Three Days in Horse Country
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Trip Ideas
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You don’t have to own a horse to enjoy a long weekend in Aiken and South Carolina’s thoroughbred country. And since the area involved is so small, you can stay in the same hotel both nights. If you’re here in the spring, you can begin this trip on a Friday so you can see a polo match on Sunday.
Day 1
Explore Aiken’s historic Winter Colony district and racetracks (www.nationalregister.sc.gov). After lunch, take a long relaxing hike in Hitchcock Woods (South Boundary and Whiskey Rds., 803/642-0528, www.hitchcockwoods.org) before checking out the Carolina Bay Nature Preserve (Whiskey Rd. and Price Ave., website). Head a little ways east to Montmorenci and check into Annie’s B&B (3083 Charleston Hwy., 803/649-6836, $100), or stay in Aiken at the classy Willcox (100 Colleton Ave., 877/648-2200, www.thewillcox.com) or the old Hotel Aiken (235 Richland Ave., 803/648-4265, www.hotelaiken.com).
Day 2
Get up bright and early to explore Aiken’s Hitchcock Woods. If you’re here in the fall and it’s a Saturday, you might even catch a fox hunt. Then drive east to Blackville and its God’s Acre Healing Springs (Healing Springs Rd., website), stopping for lunch at Miller’s Bread Basket (438 Main St., 803/284-3117) in town. In the evening take in a movie at the Monetta Drive-In (5822 Columbia Hwy., 803/685-7949, www.thebigmo.com), one of only two functioning drive-in theaters in South Carolina.
Day 3
In the morning head west to Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site (181 Redcliffe Rd., 803/827-1473, www.southcarolinaparks.com) and Riverview Park in North Augusta. If you’re here in the spring, and it’s a Sunday, after lunch return to Aiken in time for the afternoon polo match at Whitney Field (Mead Ave.).
© Jim Morekis from Moon South Carolina, 4th Edition
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