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Cypress Gardens, Moncks Corner, South Carolina

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Since about 1700, the area now covered by Cypress Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina was a portion of a larger rice plantation, now known as Dean Hall Plantation. Today it’s a 163 acre natural wonderland, and at the heart of it is a cypress-tupelo blackwater swamp. The wetland was spared cultivation and clearing as it was useful as a source of water to flood the nearby rice fields, providing a handy source of irrigation. Several major motion pictures have been filmed here, including North and South, The Yearling and The Patriot. I rented a rowboat for a leisurely tour of the swamp, complete with alligators swimming just a bit too close for my comfort. Though it did feel a bit safer than when I encountered one alongside the path as we took advantage of the miles of trails. Bug spray is recommended, and there are snakes. For the faint of heart, there is an aquarium with the aforementioned creatures safely behind bars and glass.