South CarolinaWith its unique geography marked by the Coastal Plain, the Sandhills, the Fall Line, the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge Mountains, South Carolina offers pleasantly varied landscapes. South Carolina’s tourism division boasts that the state is “Made for Vacation” with more events and festivals than days of the year, well over three-hundred and fifty emerald green golf courses, and nearly fifty different state parks.
South Carolina may be one of the smaller states with an area of 32,020 square miles (82,931 square kilometers), but it makes up for its size with its incredibly diversity. The state offers sandy beaches on a breath taking coastline, salt water marshes, estuaries, rich and fertile soils, eroded mountain chains, raging rivers, mixed forests and the remnants of coastal dunes. Everything from world class golf to thrilling whitewater rafting is a possibility in South Carolina, and the palmetto tree as the official state tree, earned the state’s nickname as the Palmetto State.
Beginning as a colony, Carolina included North and South Carolina. The two split into separate colonies early on for political reasons. Southern Carolina’s agricultural fertility allowed the colony to prosper and it became the first state to ratify the initial governing document for the United States, the Articles of Confederation, on February 5, 1778.
Today, South Carolina’s population of 4,679,230 people can proudly say they live in “American’s #1 golf destination” and outside of tourism the economy continues to be largely supported by its agricultural outputs, which include tobacco, poultry, cattle, dairy products, soybeans, hay, rice, and swine. Additionally, foreign investment plays a key role in the South Carolinian economy.
Visual and performing arts thrive in the various arts venues of South Carolina. These venues include a number of arts museums such as the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, the Greenville County Museum of Art, the Columbia Museum of Art, Spartanburg Art Museum, and the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia. Its performing arts venues include the Newberry Opera House, the North Charleston Coliseum, the Koger Center for the Arts, and the Peace Center. The state has plentiful museums and historical sites in appreciation of the many events and periods contributing to the state’s history ranging from Native American inhabitation to the present.
The city of Charleston marks one of South Carolina’s most sought after places to live. Its low-rise cityscape is dotted by numerous steeples along the skyline, earning it the title of “The Holy City.” A major tourist destination, Charleston offers plenty of luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants and shopping. Within the Charleston area Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island offer some of the most popular luxury areas and homes.
Myrtle Beach is another popular tourist destination within South Carolina and provides a number of top luxury properties, including beautiful waterfront homes. Meanwhile, the Georgetown area offers a pleasant climate and great residential communities.
With a rich history stemming from before its origins as a colony, South Carolina continues to grow. The numerous coastal communities, museums, historical and arts attractions, compliment the luxury provisions and destinations that make South Carolina the perfect place live.