Low Country Holidays - introduction to the South Carolina Low Country

Welcome to the South Carolina Low Country...

The beauty of this wonderful area as a holiday destination is that whoever you are, whatever your tastes, the perfect holiday awaits.

With such diversity, so many things to do – beautiful quiet beaches, fantastic wildlife, culture, history, top class golf, fishing, watersports, shopping, fine dining and all manner of nightlife.

Location
The Low Country encompasses many counties in South Carolina but our site centres around those on the coastline, Beaufort, Charleston, Georgetown, and Horry. Starting from the south - Edisto Island, Seabrook Island, Hilton Head, Kiawah Island, Folly Beach, Charleston, Isle of Palms, Bull Island, Cape Romain, McClellanville, Georgetown, Pawleys Island, Litchfield and North Litchfield Beach, Murrells Inlet, Garden City, Surfside Beach, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and ending at Little River on the North Carolina border.

Low Country Cuisine
Traditional dishes always include rice as a staple and many of the original recipes were influenced by West African and later African American cooks. Red rice, fried okra, and fried chicken are examples.

Because of the Low Country's proximity to the coast, recipes using shrimp, crab, and oysters are plentiful.

see our dining page for more info

Crafts
Sweetgrass basketry, a tradition that was brought from West Africa over two centuries ago, served many functional purposes in plantation society and is still carried on today.

Natural beauty and wildlife
The ecosystem provides the visitor with exemplary opportunities to bird-watch, fish, crab, canoe, and kayak. Through dedicated conservation efforts, the river systems provide breathtaking views of alligator, blue heron, osprey, egret, anhinga, baled eagle, and so on. Many trails throughout the region offer hiking and bicycling experiences, while glimpsing otter, fox, and migratory waterfowl. The Ashley River offers a wonderful trail of 18th- and 19th-century shipwrecks that can be viewed by canoe.

see our wildlife page for more info

History
First settled by the British in 1670 the Low Country became the centre of rice production in the United States through to the late 18th century.

The area and Charleston in particular also played a major part in both the War of Independence and the Civil War where the opening shots were fired.

see our history page for a more indepth overview of the areas history and historic attractions.