OED Travel Tips:
Outdoor Adventure
Whether you are a thrill-seeker or looking to connect with nature, the Olde English District offers some of the best outdoor adventures in South Carolina. Here are a few tips to help you plan your next outdoor getaway to the OED!
Best Parks for Hiking, Paddling, Walking & Biking
Landsford Canal State Park
Paddle through the spider lilies on the Catawba River at Landsford Canal State Park. Home to the world’s largest population of rocky shoals spider lilies, you can see peak blooms out of the water from May through mid-June. You can explore the 448-acre park by foot on the canal trail or by kayak on class I, II & III rapids.
Goodale State Park
Goodale State Park has 763 acres filled with tall cypress trees towering over the Civil War-era mill pond, making for stunning kayaking views. Paddle through a 3-mile canoe trail, which some say is the best-undiscovered canoe trail in the state or cast a line in the 140-acre lake and fish for bass and catfish. Stroll along the 1.5-mile sandy nature trail after your float, and relax at one of the two picnic shelters to celebrate the end of your excursion.
Cheraw State Park
Cypress wetlands line the 360-acre Lake Juniper at Cheraw State Park. Explore the flora and fauna by boat or sunbathe on the sandy shores at Lake Juniper. You can even fish from the beautiful boardwalk or by boat. Bring your birding binoculars and see if you can spot the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Turn your visit to Cheraw State Park into a rustic stay in one of the park’s cozy cabins—the perfect place for a relaxing escape.
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Anne Springs Close Greenway is a vast 2,100-acre nature preserve established in 1995. The greenway was designed to offer a variety of recreational activities and act as a natural buffer from urban development. The outdoor offerings include 40 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, peaceful paddling on Lake Haigler, horseback riding, and a children’s farm featuring animals like alpacas, pigs, cattle, and more.
Chester State Park
Chester State Park is home to Lake View, a 160-acre lake offering exceptional fishing opportunities by land, boat or three fishing piers. The park features a range of amenities, including boat rentals, disc golf courses, picnic shelters, playgrounds and nature trails. Plan your stay at one of the 25 campsites or two camper cabins and enjoy an unparalleled outdoor experience.
Thrill-Seeking
For bucket list adventures, visit the Rock Hill BMX Supercross Track, the East Coast’s first Olympic-caliber BMX training facility open to the public, or speed up at the Carolina Motorsports Park and test your race car driving skills on the main track. Head to Skydive! Carolina to jump in tandem with a professional instructor from 14,000 feet above or Camp Canaan and the Zipline Canopy Tour to zip back and forth through the tree canopies and across the Catawba River.
Situated on 2,600 wooded acres of land, Carolina Adventure World is a family-focused ATV, UTV and dirt bike riding park with nearly 100 miles of track trails, making it one of the largest in the southeast. At Carowinds, you’ll find a family-friendly amusement park with world-class rides right on the North and South Carolina line.
Experience glide riding at Bermuda High Soaring and learn flight training with introductory rides offered by certified ride pilots and instructors. Experience a plane with no engine that uses a thermal, warm rising air to climb and stay aloft. Discover a new passion for the sport of soaring in a 2-33 or Duo Discus glider.
Golf
Hit the best golf courses in South Carolina! Home to over 15 public courses, you’ll find the perfect golf day on the green in the OED. Just be sure to reserve your spot and schedule your tee time. Our top pick for golf in the OED? At Cheraw State Park, South Carolina’s first state park. Spend the day on an 18-hole championship golf course that features gentle sloping greens, generous landing areas and a true parkland setting for your game of golf.
For more OED outdoor travel tips, check out our Nature Lovers page.
