Scarowinds, Folly Beach among 5 key spots for last-minute drives for mid-semester vacation
If you’re a student at the University of South Carolina, today is a very special day for you — and no, it’s not just Thirsty Thursday. Today not only marks the halfway point of this semester (thank goodness), but it also means that fall break is a mere week away. While many of you will be taking fancy vacations or heading home for the long weekend to visit family and wash a few loads of laundry, the rest of us will be keeping an eye on Columbia. But just because you’re “staying in” for this break, doesn’t mean you can’t explore the great state outside of the capital city. South Carolina has a lot to offer, some of which even you natives may not know about. And don’t worry; not every road trip has to involve backseat games of mini checkers with only half the pieces and your older brother playing the “I’m not touching you” game.
South of the Border, Dillon, S.C.
Distance from Columbia: 1 hour 54 minutes
If you’ve ever been cruising along up I-95 North, chances are you may have passed the giant Mexican man towering over the road amidst a bevy of twinkling lights and giant, saucer-sized sombreros. South of the Border, which got its start in 1949 as a small beer stand, has blossomed into a commune for the kitsch, offering visitors a chance to experience dining, shopping and lodging all done fiesta-style (the main restaurant is even in the shape of a sombrero). The tourist hot spot even boasts a reptile lagoon, amusement park and a 200-foot-tall observation tower that looks out over a massive expanse of trees and grasslands (also sombrero-shaped). It’s funky and it’s fun, and you’ll have more than enough opportunities to snap some Instagram-worthy pictures.
Folly Beach
Distance from Columbia: 2 hours 15 minutes
Known to many as the “Edge of America,” Folly Beach has garnered a statewide reputation as one of the most laid-back, relaxed places to kick back with your feet in the sand and your Corona in a koozie. To only be a few hours away from Columbia, this beach feels like it’s in another state altogether; natives mingle shoeless around the local bars and seafood eateries after a long day riding the waves at the washout. There’s no big chains on the island itself, so you’re left to picking up that toothbrush you forgot at Bert’s, a locally run market that caters to the island aficionado, stocked up with detergent, organic treats, wine and just about anything else you’d need for an extended weekend — or maybe even longer.
Caesar’s Head State Park
Distance from Columbia: 2 hours 23 minutes
You may not be able to take a long trip up to the Rocky Mountains, but Caesar’s Head State Park is even closer and just as beautiful. There are a number of trails available ranging from 1/2 mile to 10 miles to suit just about any hiking enthusiast, and there’s also fishing and camping available at designated areas on site. Caesar’s Head is also an active bird-watching spot, and this month is the perfect time to catch the hawk migration through the territory. The park even caters to the modern man, offering free wireless internet in a vast majority of the area. If you’re lucky (or perhaps not) you may catch a glimpse of a native black bear or an endangered green salamander. The breathtaking landscape comes complete with five powerful waterfalls and the turning leaves make this fall break more than appropriate for a quick visit.
Scarowinds
Distance from Columbia: 1 hour 26 minutes
Okay, so technically this is on the border of North and South Carolina, and technically it’s a theme park, but if you’re a fan of all things blood and guts, this is the place to be. Every weekend night at 7 p.m., the park opens up to the darkness, inviting in all kinds of wicked clowns, cleaver-wielding butchers and evil dolls that have had a little too much playtime. All the rides are still open, but to get to each area, you need only walk through a few corn mazes or a creepy dance club which throbs with gushing blood. Not too hard right? At Scarowinds, you’re never safe; a host of terrifying characters are constantly on the prowl in the park, popping up behind you while you’re waiting in line or chasing you out of the water squirting game. It’s all in fun of course — just watch out for the guy with the chainsaw. We’re still not quite sure if he works there.
Pawleys Island
Distance from Columbia: 3 hours, 8 minutes
Pawleys is one of the most historic beaches on the South Carolina coastline, and it certainly has the roots and beauty to show it. The island itself is only inhabited by locals or near-locals year-round, and the only beach houses allowed range from shabby shacks to upscale complexes. Like Folly, Pawleys boasts a laid-back atmosphere, and you need not travel far to pick up a delicious local seafood dinner or a new hammock from the nationally acclaimed Pawleys Island Hammock Shops. The coastline is dotted with jetties and perfect seashells come to shore when the tide is low. The weekend may go by fast, but time moves a little bit slower when you’re swinging in a hammock.