Sports & Outdoors
Woods Bay State Park
No admission feeFree state park in the South Carolina coastal plain, centered on a rare elliptical wetland basin with a boardwalk and nature trail.
Photo: Thomas Kirchel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Sports & Outdoors
Swan Lake Iris Gardens
A 150-acre public garden in Sumter known for its iris beds, swans, and free admission.
822 W. Liberty Street, Sumter, SC 29150 · Sumter, SC
About Swan Lake Iris Gardens
Swan Lake Iris Gardens is a large public garden in Sumter, South Carolina, gifted to the community by the Bland and Heath families. Its many iris varieties bloom in a burst of color in late spring, and other seasonal flowers such as camellias, azaleas, and daylilies add color through the year. Visitors can watch swans, geese, ducks, and herons, follow a sensory trail designed for the sight-impaired, and walk a talking tree trail. The grounds also hold sculptures by notable artists and host yearly festivals. A Visitors Center sits at the main gate, and admission and parking are free.
- #gardens
- #irises
- #swans
- #birdwatching
- #arboretum
What's around here?
The closest stops to Swan Lake Iris Gardens, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
22 mi awayMore like this
- Sports & OutdoorsOutdoor Adventure
Congaree National Park
No admission feeWalk the Boardwalk Trail or paddle Cedar Creek through an old-growth bottomland forest of towering trees.
26 mi awayMore like this
- Sports & Outdoors
Sesquicentennial State Park
Under $25A large state park in the Sandhills region just outside Columbia, offering camping, a lake, trails, a dog park, and picnic shelters.
33 mi awayMore like this
- AttractionsIconic
Darlington Raceway
Under $25Watch NASCAR race on an egg-shaped oval open since 1950, or visit the stock car museum beside the track.
37 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions
- Museums
South Carolina Military Museum
No admission feeA Columbia museum focused on the military history of South Carolina, organized around three main galleries.
37 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
- SightseeingHistory Buff
South Carolina State House
No admission feeTour the granite capitol of South Carolina, where bronze stars mark the spots Sherman's cannons hit during the Civil War.
Transit: reachable by public transit
38 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
