In Congaree National Park, via Unsplash.
By Andy Brack, editor and editor | If you are feeling crazy because of the months of confinement in your home or hometown due to a pandemic, there will come a day when traveling will be safe and comfortable again.
For most of us, it cannot happen soon. For many, it may not matter exactly where the destination is. It is important that it is not at home.
For this reason, let’s think about traveling for the purpose of helping your South Carolina companions. Instead of going to some faraway destination, consider staying closer to home this year and visiting a region of Palmetto State that you don’t is familiar with.
This can not only connect you more deeply with our home state, but it can also help companies a lot. The tourism industry, which recorded nearly $ 24 billion in economic activity in 2018, suffered a major financial blow during the pandemic, with experts predicting that revenues fell by up to 35%. This could represent a loss of $ 8 billion for hotels, restaurants and local businesses that cater to visitors, which include everything from gas stations and local stores to sports facilities and tourism companies.
“What we’ve learned in our community is that 40,000 of our neighbors depend on the hospitality industry to feed our families,” said Doug Warner, vice president for media and innovation at Explore Charleston. “After the year that we all had, the return of this industry is fundamental.
“Parts of our state’s hospitality economy have exploded, like golf and state parks, but regular family businesses need our support more than ever.”
So if you live in Lowcountry, you might want to visit Upstate to see how modern Greenville has become. Someone from Upstate can deepen their love for South Carolina by visiting Pearl Fryar’s topiary garden in Bishopville or enjoying small Pee Dee towns like Lake City, where there is a vibrant art scene. People often make jokes about Columbia – mostly because of work, or lack of it, at the Statehouse, but the area has a lot to do for everyone. And then there are miles of beaches and outdoor fun along the coast.
“Our drive to see and experience a bigger world is the subject of my new book, Why travel? A way of being, a way of seeing, ”Said Charleston travel writer Bill Thompson in a column published this week. “And while this pandemic moment may seem like a rather strange time to publish it, this collection of essays and travel articles arrives with a glimmer of hope that we will soon be able to start planning our trips again.”
Traveling offers a way for people to invigorate their souls and do more than see sights, he said.
“The doctor, poet and humorist Oliver Wendell Holmes observed that a mind enlarged by new experiences never retreats to the ends of its old dimensions,” said Thompson. “This is what we are looking for. An expanded and expansive view. You don’t get that sitting in place. “
Here are some ideas, by region, where to go:
Inside, enjoy bubbling mountain streams and adventures in places like Caesars Head State Park or Jocassee Gorges. Learn about the history of textiles in old factories. Bring the Revolutionary War to life at Cowpens National Battlefield or the city of Ninety Six.
In Midlands, take a walk in the Congaree National Park. Visit the Riverbanks Zoo and Columbia’s museums. Check out the Dupont Planetarium in Aiken, the Newberry Opera House and the Rock HIll center.
The Pee Dee offers more than South of the Border (which is fun). The center of Florence has elegant shops and restaurants. Brookgreen Gardens at Murrells Inlet is a big hit, as are the waterfront attractions across the Grand Strand. Bishopville has the Button Museum and Hartsville is home to the Coker Farms National Historic Landmark.
Throughout the Lowcountry, immerse yourself in history on the streets and historic buildings of Charleston and Beaufort. Visit locations along the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which runs from Myrtle Beach to St. Helena Island and Jasper County. See Angel Oak on Johns Island, the ruins of Old Sheldon Church and the charms of old Bluffton.
The whole world is out there – but remember, so is the entire state.
Andy Brack is an editor and editor for the Statehouse Report. Bill Thompson’s new book, Why travel a way of being, a way of seeing, is published by Sojourner Books and available on February 28. Have a comment? Send to: [email protected].