Earlier this week, Jay and I took a whirlwind tour of 3 cities in South Carolina: Florence, Lake City and Hartsville, including a couple of stops in nearby areas. All of this was done in 3 nights and 4 days. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have passed by these towns on the way to Myrtle Beach or somewhere else coastal without even thinking about it. But I am a firm believer that every place has a cool story to tell and I haven’t been wrong yet. These towns may be small, and a little off the typical tourist map, but their southern charm and hospitality makes them so worth your visit.

How To Spend 24 Hours In Hartsville

Hartsville is a really cute, little town. As we were told, many of the things to see are contained within about a 2 block radius. But that does not mean there isn’t much to do, as you will soon see.

Lunch at Ruth’s Drive In
If you are arriving around lunch, you should eat at Ruth’s Drive In. This is a community staple and where a ton of the locals eat. When I can, I like to do what the locals do. I mean, they know where the good stuff in their town is, right? Ruth’s Drive In serves all the typical drive in standards like hot dogs and burgers that will please a family. I had this really good Breaded Chicken Tender Salad and Jay had something referred to as a “Hot.” Check out their menu on Facebook.

Check Out The Shops & Boutiques
In that two block radius that I was telling you about are a ton of shops. I am not talking about chains or the same things you have in your town. I am talking about locally owned small businesses. Remember, it is so important to buy local and you will have many opportunities to do just that in Hartsville.

For instance, at Minnie’s Giftique, I picked up some cute knee high hedgehog socks for Amber and myself. I mean, awwww…. This shop has a great, eclectic style that will suit many tastes. From beautiful silver serving dishes to, well, hedgehog socks, you can find a huge array of items in this cute little boutique.

Stop in at De Baz. De Baz is a shop where you can buy items that are fair trade and ethically made. A couple of years ago, Jay and I went to Honduras. One of the many things we learned on that trip is that the Caribbean has THE BEST COFFEE. And, unfortunately, it’s not easy to come by here. But Honduran coffee – you can buy it at De Baz! And trust. We did. Though the bag we bought is not going to last long. Agh!

As I write this article, I am sippin’ some of the best coffee in the world, with a chihuahua snuggled to each side. I know. It’s a tough life I lead. 😉

Love to read? Then be sure to check out Burry Bookstore. They have all the things you typically find in locally owned bookstores like new releases, kids toys, puzzles, games and more. But they also host professional writers for readings and book signings. A friend of the late Pat Conroy’s was scheduled to be there the same week as us. And let me tell you about the used books section – it is huge! I left with a couple of books for myself and Jay found himself something, too.

Stop By The Park And See The Wildlife
Ok, anyone who reads this blog knows I love love love me some animals. There are a few parks in the area, but we recommend Lawton Park. This park has a great play area for kids and a beautiful water view for those looking for photo ops or just a great place to relax and read. I took a ton of pictures of geese and ducks while visiting. Lawton Park also has a Pavilion that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places that you can rent out for events, weddings, etc. This was my absolute favorite thing to do in Hartsville. If you skip anything we mentioned in this itinerary, don’t skip this one. 🙂

Check Out Coker’s Experimental Farms
Hartsville grew to what it is today because of the Hart cotton plantation beginnings. David Coker then found ways to build upon what the Harts accomplished to make cotton even more profitable by experimenting with crop cultivation. Coker’s Experimental Farms is part of the South Carolina Cotton Trail and also a National Historic Landmark.

Stay At The Mantissa
Did you spend half the day shopping in boutiques? Why not stay in an executive suite in a lovely boutique hotel? The Mantissa is not to be missed on your trip to Hartsville. Our suite had a huge tub, an island with a concrete top in the kitchen and beautiful wrought iron railings on the romantic balcony. Check out our review of The Mantissa here and see all of the pictures now on Flickr.

Have Dinner At Bizzell’s
It’s not pronounced like Lefty Frizzell. It’s pronounced like Snoop Dogg’s, “Shizzle.” You’re welcome. 😉 At Bizzell’s, I had Maple Glazed Salmon on Creamed Spinach and a Tomato Pie {which came highly recommended} and it was all so good. We will have a full review of this restaurant coming soon, too, and then you can find out what Jay had for dinner. 😉 You can also check out all of the pictures on Flickr by clicking here.

Check Out The Nightlife
There is a ton of great nightlife options in Hartsville, SC. Jay and I had drinks on the rooftop of the Mantissa. The view was fabulous and the drinks were even better. If you are looking for a fruity drink, I highly recommend the Bay Breezeway – it tasted like fresh pineapple. Yum! 🙂 Jay had an Irish White Russian and loved it, as well.

Next time I am in Hartsville, I really want to stop in at the Retrofit Sip-n-Seat. See something in there you like? Take it home with you. Every single thing in the place is for sale. 😀 I hear that you can also stick money in a machine and get some wine out. Yes. Please.

So, go back to the lovely Mantissa and sleep in your super comfy bed. 🙂

Breakfast At The Midnight Rooster
We actually made it for lunch because the bed was too comfy at the Mantissa. 😉 But we had some lovely coffee at the Midnight Rooster along with our tasty meals, so that still counts as breakfast, right? I had some Cinnamon Iced Coffee to go with my Greek Goddess Salad and Tomato Basil Soup. Jay had a sandwich called a Farmer Lorenzo and a Milk Chocolate Frappe. Mmmmm… We will have a full review of this place coming soon, too. Until then, check out the pictures here.

Stop By Frets & Necks SC Guitar Repair and Lutherie
Frets & Necks SC is a cool guitar repair store where you can get your existing instrument fixed or you can purchase custom made instruments. And when I mean custom, I mean Boot {the charismatic owner} takes a cool instrument like a piano that has met it’s maker and reincarnates it into an even cooler instrument like a guitar. Don’t know the difference between a piano or a guitar? Frets & Necks SC offers lessons and can teach you. 😉

Stop By The Key
At The Key, you can pick up some cool swag to take back to everyone who will be jealous of your trip. We bought a coffee mug and some Gillespie’s Peanuts for ourselves because we are greedy like that. These peanuts are fantastic {we recommend the “Low Country Boil”} and you simply must take some home with you. They also have Darlington Raceway swag for all of you racing fans. You can also get brochures and such at The Key, so you might want to stop here on your way into Hartsville instead.

Grab Some Snacks For The Road Trip Home
We stopped by the local Sonic to grab a Lemon Berry Slush because for some gosh forsaken reason ours stopped serving them. And it was my favorite drink. Let’s all have a moment of silence for the Lemon Berry Slush. Did your local Sonic forsake you, too? Then stop by the one in Hartsville – which also has a super fast drive thru window and no side-eye when you order a Lemon Berry Slush. 😉

And don’t forget the food. On the way home, just a few miles out of town, we came across a super cute roadside market in McBee called McLeod’s. They say the peaches there are the best, but they were out of season when we visited so we will have to take the locals’ word on that. What we can tell you is that the pecans in the shell are cheap and really good. Jay brought home a massive bag that should keep him busy for a hot minute. We also bought a coconut tart {haven’t tried that yet, but it smells amazing} and some Pumpkin Pecan bread that was definitely amazing! McLeod’s also had a pumpkin with Olaf painted on it. Always trust a place that appreciates Olaf. 😉

Believe it or not, we did and saw a lot more than what was even mentioned here. You can check out the rest of our pictures right now on Flickr.

Have You Been To Hartsville, South Carolina?

What do you recommend that people see or do when they visit? We would love to read about your experience in the comments below.

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