The holidays are nearly here, and with them bring beautiful weather and tons of family-friendly festivities. Now is a better time than any to plan a trip for the holiday season. What better place to visit during this spectacular season than Jasper County, South Carolina?
Located in the heart of the Lowcountry, Jasper County is a breathtaking destination with plenty of outdoor activities and small town charm. Keep reading for a list of the exciting things to do in the fall and winter months in our communities.
View Fall Foliage
It may sound simple, but a fall favorite for many families is simply driving around and admiring the colorful foliage throughout the area. It’s a wonderful time of year when there’s finally a chill in the air and the trees start changing to various shades of red, orange, yellow.
Wind down a back road and point out your favorite sights. Imagine looking in the rearview mirror at your children’s’ faces as they are awestruck by the beautiful colors. Sometimes simple activities like this make the best memories!
Explore Nature
Perhaps one of the most notable characteristics the Lowcountry is known for is the breathtaking nature. With nature comes countless activities, especially in the fall and winter months. From hiking and biking to kayaking and birdwatching, there’s endless fun awaiting you in Jasper County.
Explore the Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve, which protects endangered species such as the area’s famous gopher tortoise. The preserve also provides space for recreational activities. Hike along the nature trails and see how many native plants you can discover. The B&C Landing in the preserve allows you to launch small vessels onto a canal that leads to the Savannah River. There is even a very primitive campsite located near the boat ramp.
You can also visit the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, which consists of over 15,000 acres of freshwater marshes, tidal creeks, and bottomland hardwoods. The Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive provides opportunities for hiking, off-road bicycling, and driving through a variety of scenic areas.
Retail Therapy
Shopping is always a great idea, and there is plenty of it in Jasper County. Browse many locally-owned shops and even larger chain stores. With the holidays just ahead, now is the perfect time to buy presents for loved ones. You may find something unique here that you can’t find anywhere else!
Some of our favorite stores are Gander Outdoors, Simply Carolina Kids, and The Outpost.
Gander is a huge store with a variety of RVs and campers. They also have camping, boating, and fishing supplies as well as apparel, tailgating supplies, games and toys, and electronics.
Simply Carolina Kids is filled with unique kids apparel and toys of the best quality and a great value. Find the perfect holiday outfit or a pair of comfy pajamas. You can purchase all your children’s’ Christmas toys here, too – it’s a one stop shop!
The Outpost has been in business for more than two decades and is fondly known as the store “where all the locals shop.” There you can find a wide variety of boots, hunting gear, jewelry and purses of various name brands.
Holiday Festival in Ridgeland
You won’t want to miss Ridgeland’s Holiday Festival of Music and Lights! This month-long light show kicks off December 1 with a Christmas parade to get you into the holiday spirit. Immediately following the parade, the Blue Heron Nature Trail will be illuminated by fifteen thousand lights in 57 displays arranged in eleven scenes along the trail.
Enjoy holiday treats and festive music playing along the trail. Santa will even make an appearance. This is fun for the whole family! No matter when you take the trip in December, you will be able to catch the show. The festivities conclude on Christmas eve.
Christmas Festival in Hardeeville
Speaking of holiday events, head on over to Hardeeville on December 3 for their annual tree lighting ceremony, followed by their Christmas parade and festival to kick off the season. There’s something so exciting about the first signs of the holidays, especially in a charming downtown setting.
It’s sure to bring out the kid in everyone. So enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and get your picture taken with Santa. Christmas time in South Carolina is an experience you’ll remember for years to come.
Original source can be found here.
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