Aiken: This Upstate town exerts an attraction for lovers of horses: Its steeplechase races (www.aikensteeplechase.com) offered every March (Imperial Cup) and October (Holiday Cup) draw spectators by the tens of thousands. The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum (www.aikenracinghalloffame.com) further points up how, from Victorian times, Aiken became the Saratoga Springs of the South. Visit the stunning 14-acre Hopeland Gardens. And when you’re in the well-heeled downtown, check your timepiece against the town clock. (www.aikenchamber.net)
Abbeville: The downtown of this Upstate burg is a honey - and its centerpiece is the Abbeville Opera House (www.theabbevilleoperahouse.com), a venue restored to its 1908 luster. Go see a show – and possibly a ghost: Many swear it is haunted. For that matter, there are enough alleged spirits who can’t leave pleasant Abbeville that ghost tours are offered throughout the year. (www.abbevillescchamber.com)
Camden: Camden was the site of a dreadful Redcoat victory in 1780; Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site (www.historic-camden.net) is a 107-acre outdoor museum complex that shows what life there was like in Colonial/Revolutionary times. In the 1880s, Camden became a destination for the earliest wave of snowbirds: Polo and steeplechase often seem the sports of choice. If your interest is antiquities on a smaller scale, check the galleries downtown on Broad Street. (www.camden-sc.org)
Summerville: This is charming town northwest of Charleston is known for its cool collection of outdoor art – 21 permanent pieces scattered around town. A great time to visit is during the annual Sculpture in the South Show & Sale (www.sculptureinthesouth.com), May 19-20 this year. Most any time of year, downtown’s Azalea Park is a sight to behold. (Be sure and pet Toby, the park’s beloved dog sculpture.) With more than 700 homes and buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, Summerville is well-known for its historic character. (www.visitsummerville.com)
Georgetown: Historic, charming Georgetown has a beautiful wood-plank walkway where the Sampit River prepares to mingle with Winyah Bay. Stretch your legs on the Harborwalk: To one side you have the harbor; to the other, across Front Street, more than two dozen eateries, galleries and specialty shops. (www.hammockcoastsc.com)
