(ARA) – When singer Garth Brooks crooned about his “friends in low places,” he probably wasn’t thinking about South Carolina’s Low Country. But visitors to the state’s Low Country region will find charming villages, fascinating history, exotic landscapes and the signature southern hospitality that makes guests feel that they do, indeed, have friends in low places.
South Carolina vacations in general offer plenty to see and do, but nowhere else is the state’s unique flavor, culture and natural history so clearly on display than in the Low Country. Embracing the state’s Atlantic Coast and Sea Islands, Low Country is the area of the state that is at or below sea level.
Low Country’s culture and history incorporates influences from a number of places in the world, including Africa, the Caribbean and Europe, and from Native American heritage as well. The culture’s unique architecture can be seen in some of the iconic homes of Charleston, which is perhaps the most recognizable of the Low Country’s many cities and communities.
Other Low Country towns not to be missed include Beaufort, the second oldest city in South Carolina, located on Port Royal Island, and Hilton Head, a mecca for golfers, tennis lovers and beach enthusiasts.
You can find plenty of vacation packages that include accommodations in hotels and resorts throughout the area, and discounts on admission to some Low Country attractions, like the Battery Houses of Charleston; the Parris Island Museum, which honors the history of Parris Island, training center for the Marine Corps; and the many historic plantations that still dot the landscape.
No South Carolina vacations or visits to Low Country would be complete without savoring a traditional meal. The region’s proximity to the coast and fine fishing waters means seafood plays a central role in much Low Country cuisine, and you’ll also find the flavors of the Caribbean and Africa showing up on your plate when you dine in South Carolina.
Before the days of refrigeration, the region’s proximity to the shore meant Low Country residents had access to abundant shrimp, crabs, oysters and fish that South Carolinians farther inland did not have. Classic Low Country dishes range from oyster soup and she-crab soup to shrimp and grits, and lowcountry boil – a stew-like concoction of spices and seafood sure to please.
Whether you go there for great golfing, to savor American history, to relax on the beach or to indulge in the unique blend of culinary flavors found nowhere else, South Carolina’s Low Country will make you high on southern hospitality – and send you home with new friends in low places.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
