Excerpts from Charleston Magazine: Outdoors: Ramble On!
Published June 2013
Written by Stratton Lawrence
30 fun, cultural, educational, and downright quirky destinations for sunny-day adventures
It’s Summer!
Channel your inner explorer and carve out some time for carefree drives through the Lowcountry. With centuries of history along a coast that’s rich with biodiversity, every road out of town is literally dotted with points of interest—whether historical, cultural, natural, or utterly odd! Roll the windows down and head out on a day-long adventure. Take your time and savor some stops along the way. These 30 favorite day-trips are merely suggestions—let the journey dictate your destination.
Take an Art and Antiques Tour of Historic Walterboro
{ 48 miles [ 1 hour, 4 minutes }
Dubbed the “Front Porch of the Lowcountry,” downtown Walterboro lives up to that moniker on East Washington Street, where a row of antiques shops beckons you to find that vintage rocker you’ve been dreaming of. Then walk a block to the S.C. Artisans Center, where the crafts, sculptures, and paintings of more than 300 artists (all from South Carolina) are displayed and available for purchase, with prices ranging from $3 to $15,000 (look for the hand-carved mahogany Wood Song canoes by artist Philip Greene near the top of that spectrum). If shopping hasn’t worn you out, stop by the Bedon-Lucas House Museum for a taste of architecture and Lowcountry living à la the 19th century. Afterwards, grab dinner at Dukes Barbecue, leaving you satisfied for the short journey home.
■ walterborosc.org
■ S.C. Artisans Center, 318 Wichman St., Walterboro, (843) 549-0011, www.scartisancenter.com
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday, 1–5 p.m.
■ The Bedon-Lucas House Museum, 205 Church St., (843) 549-9633
Admission: Donations accepted. Hours: Monday, Wednesday, & Friday, 9 a.m.-noon; call ahead to confirm.
Immerse Yourself in the Great Swamp Sanctuary
{ 52 miles [ 1 hour, 10 minutes }
Just outside Walterboro (and minutes off of I-95), three small creeks braid together to form the Great Swamp, before collectively feeding into the Ashepoo River (the “A” in ACE Basin). The city protects 842 acres of this soggy forest, maintaining four miles of trails and boardwalks (much of which is handicap-friendly). The park includes a bike path and a 1.5-mile section of Ireland Creek navigable by canoe and kayak. Plans for a first-class interpretive center are in the works, but the natural wonders of this easily accessible wild forest are open and ready to be explored.
■ 399 Detreville St., Walterboro, (843) 782-1000, www.walterborosc.org/walterboro-wildlife-sanctuary.aspx
Admission: Free.
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Full article available here: Outdoors: Ramble On!
