4 Best Sights in Aiken, The Midlands and Upstate

One wing of this 1862 estate is devoted to early regional culture, including Native American artifacts and firearms. The grounds include an authentically furnished 1808 log cabin, a schoolhouse, and a miniature circus display.

The area's horse farms have produced many national champions. Exhibits include horse-related decorations, paintings, and sculptures, plus racing silks and trophies. The Hall of Fame is on the grounds of the 14-acre Hopelands Gardens, where you can wind along paths past quiet terraces and reflecting pools. There's also a Touch and Scent Trail with Braille plaques.

At 2,100 acres and three times the size of New York's Central Park, this is one of the largest urban forests in the country and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's a popular horseback-riding destination, but the double-track trails are also pleasant for hiking and jogging. Make use of the maps available at the entrances because it's easy to get lost. Note that there are seven entrances to the woods; the ones with the best parking are at 2180 Dibble Road Southwest and 430 South Boundary Road.

Home to James Hammond, who is credited with being first to declare that "cotton is king," this wood-frame house remained in the family until 1975. The 13,000-square-foot mansion (which now sits on 369 acres) remains just as it was, down to the 19th-century books on the carved shelves. Exhibits in and around the former slave quarters contain photograph and textile exhibits that help visitors to understand the lives of the enslaved families that lived here and the atrocities they suffered. Once you've toured the house, be sure to explore the grounds on the 1-mile trail.