South Carolina's Grand Strand is a section of coastline 60 miles long. The Grand Strand is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the USA, where most visitors use the resort town of Myrtle Beach as a base to explore the region's sandy beaches, live music and theater, nationally renowned golf courses, and extensive shopping and dining. The Grand Strand also offers quiet places. Murrells Inlet which is known for great seafood and salt marshes. The historic port of Georgetown has a wonderful walking tour featuring antebellum buildings.
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union, an act that began the US Civil War. The Civil war's first battle took place at Fort Sumter which is now a National Monument. Kings Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield were both pivotal battlegrounds during the American Revolution. The Middleton Place, begun in 1941, are the oldest sculpted gardens in the United States. Table Rock State Park melds Native American history and natural beauty -- it is named for a lofty rock formation at which a giant chieftan dined, according to legend.
South Carolina is also known for peaches, which it produces in greater quantity than any state except California; the peak season is June and July. Feeding the peach farms is a fair amount of annual precipitation, which also feeds a number of rivers. Some of the rivers are dammed, producing abundant amounts of hydro-electric power; some, like the Chattooga National Wild & Scenic River, are still wild and are favorites for whitewater rafting.