These 6 SC cities and towns are truly hidden gems, Travel + leisure says. Here’s why

Travel + Leisure magazine is featuring six South Carolina cities described as hidden treasures — “quiet coastal towns, wilderness hideaways, historic cities, and enchanting forests of palmettos and live oaks.”

Each is featured on the Palmetto Porch Podcast, a creation of Discover South Carolina from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism and advertised on Travel + Leisure.

The cities span the state from Pendleton in the Upstate, Summerton in the Santee area, Edisto Island, of course at the beach, McClellanville in the Lowcountry, Hartsville in the Pee Dee and Edgefield in the central Savannah River area.

McClellanville

Palmetto Porch calls McClellanville a “coastal retreat.”

It is also one of the best versions of a fishing village South Carolina has to offer. It survived Hurricane Hugo’s wall of water in 1989, when the Category 5 storm slammed into the South Carolina coast 30 miles away.

It was one of South Carolina’s hardest hit spots. The memory pervades. Some residents marked the spot where the water stopped inside their homes.

“Seafood lovers will find plates of paradise in McClellanville, a tiny harbor town that feels untouched by time,” they said.

Palmetto Porch recommends specifically T.W. Graham & Co. for a platter of flounder, shrimp, or crab (the crab balls are a family recipe). Once a general store, the restaurant features seafood straight from the local docks.

“McClellanville is also a gateway to Cape Romain, a vast wildlife refuge extending along the coast through barrier islands, salt marshes, and maritime forests,” Palmetto Porch said.

Pendleton

Pendleton is a historic gem of such quality the entire town is on the Register of Historic Places.

“Steeped in Southern charm, from the beautifully preserved buildings to the woodworking shops, antique stores, and art galleries that line the village green,” Palmetto Porch said.

Located a few miles from Clemson, Pendleton has grand clapboard houses and a town square where Farmer’s Hall and Hunter’s Store are located.

Palmetto Porch recommends lunch at the Blue Heron, for Southern classics like fried green tomatoes and shrimp and cheesy grits.

The historic plantations Ashtabula and Woodburn are close by. Both are open to the public thanks to the Pendleton Historic Foundation

Hartsville

“The deep green beauty of Hartsville is a big part of its appeal,” Palmetto Porch said. “At Kalmia Gardens—a 38-acre public botanical garden and historic house—visitors can hike along lush, well-tended paths through wild terrain ranging from laurel thickets to a cypress swamp.”

In town, there is Timms Attic, Hartsville Museum, and a rooftop bar at the Mantissa Hotel. But perhaps better known is Sonoco Products, which gives Hartsville the honor of being the smallest city in America to host a Fortune 500.

Also in Hartsville is Coker University.

Edgefield

Warm, laidback, walkable, charming — that’s how Palmetto Porch described Edgefield.

“The town wears its rich history on its sleeve — the compact Courthouse Square is anchored by 19th-century buildings and cultural monuments.” they said.

The podcast doesn’t mention the 10 statesmen, including Strom Thurmond, who are from there or infamous murderess Betty Cotton (the devil in petticoats who killed multiple husbands in the late 1800s, according to local lore or duels on the courthouse steps).

Palmetto Porch points folks to the French Garden Market for home goods and antiques and Christine’s Farm to Fork for a memorable meal.

Summerton

“In Summerton, the slower pace of life—and refreshing lack of crowds—provides a peaceful escape,” Palmetto Porch said. “The Lowcountry’s natural beauty is the star of the show.”

There is the Santee National Wildlife Refuge on the shores of Lake Marion, South Carolina’s largest lake and the Wrights Bluff Trail.

They recommend staying at The Relaxed Retreat, opened specifically as a place for people to unwind and unplug. It has 1,500 feet of shoreline, cabins, boat rentals, RV sites, dock slips.

Santee Cooper lakes are known for catfish, largemouth bass, shellcracker, crappie, perch, stripers and blue gill.

Summerton also played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement when Briggs v. Elliott was filed in 1952, challenging school segregation. It was later combined with the Brown v. Board of Education case in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down segregation.

Edisto Beach

Lots of folks would go to no other South Carolina beach than Edisto. No high rises, no busy boardwalks. It is a place long known for simple pleasures. It does have a large resort — Wyndham Oceanridge resort — Edisto Beach State Park and a Tom Jackson designed golf course, The Plantation Course at Edisto.

Jackson looked at the native oaks and palmettos, tidal ponds and Spartina grasses had set an 18-hole course among it all.

But overall, you’re looking at “uncrowded shoreline that’s perfect for shell and fossil hunting or reading a book under an umbrella,” Palmetto Porch said.

“Keep an eye out for dolphins feeding and frolicking in the waves.”

And don’t forget Botany Bay, a 4,600-acre heritage preserve that will help you “see the South Carolina coast the way the original settlers did,” Discover South Carolina says.

The state park has parking, camping, and four miles of trails that wind through maritime forest.