!! Beautiful sights and walkways! Lots of benches and places to sit & soak up some South Carolina sunshine also🌞

Gorgeous park with lot of area to walk, sit and relax, take photos, etc. Loved going here with family and had an amazing time.

4.7

(10039)

4.5

(5656)

Vendue Range, Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

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I loved visiting this market. It was fairly big for the area that it’s in. I was expecting a much smaller market and was pleasantly surprised. There was so much to see and buy. I bought some prints, little gifts, jewelry, candies and had to buy some of the beautiful grass woven art pieces. There is lots more to do outside of the market that is very close and I loved that aspect also. It was a tight squeeze but we went on a weekend so maybe it’s less crowded during the weekdays. You are going to love it, but pack your comfy shoes for sure.

The City Market is a must-stop if you are visiting Charleston. This market is packed with all different types of vendors and artisans. The handmade straw baskets are works of art, and the paintings are breathtaking. Different vendors vary throughout the week, so stop in several times.

Had a great time browsing all the very unique and interesting gifts offered by so many different vendors. Everyone was polite & friendly, the basket weavers even made a rose for our little one which made her day.

Starting from the intersection of Meeting Street and Market Street then extending all the way to East Bay Street, the Charleston City Market is a renown location to buy a wide assortment of locally produced goods or at least from certified local vendors. During the day it serves predominantly as tourist market (but still nice) and there are, on certain evenings a Night Market where only locally produced goods are available. In both cases it is worth a visit if you are visiting as you are sure to find a nice memento of your visit here...and you'd be supporting a small local business. Enjoy!

Absolutely a blast! My mom and I took a little weekend trip and were looking to do some shopping. Stumbled across the City Market and let me just say, you HAVE to come here at least once!! Easy parking in paid parking lots or public parking decks (not expensive). We found T-shirt shops, hats, bags, pottery, handmade items, magnets, candies/foods, etc.

Definitely a must see in Charleston. Although busier, it's probably better to go on a weekend when I would imagine more vendors would be out. But I am not exactly sure how that works. If you are really shopping, it probably takes about 2 hours to get through the entire market. There are plenty of public parking areas. The parking garage we parked at was $4 for 2 hours.

A must see when you visit Charleston! Packed with something for everyone. I bought a book, a few pieces of art, and post cards. Very welcoming. I felt comfortable with my mask on. I would visit here again. From grits, to baskets, to art there is so much to see! Such a beautiful experience. Truly a place worth stopping and experiencing. You can find parking, there are lots and street parking. Also there is a lot of food in the area. Enjoy!

This was my second time visiting the market while in the state. It was such a lovely time. So much beautiful art and good snacks! Of course, everything is surrounded by the beautiful city with so many different shops. The only downfall is the horse carriage rides, leaves horse poop in the ground in some areas with a fresh scent.I do recommend going during the week if you can, so it's a little busy.

We were looking for something to do before we had to head to the airport. This is an interesting market that has a huge variety of things to look at and shop. There are permanent stores and what appears to be less permanent stalls for local vendors. Most of it is in outdoor covered pavilions with one section indoors and air conditioned. It began to rain hard, which quickly flooded the streets. There were 7 to as much as 12 inches of water between the buildings. I had to take my shoes off and roll my pants up to escape. Would have like to see the whole thing. It was a very memorable experience.

Love the Charleston City Market.There are a lot of interesting shops. Some are handmade items, too.Wide variety of artworks,spices, etc.The high ceiling with fans and long 2 buildings are impressive. There are also bathrooms.Walking down the shops is sure a nice experience. ...

The Market is great and houses lots of great vendors both day and night with food, artifacts, art, jewelry, bags, clothing, and so much more. Lots of the items are handmade, especially at the night market. The market extends about 3 or more blocks and lots of great eating places and other stores around the market. You definitely want to visit the market! We did twice!! 😃

Just steps from the port so best not to go when ships are visiting. Specialty foods and local crafts and kitschy souvenirs. Pick up a pack of benne wafers for a nice gift for friends.

Marvelous public market in the middle of downtown Charleston. The place has different kind of vendors, from arts and crafts to local shoes designers. Even if you don’t buy anything, I encourage people to talk a walk inside to enjoy its architecture.

One of my top fave experiences while we were visiting Charleston. Really cool market with all sorts of local stuff to buy and eat. Also just fun to look around. They only have certain hours so make sure to check the site. We caught the tail end of the market so a lot of people were already packing up or gone already for the day. Still a unique experience to find touristy or less touristy m/more unique Charleston items. I bought some delicious pecans roasted in cinnamon sugar. I will say roads are really tight and smaller in this part of town so brace yourself and search for nearby parking.

This is definitely a must stop, whether during the day or at night. My friend and I loved walking through the market and perusing all the local vendors and shops. We purchased a couple of gifts for ourselves and for others. I loved some of the unique jewelry and basket shops, and other items like the freeze dried skittles I couldn't quite understand. There's a plethora of things to buy!

The barn was very clean and smelt nice, and had bathrooms, which we were not expecting. It was easy and fast to get into the wagon as they tell everyone where to sit. We had Jordan, who was a very good coach horse and clearly knew the route. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We saw a lot of the beautiful back alleys and were told a lot of history.

A great place for unique gifts and souvenirs from the Low Country. Authentic, hand made items by local craftsmen, garments, soaps, etc. Sweet grass baskets too. Parking is a bear or the other "B" word. Garages and lots can be $20/day. Place floods during a heavy rainstorm. Closes at 5 with vendors taking all their goods with them. A must see.

Ok so it's getting an average review based on access and walking. Repeat of products and parking. Worth the shopping trip but if you have mobility issues just know it's going to be a challenge. The horse carriage is a mixed thoughts, really hard to get in for some, But such a nice way to hear stories and see the sights. Just wish they had a horses only lane .

My husband and I shopped at Charelston City Market and we bought a beautiful ornament of a Charleston map, put on an oyster shell. It is so unique and beautiful. This wonderful lady sold it to us, she was so nice. I also bought a wallet to match my purse that I bought in Savannah, Georgia. There was so many things to choose from and I love what we bought. My husband also, bought me a beautiful bohemian cover-up with a brooch, it is also reversible.

This was my 2nd visit to Charleston City Marketplace. It's an open-air market with no walls and vendors lining either side of the aisles with all sorts of unique sweet grass baskets, jewelry, clothing, food, books and so much more. I purchased a very unique handmade cane with a silver metal handle for a friend at a very reasonable price. Also, I purchased several pieces of jewelry for gift giving and some sweet grass items. The vendors are generally very friendly and some are the artisans who created the items on display. Three blocks long with lots of parking nearby, both street and lot parking. Each time I've gone, I wish I had more room in my suitcase for additional items. Several restaurants surrounding the market, including Henry's with great food and ambiance, are either at the bar or table seating. There's also an area to get carriage rides within a block. Easy walking area and open 7 days a week.

There seems to be something for everyone. Whether you are looking for handmade jewelry, accessories, candles, hats, fragrance, jellies, cookies, or Charlston themed souvenirs, I am sure you will enjoy your visit. Be sure to visit the numerous nearby shops and horse and carriage tours.

Open air market with vendor booths amid centuries old buildings. Great walking / touring area. Close to waterfront and historical parks and buildings. I'm not much for markets, but the walk was very nice.

The market has so many booths with unique items - it took over three hours to see it all. I lucked out and went on the day of the Christmas tree lighting so there was a night market too. I went to the market in the morning and then again for the night market. A lot of different vendors set up for the night market. It wasn’t difficult to find a parking spot for either time. It was a lovely day and I bought many unique items from food items to baskets to jewelry.Side note: Be careful of the people outside the market trying to “gift” you with a handmade sea grass rose. They are relentless with demands for money. Just be prepared to pay if you accept the “gift”.

This place is usually on the list of places to go and see on Trip Advisor and Google. I usually go to these to look for unique souvenirs and shot glasses. Yes, it’s a tourist trap and worth walking around to window shop. I didn’t buy anything because I didn’t see anything that interested me and the prices weren’t cheap. People were friendly. You’ll see some weaving baskets, jewelry, clothing, etc.

Very cool, large market with lots of local vendors selling many different products. You could purchase belts, paintings, hats, handmade leaf baskets, and much more. We visited at least 2-3 times in our short stay. It was a bit pricey, but it's also a big tourist attraction so it makes sense. It wasn't too busy though, we were able to take our time and got a few souvenirs to bring back.

Cool market, lots of vendors and stuff to see and possibly buy. Watch out for the street folks peddling the grass roses though. This kid tried to get my elderly mom to give him money for a "basketball trip to Alpharetta". I told him no thanks and he cussed me out and walked off.

4.5

(24749)

4.0

(8217)

188 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

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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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

My 16 yr old daughter and I spent 8 hours and enjoyed the day. The Peaco*ck Restaurant was excellent in service, prices and food, we are there twice. The house tour with Millie was so historically interesting. The gardens and grounds were so beautiful. We stayed until closing and got to see more alligators and critters as dusk came. The train tour was pleasant with so much history explained, it was enjoyable, educational and money well spent…. Including the gift shop.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Absolutely beautiful and well kept/persevered location! The grounds and trails around & through them we stunning, the vibrant green grass, all the walking bridges, water ways, flowers, views...just breath taking.We also went on the house guided tour and our guide was so knowledgeable, she was very passionate about the history and details, she was fun, nice, and very enjoyable to listen to as we went room to room.The have the Peaco*ck Cafe near the entry, great slushes and plenty of options for drinks and snacks. Plus it's located right in front of the on-site animal area (which was closed by the time we got to that area, 10am - 4 pm), you can look through the gate and see several of the animals and hear the peaco*cks as you go walking through the grounds. I did see one wondering near the picnic tables too.

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.

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.

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

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!

Beautiful gardens and worth the visit on fresh day, with a chance to see alligators during train ride.From slavery to freedom tour wasdisappointing 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.

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!

This place is beautiful beyond words. Definitely pay the extra fee to tour the house. It will help you understand the history a lot better. Also take the time to do the from slavery to freedom tour. I would plan to be here for about 3-4 hours.

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!

Beautiful place to picnic, stroll and smell the flowers! The history tour of the plantation was nice. The gardens were magnificent! Take the trolly and view the marshy areas plenty of local wild life

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.

This plantation was great. Loved hearing the history and interesting life stories about the family and what happened here. We had a fantastic guide. Millie made the tour perfect. It was fun watching her tell family stories. We also took a tram around the gardens and property with a funny guide. He was from Scotland or Ireland wish I remembered his name.He made it so interesting. Alot of the flowers had bloomed, but their gardens were still beautiful. We went end of April. Go earlier to see the pretty flowers 🌺 restrooms were clean and air conditioned.

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!

Beautiful and well maintained. Kids will enjoy the little animal sanctuary and there are peaco*cks and peahens. They have beautiful areas with seasonal flowers. There are trolley rides through the plantation where they talk about the history of the place and you get to see wildlife like crocodiles, tortoises, birds etc.. overall an amazing day spent with family.

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

Beautiful grounds. I enjoyed walking around, birdwatching and viewing the gardens. Also saw alligators and turtles. Download the app so you can use the available map. All staff members I encountered were very friendly. There was someone mowing in a field near the walking path and home, and grass clippings flew in my face which I didn't love, but I guess they have to mow sometime.

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, peaco*ck, 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.

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.

4.5

(8205)

4.0

(7311)

Charleston, SC 29414, USA

+63 other lists

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.

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 littledusty. 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.

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 co*cktails 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.

Middleton Place is an absolute marvel of natural beauty! 😍❤️The breathtaking landscapes left me in awe, making every corner a picture-perfect moment. Strolling through the gardens, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration for the family behind its preservation. Their dedication and foresight in maintaining such a stunning estate are truly commendable. It's a place where history and nature intertwine seamlessly, leaving visitors like myself with a profound sense of respect and wonder.🤩

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.

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!

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.

Really beautiful and well-maintained gardens which was so peaceful and serene. Special shoutout to the tour guides Eloisa (for the garden tour) and Gary Finch (for the Beyond the Fields tour) who were so passionate and did such an amazing and engaging job with the complimentary tours! Really loved the amazing nature views and animals on the plantation too and had such a great time. Would definitely recommend for all nature and animal lovers! 🥰🌷🍀

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Beautiful ❤️ and Natural Surroundings. Please check Flower Blossoms season and you will enjoy it.Yes, live alligator 🐊 all around the place.

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.

4.7

(2566)

4.5

(4411)

4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414, USA

8 lists

We enjoyed our visit to the tea farm, great tour guide on the trolley and very informative. The factory tour was good and fun to watch. The gift shop had hot and cold teas to try. We had a chance to try the first cut tea of the season which had a rich and buttery flavor. Lots of cute tea items in the shop. They have a wonderful place under trees with picnic tables and nice bathroom facilities.

We loved this tour. It is such a rare and unique experience to see how tea is grown, harvested, maintained and processed. This is not an Antebellum plantation tour, it is a tour of an active tea plantation. Do not miss the factory tour (which is separate from the trolley tour) and does not have a separate charge. Hopefully you can see the factory in operation, which is most of the time from April to October. It is just down the road from the Angel Oak tree which is very much worth stopping to see as well.

This was the second time my fiancé and I have visited, but the first time with my family. I will always love coming to the Charleston Tea Plantation. There is a free factory tour every 15 minutes on the hour that explains how they process their tea. There is also a trolley tour - $15 per person for ages 12 and up, $7.50 per child ages 4-11. The trolley tour is such an incredible and informative experience. It was fascinating learning about the tea and the history of tea. In addition to the tours, there is also a great gift shop. They have dispensers (hot and cold) so you can try a variety of their teas. I would recommend the Charleston Tea Plantation to anyone wanting to learn more about the history of Charleston!

We had the best time visiting on Mother's Day.We enjoyed the quick factory tour which is about 12 minutes but was very informative. We also had booked, in advance, the trolly tour. Out driver was very nice and provided a good amount of info to supplement the recording. The grounds are fun told walk around. We enjoyed sampling all the different teas for free. If your in the SC area go check them out if your a tea lover.

A must-go if you are a tea fan. Maybe the only large-scale tea plantation in the US. Go on the $15 trolley ride and learn all about tea agriculture. Walk through the free factory tour and learn about processing. Beautiful location, free iced and hot tea tasting, public bathrooms, fun gift shop.

A wonderful little experience to fill 2 hours. A cute gift shop with many tea products and free tea samples (hot and cold). A free factory tour that is video led and allows you to see in on the small operation. We paid for the trolley ride through the tea fields with a stop at the greenhouse. It's not super cheap, but a great way to view the only tea farm in North America. We enjoyed it with our kids and would recommend it as something to do during a visit out to see the 400 year old Angel Oak tree and park.

This is a good stop if you're in the Charleston area and don't mind doing a little driving, especially if you're a tea fan. There is a large gift shop filled with your standard gift shop items, a free video guided factory tour, and all you can drink hot/cold tea while you're there. I'd say the most impressive thing in their gift shop is tea from their first harvest. Most of the cold tea varieties are sweetened already, and you can find whatever add-ins you may need next to the teas.They have lots of outdoor seating including picnic tables where you can wait if you're doing the garden trolley tour ($15). The tour was very informative and it included a visit to their greenhouse as well.

The Charleston Tea Garden is such a fun experience. The drive out to it is absolutely serene. Step into the don't shop, where you can browse through a vast collection of craft items, tea, and treats. Sample hot and iced teas of various flavors. (They were all good!) Take a free tour of the factory. It will only take approx. 10-15 minutes. And for $15/person, take the trolley tour of the entire property.

A must see place if you are a tea lover. It is the only tea farm in the entire region of the country. They process the tea leaves once a week. The trolley tour is really nice. You can sample tea in the gift shop. So many cute things in the gift shop

Our visit was 28 August 2023 during a family vacation for the week. I am a connoisseur tea drinker, especially for herbal tea varieties. We were a family of 6 women from 80s to 50s. It was nice to ride in the bus with seniors especially in heat. Some of the dust does kick up when it is dry out. We really enjoyed the tour and information provided. The staff were all so pleasant and the sample teas helped in our choices. Yes, we all left with some teas and other items. I am still cherishing the last box of mint tea and apple butter that I have. My two great-nieces enjoy their flower pens. I would recommend a trip to this location. If down with my traveling friends, I would bring them over as well.

Had the pleasure of visiting the tea garden today. It is a unique to SC experience, offering fascinating history of this one of a kind farm. The spring weather was beautiful for the open window trolly tour. The tour wasn’t terribly long however it included 4-5 stops with explanations, Q and A time, and an audio recording lecture supplemented the drivers speeches. In the gift shop there were hot and cold tea samples available and other items for sale. It was pleasant browsing and the shop attendants were kind and quite knowledgeable. Highly recommend visiting!

The only tea farm in the USA! Free factory tour, free tea tastings, both hot and cold and well stocked gift shop. Restrooms and free parking available. Tour the Tea farm on a tour bus for $15. The tour is about 45 minutes. Our tour guide, Andi, was informative and entertaining. Sara from the gift shop was helpful and took a group photo for us. If you love tea, farming or beautiful scenery, this tour is for you.

One of my favorite places I visited while in Charleston! Our tour guide was hilarious and I learned so much about tea. Who knew green tea and black tea were from the same plant?! The gift shop was full of so many great finds, and there are a few interesting locations to take pictures at. It’s definitely worth the stop!

We very much enjoyed our visit and tour at the Tea Garden. Sally drove us back in to see the fields and greenhouse and gave us some great insights into the industry.The free tea bar was a treat and the little self guided factory tour was interesting and educational.

This is a great little secret of Charleston. The Charleston Tea Garden is the only location in the US that grows and sells tea. This location has two tour options and a gift shop. As a bonus the gift shop has many cold and hot teas on site that you can enjoy -- unlimited.The first tour option is free and about 15 minutes long. It takes you through the process of how they process and make different teas. Unless it's bad weather, they generally are harvesting and processing tea daily.The second tour option has a small fee. I think it was around $15 a person for adults. This is a trolly tour that is covered (great for when it's raining). This tour takes you around their 18 fields and the nursery. You can see first hand how the tea is harvested, learn the history of the tea garden, and quit a lot about tea. The guy giving the tour is fun and knowledgable.Overall it's a great stop, even if you don't want to take the tour. The tea on site is grown and processed there. The First Flush is the best to get.

The Tea Garden is a great place to spend a few hours. It's free to park, walk around, and visit the guest shop plus factory. There are also free restrooms just outside. You can choose to pay for a tour on a bus run by the tea garden. If you choose no to, you can always walk around on your own. It's a pretty place that's worth your time.

I did this because I felt it was unique, and I am so grateful. The place itself is beautiful, and our guide, Steve, was knowledgeable and fun. There is a little shop full of cute items and you can, of course, also get some tea. In addition to the gardens and greenhouse, you also get to view the manufacturing area, and they are videos that explain how everything is processed. I learned a lot and really enjoyed my time here!

If you are in the Charleston area, you should not miss this. You’ll learn more than you ever could have imagined about tea.For example, did you know that all varieties of tea come from the same plant? Yeah, me either.They have a small little self-guided factory tour, a tasting room with unlimited tea, and a paid trolley tour around the farm. You can spend about a half a day here,and it’s quite educational.

The Charleston Tea Garden (Plantation) in South Carolina. This is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL plantation. The trolley costs $ and no dogs allowed on it so we didn't ride them but dogs are allowed on the grounds but not image the shop. Parking is FREE, admission is FREE, lots of hot tea and cold tea samples (full cups) inside are FREE, and there is a little self guided tour that's FREE with video and you can see through large windows the factory where they make the Charleston Teas. The gift shop is where the tea tasting is and how you enter the free tour and lots of cool things to buy in there. This is a PERFECT place to go to if you're looking for FREE stuff to do in/around Charleston, SC.

I really enjoyed the trolley tour and tea tasting The charming tour guide was funny and engaging. Seeing the factory inside was also interesting. Even the kids enjoyed it. I never knew there was so much to know about tea. We bought our tickets once we got there and had 45 minutes to taste tea and do the factory tour.

Area is comprised of three main activities; main area is the gift shop, behind of which is the free video guided viewing area of a processing factory floor, and the last of which is a trolley tour of the tea plantation. There is no walking around on the plantation nor walking tour permitted.Gift shop has free tea of varietal flavors in both hot and cold complimentary to sample. Bathroom is outside.Trolley tour was pretty fun. Had Andie as our tour guide, cracking quirky jokes and tea puns that I assume has been well practiced as she spouted them with great enthusiasm.Although the tour and videos purport this being the only tea producer in NA, Believe it's really just the largest commercially viable one. Probably due to the historical establishment of the tea plants.

If you know a minimum about tea & always wanted to know more take the time to visit this place. Interesting history & tea processing explained. Endless cups of tea, hot or iced & information to enlighten! Trolly ride around the active farm fields is the only way to see it all. No walking about in the fields on your own allowed as it's an active, working farm. Trolly is worth doing. Enjoyed the ride & the driver was thorough, personable & truly seemed to enjoy sharing his time with us. No question was too large or too small. Gift shop is delightful. Did I say there's endless cups of tea?!!

This was a very informative tour and our trolley driver was great! Very informative and passionate about the plantation. The gift shop could use some brighter lights. It's cute and they have a lot of stuff, but some things are hard to read due to lack of light. The tea is good. A different taste than what I'm used to (Numi black breakfast tea), but still very good.

Highly recommended while in Charleston - it's free to visit the site but an additional charge to take the trolley tour.There is a gift shop with all the tea that you can drink and a factory tour as you walk past a series of recorded video presentations.

We took the Trolley tour while visiting Charleston and loved it! This place is a gem and the people working there are very passionate about their craft. The garden was beautiful and the tour was very educational. They also had samples of different teas available in the gift shop and a short and free factory tour. I would highly recommend visiting!

Such a quiet and relaxing area. We stop in every time we visit Charleston to pick up loose leaf tea. They have different hit and cold teas to sample while visiting. We enjoy sitting outside in one of the ricking chairs, sipping tea just relaxing. They do offer a tour of the plantation which is very informative as well.

If you like tea, this is the place to stop by. My husband and I went on both the property tour and the factory tour. Both of these were informative and interesting! Our guide was upbeat and kind. We really enjoyed listening to him!

4.7

(1890)

4.5

(1679)

6617 Maybank Hwy, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487, USA

1 list

Only 4 out of 5 since the light house is closed so no view from above. But 5 stars for the replenished north beach. Enormous expanse of white sand and shells are a bonus. Charcoal grills and picnic area filled fast on Saturday by 10am but lots of fun if you find an open grill.. Hikes were also entertaining but flat as one should expect for the lowlands of SC. The lagoon trail offers plenty of chances to venture toward the ocean and co.e back and continue your hike.. New asphalt paving throughout the park makes driving a breeze around the park.

Absolutely packed. Had a line coming out on rd. So we rode down to the next 2 which was little hunting state park. A gem!!!! Definitely visit it too.

We have been to this park / beach a couple occasions, very nice park, pretty beaches and worth the drive. This place can get busy on weekends. North Beach is great for sun rises! Light house is fun to visit. Clean beaches with decent public restrooms. Enjoyed our time here.

Hunting Island Lighthouse was a true joy to visit. We got lucky and were the only ones in the Lighthouse on our visit so we were able to take our time and enjoy our experience. The grounds are well kept and clean. There is plenty of parking, a rest area, a spot to get snacks and souvenirs.The staff is upbeat and friendly. The guide at the Lighthouse was a true joy to visit with. She was very informative.

This is a beautiful historic lighthouse. It is in a fenced area, where you will also find a small museum and you will learn a little about the way of life at that time. You cannot go up to the lighthouse, it is closed for security. But you can enjoy its beauty from the surroundings. There are picnic tables, restrooms, shade, and best of all, the sea is just a few steps away, a wonderful beach where you can cool off. Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful lighthouses.

Other than for some of the roads in being quite rough, this is a beautiful lighthouse and beach. (Not an area I’d want to visit in my motorhome due to narrow, rough roads and tree cover) The lighthouse was well kept and well worth the $2 admission to climb to the top. The beach was quite nice as well. An area I’d want to visit time and time again

The ride to the lighthouse was absolutely beautiful! My daughter said she felt like she was in a movie. The beach was nice & not crowded! I would love to have climbed the lighthouse.

We took the afternoon to go over and explore the island. Very beautiful, beach was not to busy, they had place to set and enjoy the lighthouse view. We loved the drive into to lighthouse and beach.

Beautiful state park, the light house is not open, but is nice to see it. The beach is beautiful, there are so many sand dollars alive. I was lucky to find one that was dead to keep.

I live here and this light house is never available for me to go up! It's closed for reparations as we speak. So check before going! But, who cares! There is a wonderful play area for the kiddos, clean bathrooms and gorgeous sandy beaches! And you just never know what treasures you'll find.

This was a nice and relaxing visit for the end of a perfect day!!!! Wish we could have EXPLORED more and would love to see the Lighthouse inside!!! Enjoyed walking on the beach and feeling the cool Ocean breeze in my face and the noise of the ocean waves and birds!!!!

The lighthouse is temporarily closed for repairs and no notice listed on when it may reopen so call first before driving down if that is your main objective. The outside was nice and right by the beach but I really went only to see the inside of the lighthouse so I didn't take many pictures. They have lots of trails and picnic tables close to the beach and lighthouse. The bathrooms were clean and well kept.

Cool place. The lighthouse was closed the last time we went, but I’ve been at the top once. Good view.

Wonderful visit to the Hunting Island State Park and seeing the Lighthouse. Recommended for any group age. Easy access to the beach.

Unfortunately by the time we got here the sun had set. But we still enjoyed visiting the lighthouse and learning the history.

Wonderful park. Drive through to the ocean is beautiful. Well maintained. Wasn't able to go in lighthouse. Under renovation.

Wonderful and beautiful part of the Low Country...Hunting Beach Island and the state park...great location to hike and enjoy all the natural beauty

4.7

(2446)

4.5

(838)

2555 Sea Island Pkwy, St Helena Island, SC 29920, USA

2 lists

This beach captured my heart like very few other places on earth have. Its pristine sands, crystal-blue waters and serene atmosphere make it my favorite beach in the world. Watching the sunrise here feels like witnessing a masterpiece painting come to life. Each visit feels like the first, offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Truly, a hidden gem that deserves all the praise and more.

I always love Hunting Island. It's well maintained and the beach is beautiful. There is a light house that you can go up in, various historical buildings, a campground, 2 beaches, bath houses, a beach gift shop, and a campground gift shop.

Top campground just meters from beach — good facilities, clean, quiet — some fun trails for cycling/hiking — beware the mosquitoes!

Pretty magical Little Beach. Evidently my family's been coming here for years and I finally realized why, the views are fictitious!

We enjoyed our visit to the island. The drive into the park was remarkable. It would be easy to get lost if they didn't have signs telling you the way out.

What a beautiful park! Driving through seems as though you're entering a rain forest. Gorgeous beach and amazing lighthouse. We were disappointed to find out upon arrival that the lighthouse is closed.

Tranquil, relaxing beach in October. The water was still warm enough to swim. Clean shoreline and the palm trees behind the sand make a peaceful backdrop.

Quiet, relaxing beach. Great for shell hunters. Picnic area for family gatherings,with tables and grills.

We went twice in one week. The visitor center is a nice first stop. Lighthouse is at the upper (northern) beach with picnic tables (gnats drove us away from lunch there, however, early March). You can find some shells, but had better luck last year. Saw some people on horseback. Not crowded at all; plenty of room! I explored only a small bit of trails; looks great if you want to hike or bike. The road into the park is also beautiful.

This is either the end of the world or it’s beginning. Excellent beaches, inland trails, scenic views, camping / campgrounds, fishing piers, history, etc. etc. If you are in Beaufort, go. If you’re in South Carolina, go. Just go!😀

Gorgeous. Miles of beautiful beach along the Atlantic Ocean. The museum was so informative. Can't wait to visit again. Hopefully the Lighthouse will be open to the public

This was our first time visiting and we loved it!!! Driving to the beach you feel like your in a Jurassic park movie!!! The beach is beautiful, filled with shells!! And the lighthouse is magnificent! Be sure to go see it, and there’s a cute little gift shop too!!! Also…. The boneyard beach is simply amazing!!! I’m sure if you go you will enjoy this beautiful area as much as we did!! ☀️🌴

This is our 3rd visit to this South Carolina state park and it doesn’t disappoint! Our campsite was on the perimeter of the campground and backed up to the primitive campsites of which none were occupied during our visitThe RV sites have electric and water, fire pit and picnic table and many are heavily wooded and private. Its more of a hard packed sand rather than gravel site for parking. The store has ice, firewood and other supplies.There’s a trail that you can walk to from the campsites as well as beach access. Other trails start from the 2 other entrances along Sea Island Parkway as well as a short hike on the sound side which connects small islands out in the marsh via boardwalks. That’s a great place for birding. We saw a river otter and 4 Bufflehead ducks hunting fish in the marsh. The trails all offer a variety of scenery from forest to marsh to beach including the ghost forest at the south end of the island. Its a photographer ‘s paradise !

One of the few South Carolina beaches. The park is clean and they road leading in is interesting.

Love this place!!! We have been going every year for 14 years. I enjoy the NOT crowded beach, the lighthouse, spacious sites, unique finds in shells & the wildlife. The last couple years price has went up & have started adding fees per night if you bring a Golfcart-so be sure to check for extra charges-love they added a place to wash & dry clothes!

4.7

(377)

4.5

(2355)

South Carolina 29920, USA

This place is absolutely AMAZING!!! Ruins are bigger than what I was expecting, and I was unaware that it was in the middle of a cemetery. We did have kind of a creepy experience though. In the southwest corner of the grounds we discovered a white sheet on the ground surrounded by a bunch of burned down white candles. Not sure what this was all about, but it gave me a bit of an uneasy feeling. But we enjoyed the remainder of our visit looking at all the old graves, the wickedly beautiful live oak trees and the church ruins themselves. If you like history, you'll LOVE this place! BRING MOSQUITO REPELLENT!! LOTS OF IT.

A fun little stop pretty close to 95. The ruins are cool and the grounds are covered in droopy trees draped with moss. The ruins themselves are gated closed, however.

This is one of my new favorite hidden gems in the Lowcountry. It's absolutely beautiful and so peaceful out here. And we got lucky when we stopped because the grounds keeper was there and let us in the fence!

Such a beautiful place we randomly came across on our way to Savannah. Seems like an amazing place to take photos with the Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the old pillars in the background. This was a very peaceful place to stop and stretch our legs after being on the interstate for several hours.

If you love taking pictures this place is picture perfect. It was about 15 min out of our way to Savannah but worth the detour. So old and well preserved. Also a graveyard.

Gorgeous stop to or from Beaufort with picnic tables as well. This is definitely worth stopping to see, but ensure you have some bug spray during the summer months. There are a HUGE amount of mosquitos and we found other visitors getting bit up as badly as we did. I do hate that the ruins are fenced off, but I understand why they had to. The history is great to read about and the ruins and gravestones are very humbling as well. Definitely recommend!

Beautiful! Love that this is still standing and you are able to go see it! I recommend to others to take a minute to look around the grounds at the different headstones and at the architecture of what remains of the church!

I really liked this place. It has a special feel about it. The gates were open so able to walk around. Easy parking

The ruins of thos church was first burned during the American Revolution. Then rebuilt in the 1820s. As I walkef around the church I noticed that almost all the trees wete leaning towards the church. Thete ate a number of graves dating back to the 1700s. I can recomend for a quick free stop on hwyway 17

This is just a very cool place. It won’t take you long to enjoy the epic scenery on this road and at these ruins. You won’t regret making the stop, it’s worth itThe area near here is so beautiful. Southern coastal beauty with tall trees that cover the road at places, dripping with Spanish moss, sun dappling through the trees.There’s lots of shaded grassy areas where you could sit on the grounds. I can’t remember if there’s picnic tables or not.Also along that road there’s a little pull off places that you can stop and take pictures or just take in the scenery.The ruins themself have markers that tell you the history behind the ruins and how they were rebuilt and ruined again.

An absolute must stop and see when traveling the area!Serene, beautiful and peacefulIt would have been nice to go in the ruins, but I understand why they fenced it off. You can walk around and see gravestones, too. It’s amazing the history in this place.NO restrooms at the grounds.

Due to selfish people who have vandalized this beautiful church in the last few years, now they have a gate around it. There is parking across the street, but beware vehicles still go 60 miles an hour down the small little road. They really need a caution light so people don’t get hit. I’m in one of the pictures giving a history lesson to some visitors.

Amazing place to come see if you're in the Beaufort area. A lot of history in this area and a must see!

Wow, stunning! If you're driving from Savannah to Charleston (or vice versa) highly recommend the roadside stop for a leg stretch! The ruins are absolutely haunting, well intact, and very interesting. The trees at this stop are particularly gorgeous. We ended up spending almost half an hour. I wouldn't go super far out of my way to see it, but if you're going by it, definitely take a peek :)

A nice place, on a pretty road, with interesting grave stones. In my own opinion, it's definitely worth detouring a few minutes off the road, if you're on your way to or from Beaufort. But I wouldn't make a long trip just for these ruins.

Super interesting historical location to check out. Dates back to the Revolutionary War when the roof was burned by the British. Wish we could have explored in more detail inside the fence, but I understand the need for protection.Make sure and know there is parking on the other side of the street, it's on a fairly busy local road that people seem to speed down and it can be hard to drive slowly to look and get your bearings.

Beautiful and atmospheric. Watch the speed limits carefully when you’ll exit the freeway to get there 😉 we got the speeding ticket.

Gorgeous and somber location. Well worth the stop, but make sure if mosquitoes like you, you have bug spray on! It was a rainy day and that added to the eerie feeling. You can sense the history that lies here. The building and graves tell quite the story.

4.8

(1279)

4.5

(528)

Old Sheldon Church Rd, Yemassee, SC 29945, USA

25 lists

Absolutely marvelous!Beaufort is impeccably clean. Gorgeous views all around but downtown is a different scenery with plenty shops around, restaurants, ice cream parlors, & the park.Perfect for the little ones or to keep them busy while the rest of your party shops.The swings throughout this area are a plus to unwind & enjoy.

Peaceful, quiet, soul soothing...the Beaufort community is protecting a way of life for visitors to enjoy. This boardwalk by the sea is a precious gem. Highly recommended.

A huge kudos to both the town and whoever designed this park, which is one of the nicest I've ever seen. Absolutely beautiful and well worth a stroll if you're in town for dining or shopping. The "swing benches" are genius and so inviting on a beautiful day. Felt like we were on a movie set or something.

Even the thunderstorms are amazing. Waterfront park has been one of my favorite places to relax for more than 25 years. Ahhhhh

Lovely walkway along the water. Little shops along the way to pick up ice cream etc. Playground for the kids with lots of tables and chairs as well as benches. Love the swings facing the water. So enjoyable!

A very nice place to walk anytime of day. The views are breathtaking, the restaurants and shops are great. There was a band playing and they were great! Great place to come and relax and bring the kids to the play area and get ice cream! Highly enjoyable!

This is such a beautiful part of South Carolina. This park has plenty of room for the kids to run around and play, a playground that my kids both love, plenty of restaurants, Ice-cream and some great sunset views. The swings add such a charm to this quaint riverwalk. This park is very popular and can get crowded but worth the fighting. Great views of historic Woods Memorial swing bridge. My wife and I end up there quite a bit on "Date Night". With the public boat dock, this is a great place to arrive on boat, dock and enjoy! They even offer movies under the stars

Picturesque location. Several shaded swing’s along the waterfront to relax. Good choice of bar’s/ restaurants and picnic tables. Playground and amphitheater. There’s much to partake within a few short blocks. Paid parking available @ $1./ hr.Quaint little town.

Such a great little park! My husband and I took a break from doing the tourist things, and strolled through this park. We sat at a table for a while and then decided to sit in one of the 'porch' swings. While enjoying the river view a gentleman a few yards from us was fishing and caught a small ray. Bathrooms are available nearby and they were clean. Families with kids were enjoying the playground area.

The SHRIMP Festival has begun. Oodles of fun. Check out the Rotary Club of Sea Island-Beaufort tent to purchase your SHRIMP for the race tomorrow.

The park is beautiful! Lots of open green lawn. Shade for when you need break from the sun. And plenty of benches! We loved that there are even bench style swings to sit and relax. There is a playground for the kids and they might even get to see the bridge turn to let a ship through. The best thing is it's all very clean!

Beautiful park and playground with equipment for a variety of age ranges and abilities. Several benches and a picnic table are available in the enclosed playground which is situated next to public restrooms and parking.

Cool place to walk around in the Beaufort area. Tons of history and decent sites to see.

Visited Beaufort on American cruise lines ship. What a Beautiful friendly clean waterfront. The shops are fantastic and the views are amazing. Just don't forget the Beaufort wave

This park was absolutely beautiful. The scenery and the activities were amazing. My family and I went to the beach. It was stunning and so much fun! The price was also nice. You can beat the pwrk for hours at a time. You can leave and come back without paying anymore!! 10 out of 10 definitely recommend.

This waterfront park is beautiful! It's a great place to catch a vivid Lowcountry sunset from one of the many swings, or watch boats go by, and maybe see the swing bridge open for a larger one. It's also a great venue for the many festivals that Beaufort has throughout the year.

It is very beautiful and relaxing, people were friendly and a great place to walk your dog or just take a leisurely walk on the waterfront.

Wonderful and beautiful and relaxing spot to enjoy the scenery...peruse a little history...and enjoy local bars and restaurants

Relax. Have fun. Get food. Shop.Public restrooms available. Playground for kids.Find a bench swing at the waterfront. Great for "sittin' on the dock of the bay watchin' the tide roll away."

4.8

(3486)

5.0

(1140)

Bay St, Beaufort, SC 29902, USA

2 lists

We always stop at this area when in Hilton head. Nice shops and restaurants. We ride our bikes from the resort there are a lot of great trails along the marsh.

Shelter Cove Community Park is a beautiful park located adjacent to the Shelter Cove Towne Centre. It includes a large grassy area for recreation, a stage for concerts, and an area with playground equipment for children. Plus, it has a gorgeous view of the marshland. It's a beautiful place to run and play or simply to sit and relax.

Beautiful path to walk or bike along the marsh/water. Great for bird watchers. Mixed path - paved and raised wood decking over marsh. Art sculptures too.

Have been here a couple times while visiting the area.. Nice park with good views. There are stores and small shops. Also a few nice restaurants and club located close by.

Love this park. It's close the restaurants and shopping and has the Memorial park. It's a great place to watch the sunset and to look at the amazing Memorial built for veterans. You can even purchase a brick for a veteran and they will have there name there for ever. They have done such a good job in building a beautiful park. It's a MUST visit while you're in HHI.

Cute little park with a community market on Sundays. Location was excellent to do extra shopping after the market. Playground was perfect for kids of different ages to explore and had good benches for parents.

This is new to us. Wonderful amenity. Well laid out paths, nice views, respectful of the natural environment. Nice veterans memorial. Perfect place for sunset pics. Connects to other Shelter Cove paths. Highly recommended

Shelter Cove Community Park is a very well-designed shopping center, community park for the whole family to enjoy. All of the photos were taken on our recent visit at Christmas and the park is just beautiful! The playground is great with rubber mulch and very cushioned for wild kids like mine:). Large grass area to run around or picnic with the family. Hilton Head puts on events there all the time such as movie nights under the stars, snow at the beach, 4th of July celebrations etc. Check with the community calendar to make sure you don't miss out on any of the great events going on there. This is a park we often take people that come to the beach to visit us. They always seem to maintain the park very well and we will continue to go there as it is just a great place to hang out, walk around, shop, eat, date night and of course go and see Santa Clause at Christmas!

This is a awesome Greenway that goes put over the edge of the marsh area near shelter cove. There is open parking at the end, and there are two small parks that this takes you to.One is a veterans memorial park with pavers of some veterans of various wars. I am not sure how the featured veterans were chosen, but still a pretty stopThe 2nd park is behind shelter cove shopping center, and has a playground, and gazebo area as well as easy access to shops and restaurants.The whole trail is probably about a mile, but might be a nice excursion if you find yourself in the area

Beautiful place to watch the sun set!

It's a wonderful community park but there's very little shade along the boardwalk so pick your days carefully and wear lots of sunscreen. The views are absolutely beautiful

This was one of our favorite stops as a family on our day-long biking trip! Beautiful waterfront views and a very well put-together park with lots of seating, a very nice playground (with video surveillance), and restrooms. This park is right next to the French Bakery and other good eateries.

This is a wonderful place to watch the sunset. There are walking trails, picnic benches and a nice playground for kids. Lots of children, families, teens and elderly enjoying the evening. Several people were walking their dogs. This location is near the marsh and is very peaceful. We saw lots of water birds flying overhead heading to the rookery for the night.

The best on this side of the island! Free and a playground foe kids with water fountain, restrooms lots of seats and walking for the family. Sunscreens in the bathrooms and lots of cameras around to spy on you! And free wifi however not enough handicap parking.

4.7

(1144)

5.0

(2815)

39 Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA

+30 other lists

Free public access to the Atlantic Ocean in a Hilton Head Island, SC! Beautiful boardwalk bringing you into the heart of the park. Clean restrooms, rinse off area, changing rooms and lots of shaded seating stops. Wheel chair and scooter accessible mat also available. Beach with lifeguards is very clean with several umbrella chairs and prime seating for families enjoying the day at the beach. Would definitely return!

Beautiful beach with all amenities like washrooms, foot wash, changing rooms, showers, parking.Walk to the beach is a pathway with beautiful trees, you can take your carts along with beach chairs.During the day beach was quite jammed but when I went in the morning around 7am it was much less crowded and looking more peaceful and beautiful then the day.Water of the beach is very very salty so if you skin allergies take precautions.You get Chairs along with umbrella shed on rent but I did not take it so don’t know the rent.P.S- I would request to each of you reading the review not to leave your plastic cans/items near the beach( I saw many during the day visit). Also other request would be to minimize the use of plastic so that our oceans don’t get destroyed.

Wonderful beach! Very clean and well maintained. We loved the walk up to the beach. There is plenty of seating where you can just rest and admire the beauty of the park. Just a short ways from the main Coligny Beach Park entrance, there is tons of safe, free parking. People (tourists and locals) are very friendly and will guide you if you need help. We particularly loved the outdoor changing area because we visited the beach again on the day we had checked out of our hotel. We were able to let the kids get in the ocean and play in the sand, and then come and rinse off and change into dry clothes right at the park. This extended our trip and gave us another day to enjoy the beach as we still had a safe area to get dressed. The park is close to tons of restaurants and shops. Just leave your car in the free lot and go explore. It’s worth it!

I live in Atlanta and don’t mind driving here because it’s clean, family-friendly, has free parking, and it really is beautiful. I love this beach! Lovely place to spend the day with my family

We enjoyed walking the different shops around the plaza. There were many to choose from and there is something for everyone (even kids). Be forewarned, don't walk on an empty stomach because the eateries will starve you. There is a pirate ship play area that the kids enjoy. Certain times you'll hear the live music.It was a joy seeing my granddaughter having so much fun (her first beach visit) watching the gulls, jumping the waves as they rolled to shore, and building sand castles. The splash pad they have for the kids and the areas that lead to the beach are nice and well maintained. Restroom are clean. There are beach wheelchairs (should anyone need one) that you call to reserve so that it's easier to get them on the beach. The beach is very clean and there are trash bins to use if needed.If you have never been to HHI, Coligny Beach Park especially, do yourself a favor and make plans to go. Even if it's a day trip. The atmosphere is amazing for relaxing and everyone we met there was so friendly.

Beautiful place, flat beach area, soft sand nice to walk in the area that close to the water, not crowded, there is clean station and toilets. Pretty nice and clean side walk. Ocean water is pretty cold right now. friendly wave all day long..

Cool beach, gets busy during hot days for swimming.Many people around so it's mostly safe.Nice sunrises over the Atlantic and decent sunsets.Oceans can be flat as pancake or have 4-5 foot choppers in the same day. High and low tides add about 20 yards to beach area.Fun place to people watch

This was our first time coming here. Making our way to Florida. This park is actually really nice & convenient! So many wash off showers, bathrooms are decent, swings to sit down and chill. The beach sand was so nice, there was some trash here and there. The waters are warm!! I've never felt the waters that warm before. I recommend this park though, it's a nice place to take the family.

FREE PARKING!HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE right down to the ocean! There are mats lining the path that wheelchairs can roll on easily.This place is stunning.Very little shells on the beach. It's nice to see a city put so much into public access. Restrooms, showers, water faucets and more! The water was good and cold from the fountain which is a surprise.The sunrise was pretty even if that one cloud blocked it a little.Plenty of restaurants within walking distance too!

It's a nice beach area but a lot of small jelly fish everywhere. From what I learned, they don't sting they just get washed up during high tide. The beach was crowded and the people were not very friendly, especially the lifeguards. Of course, there's no place to sit unless you want to pay for it, so bring your own chairs. It's more of an expensive tourist area that people like to go hotels all around you, hence all the people. There is plenty of parking but plan on walking a bit. It's a nice beach, but I don't plan on going back anytime soon. There are some shops and restaurants nearby if you want to shop and eat. There's a nice park area with a big playground and a big field for the kids to play on. There is an area where you can hear music during the summer months.

A good beach access point for the public. It has all the necessary after beach clean up facilities. The restrooms were kept as clean as possible for a public restroom. There was good enough sanitations. The park had several shops and restaurants which were unfortunately all closed as I visited on Christmas day.

Coligny Beach Park on Hilton Head Island is a must-visit destination for both solo travelers and families alike, the boardwalk leading to the expansive beach offers an intoxicating blend of natural beauty and modern convenience.The crown jewels of this picturesque location are the enormous live oaks that shade the park's well-maintained boardwalk that transforms the park into a cool retreat even in the peak summer heat. They're not just functional – these age-old guardians of the island possess a rustic beauty that adds a unique charm to the landscape.The park's splash pads are a real delight, particularly for children. A fine mist keeps visitors cool under the South Carolinian sun, adding an element of fun to the soothing serenity of the beach. The area is kept clean and is perfectly safe, making it an ideal spot for families to create lasting memories.Adding to the park's tranquility are the numerous swings scattered throughout the park. There's nothing quite as relaxing as swinging gently under the protective canopy of the oaks, enjoying the soft sea breeze and the hypnotic rhythm of the nearby ocean waves.Coligny Beach Park is a harmonious blend of leisure and nature.

Best beach to spend an afternoon with friends. Very clean beach. Found sand dollars and starfish. Life guards and helicopter kept eyes on water for any potential threat of sharks. Warnings were given and everyone had to get out of the water. It was about 30 minutes. Then the all clear was given. Clean bathrooms. Definitely my favorite beach!

Beautiful beach, easy access and lovely rest area with water spigots to wash off your feet as well as showers to rinse off completely. Could use more parking but there isn't anywhere to add it - plus, it's walkable from many of the condos nearby. The sand was perfect and waterntemp was cold but bearable for an October sunrise.

My family comes to this beach often throughout the year. Off seasons are always the best when there are not as many people. There is a splash pad which is seasonal. Restrooms, bench swings, and places to rinse sand off. It's a more family friendly area. Our toddler loves to play in the tide pools if they are there. We did find a sand dollar once in one of the tide pools. I love that you can rent wheelchairs designed for the beach if you need them. At times you will see the coast guard helicopter making their rounds. There may or may not be a lifeguard, seems they are out during peak season. Two downsides is that at times finding a parking spot can be so difficult with the amount of people and secondly the walk from the parking lot to the beach can be very long. Parking is free FYI and there is a park near the far end of the parking lot. People do bring dogs. You may see pelicans, sand pipers and jellyfish.

Out of all my visits to this magnificent island, I never once had been to this beach access in Coligny Plaza, as I always have beach access inside Sea Pines, so I decided to try something new. What sort of local guide would I be if I didn't?As far as the actual beachline goes, it's a beach, so everything there was what I expected it to be, but as far as the entrance, it was well-maintained and there were enough restrooms around! The beach itself also extends quite largely, so there's plenty of room for everyone!

Beautiful beach. Can get crowded in the summer for sure. These pics were from 7:00 a.m. walking on the beach. Coligny area is a great place for family and fun. Lots to do

Looks like a well maintained area, clean with restrooms, showers, swings, and short easy walk to the beach. parking upfront was easy to find as we went during winter. Parking was free. We didn't stay for very long but enjoyed the area quite a lot..there is shopping nearly and restaurants too. We saw lot of people with dogs too.

Great beach with a lot of space to set up chairs, blankets or whatever. A lot of walkable or bikeable stores and restaurants close by. Stations to wash off feet, showers and bathrooms. There is a wheelchair accessible mat at the entrance that brings you to the beach as well as beach wheelchairs you can borrow for free.

This place is really nice. The beach is usually very clean and well maintained. Has a nice long wide mat that makes it easy to get through the soft sand. There are some nice shops and places to eat. All of which are within walking distance from the beach and where you park. Definitely recommend coming here. FYI It does get crazy busy during tourist season

Coligny Beach is a high quality spot with nice facilities, including restrooms and changing cabanas. It’s a great walking beach, especially at sunrise. You can rent chairs and umbrellas ‘in season’. There is plenty of parking nearby.

A beautiful park with lovely bench swings on the walkway to the beach. We were there in December and the temps were in the mid 50s. It was warm on the swings and cooler on the beach, where it was windy. If you dress for the wind it is a beautiful walk along the beach and not very crowded this time.if year.

The first time I had been there and it was very clean. It had a lot of added family touches. Share toys and clean up area for the beach. The changing rooms and the restrooms were very clean. I loved the porch swings as well.

Love the fact if you are in a wheelchair you can go and see the beach with no problem. Also if you have a hard time walking in the sand they have a cover over the sand in which makes it easier to get there. The cover doesn't get hot either.

4.7

(9689)

4.5

(3680)

1 Coligny Circle, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA

5 lists

4.0

(3669)

Georgia 31328, USA

2 lists

I go to a lot of these old forts and this one was AWESOME! Starting off, the young lady at the little booth at the entrance was polite, efficient, and cheerful. The parking lot is paved, well laid out, and as close to the fort and visitor's center as could be expected. The restrooms were clean and included a water fountain with a bottle filling feature. They also had bowls nearby for dogs. The visitor's center was small but informative. The moat around the fort was well kept. The water was clear enough to see lots of fish swimming around. The fort itself was also well kept. Both levels had things to see and there were boards posted all over the place giving information about the construction of the fort, uses of various rooms/ areas, historical information as to people who lived and worked there and nearby as well as events that happened there. I love the old brickwork and the arches. There are also some trails on the premises. One leads to an observation point near an old lighthouse. You can't get to it though. Unless you really like lighthouses I wouldn't recommend the 1+ mile(?) walk out there.

What an impressive structure with defensive engineering well displayed. We have been to a few old forts up the coast and this one is in amazing shape. Plenty of placards and labels explaining each room and each location of the fort. An excellent way to walk off lunch and gather some knowledge about our history. ✌️😎

Fort Pulaski is a great National Monument just outside Savannah. It's deserves half a day of attention and exploration. Try timing your visit to a ranger talk to really appreciate the history and engineering of the fort. The inside of the fort is very open. You're able to explore almost every room including the upper ramparts. Outside the fort is a restroom, visitors center, but the gift shop is inside the fort. There are a few trails outside around the fort near the water front that give the park a little added variety. Spend some time here as it's worth your driving!

I took my toddler here in March to check this fort out. I have to say I love this one and Old Fort Jackson the most. The history was very interesting and we managed to walk around with a tour guide. If you are able to go with a tour guide it's worth it. Some of the bricks were made in Savannah. Seeing the cannon ball hits on the walls of the fort was neat to see as well. The lawn was fun for my son to run through and have a picnic. It took us about an hour and a half to walk through exploring. We will definitely be back.

This was an amazing experience a must do for history buffs and tourists. Love the costumes they encourage you to dress up in and do photos. Grandson wanted to be a proper lady and a union soldier. Very fun. The mote and tunnels and the cannons, all of it I loved! Even saw a alligator...can you find it in my photos?

Fun for families (but hold on to your toddler’s hand tight if you venture to see the overlooks - no railing). So much history to be learned here! The gift shop is cute and has some refreshing beverages if you visit on a hot day like I did. Be prepared to walk around for at least an hour to really see it all!

What a great site to see. Administered by the National Park Service, it offers a unique history experience similar to national parks but much more accessible for a quick day trip. The history presented and the historic preservation visible is quite amazing. The NPS does a great job. Parking was easy, facilities were good, displays well maintained and it was just fun to explore the fort and island. If I had had more time, I would have walked on some of the trails especially to get a closer view of the adjacent lighthouse. My husband and kids even had fun here! Definitely plan a visit!

Tons of history here for this National Monument. It costs but if you have any interest in America history, you'll enjoy this place. Try to catch a ranger talk and if you like hiking, there are some neat trails here, too.

Very cool place. Kinda pricey admission if you don't have a NPS pass, but it's how these places are able to survive, and ultimately it's worth the price. Beautiful grounds and a very well preserved structure, lots of park staff/rangers available for questions etc. Gorgeous views!

We were able to get a great deal on our admission price. My mother, who is a senior, bought a National Park Pass for $20, which allows 4 adults to come with her for no additional cost. So, we paid $20 for 5 adults to enter, instead of the $10 each, which would have set us back $50.The fort itself is an incredible opportunity to see an important part of America's history. Be very careful as there is no railing on the top level of the fort. It is a straight drop down, so it probably wouldn't be good for people who have a problem with heights. We really enjoyed our time here and snagged a magnet in the gift shop on the way out.Be aware also that the only bathroom is by the round brick building as you first come in that serves as their Visitor Center.

This is a National Park that I think is worth the visit. There is a lot of colonial and antebellum history in this structure and visitors should really plan for 2 - 3 hours to fully see all the rooms and areas in the fort. It’s a very unique structure with a moat, drawbridge and several underground tunnels and walkways. There are park rangers on site to answer questions and the facility provides a self-guided tour throughout all the rooms. With plenty of displays and placards to read, this is a neat stop and well worth the price of admission.

We weren't sure what to expected and made a last minute decision to go to Fort Pulaski and it was great. There is great signage for individuals to go at their own pace and see what is available and so much history to try to soak up. The displays and exhibits were tasteful and not overly done. The amount of guns that the fort had was amazing and after walking through I had a much better idea of how the fort worked and some of the issues that had to be dealt with on a regular basis. The employees and volunteers were helpful and happy. We spent about two hours here in the morning and had enough time to drive back to town by noon for the 1pm Riverboat Cruise.If you aren't sure which fort to visit, I recommend Fort Pulaski. It big, has something for everyone, and was am active location that was surprisingly beat by the Union Army.

What an amazing walk through history. Everything is very well kept and tidy. It is magnificent to be able to admire each of the rooms, the hospital, the church, the prison, the kitchens and of course the cannons. Everything about the history of this fort is very well explained on each educational poster. On a day as hot as today, we have found a cool breeze entering between the corridors through the guard windows. There is a trail, a gift shop, very clean restrooms, a small museum, and very friendly staff. Definitely a must visit if you are in this area.

This particular historical site is well preserved and much larger than I thought it would be. And all of the park rangers were a wealth of information. You can easily spend several hours walking the site and reading historical markers.Walking the magazines, grounds, cannon emplacements of different size, and upper walls is a must.Veterans have proof of veteran status on your person. This can be ID card, driver's license with veteran status indicated and possibly VA card for park access. Speak with the park rangers about the veterans park access benefits.Enjoy the site!

It was so hot and we had our fluffy shih tau with us so we didn't hike the trails. The grounds were nicely mowed and info signs were very interesting. Pets not allowed inside visitor center, FYI. We just took turns. the water bowls provided we're thoughtful. We enjoyed what we saw!

We had a blast at this place. I was about 3 months pregnant with my daughter then My kids and I went. We loved it. They had so much fun learning about the War and how people lived before them. They also loved the walk out to the small beach they have. We enjoyed seeing where the ships used to come in to drop off goods. I definitely recommend this place. BIG PLUS!! IF YOU ARE A SERVICE MEMBER YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GET IN FOR FREE! (We were there in 2018-2019)

Admission is $10 per person and provides access to the walking trails around the fort in addition to the fort proper. If you want to walk out to see Georgia’s smallest lighthouse, you’ll need to access it fromFort Pulaski National Monument.The fort itself is interesting and explains the architecture, structure, and history. There is a recently (2012) erected marker commemorating Confederate soldiers which is the first thing you see when entering the parking lot…The walk to co*ckspur Island Lighthouse’s viewing path is labeled and requires walking behind the fort and then down a dirt path. It’s about 1.5 miles round trip. We saw lots of freighters on our walk.The gift shop is inside the fort itself, not the visitor center. It’s really well curated, and it has a better, higher quality selection of items than most other NPS stores I’ve visited.

This National Monument had a bit for all to enjoy. A 15min movie gave a great history lesson. We caught the ranger led tour that was informative and guided us through different areas of the fort. The views can be taken in at all angles. Once you’re done exploring the fort take a stroll down to the co*ckspur lighthouse. The trial is flat and very easy to navigate.

Came here while on a road trip in the area. We stopped at a few forts, and this one was my favorite. I think it's so cool that there's a moat and a drawbridge that needs to be lowered like one in a castle. It felt like I was in a movie, I loved that! And it's really cool that some of the history here ties in with one of the forts we went to in South Carolina. There's a bunch of cool walking trails too, so there's a lot more to see besides the fort.

Nice place with plenty of trails outside the fort, and inside is pretty interesting, you can get up to the top and walk around the entire perimeter. There are view in every direction. It’s dog friendly too and they had a bowl of water out for the dogs inside the fort.

Very worthwhile visit. We spent 5 hours there, and still didn't see everything! I definitely recommend bringing water, binoculars, wearing good walking shoes and of course sunscreen and/or a hat. It was busy but not crowded on a weekday. I liked that the admission gives you the ability to come and go for multiple days. We'll probably go back before we leave the area and see the couple of things we missed. The kids were very engaged with the Junior Ranger book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much it helped all of us learn and interact.The visitor center and fort are accessible. The fort floor is uneven. There are picnic areas by the entrance and by the visitor center. Restrooms are only by the visitor center, so definitely plan ahead if you're going to do the trails.There are some recorded cannon sounds in the visitor center, and the fort echoes. But it wasn't loud or bothersome for our noise sensitive kids.I did see several dogs there, and a water bowl outside of the gift store. Again, plan ahead because the dogs are not allowed in the

We went here on a Monday and arrived 5 minutes before the gate opened. The gate opened exactly at the opening time.We should’ve planned for more time here as we walked around the fort for about an hour before we had to leave. We would’ve liked to walk one of the trails.

Very beautiful place to visit. The fort itself is one of the best preserved from that time period and the walk around the grounds was great, especially if the weather is gorgeous.

Bit of a line to get in at 9AM but the fort only had a couple of visitors by the time I made it in. Rangers and staff were friendly and helpful. Great views from the top of the fort and interesting history inside of it. Can't wait to go back and visit the lighthouse.

Great place. Love the fact that they restored some of the cannons instead of just letting them be while they left areas of the fort structure look natural. Good contrast. They have many story boards around the fort explaining different areas.National Park pass works here.

Really cool Fort to walk around up and downstairs. Various tunnels, rooms, cannons, history. Takes a couple hours to explore casually. There is also a 1.7 mi trail on the outside to go closer to the co*ckspur lighthouse. Didn't get to do that trail this trip though.

4.8

(5253)

4.5

(2344)

101 Fort Pulaski Rd, Savannah, GA, USA

19 lists

Love e river side. A lot of things to do around. Restaurants, shops, bars, creamery stores…. Don’t miss it 💖

Lots of stuff activity going on over here.

Spooky place at night. Cobblestone makes for tricky walking so be careful. Leave the heels at home boys and girls. Put on a good pair of boots or sneakers. I promise you'll turn an ankle and/or end up barefoot otherwise. Lots of neat old haunted places through this section of Savannah. Must see at night in my opinion. Stay alert though. It's not terribly dangerous but you can easily find yourself trapped if you take the wrong stairs or wander too far by yourself. You can take your car on River St but I wouldn't do it . In fact avoid your car altogether in Savannah if possible. The city itself is razy confusing. And historically speaking I can only imagine the horror River street had experienced for hundreds of years present day for the most part excluded. If those bricks could talk I don't think I could bare to hear their voice. Chilling to think that you actually might just hear River St talking to you if you're walking along at night. In fact I was certain River Street was speaking but then I realized that it was a homeless guy and he was talking to nobody about "needing his damn sunglasses" . So maybe River Street and this man were having a conversation. Not sure, I did not try to join the back and forth. So keep your heads up at night somehow while also looking at your feet so you don't fall and look like an a$$.

Well kept historic street full of shops, bars, eclectic restaurants all following the river. Bonus:.lots of friendly cops everywhere. You'll feel safe

Cool place to see with restaurants and a variety of shops and things to see

Lovely place, kid and dog friendly.. cute little boutique shops. A nice view of the river and you get to read about some of our war heroes.

Iconic strip with shops and food scene. Pralines and seafood are something you have to try. Nice get away for a weekend trip.

Nice place to walk along the riverLots of restaurants and shops

Was difficult to find and using Google maps wasn't completely helpful. But what a cool area!!! I didn't realize shops were on both sides at first. Was a little tough getting down the stairs so on the way back up we found a set a little less steep. Having a directory would have been helpful. That way we could have seen what was down there, where bathrooms are, etc.Wish we had more time.This is along the river, across from the convention center but on outside of downtown historic area. It's pretty, lots of little shops (loved the candy store, five and dime, and marketplace). 5 and Dime has restrooms. There is a pub type place down there, too. Just a cute area, separate from the stores,.restaurants, etc. In downtown. Cobblestone and treed, very historical looking.

Parking $1.50 per 30 mins. Beautiful view of the river, all kinds of bars, restaurants, gift shops with t-shirts, magnets, etc. Couple pan handlers out there.

A fun street to walk and shop on, or just enjoy looking at the river.

4.8

(120)

4.5

(8234)

Savannah, GA 31401, USA

+77 other lists

Stunning architecture in the middle of Historic Savannah. Well-kept grounds and interior pristine. One of the beautiful places to visit that should be added to your list.

It was hard to capture how beautiful this church is. We just don't have historical places like this on the West Coast, so I was in awe. I grew up Catholic, so it brought back comforting memories. I lit a candle and sat in the wood pew to take in the sights, smells, and the beautiful colors of the stained glass with the sun shining through them. I love how they allow the public to come into the church to look around during times when they aren't having mass.

Historical cathedral with a beautiful stained glass windows and expansive alter. It’s a suggested $3 donation to go in. They offered a free tour where the presenter explained the cathedral’s history and pointed out some interesting features. It took about 20 minutes overall and was very informative. It is an active church so do be mindful about people praying. I would recommend coming here for a first-timer to Savannah and spending half an hour!

If you've never experienced such an amazing and heavenly place, then you should come here. It is amazing, and the artwork was breathtaking! Even if you are not Catholic, it is wonderful, and it is totally free they only ask for donations. Also, they still have services there as well! I loved this place, and so did my grandkids they were amazed at the grandeur of the church. Now, you might not want to bring kids who are a bit loud, for it needs to be quiet. It's still a church, after all. But really and truly amazing.

This Cathedral is Massive and absolutely STUNNING!! 100% worth the stop! They have visiting hours so that you can actually go inside and tour the area and take photos of all of the beautiful stained glass. Beware though: there is no public restroom.

There are no words good enough to describe this experience... a must see to know!! The outside is spectacular, but the inside is miraculous! Your mere presence is altered by the surroundings as you sit in reverence!!!

The guard at the entrance made me feel right at home; he's such a friendly person. Stepping inside feels like entering another dimension, with so much to explore and observe. It's history at its finest, and the architecture is truly breathtaking.

This Cathedral is stunning. I was here for Mass on Mother's Day, and I was in awe of everything, the liturgy, the music, the atmosphere. The church was decorated with I don't even know how many dozens of roses, giant roses. The choir sounded celestial. The bishop celebrated the Mass - and delivered a wonderful homily. The windows are stunning, especially the Ascension and Immaculate Conception windows. I am a little perplexed by the lack of wounds visible on Christ's hands, but a gorgeous image. As usual, so many details. I especially liked the "Communion of Saints" images around the ceiling.

Beautiful place. Hard to imagine the hours of work in all of the intricate details throughout. Soaring ceilings, beautiful stained glass and extremely detailed carvings throughout. If there is a red sign out front that says worship in process - not the time to go. Usually between 12:30 - 4:30 on weekdays is ideal to visit.

The cathedral was beautiful! We were there about 20 to 30 min before a service and there was a lady in the back of the church yelling at anyone that wanted to take pictures. I absolutely get it and was respectful and didn't make a peep. Apparently, the cut off walking around the church and taking pictures 30 min before services.... so plan accordingly! I was able to snap a few when she was yelling at others.🙂 It's absolutely worth the trip to see!

OH MY GOODNESS! This is GORGEOUS! No matter your beliefs, you should check out this BEAUTIFUL cathedral! The architecture is breathtaking and well, just go see for yourself. 💕I remember thinking it's donation only.

Absolutely Breathtaking.Eye candy for the soul.No matter what religion you are, the beauty inside is undeniable, the energy is peaceful and employees are knowledgeable and willing to share.Definitely take the opportunity to venture inside if they have the doors open.I've been there 3 times to view and appreciate the outside, but this time was the first time I was able to enter.It was worth every moment spent there.It is free, but there is a sign asking for donations.

Absolutely gorgeous. The sanctuary is beautifully detailed. One gets the feeling of a sacred, holy place upon entering. We stayed for the historical lecture which was very informative and interesting.

One of the best St Patrick's Day parades I've ever been to....the floats went on and on and on. Some very talented musicians, dancers, various local organizations represented.Didnt get into the Cathedral but was perched outside on the bleachers stands for a great viewing position.

A must see if you’re in this town, a true piece of history. This Cathedral is absolutely massive in size and so beautiful. The stained glass is gorgeous and so detailed. The wood work is stunning with an insane organ. A very unique place to visit.

Came here on St Patrick's Day. It is one of the biggest churches is Savannah. The church architecture is so beautiful.The vibe is peaceful and calming. You'll keep admiring the beautiful glass windows and sculptures here.Please be respectful while taking photos though.

We always visit this breathtaking cathedral when visiting Savannah. Make it a must-see when you are there! The history and beauty are worth the visit.

Always beautiful but extra special at Christmas. The Nativity is impressive! The stained glass, steeples and wood carvings are hypnotizing. Just gorgeous! A must see when visiting Savannah.

The church was beautiful. They asked for a donation but it was not required. To light a candle for a prayer that you had a donation request. I give it a 4 only because in my opinion there is historical importance to the building and some information would have been helpful. Not sure any takes note but the would on Jesus switches sides from one window to the next. Guessing those windows are expensive! It’s all. About the details! Lol

Beautiful, beautiful church! I felt like I stepped into a church in Europe! One of the prettiest sights in Savannah!

Absolutely gorgeous and free although they do take donations. Friendly staff. We went at Christmas and there was a gigantic very detailed nativity scene which was very impressive. I bought a Christmas ornament there with many choices of the stained glass pieces in the church. The organ was specifically made for this church and is a sight to see. Check times before you go because they do shut it down during services.

Beautiful cathedral that has endured for such a long time. Went to their Christmas service that was very packed . As huge as it was, people still had to stand in the back. I come to this place almost every year to just enjoy the decorations and ceremony. A must see for anyone .

Es una bella joya de la arquitectura!Se siente una paz impresionante al caminar por sus pasillos.Sus vitrales, sus pinturas y sus diseños remontan la majestuosidad, belleza y la grandeza expresión humana.(Translated by Google)It is a beautiful jewel of architecture!You feel an impressive peace when walking through its corridors.Its stained glass windows, its paintings and its designs trace the majesty, beauty and greatness of human expression.

4.8

(5936)

5.0

(9826)

222 E Harris St, Savannah, GA 31401, USA

38 lists

I visited the Savannah Historic District last summer and had a wonderful time! It is such a beautiful area with a plethora of options for food, shopping, and entertainment. Many of the roads or paths I encountered were brick or cobblestone, which are beautiful but can pose issue to those who use wheelchairs or a blind person using a cane. Overall though, the brick walkways were very well kept and didn't seem to pose much of a risk at the time of my visit and there was not a lot of cobblestone. The main roads are paved. There is an area by the riverfront that utilizes a fair amount of stairs spread out, so if someone is in a wheelchair there will need to be a bit of a re-route to get to that specific area of the riverfront. It is a very lively and fun area with a lot of music and lights which is very fun, but if you are someone who struggles with sound sensitivity I would suggest bringing earplugs or your choice of aid to help damped that. Overall, a beautiful, must see area in my opinion, and has few inaccessible areas from my point of view in my visit.

My favorite place to escape on a long weekend. River Street is vibrant and full of arts, music, tons of little shops and bars/restaurants. The Squares in downtown Savannah are beautiful, historic and so green. If you've never been, I recommend a trolley tour to see the highlights. Then go on foot and find the little treasures of shops, art, food and entertainment.

Did trolley tours with two different tour companies; two different days (Thursday and Monday) and experienced many different guides and saw wonderful landmarks. If your a tourist visiting Savanah historic district I highly recommend using a trolley tour. There is so much to see and hear about.

What a beautiful city steeped with so much history. We took a 90 minute tour with Old Savannah tours (our tour guide was Hampton- he was fantastic). This is a place we definitely need to come back and spend some time in but if you've got 90 minutes to spare, you should make the detour!

I'm a huge history buff. The wealth of information and history here was worth the visit alone. Everyone must go to Savannah at least once in a lifetime.

Good experience to ride the trolley down town and take the tour around the historic area. We also stopped for food at Spankys on the river. It was a great experience and the gift shops were reasonably priced

We had a great time visiting the historic district. Many beautiful ancient buildings (build in 19th century) with great architecture, good parks, famous restaurants, beautiful tree tunnel, good river walk, museums, greenery and finally Church with beautiful architecture are the specialities of historic district. If you are visiting for one day, we recommend using old Town trolley tours of Savannah. Based on our experience this trolley service runs at good frequency and have hope off and on facility at major tourist attractions. For an extensive tour, a 2 day visit is needed for covering all the places. If you are coming by car, one major problem will be parking availability.

Great place to spend a beautiful day walking and taking photos.With dozens of shops and restaurants to keep anyone entertained. LotTo do lot to see.

Savannah has a great town with lots of interesting history. We enjoy walking around for a couple hours seeing all the amazing homes and parks/plazas.

First time visitor. Two days is not enough to experience all the district has to offer. Lots of. Museums and Art Galleries. The history and architecture is amazing. Take the trolley to get an idea of where you want to spend more time. The trolley operators can be fun and entertaining.

Savannah's spirit is delightful. In each square and around every corner there is a unique experience. Take a quick glance at the city plan then just walk and explore N-S along Bull street and E-W on River Street, Broughton, Oglethorpe, .... all the way to Forsyth Park. The city is dotted with attractions ranging from historic jems to contemporary art galleries and inspiring architectural renovations. Savannah offers a first class experiences in all seasons, no need to wait for popular events or festivities. Just stop by for a day or a few and enjoy hospitality in this energetic southern bell.

So many preserved homes of a wide variety of styles and colors in old growth tree lined streets. Wear comfy shoes!

Walk the River than take the Old Town Trolly tour ride around once than hop off & on at any stop our tour guide Sam was great! We Ubered to waterfront cheaper than trying to park. If planning and you want to stay waterfront book in advance.

Absolutely gorgeous. Great walking city. Just watch where you walk cobblestones will trip ya!

Went for a girl's trip & stayed at the Marshall House! It is Gorgeous! We also went on a tour where we learned about the history of this beautiful area & how everything came about! The driver & his crew were very nice & knowledgeable! They made the tour exciting!! In conclusion, I recommend seeing this Beautiful part of GA. Too amazingly gorgeous to miss.

Such a fun place to explore! Cute squares of greenery and churches and historic houses. We spent a day here and thoroughly enjoyed.

Visited savannah for the first time. Two days are not enough to explore the place. It has got a lot of options and it’s really well developed ❤️Savannah is known for its real life greenery and ghosts but I didn’t found any so far 😂Love the placeSmall sweet and live

This was my first visit to historic Savannah. I only stayed two days, but I had a good time. I used a company called Kelly Tours to get an overview of Savannah. They take everyone through a 90-minute tour first. We had an excellent guide. Then you pick where you want to next. For example, you could call and say I'm at stop 9, I would like to go to stop 5. I called them three times. Each time, it took less than 5 minutes for them to get to me. Some stops were about a 10 minute walk, the weather was nice so I walked some. I feel like I saved so much time, and I saw everything that I wanted to see. I didn't get a lot of good pictures because there are lots of trees and greenspace.

Most site seeing places are entry free, on the river Bank side there was a fireworks 🎆 display for good 20-25 minutes ard 10pm it gets included under Destination fees with ur hotel booking.

4.8

(5915)

5.0

(14398)

301 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401, USA

+117 other lists

The park was beautiful and a lovely stroll down the center under the canopy of trees.Playgrounds were available, tennis courts, plenty of grass to place a blanket and relax.On our Sunday afternoon there were many homeless and at one end of the park they were having an event offering food and water for the homeless. It got a bit rowdy by a few attendees. A bit of yelling, pushing, throwing of water bottles. But the rest of our visit was pleasant.We walked down the center as well as on the outside parameters to enjoy the architect of the older homes.Be smart and be aware of your surrounding while visiting.

Loved this park! Easy to walk through and had so many cool things to look at! People were friendly and the architecture was just amazing! If you think you don't have time, you do! It really does not take long to walk through, we walked it before we were able to check in to our hotel, maybe 30 min tops! And we saw a lot in that time frame!

Such a beautiful park. Complete with its historic fountain and huge open green fields we didn't want to leave. It's a must stop for anyone who takes a trip to the shining jewel of the south, Savannah GA.

An absolutely beautiful park to visit, relax, exercise, or whatever you decide to do at that time. Trees are spectacular in their beauty, with lovely old homes surrounding the perimeter. There’s even a restaurant (Collins Quarter) available for eating or an outside coffee/drink window to order beverages. Definitely a “must visit” place while in Savannah.

Took my son to play on the playground on a Thursday. There are two playgrounds I found out. Some of the equipment is metal so be careful with the sun heating it up during the day. The equipment was in good shape. There are benches to sit at at the playgrounds. We enjoyed walking to the fountain. It was cool to see some local artists selling their artwork or jewelry along the paths. The restrooms are by the restaurant and it was clean when I used it. There is a fun little hidey garden near the smaller playground with roses and benches. The flowers were in bloom and so beautiful. We did get a parking spot by the tennis courts which is free.

Great park in Savannah. We got there in the morning and it was fairly crowded. Has historical statues. Has a lovely fountain. Has public restrooms and a restaurant and Leopold's ice cream parlor. The one at Broughton st usually has a long queue, so this might be a better option for you if you don't want to wait that long. People were enjoying themselves in the park and it was well maintained. I had a good time!!!

Great park in Savannah. I frequent visit this park due to it’s attraction. This time I visited in the late morning time and found very less people so feel comfortable to have family photograph.Don’t forget to buy painting or handmade ornaments (as a memory of park visit) sold by street vendors. You are supporting locals by buying some products .Park is clean and have public restroom. If you are with kids, they can enjoy in kids zone too

Park was absolutely beautiful! An early morning stroll was magical on this beautiful morning. The park was very clean and I loved looking at the fountain and reading all the statue plaques. I love history and this park is full of it. Statues prompted me to immediately go to google and find out more about the people they were erected for. Early morning is great because not a lot of tourists. Most were runners and walkers which lest the fountain wide open for pictures.

This is the one place I wanted to visit on my trip to Savannah and it did not disappoint. Beautiful park! Amazing fountain! It is set up perfectly from the minute you set foot in the park to see the fountain. Trees offer shade everywhere (good thing because we went in July and it was 98), benches for resting were too. It even has a snack bar/restaurant with outdoor seating. I’m not sure if there was indoor since we did not go inside and I have to say the cleanest public park restrooms I have ever seen in my life anywhere….seriously. A park is never complete without playground for kids which it has. It made me wish my Granddaughters were with us, they would of LOVED it! Great place to see, do not skip it and do not forget to take your picture in front of the fountain.

Had a wonderful morning stroll at Forsyth Park in Savannah, GA. Despite the recent storm, the park remained Lovely! Appreciated the dedicated crew diligently cleaning the sidewalks, enhancing the overall experience. A refreshing and enjoyable outing in January!

This park is located near downtown Savannah and has very open dog-friendly spaces and fields. Some old monuments are scattered around, which makes for a great Sunday stroll.We highly recommend checking out the nearby restaurant CQ for a lovely brunch and coffee. (They also have a to-go window that you can walk up to!)

It is a beautiful historic park in the city's historic district. I love how the town maintains its beauty, especially its well-kept boardwalks and the water fountain in the park's center, which exudes classic elegance. This is an excellent place for locals and tourists to walk, jog, or relax.

Park with an area of 10 Acres. Beautiful and well maintained. This park has a beautiful fountain. We enjoyed our time here. There are many vendors selling paintings, souvenirs etc. This park has children's play area. This park has many seats to sit and relax. The park was crowded during our visit as it was saint Patrick's weekend.A must place to visit in Savannah for a cool atmosphere.

Stunning park that is safe and always well kept. The Farmers Market on Saturdays is great, has tons of food and fresh produce. There are always fun events in the park and Collins Quarter has done a great job with the concessions area. Great to just walk around, it's huge and you'll always find something new. Great to sunbathe and relax as well. The botanical garden is a hidden gem. 2 playgrounds for the kids and at least 2 football fields worth of open grass for sports or exercise. Beautiful full trees provide shade and ombiance.

This is an amazing park!. It has so much history and the water fountain is phenomenal to watch and enjoy the view. Nice place to come and sit and read a book or have a picnic with your love one's.

Very well-maintained beautiful park. Good place for a get-together. Play area and Splash pad are available for kids. I think it's difficult to get a car parking on weekends. The restroom is very clean, but there was a big queue in the ladies rest room.

This has to be one of the most beautiful, peaceful and idyllic places in all of Savannah. The park has lush grass and beautiful walkways lined with ancient trees that are dripping in Spanish moss. Different artists were stationed on one path selling sundries and at the end of the path was a gorgeous fountain. There is a small botanical garden in the park and surrounding the area were rows of gorgeous homes with tall ceilings and wrought iron, long shutters and inviting porches that remind you of the South.

Beautiful, serene park. Enjoyed our visit. It is dog friendly. Must see if visiting for the first time. I recommend walking through the park at dusk or early evening. We enjoyed viewing the holiday decorations and historic homes.

In this park you will find the city’s most famous fountain (installed in 1858 and modeled after the fountains at the Place de la Concorde in Paris).It has two playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, restrooms.Forsyth Park is dog-friendly and probably the top picnic destination in Savannah.The beauty and peacefulness of this park are appreciated by all who visit it.

For the tourists and locals - Depending on the time you are visiting, you will see different scenery. Don’t just pay attention to the famous fountain, look up to find the hawk (it likes to sit on the big branch higher than the lamppost height), owl (I haven’t found it yet 😅 but my friends seen a pair). The photo and video were taken in early Spring 2024. Eat the local honey (this year’s) if you are allergic to the pollen; I take it before and after visiting the park.Most of the locals chillax on the grass. I love the varieties of dogs in this park. If you want to experience some local creativity and what’s in the vicinity, visit on the weekends. There’s farmer markets, local and aspiring artists, for your stomach and 👀 . Oh yes, some musicians serenading 🎶🎺too. Parking can be challenging during peak hours and on the weekends after 9 a.m. Wear comfortable shoes. Bring water to hydrate. Use discernment when walking in the park. And 📸 ready!Stroll, don’t rush in the park, to enjoy the creations around you 😉. Many of the trees, plants, bushes were planted centuries ago for our enjoyment. To remind us we are a big family. Bonus: there are many beautiful historical homes of different styles around the (N, NE) park, which I absolutely love 😍. Check them out if you love architecture details and history.

A must see- nice area, rented scooters and scooted to the fountain from our hotel. The trip there took us through all the squares, and the fountain was really pretty.

Beautiful park and trees. Public bathrooms. Two playgrounds. Lots of grassy area for sitting and playing. There is a restaurant on site that we did not use. The fountain is gorgeous.

Love going to Forsyth. Did the 5k walk which was very well organized. The park is great for people watching, enjoying a nice day, walking, events.

Top notch Park from end to end. Historic monuments pretty much every block for a 12 square block radius. The water fountain is amazing along with the rose garden building you walk in and the aroma of roses just smacks you in the face! I would recommend coming here if you are in the area because it's a nice place to get away from the big city while you're still in the big city.

Beautiful Park. I Felt safe there. I didn't see 1 police officer there unfortunately. The take out window staff at the park cafe where not so helpful or friendly. That didn't affect the park overall but next time I will take my money some place else.

Went to this place twice. Yesterday it was raining super heavily and found no oneToday morning it was crowded. Nice place to every fortnight/monthly markets here.They got good stuffs like painting, posters, accessories, eatables, clutches, juices and much more.

Beautiful! This is a great park with lots of history. It’s a nice place to take your dog for a walk or go on a picnic. It was spread out so it didn’t feel crowded. We parked nearby for free and walked to eat down by the River Front!

Lots of open areas to sit. Bring a blanket to layout, no picnic tables to sit at.The fountain was green. Pretty cool for Saint Patty’s day.

This is a great park to stroll if you are visiting Savannah, big trees, fountain, large lawn to play, relax, walk, exercise, it has kids play area, stage etc. There is a restaurant, well maintained park and trails. When we visited, there were people selling their art inside this park on a trail. Restrooms were clean and were pretty busy on weekend. Paid parking around is available, sometimes on a walking distance.

4.8

(16608)

4.5

(9060)

Savannah, GA 31401, USA