Drive 226.7 miles • 6 hours, 12 minutes

Nobody hits the beach quite like the folks in South Carolina. Tour these laid-back coastal towns and see why these diverse beachfront communities have become iconic tourist destinations. Between mint juleps, make time for historic attractions and cultural hotspots.

1. Hilton Head Island

Starting Point • History, Nature, Outdoor Recreation, Sports

Welcome to 350 tennis courts and 24 championship golf courses along with 12 miles of saltwater beaches. Don’t let the overwhelming selection intimidate you—get out there and have fun. If clubs and rackets aren’t your thing, you can charter a catamaran cruise, tour the 600-acre Sea Pines Resort Forest Preserve on horseback or go parasailing. Learn area history and ecology at the Coastal Discovery Museum, and after dark, catch live music at the Jazz Corner or the popular club, Stages.

2. St. Helena Island

49.5 miles, 1 hour, 25 minutes • Food, History, Quirky

Wander down to St. Helena Island, part of South Carolina’s peaceful, rural “Low Country.” Beyond the rich farming country, visitors can see fishing and shrimping in full swing. Visit the Penn Center in nearby Beaufort, where Martin Luther King wrote his “I Have a Dream” speech, and gaze at the Hunting Island Lighthouse. Build your own kazoo at Kazoobie Kazoos, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, shop a farmers’ market and then grab a helping of Big Joe’s BBQ.

3. Charleston

79.9 miles, 2 hours, 14 minutes • Entertainment, History, Shopping

Founded in 1670, Charleston quickly grew into a boomtown, and it hasn’t stopped yet. From stately mansions to romantic horse-drawn carriage rides down historic cobblestone streets, Charleston aims to please. Visit the bustling, charming French Quarter, and then rest awhile at the promenade at Charleston’s Battery. History buffs will enjoy Fort Sumter, where the Civil War’s first rounds were fired, while shopaholics will feel at home at City Market. Get inspired at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, the setting of Edgar Allen Poe’s story, “The Gold-Bug.”

RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS

Oak Plantation Campground – Charleston, SC – (843) 766-5936

The Campground At James Island County Park – Charleston, SC – (843) 795-4386

4. Myrtle Beach

97.3 miles, 2 hours, 34 minutes • Entertainment, Nature, Outdoor Recreation, Quirky

Here’s South Carolina’s RV vacation hub, the gem of the Grand Strand, 60 miles of sun-kissed beaches. Walk a classic boardwalk with penny arcades and stop to ride the huge SkyWheel. Got kids? Spend a day at Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Active RVers can rent a jet ski, hop on a motor scooter or paddle an ocean kayak. Hook a big one from ocean charter boat or see wildlife at the Myrtle Beach Zoo. Don’t forget to soar high above ground at Myrtle Beach Zipline Adventures, home to the thrilling Wild Hex Aerial Adventure.

RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS

Myrtle Beach Campgrounds – Myrtle Beach, SC – (843) 916-2013