Woodburn Historic House
To experience upcountry of South Carolina tourism, you will want to head towards the northwestern region of the state. There, you will find cascading crystal-like waterfalls, quiet mountain vistas, and family friendly towns. The six counties- Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg-are home to over 500 historic locations, numerous museums, and a wide variety of cultural activities and performing arts events. You can enjoy outdoor activities like mountain biking, hiking, whitewater rafting, hunting, fishing and camping or competitive sports like tennis, golfing and others.
As you plan a South Carolina upcountry vacation, you will find that you can choose from a wide selection of accommodations. There are mountain cabins, lakeside campgrounds, quiet bed and breakfast, five star hotels and economy inns-all offering a variety of amenities and features. There are also many restaurants, regional eateries and national chains where you can sample local fare or international delights.
Upcountry South Carolina Attractions
Duke Energy’s World of Energy (Seneca) – Ever wonder about the power and process of electricity? At the World of Energy, you can get a better understanding of how electricity is created by water, coal, and uranium. There are hands on exhibits, computer games and other learning opportunities sure to delight the whole family.
Roper Mountain Science Center (Greenville)- Here you can get a closer look at our solar system as you look through the 8th largest refractor telescope in America as well as tour South Carolina’s largest planetarium. The Center is open on Friday nights and the second Saturday of each month.
BMW Zentrum (Greer) – If you love cars, and especially racing, then you don’t want to miss visiting the Zentrum. You can see BMW’s racing cars, motorcycles and vehicles from the past and present as well as get a glimpse of the BMW’s of the future. You can take a virtual tour of the factory or schedule a tour of the factory located next door. This is BMW’s only American manufacturing plant.
Hollywild Animal Park (Wellford) – a 100 acre park where you can see almost 500 exotic animals from around the world. You can visit the Outback Safari Rides area, enjoy the Cool-Cat Express and feed the animals; there is also a Baby Animal Barn and Nursery.
Woodburn Historic House (Pendleton)-This 1830’s four story mansion built by Charles Cotesworth Pickney is located on a 1,000 acre horse and cattle farm. You can also see the 2 room cabin being built in recognition of Jane Edna Hunter, the founder of the Phyllis Whitney Society. The buildings include the Victorian Carriage House, the log cookhouse and the ruins of the 1880’s farm buildings.
Oconee Station State Historic Site/Richards House (Walhalla)-Built in 1792, this is one of the blockhouses that was garrisoned until 1799. The Richard’s House is thought to be the first brick house in northwestern South Carolina.
Hagood Mill (Pickens) – Here you can see the reproduced Cherokee home site, a blacksmith shop, the 1791 Murphree cabin, the 1830’s Hagood cabin and the 1845 grist mill. On the 3rd Saturday of each month, there are living history demonstrations, and musical entertainment.
Spartanburg County History Museum (Spartanburg)-Learn about South Carolina’s contributions to the Civil War, the World Wars, the American Revolution and others. There are exhibits on textiles, quilting, fine art, photography, decorative arts and handcrafted furniture.
South Carolina Botanical Garden (Clemson)-With thousands of ornamental plants beautiful gardens, natural woodlands and streams, a nature based sculpture collection, winding walking trails, a geology museum and a wide variety of educational classes, this is a great place to spend the day. There is a visitor’s center and a café onsite as well.
White Rock Scenic Area - Found in the Sumter National Forest, this 3,400 acre area is some of the Upcountry’s most untamed wilderness. You will find many backcountry hiking trails like the Winding Stairs Hiking Trail, gurgling streams, fabulous fishing spots, cascading waterfalls and much, much more.
Falls Park on the Reedy River (Greenville)-This fantastic park in the heart of Greenville is one of the state’s most beautiful city parks. There is a 255 foot long cantilevered bridge, guided tours throughout the park, 2 restaurants, flower gardens, and a 62 foot waterfall.
Other great outdoor adventures can be had at the Jocassee Outdoor Center (Salem) with its boating, hiking, kayaking, bass and trout fishing and magnificent waterfalls; the hunting grounds at Eden Farms (Marietta) or camping at the many campsites like Mile Creek (Six Mile), Table Rock State Park (Pickens) or Twin Lakes Campground near Lake Hartwell.
South Carolina Botanical Garden