With over 65 acres of gardens to tour as well as a house museum, one could spend an entire day at Middleton Place. Pat Kennedy, VP of marketing said, 'Middleton Place is important because unlike other institutions that tell of only one generation and getting a microcosm of history, one can see the life of four generations of the Middleton family, prior to the Revolutionary War through the Civil War.'

Included in an admission ticket is a guided garden overview tour. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a complimentary African-American focus tour is offered as well.

For children especially, there are lots of animals in the plantation yard: two buffalo, cashmere goats, a cow, Belgian draft horses, peacocks, guinea hens, guinea hogs, sheep and goats.

'Children can join us first thing in the morning or the late afternoon for cow milking,' Kennedy said.

In addition, costume interpreters such as a potter, blacksmith and weaver are on site to tell of all of the activities that used to take place 'way back when.'

One will learn of all aspects of history, family, American history to the prominence of the Middleton family to agriculture, horticulture and landscape design.

www.middletonplace.org

4300 Ashley River Road

Charleston, SC 29414-7206

(843) 266-7477

Cypress Gardens

Nestled in Berkeley County is South Carolina's own Cypress Gardens. Since 1931, Cypress Gardens has been a preferred group and family destination. Cypress Gardens offers swamp boat rides, nature trails, Butterfly House and a Swamparium.

Dwight Williams, director of Cypress Gardens, said that the number one attraction is the flat-bottom boat ride through the swamps. The park is 170 acres, with 80 acres of black water swamp.

Williams said that people can come and see wildlife: from alligators, turtles to wading birds.

Their Swamparium includes fish and reptiles, which are true to the black waters.

The Butterfly House is the oldest operating butterfly house in South Carolina and is the only one operating year-round, according to Williams.

One can expect to see 8-20 different species in one visit.

Cypress Gardens has 10-11,000 school children come visit every year and these are not just kids from the state- they come from neighboring states.

www.cypressgardens.info

3030 Cypress Gardens Rd.

Moncks Corner, SC 29461 (map/directions)

Phone: 843-553-0515