Written by Christie Crawford
Clarksville, TN – Low Country South Carolina is defined as the low-lying coastal area of the state. Beaches don’t normally come to mind during the Thanksgiving season, but it is an exceptional time to visit this region. Oysters are in high season, and holiday decor featuring magnolia and shells festoon the homes and stores.
Meander down US Hwy 17 to conjure up images from Prince of Tides and the wild estuaries of Where The Crawdads Sing. View calm marshes, coastal islands, and eerie swamps along with Revolutionary and Civil War historic sites.
Pass by the boiled peanut huts and seagrass basket-maker stands. For 15 years, I spent Thanksgiving with my family in Myrtle Beach, taking time to explore the surrounding coastline. I grew to love these spots, and they are now my Thanksgiving memories.
Murrells Inlet
Just south of Myrtle Beach lies the historic fishing village of Murrells Inlet. The seafood capital of SC it has restaurants aplenty, from casual beach shacks to fine dining featuring local grouper and freshly caught shrimp and oysters. Take a stroll on the MarshWalk, gazing at what was once the lair of infamous pirate Blackbeard, while shrimp boats bring in their fresh morning haul. Nearby is the 2,500-acre Huntington State Park, which is adjacent to both the ocean and marshland. Be sure to visit its nature center.
Pawley’s Island
Home of the famous handcrafted rope hammock, the island is a popular destination for its variety of shabby chic cottages and condos, as well as its Southern-style boutiques and cafes. It began as a summer home retreat for plantation owners to escape mosquito-borne illnesses in the 1700s.
Its history includes slave rebellions, shipwrecks, and a ghost or two. A not-to-miss attraction is Brookgreen Gardens, the first public sculpture garden in America. Created by artist and heiress Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband, Archer. You must explore its lush gardens and botanical outdoor statuary.
Georgetown
With its meeting point of three rivers, the Waccamaw, Pee Dee, and Sampit, Georgetown is one of the oldest towns in SC. Formed in 1729, it has a large port and hosts the popular Wooden Boat Show each October.
You can stroll the Georgetown Harborwalk, tour a historic mansion or plantation, or visit the Rice Museum, chronicling the town’s history as the third largest producer of rice in the US. Carolina Rice has its beginnings here and is still available for purchase.
Charleston
The heart of the Low Country lies here. From its pastel antebellum seafront mansions on Battery Row to the historic Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, the city is a good dichotomy of old and new. Find Award-winning restaurants, lovely inns, refurbished warehouse galleries and shops, and plantations.
Middleton, Magnolia, and Boone Hall are all worth visiting. She-crab soup is a must to try here, as is shrimp pilau. Don’t skip the nearby islands of Folly, Kiawah and Edisto. And if maritime history is your passion, visit the USS Yorktown and Charleston Maritime Museum.
Beaufort
A one-time colony for the Spanish, French, and English, Beaufort is the home of the Pat Conroy Literary Museum and the movie settings for Prince of Tides, The Big Chill, and Forrest Gump.
Investigate this charming small town with its historically preserved main street, moss-covered live oak trees, a plethora of art galleries, and a nearby marine base, Parris Island. Gullah culture, similar to Creole and based on African origins, is celebrated here with food, music, festivals, and art.
Hilton Head
Conde Nast Traveler’s choice for the best US island for 2023, Hilton Head, with its vast white beaches, is a destination for ocean-goers and golfers alike. A newbie on the coast, the town was only incorporated in 1983 after careful environmental planning. But it, too, has a rich history from when William Hilton visited the area in 1663.
With its unique landscape, heritage, and cuisine, the South Carolina Low Country should be a strong consideration for your travel plans this fall. Southern author Pat Conroy in The Lords of Discipline describes it best; ” you can even forsake the low country, renounce it for other climates, but you can never mistake the sensuous, semitropical pull of Charleston and her marshes.”
No other dish exemplifies the low country cuisine best than classic shrimp and grits at the Thanksgiving table. This recipe from Palmetto Farms is my family’s favorite.
