Cypress Gardens Photos
You might also consider
More like Cypress Gardens
Recommended Reviews - Cypress Gardens
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
This place was so great! It's off the beaten path a bit, but for only $25 our family of 3 was entertained for most of the day. We visited on a very rainy day but while the storm was going on we put our name on the list for the self-guided boat tour and looked through the exhibits, and then once the weather cleared up we walked the trail and did the boat ride which was truly awesome. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something different to do when visiting Charleston. We will come back for sure!
Cypress Gardens is a nice park built around a swamp but that is about it. One person at the booth collecting the fees and one person running the boat rental, the rest is on your own. Butterfly display had only a few butterflies despite the heated environment in early February Swamparium had a good number of reptiles, not all local and after seeing this we had no desire to get a paddle boat to ride around the swamp in what must be 45 degree water full of algae A couple of alligators and a couple of beautiful peacocks in separate enclosures without any legends to describe their age or anything else due to their limited budget i would think
Great views and worth a visit and a walk. Didn't do the boats don't think you need to as you can see more on foot. Awesome place check it out!
When in Charleston, you must visit the popular Cypress Gardens where they filmed The Notebook!! It is $10 per person to enter. Tickets can be bought online and there is so much to do here including the self-guided boat tour, reptile area, and butterfly area. There were no birds when we went during winter 2025 but I believe they have some during warmer seasons. You may also walk around the swamp but if you're waiting for a spot to do the boat tour, I recommend walking close by. You got to get to the pier within 10 minutes. Depending on how you paddle, the boat tour is approximately 40 minutes and you follow arrows on the trees so you won't get lost. It's a loop around the swamp. Life jackets are available on the boat if you wanna wear them. Definitely need teamwork to paddle on the right direction :) You cross through two bridges and should duck to avoid hitting your head. There are some gators too! We didn't see any during the boat tour but there are some just basking near the entrance. I had so much fun!
Such a cool experience at Cypress Gardens. Only $10 per person and they have so much to see: a butterfly house, swamp-arium, gift shop and of course the row boats. They offer both self guided boat tours vs guided tours. We opted for the self guided boats and took about 45 mins to paddle the whole course. So magical and picturesque. A must see and felt straight out of the notebook.
Breathtakingly beautiful! I am so happy to have my The Notebook moment when we visited Cypress Gardens. It is located just outside of Charleston, SC. They have so much activities here for all ages! They have a nice butterfly garden and a variety of animals to visit. The Spanish moss was also super pretty. My favorite was the self guided boat ride. The gentlemen who were managing the boat area was super nice and explained to us our the route. It was definitely a nice romantic spot!
This place is beautiful!!! Great way to spend an out. We did a guided tour with Avery and although he scared me by pointing out every single spider around, he had us laughing the entire time. My friends & I would definitely come again and he deserves a raise!!!!
I absolutely enjoyed my visit. The self guided boat tour was very enjoyable despite the long wait, but it was very well worth it! The animal exhibition was neat too. The gators were huge! The butterfly enclosure was my favorite. Spent a few hours here walking the grounds and enjoying the nature.
Cypress Gardens is almost an hour outside of Downtown Charleston and would require a car, but this spot is the entire reason I flew out to South Carolina. I came to take some engagement photos as many couples come here to do as well. It's so easy to see why as the gardens is absolutely breathtaking and it's where they filmed the lake scene from The Notebook --it's iconic. The gardens is $10/pp with free row boat rentals. If you want a guided boat tour, it's extra though. You simply scan a QR code to get onto a waitlist for the boats, which is super easy. Each boat is allowed 45 minutes, which was fair. Be careful rowing under the bridges though as they're very low so you need to duck. Cypress Gardens is so dreamy and worth making the trip for all my Notebook fans. Even if not, it's still such a romantic place for couples. P.S. If you're looking for a local Charleston photographer, I highly recommend @bygracekathryn!
My family and I had a beautiful time at the Cypress Gardens during our trip down to South Carolina. This was our first time visiting and it was such a lovely visit. We arrived down in South Carolina early in the morning and grabbed breakfast before heading over to Cypress Gardens. We arrived early, even before the main gates were open, and there were already two cars waiting. So we joined the line. Even though we didn't plan it that way, we really lucked out getting there early. We were one of the first five families to arrive. We made a quick bathroom stop and then beelined it right for the boats. Luckily we did! It gets filled up quickly! We reserved our boat through a QR code on a sign by the dock and we didn't have too long of a wait. We did a self-guided boat tour and it was absolutely fantastic. I sat in the front of the boat, my two kiddos sat in the middle, and my husband was in the back. They gave my kids two small oars and they were so excited and had so much fun helping us row the boat. We took our time, and it was about a 45 minute boat ride through the swamp. There are so many beautiful sights and cute bridges that you go under. It was easy to navigate around the swamp and they have arrows on the trees to follow. The staff were very helpful and it was such a great way to start off our vacation. We then went into the small aquarium to walk around. It was very cute inside and you could look at so many cool fish and turtles. There were also peacocks and other animals in a smaller section that we didn't stop by to look at. There's a nice playground right by the entrance if your kiddos want to run around and burn off some steam. It was such a lovely way to spend our morning. I highly recommend visiting Cypress Gardens!
Visiting from OHio... We were both SO IMPRESSED with the whole area. First,it was incredibly inexpensive: the park fee was nothing; the boat tour was too; everything was so clean! The boat tour was the highlight. Relaxing and informative not to mention scenic. So much to see. It is obviously off season but fun nonetheless . They whole park was so nice and everyone was unbelievable friendly. First impressions are literally everything!
We had such an incredible time canoeing! It is beyond gorgeous. There can be a long wait if you don't get there early. We got there at opening but there were several people ahead of us in line, so we waited 1.25 hours. In the meantime, we saw the talking birds, reptile exhibit, and butterfly garden. It was absolutely worth the wait for the self guided canoe tour
Great place to visit, especially now while the Azaleas are blooming and the spring temperatures are still comfortable. Wear comfortable shoes, you can walk around this park for hours and not get bored!
1 month ago
It was beautiful I can't believe the nature and you can also take a boat out!! I would suggest going here but wear comfortable shoes and clothes. It's a nature walk with many beautiful views. read more
27 days ago
We went to Cypress Gardens this morning and spent several lovely hours there. Overall, it's an interesting place with a little bit of everything--walking paths and gardens, a butterfly house, the Swamparium, and, of course, the swamp boats. The gift shop is super small, despite looking much bigger from the outside. The Swamparium was interesting, with fish, snakes, and other reptiles from local waterways and wetlands around the world. I wouldn't want to be close to them, but I also felt bad they were behind glass. We saw several alligators. We wanted to explore some of the longer nature trails, but they were pretty overgrown and ran right alongside the swamp. We were a little nervous that we wouldn't spot an alligator with enough warning, so we stuck to the more maintained paths. We spent about an hour to an hour and a half walking around. The highlight was definitely the self-guided boat ride. My husband did most of the paddling, it took some effort! It was so much fun paddling among the cypress trees, seeing the water lilies, watching the ducks, and keeping our eyes open for alligators in the water. The guy running the boat area was really friendly and helpful. A couple of practical things to know: admission is $10, and if you want to do the boats, sign up as soon as you arrive. We got there around 9:30, about 30 minutes after opening, and were initially told the wait would be about an hour. It ended up being a little over two hours before we got on a boat. You connect to the park Wi-Fi, scan a QR code, and get your place in line. Overall, I don't know that Cypress Gardens would make my top list of things to do when friends come into town, but if you're a bird lover or nature lover, it's a good spot to experience the Lowcountry. And the boat ride alone made the visit worthwhile for us. read more
This place was so great! It's off the beaten path a bit, but for only $25 our family of 3 was entertained for most of the day. We visited on a very rainy day but while the storm was going on we put our name on the list for the self-guided boat tour and looked through the exhibits, and then once the weather cleared up we walked the trail and did the boat ride which was truly awesome. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something different to do when visiting Charleston. We will come back for sure! read more
Cypress Gardens is a nice park built around a swamp but that is about it. One person at the booth collecting the fees and one person running the boat rental, the rest is on your own. Butterfly display had only a few butterflies despite the heated environment in early February Swamparium had a good number of reptiles, not all local and after seeing this we had no desire to get a paddle boat to ride around the swamp in what must be 45 degree water full of algae A couple of alligators and a couple of beautiful peacocks in separate enclosures without any legends to describe their age or anything else due to their limited budget i would think read more
2 months ago
9 months ago
When in Charleston, you must visit the popular Cypress Gardens where they filmed The Notebook!! It is $10 per person to enter. Tickets can be bought online and there is so much to do here including the self-guided boat tour, reptile area, and butterfly area. There were no birds when we went during winter 2025 but I believe they have some during warmer seasons. You may also walk around the swamp but if you're waiting for a spot to do the boat tour, I recommend walking close by. You got to get to the pier within 10 minutes. Depending on how you paddle, the boat tour is approximately 40 minutes and you follow arrows on the trees so you won't get lost. It's a loop around the swamp. Life jackets are available on the boat if you wanna wear them. Definitely need teamwork to paddle on the right direction :) You cross through two bridges and should duck to avoid hitting your head. There are some gators too! We didn't see any during the boat tour but there are some just basking near the entrance. I had so much fun! read more
5 months ago
Such a cool experience at Cypress Gardens. Only $10 per person and they have so much to see: a butterfly house, swamp-arium, gift shop and of course the row boats. They offer both self guided boat tours vs guided tours. We opted for the self guided boats and took about 45 mins to paddle the whole course. So magical and picturesque. A must see and felt straight out of the notebook. read more
11 months ago
Breathtakingly beautiful! I am so happy to have my The Notebook moment when we visited Cypress Gardens. It is located just outside of Charleston, SC. They have so much activities here for all ages! They have a nice butterfly garden and a variety of animals to visit. The Spanish moss was also super pretty. My favorite was the self guided boat ride. The gentlemen who were managing the boat area was super nice and explained to us our the route. It was definitely a nice romantic spot! read more
1 month ago
This place is beautiful!!! Great way to spend an out. We did a guided tour with Avery and although he scared me by pointing out every single spider around, he had us laughing the entire time. My friends & I would definitely come again and he deserves a raise!!!! read more
I absolutely enjoyed my visit. The self guided boat tour was very enjoyable despite the long wait, but it was very well worth it! The animal exhibition was neat too. The gators were huge! The butterfly enclosure was my favorite. Spent a few hours here walking the grounds and enjoying the nature. read more
Cypress Gardens is almost an hour outside of Downtown Charleston and would require a car, but this spot is the entire reason I flew out to South Carolina. I came to take some engagement photos as many couples come here to do as well. It's so easy to see why as the gardens is absolutely breathtaking and it's where they filmed the lake scene from The Notebook --it's iconic. The gardens is $10/pp with free row boat rentals. If you want a guided boat tour, it's extra though. You simply scan a QR code to get onto a waitlist for the boats, which is super easy. Each boat is allowed 45 minutes, which was fair. Be careful rowing under the bridges though as they're very low so you need to duck. Cypress Gardens is so dreamy and worth making the trip for all my Notebook fans. Even if not, it's still such a romantic place for couples. P.S. If you're looking for a local Charleston photographer, I highly recommend @bygracekathryn! read more
My family and I had a beautiful time at the Cypress Gardens during our trip down to South Carolina. This was our first time visiting and it was such a lovely visit. We arrived down in South Carolina early in the morning and grabbed breakfast before heading over to Cypress Gardens. We arrived early, even before the main gates were open, and there were already two cars waiting. So we joined the line. Even though we didn't plan it that way, we really lucked out getting there early. We were one of the first five families to arrive. We made a quick bathroom stop and then beelined it right for the boats. Luckily we did! It gets filled up quickly! We reserved our boat through a QR code on a sign by the dock and we didn't have too long of a wait. We did a self-guided boat tour and it was absolutely fantastic. I sat in the front of the boat, my two kiddos sat in the middle, and my husband was in the back. They gave my kids two small oars and they were so excited and had so much fun helping us row the boat. We took our time, and it was about a 45 minute boat ride through the swamp. There are so many beautiful sights and cute bridges that you go under. It was easy to navigate around the swamp and they have arrows on the trees to follow. The staff were very helpful and it was such a great way to start off our vacation. We then went into the small aquarium to walk around. It was very cute inside and you could look at so many cool fish and turtles. There were also peacocks and other animals in a smaller section that we didn't stop by to look at. There's a nice playground right by the entrance if your kiddos want to run around and burn off some steam. It was such a lovely way to spend our morning. I highly recommend visiting Cypress Gardens! read more
8 months ago
Visiting from OHio... We were both SO IMPRESSED with the whole area. First,it was incredibly inexpensive: the park fee was nothing; the boat tour was too; everything was so clean! The boat tour was the highlight. Relaxing and informative not to mention scenic. So much to see. It is obviously off season but fun nonetheless . They whole park was so nice and everyone was unbelievable friendly. First impressions are literally everything! read more
We had such an incredible time canoeing! It is beyond gorgeous. There can be a long wait if you don't get there early. We got there at opening but there were several people ahead of us in line, so we waited 1.25 hours. In the meantime, we saw the talking birds, reptile exhibit, and butterfly garden. It was absolutely worth the wait for the self guided canoe tour read more
6 months ago
Great place to visit, especially now while the Azaleas are blooming and the spring temperatures are still comfortable. Wear comfortable shoes, you can walk around this park for hours and not get bored! read more
6 months ago
So pretty, huge walking trials around the gator filled swamps. $10 to enter which included the boat ride, swamparium and walking trails. Could spend hours here. Our wait time for the boat said 3 hours but ended up only being 1 which was nice. All the staff was super friendly. So many springs flower spots and the most perfect spot for an engagement or elopement. We saw 1 gator from the walking trails and 1 on the boat. read more
Great little day trip to get out of the hustle and bustle of the real world. Visited on a cool morning and the boys were delighted to see the large playground near the parking area. We played there for a while before heading on the nearby trails. The boat docks was fun with quotes from the notebook throughout. Such a fun touch since the film was partially filmed here. Beautiful trails. Butterfly house. Swamparium. Also only $6.50 for military entrance fee! read more
The most romantic and surreal date for Valentines Day. If you love The Notebook then this is the place to be. It's so beautiful and the nature around you is unreal. It's very peaceful even for a lot of people being there, you could still have some privacy going through the water. The staff was very kind and even the walk around the water was beautiful. A must do when visiting Charleston! read more
We had an amazing time. My family wanted something fun to do and we had a great time here. They were busy but no crowded. We were able to move freely and see all of the exhibits and take our time. For the boats it would be smart to go sign up early because it will be a wait if not. Have fun! read more
9 months ago
This is amazing spot outside of Charleston to spend some time at. Admission is 10$ adult, 5$ kids and 6.5$ military/elderly. The boat ride offered a spectacular view, and there were also several small exhibits of birds butterflies and other reptiles as well! read more
2 years ago
Thoroughly enjoyed a Sunday afternoon out here! Entry was $10/person. They have special rates on certain days for Berkeley county residents. There's a self-guided boat tour included in the price, guided tour may be extra, not sure. Staff at the boat docks were friendly and helpful! They also have animal exhibits with different reptiles and birds and a beautiful peacock. The parrot said hello once haha. There is an exhibit with a massive gator in it as well! Playground for the kids beside a picnic area with ceiling fans. Nice place for a date or with family/friends. I would definitely return! read more
There is an entry fee of $10 per person,with discounts for kids and seniors, but it's worth it! We just had sandles on so stayed on the main trails, but they do have hiking trails. You can rent a boat to go through the swamp or pay to have a guided tour( will absolutely do this next time we are here!). The gardens also have a huge playground area for the kids as well as an aquarium that houses snakes, fish and turtles. As if that isn't enough they have a bird sanctuary as well as a butterfly garden These pictures do not do justice to the beauty you will be surrounded by. Do yourself a favor and check it out! read more
4.5 stars A wonderful way to spend a morning. They gave us both the $6.50 rate (with my dad having the military ID). Unfortunately, it wasn't too quiet with groups of children having just arrived for a field trip. They had parrots, inside "swamparium", canoes that you could ride in (free, although there was a bit of a wait as this was where the boat scene in the Notebook was filmed), and trails to walk. Flowers were in bloom and the landscape was beautiful with park benches and gazebos. Watch out for gators 2024 #11 read more
2 years ago
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre nature preserve and gardens that opened in Moncks Corner, South Carolina in 1931. The gardens were originally part of the 1750 Dean Hall rice plantation, which depended on fresh water from the Cooper River. The area that is now a swamp was dug out and fitted with water gates to become a fresh water reservoir. The property had fallen into disuse when, in 1909, Benjamin Kittredge purchased it to use as a duck hunting reserve. During the Great Depression, over 200 men built out the 4.5 miles of trails around the swamp. It was opened to the public in 1931. More than 16 theatrical films and television series have been filmed on the property, including "Swamp Thing" (1982), "The Patriot" (2000), "Cold Mountain" (2003), and "The Notebook" (2004). My family and I visited Cypress Gardens this past summer while we were visiting family in the area. Our cousins told us that the grounds were beautiful and that our children would really enjoy it. We first went inside the Butterfly House and saw several beautiful butterflies flying around the flowering plants. Afterwards we took a guided boat tour around the swamps. The swamps, trees, and various plants were so beautiful and serene. I've watched a lot of the films that were shot on location here, and it was so fun to see the grounds with my own eyes. We made sure to be on the lookout for alligators and eventually I spotted one sunning itself on a log. After our boat tour, we looked around in the Swamparium which displayed several live turtles, snakes, amphibians, fish, and a large taxidermy alligator. We all had a great time at Cypress Gardens and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Greater Charleston area. read more
I still love Cypress Gardens. I found more trails this time and saw a 10-foot alligator! It was far away ao my dog was safe:) Unfortunately, they will stop allowing dogs soon. This is a beautiful area and it is amazing. A great place for some exercise and relaxation. read more
1 year ago
Beautiful spot! Tranquil. Clean. Great fit kids. Butterfly garden and animals to check out. You can walk around the water or boat through it. Recommend both! read more
2 years ago
I love going to Cypress Gardens. The staff that I have encountered are always friendly. There are plenty of things to see nature wise and they have some trails you can walk. They also have some row boats that you can rent. There is a park for kids to play at. They also have some small exhibits of fish, snakes, alligators and more. There is also a butterfly house that you can go into. If you like taking pictures, there is plenty of great places to do so. Also, some movies have had scenes filmed here (check out their website for that info though). Will continue to come back here. read more
We came on a hot summer day. Some say, don't come when it's 95 degrees (F). But given the option of coming when it's hot and not coming, I'm going to pick sweating every time. The gift shop here is small, but it does have AC. I think that's your only AC option in the park. We had a good time. The favorite was taking a boat ride, powered by oars, through the black cypress waters - the same waters shown in the movie " The Notebook" read more
1 year ago
Incredible place! Pricing is Amazing for the experience. Highly recommend going here especially if you are into photography! read more
3 years ago
"If you're a bird, I'm a bird" Ok! I had to say it, and this review isn't really about birds but it is about The Notebook and Cypress Gardens. A literal dream! The birds were trained here for the movie but obviously no longer here after migration and to my knowledge not native to the area. I'll admit I love a good swamp experience. Alligators, insects, snakes, animals, boats, row boats, you name it. I'm a big fan of checking these places out if we have the chance. If we're somewhere where we can take in a swamp, I'm all about it. I knew we'd be in the area, and while my definition of area may be a bit different than most peoples I'm a firm believer in exploring and making the most of wherever you are when you're there. We were going to be in Columbia, so I knew Charleston was a given and that's when I remembered that Cypress Gardens was also near by'ish. I'd planned our day with visiting Cypress Gardens first, because who doesn't want to come row around in a swamp in 85 degrees before strolling around Charleston ;) not me! I won't be making the US Olympic rowing team anytime soon, let's just say that but I LOVED having the chance to be here. If you're a fan of the Notebook or any of the other movies filmed here it's a super fun spot to come and enjoy. We rowed around the swamp, then walked around the gardens (not much was in bloom in May) but it's still a very lovely experience. We didn't actually see any alligators but we did see several snakes. I'd highly recommend a visit. It obviously screams "date" spot but since I'm single and not dating I wasn't going to let that stop me, let's get romantic with my bestie, Mom and my son's girlfriend. It's still a totally fun experience and an absolute not to be missed if you find yourself anywhere near by this area. I'm not certain what the entry was, I paid at the gate. Maybe $36... for the 4 of us, since I'm catching a break with my Mom being Senior now. I was so elated to know I'd made it here to finally view this place in person. I'm not a big fan of movies/TV or anything that requires sitting still for long periods of time and paying attention, I'd rather be active but this is definitely a place I'd always wanted to experience. Of course, because it's an activity! Great date spot for anyone you'd like to bring. Wear a hat/sunscreen and bring water! We forgot the bug repellent but I didn't get a single insect bite here. PRO TIP: wearing espadrilles may not be the best foot wear choice, pair of flats or closed toe may be a better idea ;) me running from snakes in heels is a sport I wasn't aware I'm good at. Magical. read more
Oh my gosh, a must experience if visiting Charleston SC. It's $10 each person entry but it includes hiking, butterfly room, and paddling around the black water swamp. If you have seen The Notebook then this is a must 45 minute paddle through beautiful landscape and views. After the boat ride we walked the loop and loved every bit of it. Highly recommended read more
1 year ago
It is a very cool place to visit if you are a fan of the movie The Notebook, or are a fan of alligators. The entry fee is very reasonable and then you are free to wander the buildings and trails. The butterfly house is fantastic and beautiful. The building with creatures was very cool too... we saw some nice large alligators too. The trails around the swamp were beautiful and the boating was also awesome! read more
Page 1 of 5
More info about Cypress Gardens
Ask the Community - Cypress Gardens
Review Highlights - Cypress Gardens
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
8 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
7 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
2 years ago
5 years ago
26 days ago
13 years ago
