Did you know trying new things and taking on challenges makes you stronger and happier? That’s what they say! And in order to help you out with this, we’ve got some hidden gems in South Carolina for you to check out this year, one for each month.
January - Landrum, SC
City of Landrum/Facebook Landrum is a city in the Spartanburg County upstate area of South Carolina that’s really quite a charming hidden gem small town full of hidden gems to explore. Landrum, SC 29356, USA
Trey/Airbnb Stay at this Airbnb cabin if you want to make it an overnight adventure. There’s a decent chance you could see snow this time of year in this part of the state, so plan accordingly!
Frank DiBona/Flickr This old Esso gas station is a retro replica roadside attraction located near the North Carolina border on Highway 176. It has a traditional 1930s Wayne gravity-powered gasoline pump and a kerosene barrel. An outhouse behind the building completes the recreation.
Southside Smokehouse & Grille/Facebook Stop by Southside Smokehouse and Grill at 726 South Howard Avenue to warm up with some Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate!
February - Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site
Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site/Facebook For Black History Month, check out this Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site, which was established in 2011 to honor and display the extraordinary life of Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays. Dr. Mays rose from impoverished beginnings to become one of the greatest international leaders of his generation. He served as President of Morehead College and was instrumental in putting the early admissions program into place that enabled Martin Luther King to begin college as a 15-year-old. Benjamin Mays Historic Site, 229 N Hospital St, Greenwood, SC 29646, USA
March - The Coffee Shelf
AnneMarie The Coffee Shelf, 130 Amicks Ferry Rd A-2, Chapin, SC 29036, USA
The Coffee Shelf/Google Reviews This hidden gem is for our coffee and book lovers. There’s a menu with drinks inspired by book characters and you just might discover a new favorite book for sale.
April - Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve
Hatcher Garden Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, 832 John B White Sr Blvd, Spartanburg, SC 29306, USA
Hatcher Garden A 10-acre space of 9 different unique gardens, this special place was created by Josephine and Harold Hatcher beginning in 1969. They transformed the abandoned cotton field that was their backyard into a breathtaking natural sanctuary that we get to enjoy today. What a beautiful legacy!
May - Vanishing Island™
Outside Hilton Head/Facebook Sand Bar, South Carolina 29915, USA
Outside Hilton Head/Facebook Located off the southern tip of Hilton Head Island and along the coast of nearby Daufuskie Island lies Vanishing Island™, a sandbar which can only be visited at low tide in the Calibogue Sound. It is not recommended to attempt to navigate these shallow waters in a rental boat or without extensive local knowledge. Outside Hilton Head offers a Beachcombing Cruise where you can watch for Dolphins, collect seashells on Vanishing Island™, and observe wildlife.
June - Lynches River County Park
Florence County Parks & Recreation/Facebook Lynches River County Park, 5094 County Park Rd, Coward, SC 29530, USA
Florence County Parks & Recreation/Facebook
Lynches River County Park/Facebook Located on Lynches River in the Pee Dee region of the state, this 676-acre park features a river swamp with towering cypress trees, as well as sand hills, and offers a wide variety of vegetation. Popular activities at the park include canoeing, camping, nature trails, Splash Pad fun, picnicking, geocaching, and a visit to the Environmental Discovery Center. There’s also an archery range and cabins are available in addition to campsites if you’d like to stay overnight.
July - Rob Kennedy Trail
Daufuskie Museum Daufuskie Island, SC 29915, USA
Daufuskie Museum The Rob Kennedy Trail on Daufuskie Island includes 20 historical sites. The two pictured here are the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church No. 2 building, which became the Billie Burn Museum after it was bought in 2001 by Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation and restored, and the Frances Jones Home. Frances Jones was the beloved teacher of the African-American children on the island from 1930 to 1969. She taught as many as 96 children in morning and afternoon sessions. A childhood accident left her lame, but this did not deter her from softball games with her students.
August - Pine Ridge Campground
Pine Ridge Campground/Google Reviews Pine Ridge Campground, 199 Pineridge Campground Rd, Roebuck, SC 29376, USA
Jo Owens Murray/Google Reviews Veteran-owned, Pine Ridge Campground offers a variety of sites including full hookup sites with both 30 and 50 amp service, rustic cabins with electricity, and park models. Open year-round, it can accommodate daily, weekly, or monthly guests. An array of amenities on site include WiFi, laundry facilities, propane, a one-acre catch and release fishing pond, and a pool.
September - Boyscout Island
brianjhudson/Getty Images Boyscout Island is a remote, uninhabited island accessible via Lake Moultrie. It’s a locals’ secret, difficult to access even by boat due to the stump fields and shallows that must be navigated. Lake Moultrie Kayak Rentals and Tours offers The Gilligan Tour, where guests are taken to the island by a guide and left to their own devices to explore and kayak back on their own. Lake Moultrie, South Carolina, USA
October - Pinnacle Mountain Falls
Toby Humphries/AllTrails Hike the 2.7-mile out-and-back Pinnacle Mountain Falls trail near Pickens. It’s considered a moderately challenging route and takes an average of an hour and a half to complete. It’s steeper once you get closer to the waterfall. Be prepared for climbing over some boulders. It’s also less maintained closer to the falls, so watch your footing carefully as fallen leaves and nuts can make for easy slips. A 17-year-old cyclist fell approximately 15 to 20 feet at Pinnacle Mountain in April of 2022, so take your time and exercise caution!
November - Glamping at Oaks and Orchards Organic Wellness Farm
Oaks and Orchards Organic Wellness Farm/Facebook Cotton Hill Road, Cotton Hill Rd, South Carolina, USA
Oaks and Orchards Organic Wellness Farm/Facebook
Oaks and Orchards Organic Wellness Farm/Facebook
Oaks and Orchards Organic Wellness Farm/Facebook Go glamping and experience life on a farm that grows superfoods sustainably! Enjoy a cup of coffee in the greenhouse after a good night’s sleep. The farm also offers wellness retreats.
December - Wheels of Yesteryear
Wheels Of Yesteryear - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Facebook Wheels of Yesteryear, 413 Hospitality Ln, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579, USA
Wheels Of Yesteryear - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Facebook The first annual Wheels of Yesteryear Winterfest was held in 2022, so December is a great time to visit this hidden gem attraction. Meet Santa, bounce in a race car bounce house, eat delicious cookies, and do holiday crafts while you’re there. You may even have an opportunity to sit in some of the gorgeous vintage vehicles on display at this unique museum!
Visit the following links for additional information on the locations not linked above:
City of Landrum/Facebook
Landrum is a city in the Spartanburg County upstate area of South Carolina that’s really quite a charming hidden gem small town full of hidden gems to explore.
Landrum, SC 29356, USA
Trey/Airbnb
Stay at this Airbnb cabin if you want to make it an overnight adventure. There’s a decent chance you could see snow this time of year in this part of the state, so plan accordingly!
Frank DiBona/Flickr
This old Esso gas station is a retro replica roadside attraction located near the North Carolina border on Highway 176. It has a traditional 1930s Wayne gravity-powered gasoline pump and a kerosene barrel. An outhouse behind the building completes the recreation.
Southside Smokehouse & Grille/Facebook
Stop by Southside Smokehouse and Grill at 726 South Howard Avenue to warm up with some Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate!
Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site/Facebook
For Black History Month, check out this Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site, which was established in 2011 to honor and display the extraordinary life of Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays. Dr. Mays rose from impoverished beginnings to become one of the greatest international leaders of his generation. He served as President of Morehead College and was instrumental in putting the early admissions program into place that enabled Martin Luther King to begin college as a 15-year-old.
Benjamin Mays Historic Site, 229 N Hospital St, Greenwood, SC 29646, USA
AnneMarie
The Coffee Shelf, 130 Amicks Ferry Rd A-2, Chapin, SC 29036, USA
The Coffee Shelf/Google Reviews
This hidden gem is for our coffee and book lovers. There’s a menu with drinks inspired by book characters and you just might discover a new favorite book for sale.
Hatcher Garden
Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, 832 John B White Sr Blvd, Spartanburg, SC 29306, USA
A 10-acre space of 9 different unique gardens, this special place was created by Josephine and Harold Hatcher beginning in 1969. They transformed the abandoned cotton field that was their backyard into a breathtaking natural sanctuary that we get to enjoy today. What a beautiful legacy!
Outside Hilton Head/Facebook
Sand Bar, South Carolina 29915, USA
Located off the southern tip of Hilton Head Island and along the coast of nearby Daufuskie Island lies Vanishing Island™, a sandbar which can only be visited at low tide in the Calibogue Sound. It is not recommended to attempt to navigate these shallow waters in a rental boat or without extensive local knowledge. Outside Hilton Head offers a Beachcombing Cruise where you can watch for Dolphins, collect seashells on Vanishing Island™, and observe wildlife.
Florence County Parks & Recreation/Facebook
Lynches River County Park, 5094 County Park Rd, Coward, SC 29530, USA
Lynches River County Park/Facebook
Located on Lynches River in the Pee Dee region of the state, this 676-acre park features a river swamp with towering cypress trees, as well as sand hills, and offers a wide variety of vegetation. Popular activities at the park include canoeing, camping, nature trails, Splash Pad fun, picnicking, geocaching, and a visit to the Environmental Discovery Center. There’s also an archery range and cabins are available in addition to campsites if you’d like to stay overnight.
Daufuskie Museum
Daufuskie Island, SC 29915, USA
The Rob Kennedy Trail on Daufuskie Island includes 20 historical sites. The two pictured here are the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church No. 2 building, which became the Billie Burn Museum after it was bought in 2001 by Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation and restored, and the Frances Jones Home. Frances Jones was the beloved teacher of the African-American children on the island from 1930 to 1969. She taught as many as 96 children in morning and afternoon sessions. A childhood accident left her lame, but this did not deter her from softball games with her students.
Pine Ridge Campground/Google Reviews
Pine Ridge Campground, 199 Pineridge Campground Rd, Roebuck, SC 29376, USA
Jo Owens Murray/Google Reviews
Veteran-owned, Pine Ridge Campground offers a variety of sites including full hookup sites with both 30 and 50 amp service, rustic cabins with electricity, and park models. Open year-round, it can accommodate daily, weekly, or monthly guests. An array of amenities on site include WiFi, laundry facilities, propane, a one-acre catch and release fishing pond, and a pool.
brianjhudson/Getty Images
Boyscout Island is a remote, uninhabited island accessible via Lake Moultrie. It’s a locals’ secret, difficult to access even by boat due to the stump fields and shallows that must be navigated. Lake Moultrie Kayak Rentals and Tours offers The Gilligan Tour, where guests are taken to the island by a guide and left to their own devices to explore and kayak back on their own.
Lake Moultrie, South Carolina, USA
Toby Humphries/AllTrails
Hike the 2.7-mile out-and-back Pinnacle Mountain Falls trail near Pickens. It’s considered a moderately challenging route and takes an average of an hour and a half to complete. It’s steeper once you get closer to the waterfall. Be prepared for climbing over some boulders. It’s also less maintained closer to the falls, so watch your footing carefully as fallen leaves and nuts can make for easy slips. A 17-year-old cyclist fell approximately 15 to 20 feet at Pinnacle Mountain in April of 2022, so take your time and exercise caution!
Oaks and Orchards Organic Wellness Farm/Facebook
Cotton Hill Road, Cotton Hill Rd, South Carolina, USA
Go glamping and experience life on a farm that grows superfoods sustainably! Enjoy a cup of coffee in the greenhouse after a good night’s sleep. The farm also offers wellness retreats.
Wheels Of Yesteryear - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Facebook
Wheels of Yesteryear, 413 Hospitality Ln, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579, USA
The first annual Wheels of Yesteryear Winterfest was held in 2022, so December is a great time to visit this hidden gem attraction. Meet Santa, bounce in a race car bounce house, eat delicious cookies, and do holiday crafts while you’re there. You may even have an opportunity to sit in some of the gorgeous vintage vehicles on display at this unique museum!
Landrum Airbnb listing page
Southside Smokehouse & Grill website
Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site Facebook page
The Coffee Shelf Facebook page
Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve website
Lynches River County Park website
Rob Kennedy Trail page on the Daufuskie Museum website
Pine Ridge Campground website
Oaks and Orchards Organic Wellness Farm Facebook page
Wheels of Yesteryear Facebook page
Ready to try these hidden gems? Have you been to the treehouse restaurant in South Carolina that’s like a fairytale? There’s another hidden gem for ya!
Do you have any favorite hidden gem spots in South Carolina that aren’t on this list? Tell us about them in the comments below!
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