This is a beautiful nature preserve with several miles of trails through gorgeous woods and a…read morecypress swamp. We've found so many different birds here, including prothonotary warblers, northern parulas, hairy woodpeckers, and more. There is a boardwalk over a pond where wood storks nest - it's off limits a few months a year. It's a peaceful and quiet place to hike. I wish there were bathrooms though.

Beautiful fall weather in Charleston, so decided to get some sunshine and fresh air while being one…read morewith nature at Dungannon Heritage nature preserve. The preserve is located off of SC highway #162 near Hollywood. Entrance to the preserve is free. This is a dog friendly park, so feel free to bring your fur babies! This is a beautiful park spanning 643- acres. There are several scenic trails that wander along the property. Bring your camera as there is a lot to see. The preserve has been set up to provide feeding and roosting areas for a variety of birds, Wood storks, Great Egrets and Blue Herons. You may also see alligators, deer and squirrels along the way. The trails are well maintained and clearly marked. There is not a restroom or picnic tables at this park. However, there is a gorgeous 300- foot boardwalk with an observation deck overlooking the swamp/pond. I had a picnic lunch here as I watched an alligator sun bathe and fish jump. It was so peaceful. If you are looking for a few hours to get back to nature and see beautiful views and some wildlife, you need to add Dungannon to your "Must See" list.

This is a nice little park along the Stono River. Very accessible and easy to explore. The…read morewalking path is wide with the first 1/3 asphalt. The second 1/3 is composite decking on a raised boardwalk. The final portion is dirt/crushed gravel. With the exception of the boardwalk it is shaded and most of what is visible is marsh until you get to the end where the river is visible but not accessible. Worn and clearly well used, nicely maintained and clean. Great place for a relaxing stroll.

Nice, newer park, with updated facilities/parking, but not a whole lot to see as far as…read moretrees/wildlife. A nice walk out to the island and views of the marsh, the boardwalk is nice and not crowded. They're keeping up on maintenance, as they had signs up saying how they had removed trees that had invasive bug problems, which is good since maintenance is often neglected. If you're in the area, check it out.

Angel Oak is a great little detour if you are nearby. That is exactly what we did!…read more It's located off a little dirt road with very little signage. There is parking available outside the fence or handicap parking is located within the perimeters. The Angel Oak is a massive tree and certainly impressive to see in person. It is a protected tree, so there are some roped off area and signs requesting you to be respectful of the grounds, roots, limbs, etc. There is a picnic area within view of the tree. As you are heading out, stop by the little gift shop!

This is an amazing tree, and if I were rating JUST the tree, I would have given it 6 starts out of…read more5! It is majestic, and beautiful, and standing near it one can just imagine all the history that has unfolded under its branches. The fact that it is FREE to visit makes it even better. Too bad there are two drawbacks to a visit to the Angel Oak. One is the parking, which is VERY limited. When you drive through the gates of the enclosure because you failed to note the small faded and partially obscured sign telling you that only handicapped parking was allowed inside the fence, you might be "greeted" as we were by a very unfriendly person who pointed to the gate and told us to follow the car that was on its way out. No explanation, No consideration that it was very close to closing, we had an elderly person with us, and the "regular" parking was about half a block away from the actual entrance, along the side of the road, with uneven terrain. Nevertheless, we persevered, slowly making our way back to the entrance. The tree itself is surrounded by signs warning of all the DON'Ts you must attend to, and there are quite a few. I understand it is fragile and they want to protect it, but there are ways to word directions so that they are welcoming, celebrating the wonder that is this tree, and encouraging appropriate behavior, not so off-putting and admonishing in tone. A very short visit to the gift shop was drawback #2. The sign directs it is a ONE WAY path as you enter through the back door (that is right, the front door sports a sign saying it is NOT an entrance... one must search for another way in. Once inside, the same person who refused our request to park oversaw the gift shop visitors stood with arms folded and a scowl as well made our way through. The items were mostly very overpriced and aged (for example, a cloth patch of the state symbol was priced at $16, much more than I usually pay for a patch, and not even one specific to this location). So, the visit, while not a complete failure, fell far short of our expectations. Angel Oak is a spectacular tree, and deserves to be surrounded by a site that celebrates its wonder.

This is a beautiful county park with walking trails, a dog park, and horseback riding trails…read more Recently they put in a full 18 hole disc golf course and it is amazing! Check out this peaceful, lovely park.

Had the most wickedly delightful time doing archery today. Johns Island County Park host intro…read moreclasses, family archery, and senior sessions. The program leaders were stellar as well with their teaching, guidance, and humor. They provide the materials, so no need to BYOB (bring your own bow) but after today I'm considering to get one haha and seeking out more archery opportunities! As soon as you get there, they go over the safety rules and how to hold your bow with methods on pulling back and aiming. I felt such strength to pull the bow using my back muscles, to see the arrow shoot so fast. I loved the power of the release and hearing the sound of arrow pierce the target. There's several targets with each one set according to yardage so you can either start ambitiously or work your way up. The instructors also gave us some balloons to work with to try to aim for, that was entertaining. For safety purposes they command when to retrieve arrows, and while aiming we are to remain behind the concrete lines to ensure safety. For only $20 to unleash your inner Katniss Everdeen, it's worth it! My only complaint was I wish the course lasted longer!! The park also has a 3D archery range to which you practice on fake animals. 10/10 would recommend!

I really like the Marsh Island Park & Tower on Kiawah Island. This is a cool place to get in the…read moremiddle of nature and experience a marsh environment and all of the trees, water, and wildlife that is around it. I like the path that goes through the trees, a dock, and leads to the waterway. The tower is easy to climb and offers a spectacular view at the top of the water and a nice view of the beauty of the Lowcountry and nature. It is well worth it to find and check out this park and tower as it is quiet and out of the way and represents the best of Kiawah and preservation of a nice park and marsh. I had a fun and enjoyable experience here.

Absolute beautiful park in Mt.P for a quick visit or for an all day play date. Located underneath…read morethe Ravenel Bridge, on can have amazing views of Sunset on the water. There is a large playground for kiddos, different areas of seating around the grounds and a lovely long pier out to the harbor. Parking is easy and available under the bridge or across the street. There is also an amazing additional park that just opened by this additional parking. That part has basketball courts, work-out equipment, and two different enclosed dog parks.

Attended the Sweetgrass Festival at Watefront Park today! Parking was ample, the views are…read morespectacular, it's extremely clean and the local Gullah artisans are masters of their craft. I'm legit obsessed with these baskets if anyone is wondering what to buy me as a gift! Haha! A beautiful park with incredible live music and majestic beauty!

This is my favorite county park! It's quiet and peaceful for nature hikes. Every time I visit I see…read moresomething amazing. Today it was Swallow-tail Kites soaring overhead. A walk through the cypress swamp let me discover a beautiful yellow Prothonotary Warbler. The staff is so knowledgeable here and super welcoming! This is a must see if you're visiting Charleston.

Great outdoor nature excursion for just a $2 per person entry fee. Multiple trails to walk and…read moreenjoy nature, see wildlife and get some exercise. You could easily spend an entire day here and walk several miles without covering the same area twice. They have over 11,000 acres of swamp/marsh, grassland and wooded areas. Bring your camera for some beautiful nature shots. They have a few benches around the park for you to rest/relax. A portion of the nature area used to be a rice plantation. The visitors center adjacent to the parking lot provides a little history for those interested, and has a few items for sale. Bathrooms are available. Pets and bikes are prohibited. Bring bug spray! During our visit we saw several alligators, lizards, squirrels, baby toads, turtles, one small snake, a marsh rat/mouse (who wasn't remotely scared of us), and of course many birds. Be aware you can encounter alligators on the trails and low boardwalks, and there's nothing separating you from them; a very friendly nature center employee said they never have incidents, but the risk is higher in the Spring when males are vying for females. And if you see very young baby gators, remember mom may be nearby.

Great park. Not busy unless there is soccer. The playground is in full sun much of the time…read moreunfortunately and there is a creek right by the playground, so bring bug spray. Great trails, easy parking and clean bathrooms by the playground.

If you are looking for a beautiful park to visit, check out West Ashley Park…read more So beautiful! There are softball fields, a kids play grounds, plenty of hiking trails and a beautiful large lake and dock. We spent a few hours hiking the trails. They are well maintained and the views are breath taking. The lake is large and beautiful and looks to house several species of fish. There is a board walk and two floating docks on each side for shore fishing. We plan to come back with our kayaks for a day of fishing. There are picnic tables and a few BBQ grills. Perhaps a picnic lunch and then kayaking. The park is dog friendly with a leash. Lots of people walking and enjoying the quiet scenery and fall weather. You won't want to pass up West Ashley Park.

Amazing knowledgeable kind staff! This is an incredibly well run center! With 3 generations asking…read morequestions they were very helpful to all of us! The programs are great for all ages!

Lets see. Swimming pool, nature center, big filed to host concerts and fire works, yep a good place…read moreto go. Now I will say this, the pool is crowded and they do run out of towels sometimes, but the area is clean and well run. You can order food their too. the burgers are so good! the nature center has so many live animals plus lots of information about local wildlife and its free. The fourth of july celebration here is the best. Bands, food, trains, bouncy stuff for the kids, the king of pops! Yum! Yep its free too. Head on out and make a day of it.