Orangeburg County: Gardens, Museums and Lake Marion

In southeastern Orangeburg County, Lake Marion offers two distinct destinations for nature and water enthusiasts. The Santee Cooper Wildlife Management Area is near Eutaw Springs on the lake’s south shore. Santee State Park is also in the southeastern part of the county, but on the west shore. Santee State Park has two boat ramps with private access to Lake Marion.

Gardens on the Edisto River

The Edisto Memorial Gardens span more than 150 acres along the Edisto River and include gardens, wetlands and green spaces on the riverbank. Around 4,800 rose plants and more than 120 labeled varieties give the rose collection a clear sense of scale. The Orangeburg Festival of Roses has been held in the Edisto Memorial Gardens since it was established in 1972. If the festival is a deciding factor for your trip, check the date in advance.

Museums, Art and Planetarium

The I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium is a combined art museum and planetarium on the campus of a historically Black college. Its collections include African American art and artifacts, as well as fine art and photography. The planetarium is 40 feet in size, has 82 seats and features 20 science planetarium shows. Art and photography collections are one focus; the planetarium and its science shows are another.

A visit to the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum is possible only by appointment. The museum also offers a virtual tour devoted exclusively to civil rights events in South Carolina. An appointment is important for an in-person visit; the virtual tour, by contrast, specifically covers the history of the civil rights movement within the state.

Rural History in Elloree

The Elloree Heritage Museum & Cultural Center focuses on South Carolina’s rural past; the museum also depicts rural life when Elloree was founded. A permanent exhibit recreates Cleveland Street as it looked in 1900, with shops, a bank and a hotel. Visitors can also explore a historic cotton gin on a plantation and learn how cotton was grown, picked and ginned.

The recreated street presents history through a streetscape with shops and a bank; the cotton gin focuses on a specific agricultural process. The museum therefore offers two distinct perspectives on the rural past: the depiction of a street and the processing of an important crop.

Hiking Trail and Fair

The Eutaw Springs Passage is 21.3 miles long and rated as an easy hiking trail. A branch leads through the Santee-Cooper Wildlife Management Refuge to the southern shores of Lake Marion.

Since 1911, the Orangeburg County Fair has highlighted local agriculture and encouraged young people to participate in their communities. The annual program includes local vendors, musical performances, rides and activities for all ages. Check the current program before your trip if you are planning to attend the fair on a specific visit.

Discover more destinations: Orangeburg, Santee, Horry, Sumter County, Saluda, Pickens County, Aiken County, Chester County.

For the broader travel overview: South Carolina.