After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll start making our way to the Carolina coast. Our first stop is Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina, a site dedicated to preserving inland sand dunes with longleaf pine, scrub oak and wiregrass habitats. More than 1,000 species of plants have been identified on the refuge, including rare species of pitcher plants. It’s also home to endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, the only woodpecker species that makes its home in living pine trees. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch here before continuing to Green Swamp Preserve, a Nature Conservancy site, where we will encounter Venus Fly Traps and a diversity of fascinating carnivorous plants and terrestrial orchids. Early evening arrival to Wilmington, North Carolina. Our downtown hotel for the next two nights is conveniently located within walking distance of a variety of restaurants, museums, and Cape Fear Riverfront.

Accommodations: Hampton Inn Wilmington Downtown

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Estimated drive times today: Charlotte to Carolina Sandhills NWR – 1.5 hrs; Carolina Sandhills NWR to Green Swamp Preserve – 2.5 hrs; Green Swamp Preserve to Wilmington – 45 mins

North Carolina’s Black River is one of the few waterways in the country that hasn’t faced logging. Three Sisters Swamp, nestled deep in Black River, is home to hundreds of ancient bald cypress trees, some aging in at more than 2500 years old, the oldest members of this species on the planet. In addition to towering bald cypress trees, oaks, birch, and other species form a dense canopy of thickets along the river’s banks. Today, we’ll explore the Black River and Three Sisters Swamp, home to diverse flora and fauna, by kayak during our full-day 12-mile float trip.

Accommodations: Hampton Inn Wilmington Downtown

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

This morning, we’ll visit the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden located in Wilmington’s Piney Ridge Nature Preserve. Occupying three-quarters of an acre, the garden is home to pitcher plants, sundews, and the region’s native Venus Flytrap. The garden aims to connect visitors with these special plants. As we make our way south along the coast to charming Charleston, South Carolina, we’ll stop for lunch at the MarshWalk in the legendary fishing village of Murrells Inlet. The MarshWalk is a half-mile wooden boardwalk along a natural saltwater estuary that boasts some of the most spectacular waterfront dining along South Carolina’s coast. After lunch, we’ll stop at Huntington Beach State Park, a short drive from Murrell’s Inlet, for an interpretive walk in the park’s saltmarsh. Huntington Beach is considered by many to be the best birding spot in the state. There’s time to get settled at our hotel and to explore the area on our own before our Farewell Dinner in downtown Charleston.

Accommodations: Homewood Suites Charleston Historic District

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Estimated drive times today: Wilmington to Murrell’s Inlet – 2 hrs; Murrells Inlet to Huntington Beach State Park – 10 mins; Huntington Beach State Park to Charleston – 2 hrs

Located along the Ashley River in Charleston, Middleton Place is a rare survivor of the American Revolution, Civil War, economic upheavals, and natural disasters. This National Historic Landmark connects to the very fabric of our nation’s complex history focusing on the contributions of the Middleton family, as well as the enslaved Africans and African Americans who lived and worked here. Our visit to Middleton Place this morning includes a guided garden walk at one of America’s oldest landscaped gardens. Our last meal of the trip together will showcase traditional Low Country favorites at The Middleton Place Restaurant with a beautiful view of Mill Pond and Azalea Hillside.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Estimated drive times today: Downtown Charleston to Middleton Place – 30 mins; Middleton Place to Charleston International Airport – 30 mins

Plan to depart from Charleston International Airport (CHS) at 4 pm or later today.