Though the famous "Southern accent" is definitely in evidence here, if you listen closely, you'll hear all its regional variations, from the deeper drawl of the lowcountry to the more clipped speech of the upstate.
South Carolina is very hot in the summer, and its nice coastal areas are a big tourist attraction. Winters on the coast are generally mild, though the upstate does get snow accumulation from time to time.
Gullah is spoken on the Sea Islands.
Interstate 85 traverses the northwest corner of the state, near Anderson, and connects Greenville and Spartanburg with Charlotte, North Carolina.
Interstate 26 stretches southeast across the state, from Landrum to its terminus in Charleston. Interstate 26 intersects with Interstate 85 near Spartanburg, Interstate 20 near Columbia and Interstate 95 near Orangeburg.
Interstate 77 begins in Fort Mill, at the North Carolina border from Charlotte, N.C. and continues south to its terminus at Interstate 26, just south of Columbia.
South Carolina has multiple airports servicing the state. Charleston International is the largest in the state, and features flights all around the east coast. Myrtle Beach, Columbia an 1f40 d Greenville both have decent sized airports. Smaller regional airports are located in Hilton Head and Florence. These airports primarily service regional hubs.
Amtrak has multiple routes that pass through South Carolina. The Silver Service and Palmetto trains call in Florence, Columbia, and Charleston in addition to smaller towns along the route from New York City to Florida. The Crescent train calls in Spartanburg, Greenville, and Clemson en route from New York City to New Orleans.
Along the Eastern Atlantic Coast of South Carolina are several popular tourist destinations.
The most well known area is called The Grand Strand and comprises 60 miles of mostly beachfront property. The Strand runs south from the North and South Carolina border through the towns of Little River, Atlantic Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Garden City (in Horry County), down Hwy. 17 south through Georgetown County including Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, and Pawleys Island.
Little River is known for its beautiful inlet, great for fishing and water sports. Myrtle Beach's claim to fame is not only its beaches, but its nickname as "Golf Capital of the World". Murrells Inlet offers some of the freshest seafood around. Pawleys Island offers historic plantation sites as well as great golf.
On the Southern coastline, lowcountry and Charleston-style cuisine prevail, influenced by French, continental, and creole cooking with lots of fresh seafood.
The drinking age for alcohol in South Carolina is 21. Almost all bars and off-premise vendors request government issued photo I.D. for younger looking patrons. In spring break destinations like Myrtle Beach police write scores of citations for underage drinking at clubs or on the beach.
Beer and wine are widely available in grocery and convenience stores around the state. Liquor must be sold in dedicated liquor stores. With the exception of coastal and metropolitan counties, off-premise sales of beer are banned on Sundays.
Most of the areas visitors would normally visit in South Carolina are relatively crime-free. However, some residential areas in large cities like Charleston may be somewhat dangerous after dark for non-locals.