Quick rest area. Welcome to South Carolina Plenty of stalls…read morefor women and men to opposite sides of the building Free WiFi Parking right in front of the building and right off the highway. Easy off and on Highway this is going southbound

Stopped at the I-95 Santee, South Carolina Welcome Center…read moreWhat a beautiful facility! Mr. Larry, the manager, was so nice and helpful. Everything was spotless, very welcoming, and it honestly looks more like a hotel lobby than a rest stop. I loved the swings outside -- such a relaxing touch! It's a very safe place to stretch your legs, walk your dog, enjoy the sunshine, or just take in some fresh air. The bathrooms were clean, and there's plenty of space if you want to stop and eat, have a picnic, or take a brisk walk by yourself or with loved ones. Highly recommend stopping here... it's one of the nicest welcome centers I've ever visited!

Congaree National Park preserves the largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the…read moresoutheastern United States, which is what makes it a National Park. It is a primeval floodplain ecosystem, which is what makes it so beautiful! There are 11 trails at Congaree National Park, all featuring beautiful scenery and the value within nature. Beware of the mosquitoes! Because of this floodplain (body of water), this is a prime home for mosquitoes. They are known for their "Skeeter Meter," which is helpful in gauging the presence of mosquitoes. If you want to avoid the mosquitos, try to come during the Fall & Winter seasons, or during a drought. This park is 100% dog & RV friendly, and is a great place to take your kids!! Have fun, and take in the scenery!

What a beautiful National Park. To begin with entrance to the park is free. Drove in and headed to…read morethe visitor center. Bought a few souvenirs. We also watched a wonderful movie explaining the history of the park. From the visitor center we headed out on the wooden board walk that leads to the water about a mile and a half. Had a picnic lunch on the bench. Due to construction we ended up taking a dirt road back. Such a beautiful walk amongst the trees. If you have a dog this park is for you. We saw many people hiking with there dogs.

Conveniently located 10 minutes off I-95 so great ease of use! You don't feel near I-95. Easy…read morehiking trails at the campgrounds. Lake views and nice restrooms! Enjoyed local restaurants and history nearby.

This was my third time returning here, and I still need to come back for a couple things (see an…read morealligator, stay in one of the round cabins on the lake)! I'm drawn to this place, not sure if it's the Spanish Moss covered trees, the cypress swamps, the sinkholes, the gorgeous lakes, or just the quiet town vibe. My boyfriend is a fan of all the golf courses around, too, so it is definitely an option to stay in a cabin with a water view rather than a hotel with a McDonalds view. I usually stay in a pet friendly cabin and the dog gets a cot, so he really seemed to like having his bed on top of that! The park staff was friendly and accommodating, the rangers very pleasant, and the trails are lovely! We had rainy conditions, but still had a lovely time, and it wasn't so bad that we were stuck, but honestly even a storm out of the picture windows of the cabin would have been a pleasant vacation!

There are many units of the NWR, so be sure if you are using GPS, you choose the one you want. That…read morebeing said, a GPS accident took us to the Cuddo unit, which ended up being fantastic!! You have a scenic drive through the unit that really gives you a feel for the nature in the area. Complete with an alligator alley that probably sees a fair share when it's warm and sunny, there are many things to do! Hiking trails, picturesque overlooks, and all from your vehicle! The main unit (Bluff I think but not sure!) has Fort Watson, which was a British fort, or the remains of it anyway, and an ancient Indian Burial Mound, with a platform and stairs with an amazing lake view from the top. There's also birding opportunities and a visitor center with more lake overlooks and selfie opportunities if you are into that sort of thing. It's not a terribly long drive from town, either, so if you're like me and just need "nature breaks" once a month to get out of the grind, the Santee Cooper area has plenty to offer!

We went on a misty cloudy late September day around 4 pm. We happened to see an alligator behind…read morethe Alligator Alley sign. It was our lucky day. The alligator was lying in the water, resting, ignoring us completely. We didn't try to bother him. We continued on the 7.5 mile wildlife drive of the Cuddo Unit. It was a good one hour diversion on our way to the Charleston airport. The photo shows the alligator was mostly under the water.

This was a nice place to go for a hike with friends and a dog.People that are there seem to be…read moreextremely friendly. It's a clean park with a lot of different trails. It also has a playground, kayaking and boating. You're also allowed to fish there. I would recommend this. This park also offers a lot of benches to sit down in rest while Hiking. Please for a day trip with the family or friends.

We made a quick pit stop after picking up my daughter from her camp…read more Poinsett state park has lake where kids and dogs can swim/ play with water. They also has campground site and cabin to rent for your stay. Quite nature place and not really busy even on the week end. Has playground and clean bathroom for the visitors. Although our visit was short but we enjoyed it.

This is such a magical place! The ancient cypress swamp has trees over 1,000 years old. There is a…read morebeautiful 2 mile boardwalk to experience all kinds of nature. This is the nesting ground for the Prothonotary Warbler - a bright yellow bird nicknamed the swamp canary. Many unique kinds of fireflies can be seen here at night for the ticketed special event called Firefly Nights in May and June. Kayak adventures are hosted spring and fall through the black water river. There are so many unique species to be seen here year round. The staff are very knowledgeable and kind. Did you know mosquitoes don't like this swamp due to the moving water? It's a wonderful place to explore in every season.

I was greeted by an absolute swarm of some kind of biting fly as I parked my car. Apparently the…read moreflies have learned that cars have delicious humans inside as they were aggressively pounding the windows. This is of course par for the course in swampy South Carolina, but something to keep in mind as bringing some bug spray and applying it in advance is probably a good idea. The price to enter the boardwalk is per person, so while the place is family-friendly it can get up there if you have a group. The boardwalk you're paying for does have some impressive sights and a lot of signage talking about the history of the area. I saw a few interesting creatures while keeping on the move to avoid the flies. Upon my return to the visitor center, their captive snake was being fed. The center also has nice facilities and the whole area is well maintained. This is not Congaree (which is bigger, more interesting, and free), but I'm glad it is preserved for public enjoyment.

What a beautiful oasis in Sumpter! While traveling through the area I wanted to find a place to…read morestop for a bit and take a break from driving. This place came up in my search and so glad it did. The garden is very well maintained and extremely relaxing. Large pond with a number of different species of swans and geese. Great walking trails with lots of shade too. Well worth a visit. Wish I lived closer.

This park holds a very sentimental place to me. My mom used to bring me and my sisters here when we…read morewere kids. Also, we used to come here with several of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. So coming back here years after my mother's passing was a very bitter sweet moment. The park was as I remembered but also they have added things and made it more. The upkeep and maintenance of the park is great. Great for walking and justa relaxing atmosphere.