Carolina Day Trips: Insider Tips for Visiting Georgetown, South Carolina

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Carolina Day Trips: Insider Tips for Visiting Georgetown, SC

f you only have 36 hours to spend in Georgetown, you’ll have choices on and off the water. First, you’ll want to find accommodations that reflect this historic water community.

We’ve got two suggestions: The Shaw House B&B is a colonial home with columns in the front and a scrumptious new screened in porch overlooking the marsh. Innkeepers Mary and Joe Shaw are in the know about Georgetown, and your room will take you into a world of pampering and beautiful surroundings and furniture. (Breakfast included as well as lots of amenities.)

Or, you may want to think about Harbor House, located on Georgetown's historic working waterfront, only steps from colorful shops, antique/art galleries, both casual and fine dining, walking tours of the National Register Historic District, the Harborwalk and boat excursions.


hatever you choose, you’ll be well-rested for adventure. Any excursion should probably begin with the Visitor’s Center at 531 Front Street in the Chamber of Commerce building. Those folks will be happy to give you tips and suggestions, but we’ve got a few of our own, based on personal visits and advice from locals. The Harborwalk will help you get your “sea legs” as you stroll down the boardwalk between two of Georgetown’s many historical buildings, the Kaminski House (c.1760) and the Rice Museum (c.1842). The boardwalk has restaurants, galleries, antique shops and specialty stores filled with treasures to take home. You’ll also want to gather a bit of newfound knowledge about the area, and the Rice Museum is a great starting point. Early settlers here grew rice and indigo and many fortunes were made (and subsequently lost) through production of these crops. This fertile ground brought in travelers and settlers as well as shops and services. At the other end of Harborwalk is Kaminski House. Willed to the City of Georgetown, the Kaminski House is filled with antiques collected by the Kaminskis. There is an observation deck overlooking the river and a gift shop in the old butler's quarters. Tours: Mon.-Sat.,10 a.m.-4.pm. When it’s time for lunch, the Rice Paddy comes highly recommended. For true Southern flavor, consider the shrimp and corn chowder for starters, followed by Lowcountry Oyster pie. Yummy-licious! After lunch, walk around the historic district and consider taking a boat tour of the area. Away from land, you’ll pass through Winyah Bay and see plantation homes, rice fields from the past and beautiful scenery with sea birds and waving marsh grass. Nature’s bounty in the form of seashells can be collected at remote barrier islands. You may also get a glimpse of the North Island Lighthouse, accessible only by boat. Late in the afternoon, return to your B&B for a private taste of the antebellum lifestyle. Simply relaxing on a porch, or amidst fine Southern antiques, gives you a sense of how the privileged Georgetown residents wound down their days. In the evening, there are a number of excellent restaurants, including The River Room. Here’s how one recent visitor described her experience on Trip Advisor: “The River Room is both casual and fancy simultaneously. One of the best restaurants in Georgetown, it has herb-encrusted grouper to die for! Other good stuff too, a good wait staff and a view of the docks and the river.” Wander down Harborwalk before turning in after your perfect day. There’s more to come. Next morning, you’ll want to arise early for several excursions around the area. If you enjoy outdoor sculpture and beautiful gardens, head north to Brookgreen Gardens. Here’s the story. In 1931, Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington founded Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit garden museum, to preserve the native flora and fauna and display objects of art within that natural setting. Today, Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark with the most significant collection of figurative sculpture, in an outdoor setting, by American artists in the world, and has the only zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on the coast of the Carolinas. It’s been called a “top public garden” by Coastal Living magazine, and won the 2009 Reader’s Choice Award for Public Gardens, by Southern Living. You’ll enjoy your visit, especially a larger-than-life statue of Pegasus, among other exquisite sculptures. Brookgreen offers special events, including two current jewels: Silent Cities, a tour of back roads and cemeteries at Brookgreen, available through March 4 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Oaks Plantation History and Nature Trail is another possibility, and features a natural walking trail that passes archaeological sites, now through March 5. Directions: Follow US Highway 17 Bypass 18 miles north of Georgetown. If you’ve got time, another worthy destination is Hobcaw Barony. This magnificent 17,500 acre natural preserve and wildlife refuge has great features, including the former 13,500 square foot home of Wall Street millionaire Bernard M. Baruch, who hosted President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sir Winston Churchill among others. Other features include the only existing slave street left on the Waccamaw Neck, the grounds and stables of Bellefield Plantation, and a salt marsh boardwalk. A small nature and history museum is also on site that contains many exhibits, videos, and two alligators. From Georgetown, take Highway 17 north one mile. Hobcaw Barony will be on the right. Related Reading Georgetown, SC Day Trips Directory



About the Author Katherine O. Pettit has worked as a writer, magazine editor, printer and public relations consultant. The Columbia resident has published more than 250 articles in magazines and newspapers. Her writing explores a variety of subjects including travel, lifestyles, business and management.