See a Preview of the Park

Cannons boom. Muskets bark. Interpretive rangers in 17th century dress tend heirloom crops. They’re all part of the “new” Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site.

Here a group of English settlers landed in 1670 and established what would become the birthplace of the Carolinas colony, the plantation system of the American South, and one of the continent’s first major port cities. And here the story is still told. Opened in 1970 as Charles Towne Landing State Park, the peaceful park on a marshy point off the Ashley River was rebuilt in 2006 with a sharpened focus on the site’s remarkable past.

Begin with the 12-room, interactive museum in the Visitors Center that includes a “digital dig”. Then walk the self-guided history trail, using the MP3 players that add an audio tour to the experience.

Visit the Adventure, Charleston's only 17th century replica sailing ship, and the authentic experimental crop garden. Talk to archaeologists at work. And leave time for the Animal Forest natural habitat zoo and 80 acres of gardens that includes an elegant live oak alle’ and the Legare-Waring House, one of Charleston’s favorite sites for weddings and other special gatherings.

NEW Online Click Tour

Nestled in a floodplain forest along the designated state scenic Lynches River, Lee State Natural Area has been serving South Carolina since it was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Now conveniently located just off Interstate 20, visitors can camp, fish, ride horses and hike and explore along the park’s nature trails.

Lee State Natural Area’s artesian springs, millpond and sandhills add to its diversity as a natural setting. Deer, raccoons and red foxes are among the permanent residents.

The park also features an environmental education center with exhibits about its natural setting in Lee County, a library and historical documents, including newspapers, from the days the park was built during the Great Depression.