Transport yourself back to a time when the livin’ was easy! Natural beauty, rich history, and exciting adventures await. Affordable accommodations coupled with great food and genuine southern hospitality make for fun memories and good times.
Cypress Gardens
Visitors from across the globe come to experience this unique attraction featured in magazines, television shows, and motion pictures including, The Notebook, The Patriot, and Cold Mountain. Embark on an adventurous boat ride on a natural blackwater cypress swamp. Enjoy the butterfly house and Swamparium. Take a stroll along newly restored scenic paths and bridges.
Mepkin Abbey
Mepkin Abbey is one of the few monasteries in the world that offers tours. Attend an authentic Trappist monk worship service and stroll along the beautiful grounds featuring giant live oak trees and meticulously landscaped gardens overlooking the Cooper River. Don’t forget to stop by the extensive store and pick up some fresh preserves, explore beautiful works of art, purchase plants/flowers cultivated in the gardens, or take home a unique handmade item crafted by international monastic artisans.
Old Santee Canal Park
Explore the site of the first true canal in America. Once used for trade and transportation during colonial times, it also served as a trading post for Native Americans. Tour the historic Stoney Landing House and Interpretive Center to learn about the area’s history including the first semi-submersible torpedo boat, CSS Little David, which was built on these grounds.
The Berkeley Museum
Enjoy numerous unique exhibits chronicling the area’s rich history, from the first Native American settlers and the famed “Swamp Fox” Francis Marion’s American Revolution battles to the later settlers whose families have remained for generations.
Agritourism Farms
Explore any of our dozen working farms and see how some of your favorite foods are harvested and produced. From exploring picturesque farms to picking your own fruit or flowers, it’s a perfect escape into the region’s agricultural heritage. Berkeley County’s Agritourism not only promotes local sustainability, but also fosters a deeper connection between visitors and the natural beauty of rural life.
Battlefield Tours
Berkeley County is famous for its Revolutionary War connections. It’s the birthplace of two prominent military leaders – General Francis Marion and General William Moultrie – and 32 of the war’s more than 200 South Carolina battle sites. Berkeley County is where the legendary General Francis Marion, known as the “Swamp Fox”, guided his militia in and out of the thick swamps and forests to escape General Lord Cornwallis. Francis Marion is considered one of the fathers of guerilla warfare, and the blockbuster movie, The Patriot, is based on his life and legacy.
Outdoor Adventures
Berkeley County is known for its lakes, rivers, and kayaking/canoeing trails that are home to world-record fishing and unique boating and paddling adventures. The Santee Cooper Locks (second largest water lock in the United States) on the Cooper River is an engineering marvel in itself. Scuba divers from around the world come to explore the Cooper Rivers underwater heritage trail and the remains of a British War ship. We also have plentiful scenic trails for hiking and biking adventures.
Nature Lovers Paradise
If you’re a bird watcher or nature enthusiast, you’re in for quite a treat! When in bloom, vibrant wildflowers line the banks of our waterways. Egrets, herons, eagles, numerous species of fish, turtles, alligators, deer, otters, squirrels, fox, and even bobcats can be seen throughout our area.
We look forward to your visit!
Official tourism website:
Berkeley County Welcome Center
1004 Old Highway 52, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
Hours: 8:00AM – 4:00PM Monday – Friday
(843) 719-1024