5 Places to Visit When You’ve Got to Get Outside
Being outdoors and breathing in the fresh air provides many scientifically proven health benefits, including stress relief, improved immunity, and better focus, to name just a few. So if you feel like you have been stuck in your house for days, take some time to take in the great outdoors. These five parks—all located in beautiful Beaufort County—are good places to start:
1. Widgeon Point Preserve
43 Okatie Highway, Beaufort, S.C.
Widgeon Point Preserve is a brand-new Beaufort County park located on Lemon Island, just off of Okatie Highway. The park features 162 acres of forest, marsh and wetlands along the Broad River in Port Royal Sound. It’s a great place for bird-watching, or you can hike a one-mile loop nature trail through the forest and admire the huge Live Oaks and Palmetto trees. You can also bring a lunch and have a picnic in the pavilion. The park even has a barn that you can rent for weddings or family gatherings.
Calhoun Street Public Dock, Bluffton, S.C.
2. Wright Family Park and Calhoun Street Public Dock
111 Calhoun Street, Bluffton, S.C.
There’s no place better to get into that Bluffton State of Mind than Wright Family Park. Located at the end of Calhoun Street overlooking the May River, the park offers cool breezes and a scenic view. It’s a perfect place to relax. Also, you can check out Bluffton’s new public dock while you are there.
3. Lowcountry Celebration Park
94 Pope Avenue, Hilton Head, S.C.
Bring your kids to Hilton Head’s newest park. Located on a 10-acre site near Coligny Beach, the Lowcountry Celebration Park has amenities for all ages. Your kids will love the playground with its “ship,” wading pool and more. The park also offers a perimeter walk, which is well-lit so you can enjoy a stroll at night, and a pavilion and lawn for community events.
4. New River Linear Trail
3809-3835 Okatie Highway, Bluffton, S.C.
Following along a former railway line, the New River Linear Trail is great for running, hiking and biking. Along the way, you will see beautiful wetlands, rice paddies from long ago, and maybe even an alligator or two. The parking lot is located on May River Road near the New Riverside subdivision in Bluffton.
5. Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
Highway 278, Hilton Head, S.C.
This island, nestled between Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, is brimming with wildlife, as its name suggests. It’s a literal paradise for bird watchers and photographers. With over 250 species of birds, you will find large populations of herons, white ibises, and egrets. White-tailed deer and alligators are also common on the island. There are 14 miles of trails, so you may want to bring a bike if you wish to see most of the island.