The Atlas Obscura Guide To South Carolina

99 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in South Carolina

Updated September 27, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in South Carolina

Showing the supporting posts and expansive limbs.

Johns Island, South Carolina

The Angel Oak

One of the oldest living oak trees in the Southeast.

Fryar working on one of his creations.

Bishopville, South Carolina

Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden

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

Devils Kitchen

Cleveland, South Carolina

Devils Kitchen at Caesars Head State Park

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

UFO Welcome Center

Bowman, South Carolina

UFO Welcome Center

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

Charleston, South Carolina

Old Slave Mart

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

Old Sheldon Church

Yemassee, South Carolina

Old Sheldon Church Ruins

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

Hartsville, South Carolina

The Last Yogi Bear Honey Fried Chicken Restaurant

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

Poinsett Bridge

Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Poinsett Bridge

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

See All 99 Things To Do in South Carolina

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in South Carolina

Hartsville, South Carolina

The Last Yogi Bear Honey Fried Chicken Restaurant

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

New tea plants in the greenhouse.

Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina

Charleston Tea Garden

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

135 ft Peachoid water tower

Gaffney, South Carolina

Gaffney Peachoid

The record holder for the world’s largest peach.

The Blenheim Mineral Spring

Blenheim, South Carolina

Blenheim Mineral Springs

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

See all 8 Places to Eat in South Carolina

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

6 Hallowed Grounds in South Carolina

South Carolina is known for its picturesque coastal cities and Southern charm. Given its firm placement in the Bible Belt, the Palmetto State is home to many churches—but it also holds fascinating ruins of houses of worship, wondrous works of art inspired by African traditions, and historic holy grounds hiding in plain sight.

Explore South Carolina

History 9

History & Culture 9

Ruins 8

Art 8

Museums And Collections 8

Nature 7

Slavery 7

Roadside Attractions 7

Animals 7

Abandoned 7

Plants 7

Churches 6

South Carolina Leaderboard

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Hailstails1

has been to The Gay Dolphin
asdonkar

wants to go to Silver Springs Filling Station
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austincbeasley

has been to Old Slave Mart
Guthbrand

wants to go to Carhartt Mansion Ruins
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has been to Greek Revival Folk Art Chicken Coop

Stories About South Carolina

Podcast: Gullah Museum

A small museum tells the stories of the Gullah Geechee people and how they've shaped America.

by The Podcast Team

Written by Elizabeth Z Pardue, Photos by Michele Zapf

This Tiny Island Was Settled Thousands of Years Ago. It Hasn’t Really Changed.

Home to 4,600-acres of natural wonderland, mysterious ancient artifacts, and Gullah Geechee history.

Sponsored by Discover South Carolina

Podcast: Oyotunji African Village

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

by The Podcast Team

September 28, 2022

Purple straw turns golden as it matures.

The Return of Purple Straw, an Iconic Southern Wheat

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

by Rachel Kester

Podcast: The Gray Man

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

by The Podcast Team

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

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

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

by Isaac Schultz

August 19, 2020

Please don't taste this rainbow.

The South Carolina Forest That Looks Like Melted Ice Cream

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

by Jessica Leigh Hester

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

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

They're just doing what sharks do.

by Sabrina Imbler

February 14, 2020

Lists Featuring South Carolina

Original letter of Abraham, the son of Maimonides found in the Cairo genizah.

A sculpture of the Tower of Babel, by Alan Baughman, from the Introductory Room of the Museum of the Alphabet

Boontling word of the week in the tap room of the Anderson Valley Brewing Company.

A Linguistics Lover's Tour of the World

12 places to marvel at the history of human language.

Including The Cairo Genizah , The Museum of the Alphabet , and Boontling Language of Boonville

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