South Carolina’s Lowcountry: A Soulful Coastline with Charming Towns and Must-Try Cuisine

The Lowcountry is the flat, marshy coastal area between Charleston and Savannah, including the little seaside towns along the way, like Beaufort, home to history and romance. Outside a few major cities, the Lowcountry centers mostly around smaller communities and barrier islands. It’s a world of winding saltwater creeks, flowing grasses teeming with birdlife, and dolphins fishing along the mudflats. 

But it’s also a place deeply ingrained in Black Southern history. Charleston was the largest slave port in the U.S. during the 1800s. When plantation owners fled the area during the Civil War, enslaved people harvested the rice, cotton, and indigo for themselves. Over the years, they turned more to seafood, like oysters and shrimp. Insulated by the winding marshes of the Lowcountry, these communities developed a unique culture, including language and food. 

The Gullah Geechee are descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the New World. In the Lowcountry and sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia, surrounded by winding tidal rivers and Spanish-moss-draped oak trees, the Gullah were less influenced than many other communities, holding onto their West and Central African roots. And the towns along this stretch of coast are the perfect place to take a short road trip, insulate yourself from the rest of the real world, and taste some fantastic food. 

There’s no denying that, as unique coastal escapes go, it’s hard to beat the Lowcountry. With its bucolic salt marsh vistas and expansive sandy beaches, you can’t go wrong if your goal is to find a slower pace. However, the area’s history and culture add another dimension to the beautiful surroundings. Recently, tourists have been drawn here to sample the unique Gullah Geechee cuisine. With a heavy serving of the area’s staple fresh seafood, the food here tells a story of the African diaspora. Rice and grains take starring roles, with cooking methods that blend African, European, and Early American, handed down over generations.

Finding authentic Gullah dishes in the Lowcountry is a fun challenge — with so much interest, local restaurants are popping up all over the region. There are under-the-radar locals spots, plus chic hotspots in the big cities like Savannah and Charleston, popular with its striking Southern charm. The adventurous sampling and comparing is half the fun of a road trip through the region. 

To learn more about the region’s heritage, there are a few places to include on your trip through the area. One is the International African American Museum in Charleston, which includes exhibits about the Gullah Geechee and the “unvarnished stories of the African American experience across generations.” Another is the Bluffton Gullah Cultural Heritage Center, a new facility with exhibits and interactive experiences around the area. Finally, consider taking the ferry to tiny Daufuskie Island, where the Gullah Heritage Tour can show you one of the most remote communities.