Tucked away in the remote last vestiges of a colonial-era rice plantation, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site is both bucolic and evocative.

The plantation’s Georgian-style mansion and well-kept grounds serve as an interpretive site for the system of slavery that helped build such plantations into the greatest generators of wealth in early American history. They also tell the story of the freed people who made their homes there for generations after emancipation.

Visitors can explore the mansion, wander the plantation grounds or just look out upon Wambaw Creek at the remains of rice fields that once stretched as far as the eye could see. George Washington had such a view when he stood on the Hampton family’s portico in 1791.

A historic kitchen building, huge live oaks, camellia gardens and archaeological sites also tell the story of Lowcountry rice culture.

Hampton is an ideal place to discover the surrounding Santee Delta’s natural beauty, which inspired the works of a South Carolina poet laureate, Archibald Rutledge, who lived here and gave it to the people of South Carolina as a legacy.

The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.

Tucked away in the remote last vestiges of a colonial-era rice plantation, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site is both bucolic and evocative.

The plantation’s Georgian-style mansion and well-kept grounds serve as an interpretive site for the system of slavery that helped build such plantations into the greatest generators of wealth in early American history. They also tell the story of the freed people who made their homes there for generations after emancipation.

Visitors can explore the mansion, wander the plantation grounds or just look out upon Wambaw Creek at the remains of rice fields that once stretched as far as the eye could see. George Washington had such a view when he stood on the Hampton family’s portico in 1791.

A historic kitchen building, huge live oaks, camellia gardens and archaeological sites also tell the story of Lowcountry rice culture.

Hampton is an ideal place to discover the surrounding Santee Delta’s natural beauty, which inspired the works of a South Carolina poet laureate, Archibald Rutledge, who lived here and gave it to the people of South Carolina as a legacy.

A sweeping Grand Strand beach, pristine and wide open. Sea-breeze camping and fishing from a jetty or in the surf. And some of the finest bird-watching on the East Coast.

That’s not all Huntington Beach State Park has to offer. There’s also Atalaya, the picturesque, Moorish-style winter home of Anna Hyatt and Archer Huntington, sculptress and philanthropist, respectively, who left the park and adjacent Brookgreen Gardens as their legacy.

Nature lovers also will enjoy the park’s Environmental Education Center and wide variety of programming, including the chance to see loggerhead turtles and other endangered plant and animal species up close. The park’s freshwater lake is a sure-fire place to see alligators and sometimes even a mink or two.

Art lovers, meanwhile, flock by the thousands to the prestigious, juried Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival held in and around the castle each September.

This room is ideal for small business meetings.

The park has a small but active nature center that educates visitors about the natural beauty and diversity of Myrtle Beach State Park. Saltwater aquariums, live reptiles and fun, interactive natural history displays help visitors of all ages understand the significance of the park. A backyard wildlife habitat complete with bird feeders, bird houses, bird baths, water garden containers, nature sculpture and seasonal butterfly garden are available for viewing even when the center is not open. The hours of operation vary seasonally, call (843) 238-0874 for current hours. Engaging and educational programs for the general public are offered 11 months of the year to raise awareness about the importance of conserving our natural resources and state parks and preserving coastal habitat for future generations. Contact the nature center, check out the “Park Programs” or “What’s New” sections of the park’s webpage for the current program schedule. Teachers: engage your students to learn beyond the classroom! The park offers Discover Carolina (www.discovercarolina.com) – a hands on, curriculum based school field experience complete with both pre- and post-activities to help enhance your student’s experience.

A renovated historic bathhouse serves as the new hub of activities at popular Paris Mountain State Park.

Once a rural retreat, the mountainside park now is a treasured green space in the fast-growing Greenville area. Bicyclists, hikers, picnickers and groups using Camp Buckhorn keep the park busy year-round. Summer is peak time for fishing, and swimming, in the park lakes.

Paris Mountain State Park was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression in the 1930s. The renovated bathhouse, now called the Park Center, preserves that heritage in stone and timber on the outside and on the inside adds a 3-D map of the park, historical exhibits and a classroom for sessions on the diverse natural offerings of the leafy site.