I never saw an authentic covered bridge until Clint Eastwood directed and starred with Meryl Streep in “The Bridges of Madison County.” Genuine covered bridges in these parts are as rare as hens’ teeth. Several years ago, though, I came across the real deal: a covered bridge up in northern Greenville. It was late afternoon […]

Everybody knows Shem Creek is a popular venue for seafood down Charleston way. The parking lots are always full. It’s known too for its picturesque shrimp trawlers. But check out Shem Creek proper and you’ll see it’s got more than trawlers and catamarans moored there. You’ll see paddlers in brightly colored kayaks gliding by. You’ll […]

No one would drive 154 miles to see a tree. Right? Wrong. Down on John’s Island you can see a Southern live oak estimated to be between 500 and 1,500 years old, one of the oldest living things east of the Mississippi River. Most expert estimates place Angel Oak’s age at 1,500 years, but precisely […]

Drive due south 83 miles (about two hours) and you’ll find the sleepy town of Blackville. Here you’ll find Ray Miller’s Bread-Basket with his famous homemade bread and the Healing Springs, a long-time destination for people seeking natural remedies. Here too you’ll find ruins of the Shamrock Hotel and Barnwell State Park. A Mennonite family […]

It’s not far to Sumter. Just 66 miles, and it’ll only take about 90 minutes. Head toward Camden and make your way to Highway 378 E/US 76 E then make your way on to Sumter. Soon you’ll see the city give way to an accidental delight: Swan Lake-Iris Gardens. The accidental garden, referred to by […]

Make the pleasant 117-mile drive to Central, S.C. and you’ll find a country community of the 1930s, the brainchild of Roy and Pat Collins. While many remember the 1930s as the era of the Great Depression, it was also a time when life was pragmatic and picturesque, a rare combination these days. At Collins Ole […]

Pick a day when you will be starving for traditional pit-cooked barbecue and make the 63-mile drive to Jackie Hite’s Barbecue just off Highway 23 in Leesville. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you park by the tracks and inhale the delicious aroma of hogs sizzling over hickory coals. Look for wisps of […]

While the beach grabs a lot of headlines, our Northwest Corner pleases many as a destination, especially when flatter lands bake and sizzle. Not quite 3 hours and 135 miles will take you from 535 feet above sea level to over 1,000 feet and much cooler air, not to mention spectacular views. Strike out for […]

Some say Folly Beach is South Carolina’s best beach and a growing number of people agree. Just 8 miles south of the Holy City, the “Edge of America,” as Folly Beach bills itself, is indeed a special place. I grew up in eastern Georgia far from the coast and one of the great places in […]