South Carolina General Information Nickname: Palmetto State State bird: Carolina Wren State flower: Carolina Yellow Jasmine Capital: Columbia Date of admission to the Union: 23rd May 1788 (original 13 States; date of ratification of the Constitution) Population: 4,012,012 (2000) Population density: 48.4/sq km 2000 total overseas arrivals/US ranking: 156,000/27 Time: Eastern (GMT - 5). Daylight Saving Time is observed. The State: From the rolling hills of the Upcountry to the glistening lakes of the midlands to the wide, white sandy beaches of the 320km (200-mile) Atlantic coastline, South Carolina has beautiful scenery and a rich history documented by attractive plantations and the northwestern foothills where fierce battles were fought during the Civil War. Charleston, situated on the coast, is one of its best known tourist destinations, being the site of the first permanent English settlement. Other State attractions include Myrtle Beach, a popular resort city famous for its golf, centred on the sun-drenched 95km (60 mile) stretch of coastline on the northern border; peaceful island resorts such as Kiawah, Seabrook and Hilton Head which has 20km (12 miles) of beautiful beaches, unspoilt forest and golf courses; and the Oconee State Park in the lush northern Upcountry. Travel - International AIR: The State is accessible from several international gateways, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia and Raleigh/Durham airports, with connecting services to domestic airports (see below). Domestic airports: A number of national and regional carriers serve the airports in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville/Spartanburg, Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach. Hilton Head Island is also served by Savannah (Georgia) International Airport. RAIL: Rail service through America’s Amtrak (tel: (800) 872 7245 (toll free); website: www.amtrak.com) system is available to Charleston and Columbia on the main New York–Washington–Miami route, and to Greenville on the New York–Washington–New Orleans route. Trains on these routes also stop at a number of smaller centres. ROAD: Approximate bus travel times: From Charleston to Savannah is 3 hours, and to Charlotte is 6 hours. From Columbia to Savannah is 2 hours, to Washington, DC is 10 hours, and to Miami is 13 hours. Greyhound (tel: (800) 229 9424 (toll free); website: www.greyhound.com) is the main carrier. URBAN: The Coastal Rapid Public Transit Authority serves Myrtle Beach and Conway. SCE & G Transit Authority serves Charleston, North Charleston, James Island, the Isle of Palms and greater Metropolitan Columbia. There is also a bus and trolley service in central Charleston. Introduction CHARLESTON: This aristocratic colonial port boasts beautifully restored antebellum homes, quaint old churches and lovely hidden gardens. So many churches dot the streets of Charleston that the city has been nicknamed ‘The Holy City’. Some of the most historic among them include the French Huguenot Church, St Philip’s Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church and the Unitarian Church. Popular attractions include Cabbage Row, which was the inspiration for America’s first opera, Porgy & Bess. Charles Towne Landing is an unusual park located on the first permanent English settlement in South Carolina. Visitors can take a guided tram tour of the original 1670 fortification or board a replica of a 17th-century trading ketch and explore 11km (7 miles) of pathways through beautiful English park gardens. Other attractions include Middleton Place, America’s oldest formal English garden; Magnolia Garden; Boone Hall Plantation; Drayton Hall; and the Charleston Museum. EXCURSIONS: Fort Sumter is possibly the most important historic military site in the nation; the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter from Fort Johnson in 1861. Boat tours to Fort Sumter leave from Liberty Square and Patriots Point Maritime Museum. Charleston beach resorts include Fairfield Ocean Ridge at Edisto Island, Seabrook Island Resort, Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms, and Kiawah Island. COLUMBIA: Columbia is the seat of State government and the hub of the arts, education and history in South Carolina. Attractions include the Columbia Museum of Art, where contemporary art shares the spotlight with masterpieces of the Baroque and Renaissance. Ranked among the top ten zoos in the nation, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden uses water and light to create the illusion of privacy and wild, unlimited space for the 2000 animals. The Confederate Relic Room and Museum features weapons and memorabilia, including flags, newspapers, clothing, pictures and money. The Fort Jackson Museum traces the history of the American soldier and a special exhibit focuses on the life and times of President Andrew Jackson. Other sights include Robert Mills Historic House and Park, Millwood Plantation Ruins, the South Carolina State Museum, Riverfront Park and Historic Columbia Canal. GRAND STRAND AND MYRTLE BEACH: Stretching 96km (60 miles) from Little River near the North Carolina border to the tidelands of historic Georgetown, the Grand Strand is a long area dotted with beaches and tourist resorts. Popular attractions for children include the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park, which boasts a giant German Pipe Organ dating from 1900; Ripley’s Aquarium; NASCAR Speedpark; and the Myrtle Beach National Wax Museum. Fun water rides can be found at Myrtle Waves Water Park and Wild Water and Wheels in Surfside Beach. Family Kingdom Amusement Park boasts Swamp Fox, a legendary wooden roller coaster. There is also an array of family entertainment complexes offering professional stage and music programmes. Other sights include Brookgreen Gardens, a showplace of art and nature developed in the 1930s by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington on the site of four colonial rice plantations. Amongst the 2000 species of plants, visitors can view around 550 of America’s finest 19th- and 20th-century sculptures by artists such as Frederic Remington and Daniel Chester French, as well as many by Anna Hyatt Huntington herself. Across the street is the oceanfront Huntington Beach State Park, which is also home to Atalaya, once the castle-like studio of Mrs Huntington. The park offers a visitors’ centre, boardwalk nature trails, camping, picnicking, sunbathing and nature programmes. Myrtle Beach State Park is one of the most popular parks in the State with cabins, camping, swimming and pier fishing. The South Carolina Hall of Fame in Myrtle Beach has interactive video displays which salute outstanding citizens of South Carolina. The story of rice and indigo is told through dioramas and artefacts at the Rice Museum inside the Old Market Building in Georgetown. PAWLEY’S ISLAND: One of the oldest resorts on the Atlantic Coast, the island was once a refuge for colonial rice planters’ families wishing to avoid malaria. Many of the old beach houses can be rented. The original Pawley’s Island rope hammocks have long been handmade in this area. THE BLUE RIDGES: The Cherokees called this range ‘the Great Blue Hills of God’. This was Cherokee country when the first traders came here. By the late 1820s, all that was left of the Lower Cherokee Nation was place and river names, such as Seneca, Jocassee and Tokeena. Today, Upcountry attractions include the Anderson Arts Center, Greenville Zoo, Hollywild Animal Park, Campbell’s Covered Bridge and the Irma Morris Museum of Fine Art. The falls of Whitewater cascade over the Blue Ridge, down a drop of 275m (900ft). The top of Raven Cliff Falls in Caesars Head State Park offers an eagle’s-eye view encompassing the great sweep of the Blue Ridge. Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River, which separates South Carolina from Georgia, is a popular spot for whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking. Table Rock State Park is one of the State’s oldest and most popular parks. Camping, boating, fishing, swimming, nature trails and summit hikes have drawn record numbers of visitors. Social Profile Food & Drink: Charleston boasts a number of fine seafood restaurants, where specialities include shrimp with grits and Charleston She-Crab Soup. There are more than 1800 restaurants on the Grand Strand in Myrtle Beach, offering every type of food imaginable. The legal age for drinking is 21. Alcohol cannot be served after midnight on Saturday and all day Sunday, except in establishments with special permits in Charleston, Columbia, Edisto Beach, Hilton Head, the Myrtle Beach area and Santee. Theatre & Concerts: Alabama Theater and Caroline Opry in Myrtle Beach are popular venues for country music acts. Nearby, Broadway at the Beach offers 12 theatres with famous stars and a wide array of entertainment. Nightlife: The liveliest spot in South Carolina is Myrtle Beach, where the nightclubs are open for business every night of the week. Choices range from country music venues to high-energy dance clubs. Shopping: Popular places to shop for bargains include the Waccamaw Outlet Park, the Factory Outlet Shops, the variety of shops at Barefoot Landing and numerous golf and sporting goods shops. A popular purchase is the Pawley’s Island hammock, which visitors can watch being made at the Hammock Shop on Pawley’s Island. Sport: There are over 335 golf courses statewide, and the Low Country offers more than 100 championship courses, several of which are frequented by renowned master players – Kiawah Island hosted the exciting 1991 Ryder Cup contest and the 1997 World Cup of Golf. Tennis is another big outdoor attraction. Other activities include watersports, cycling, hiking and fishing. Special Events: The following is a selection of special events taking place in 2003: Mar 17 St Patrick’s Day Parade in Five Points, Columbia. Apr Family Circle Cup (women’s tennis tournament), Hilton Head Island; World Grits Festival, St George. May-Jun Spoleto Festival USA, (performing arts festival), Charleston. Jun Hampton County Watermelon Festival, Hampton. Aug Summerfest, York. Sep Hilton Head Island Food Fest 2003, Hilton Head; South Carolina’s Largest Garage Sale, Myrtle Beach; Lexington Fun Fest, Lexington. Sep-Oct Sumter County Fair. Oct South Carolina State Fair, Columbia; Fall Festival of Houses and History, Beaufort. Nov Revolutionary War Field Days, Camden; Plantation Days, Charleston; Colonial Cup (steeplechase), Camden. Nov-Jan 2004 Holiday Festival of Lights, Charleston. Climate South Carolina has a temperate climate. Spring and fall are the most pleasant seasons. In winter, temperatures generally average 40-45°F (5°-7°C) in inland areas, and 55-60°F (12°-15ºC) by the shore. Summer temperatures, modified by mountains in some areas and by sea breezes in others, range from 75-85°F (24°-29ºC), and can reach as high as 90°F (32ºC) and above. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.