Best Picnic Spots in South Carolina

There has never been a better time to explore South Carolina’s stunningly beautiful parks and gardens. Pack your picnic basket and head to one of these spots for an unforgettable picnic!

Caesars Head State Park

Caesars Head State Park has some of the most incredible views of Greenville, South Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Build up an appetite on a hike through Caesars Head State Park before finding an overlook to enjoy your picnic. The park is located on Geer Highway and has over 60 miles of hiking trails, many of which will lead you to a stunning cascading waterfall.

Lake Murray Public Park

Lake Murray is home to a variety of picnic shelters, many of which can be reserved for large group gatherings. While there are parking fees, the Lake Murray Public Park is a great spot for a summer picnic followed by a dip in one of their swimming beaches.

The Riverwalk Park

Explore Cayce, South Carolina for a day! The Cayce Riverwalk Park, which is located on Naples Avenue, covers 8 miles of land along the banks of the Congaree River. It is the perfect spot to walk along, fish or have a picnic. There are designated picnic shelters that provide access to water and electricity upon request.

White Point Garden

White Point Garden lies in the heart of downtown Charleston. Grab lunch from a nearby cafe or bring your own picnic basket and enjoy the views of Charleston Harbor. There are plenty of grassy areas, shaded by oak trees to relax under. You can also get a short history lesson by strolling through the park and examining the various statues and monuments.

News

Greenville’s Saturday Market is Back! Here’s What You Can Expect

Greenville’s weekly Saturday Market is back. Venture to downtown Greenville every Saturday morning for an extensive farmer’s market filled with local goods and crafts.

From May to October, two blocks of Main Street are dedicated to the market, which first began in 2003.

According to their website, “the market features over 75 vendors selling the season’s freshest produce and the area’s most original and high quality crafts. Each week thousands of people flock to the TD Saturday Market for locally-sourced products where all food must be grown or produced within 100 miles of Greenville and crafters are highly-encouraged to use locally-sourced supplies. ”

Some of the current vendors at the Saturday Market include Beechwood Farms, Banana Manna, Blue Ridge Creamery, Naked Pasta, Great Harvest Bread Co. and Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery.

In an effort to keep vendors and visitors safe, the market has added public hand-sanitizing stations and distanced vendors 6 feet apart. Face masks are also required.

Follow the Saturday Market on social media for updates on the latest vendors to grace the streets of downtown Greenville!

News

Proposed New State Park Includes Access to Black River

A new state park is in the works!

The proposed park would cover areas in Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties, providing public access to the Black River.

There is currently an initiative underway to create the Black River Water Trail, connecting various segments of land owned by both the state and private entities – an initiative that has sparked interest in making the area a state mark. While the park is still in the concept phase, the goal of the park would be to increase the amenities available to those who want to explore the area.

Executive Director of the Winyah River Alliance Tina Christensen is eager for the public to be able to use the land saying, “We see this initiative as a way that we’re going to be able to expand, for the people that live in the area, their ability to enjoy it, but also bring in tourism and allow there to be more recreating on the Black River.”

If the park is approved, it would be the first new state park to open in South Carolina in almost twenty years.

Officials are encouraging the public to share their thoughts on the project through in-person and virtual meetings as well as community surveys.

News

MUSC Breaks Ground on New Pharmacy School

The Medical University of South Carolina recently broke ground on their new College of Pharmacy school in Charleston, South Carolina.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Tuesday, April 27 and was led by Dr. William Golod and Dr. Arnold Karig, both of which were previous deans at the university.

The new 24,000-square foot facility will be located on the Horseshoe. It is expected to take 18 months to complete.

Kathy Chessman, a previous student of MUSC’s College of Pharmacy and current professor at the school, is thrilled about the new building. Chessman said, “Dr. Golod said we would be getting a new building back when I was B.S. student at MUSC…The thought of actually breaking ground on a new building and having the construction begin is tremendously exciting…This new facility is a great opportunity to have the quality of our physical appearance reflect the quality of the education experience.”

News

Greenville’s Euphoria Festival Set For September

Celebrate the 16th anniversary of Greenville’s Euphoria festival this September.

Euphoria is a four-day festival filled with delicious food, flavorful wine and entertaining concerts. This year’s event will feature seven different Michelin-starred chefs.

In a statement on the upcoming festival, Euphoria’s Executive Director Morgan Allen said, “We are really proud of our Michelin-starred chef lineup this year, particularly when it comes to the diversity they bring to the table.”

Some of the chefs that will be featured at Euphoria include Chef Val Cantu of Californios, Chef Simon Kim of COTE and Chef Ryan Ratino of Bresca. In addition to the mouth-watering meals that festival-goers will be able to enjoy, there will also be a Euphoria cookbook available for purchase that will feature recipes from over 60 chefs.

The festival will take place September 16 through September 19. Tickets to some of the festival’s events range in price from as low as $45 to as much as $400.

Click here to learn more about this year’s festival and to purchase your tickets.

Eat & Drink

Former Hell’s Kitchen Contestant Opening Restaurant in Columbia

Kenny McDuffie, a former contestant on “Hell’s Kitchen,” and his friend Richard Conklin, chef at Columbia’s Capital City Kitchen and Grill, are opening up a soul food restaurant in Columbia – Esther’s Soul Food + Kitchen.

Esther’s Soul Food + Kitchen is coming to the Village at Sandhills in Northeast Columbia. The restaurant was inspired by their grandmother and great-grandmother’s passion for cooking and is even named after McDuffie’s great grandmother.

The establishment, which is expected to open this summer, will feature both a restaurant and a coffee cafe. The restaurant will offer class soul food staples like fried turkey wings, mac and cheese, potato salad and even Philly cheesesteaks, while the cafe side will have a variety of baked goods available for purchase.

Family is the center of Esther’s Soul Food + Kitchen and both Conklin and McDuffie are eager to share their skills with the community. Conklin said “(After) losing my grandmother to COVID last year, this is one of my main reasons to pay homage to her as well…The both of us want people that come in here to experience the recipes and the stories from my grandmother’s kitchens.”

News

Cook Your Heart Out at the 11th Annual SC State Chili Cook-Off

It’s not too late to sign up for South Carolina’s 11th Annual Chili Cook-Off!

The Chili Cook-Off will take place on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at the Belton Community Center and is sanctioned by the International Chili Society. On Sunday, May 16, the Belton Community Center will also host the 4th Annual Kegs and Eggs Chili Cook-Off.

Officials are encouraging both amateurs and professionals to participate in both events.

According to their social media, “there are three requirements for competition:

Membership in the International Chili Society (memberships are $10 for one

competition; $25 for three competitions; and $45 for a year’s membership)

Chili Verde; and $20 Salsa). You can compete in all categories or only one and for

both days or choose a day.

Participation and cooperation with all rules and regulations the day of the events.”

While the public is not able to attend this year’s events, it is a great opportunity for cooks around the state to show off their skills in the kitchen.

Click here to learn how you can participate!

Featured

Hold Your Horses! The Carolina Cup Is Coming in May

The 86th Annual Carolina Cup is coming up on May 22, 2021.

Carolina Cup is an annual horse race in Camden, South Carolina, where friends and family gather to enjoy a fun-filled day in the infield. A variety of local vendors are also present for racegoers to explore.

The race takes place at the Springdale Race Course at 200 Knights Hill Road. “Springdale Race Course is situated just on the outskirts of town, and hosts two of the most important steeplechases on the yearly calendar, the extremely popular Carolina Cup in the spring and the prestigious Colonial Cup in the autumn.”

The gates open at 9:00 am and the race begins at 1:00 pm. General Admission tickets are currently $45 and can be purchased online. Racegoers can also purchase tickets for a package or to one of the individual luncheons taking place on race day.

To keep both attendees and staff safe, the Cup will enforce a variety of COVID-19 safety protocols including social distancing and requiring everyone to wear face masks.