April 1, 2025 • 24 mins
One of my bosses loves Charleston South Carolina. No joke, the other day she came into my studio and said, “I haven’t been to Charleston in two weeks and I think I’m starting to get hives.” She loves it. And I hear that from a lot of people. In fact, another coworker is going down to Charleston soon to take part in a 10K. South Carolina seems to be one of those places that, at least in my area, people love to visit. But the state is bigger than just Charleston.
South Carolina has so much to offer. It has a little bit of everything. Beaches, history, golf, mountains, rural escapes and so much more. I would say it’s part of a handful of states that truly offer a little slice of everything that makes this country what it is. You know what I mean? Every state has something special to offer, but a place like South Carolina takes a piece of every state.
So let’s take a dive into all that South Carolina has to offer. I’m catching up with Devyn Whitmire. She’s the Digital Engagement Manager for Discover South Carolina. This was a great chat. I think South Carolina is on my family’s radar for a little trip this summer.
South Carolina has so much to offer. It has a little bit of everything. Beaches, history, golf, mountains, rural escapes and so much more. I would say it’s part of a handful of states that truly offer a little slice of everything that makes this country what it is. You know what I mean? Every state has something special to offer, but a place like South Carolina takes a piece of every state.
So let’s take a dive into all that South Carolina has to offer. I’m catching up with Devyn Whitmire. She’s the Digital Engagement Manager for Discover South Carolina. This was a great chat. I think South Carolina is on my family’s radar for a little trip this summer.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Heyway South Everybody. Welcome to you Delightful Destinations. My name
is Jeff S. Pierre, and welcome to episode twenty seven
of the show. If it's your first time checking out
the program, welcome, I appreciate your time. Delightful Destinations is
a show that I created so I can talk to
your representatives from different locations around the country and learn
more about these beautiful places that are just all around us.
(00:24):
And I'm always looking for an excuse to get away
from home, so hopefully this show will help inspire you
for your next excursion. One of my bosses loves Charleston,
South Carolina, no joke. The other day she came into
my studio and said, I haven't been to Charleston in
two weeks, and I think I'm starting to get hives.
She just loves it, and I hear that from a
lot of people. In fact, another coworker is going down
to Charleston soon to take part in a ten k
(00:45):
South Carolina seems to be one of those places that,
at least in my area, people love to visit. But
the state, you know what, It's bigger than just Charleston.
South Carolina has so much to offer, like a little
bit of everything, honestly, beaches, history, golf, mountains, rural escapes,
and so much more. I would say it's part of
a handful of states that truly offer a little slice
(01:07):
of everything that makes this country what it is. You
know what I mean. Like every state has something special
to offer, but a place like South Carolina takes a
piece of all of it and somehow packs it into this
tiny state. So let's take a dive into all that
South Carolina has to offer. I'm catching up with Devin Whitmeyer.
She's the digital engagement manager for Discover South Carolina. This
(01:28):
was a really great chat. I think South Carolina has
definitely found its way onto my family's radar for a
little trip this summer.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Oh, it is such a pleasure to be here. Thank
you for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I'm excited to talk about South Carolina because I have
very limited experience with South Carolina. I would say my
three experiences are one I've driven through on the way
to Florida, so I have that experience. I watched Southern
Charm religiously, and I did a little work with a
radio station in Greenville for a little while, but I
didn't live there. I was doing it remotely to help
them out while they were in a transition. So I
(01:58):
haven't spent much time, but I feel like South Carolina
is still a piece of me in some way.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
I love that, you know. I would love to just
be a piece in everybody's heart in some way. And
we're our state's kind of shaped like a heart, so
that makes sense. That's true. Well, you've hit some good ones.
So Greenville is actually where I'm originally from, and so
I have so much love for that city. I'm currently
now in the capital in the Columbia area, and you
(02:25):
hit on Charleston. Charleston is you know, just a true
gem of a destination, not just for our state but
really just all over the world. People really know us
for that place, and you've got to get here. I'd
love to have you. You got to come and experience
our food and our culture. It's an incredible state, and
we have so much to offer from different landscapes. We
(02:48):
really have mountains to see all in one very small
place that you could be anywhere within you know, three
to six hours fully across.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
So that's what I love about these states, sort of
on the East coast here, because you do have that
range right, Like the mountains are a couple hours away
from the coast, but you can make that happen. And
you've got so many different opportunities right really within your
grasp any time you want.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Absolutely, when you drove through to Florida, did you pull
off anywhere? Did you see like a roadside stand or anything.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I would say there is a particular rest area. I
think it's in South Carolina that just about everybody stops at.
Is it south north.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Of the border?
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Is that what it is? North of the border? You
would I'm sorry, I knew I was gonna say it wrong.
I'm like, north of the border makes sense, but no,
it's south of the border.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Oh man, Yeah, that's that's a unique spot. I personally
have not been there, so you you would have more
informational on that one than me.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
We didn't stay very long, to be honest, and not
for any particular reason other than we were just really
trying to make it to our destination for the day. Yeah,
but we did. We saw all the signs leading to it,
were like we kind of just have to at least
pull off and say we stopped here.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Fair. It's a unique spot for sure, but yeah, you
got to come back and let me help you play
in an itinerary to really experience our steak, because it's
pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I did sort of feel like a fraud. I was
working with wssl FM and Greenville. I think it's Whistle, Yeah.
I was doing some work with them to help them out,
and I felt like a fraud because I was trying
to sound as local as possible. But I'm like, I've
never been here. I don't know any of these places,
but it sounds so awesome. They have so many cool things.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
I really do Greenville, especially I grew up there and
growing up like, I don't recognize it now when I
go back, and my family's all still up there, and
so I try to get up there as much as
I can, but you know, work life kids, so I
try to like schedule work trips up there as much
(04:47):
as I can, just to like get back home a
little bit. But the food scene, the art scene in
Greenville is also incredible, and outdoor recreation because it's so
close to the mountain. We also have a lot of
state parks that are really accessible nearby Greenville, so you
can go find waterfalls and incredible hiking so close by.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I do want to dive more into all the different
opportunities at South Carolina has, but I have to touch
on Charleston for just one more second. I just feel
like it's one of those cities that even people here
in Maryland like, Actually, my boss just the other day
was like, it's been two weeks since I've been to Charleston,
and I'm starting to get hives, Like I need to
go back. It's just one of those cities that so
many people always flock to, Like it's just on everybody's list,
(05:35):
whether it's a bachelor or a bachelorette party, whether it's
a wedding, like there's just people just want to there's
a rate. You've got a running race coming up. One
of my interns is going down to run the Cooper
River Bridge. I think it's called the Bridge Run.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
She's going down to do the Bridge run soon. Like
there's just something captivating about Charleston.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
That's a great word for it. It truly is captivating.
Charleston has so many elements to it right, so many layers.
It really is like an onion, you keep healing things back.
You've got this historic district that you can just really
walk anywhere and cobblestone streets, these gorgeous old buildings that
have so much color and character, and in these pocket
neighborhoods nearby, you've got these teeny tiny restaurants that have
(06:18):
so much flavor. I just ate at a restaurant this
past week that only sat twelve people. They're like a
sandwich shop by day, and they do chef tastings for
twelve people each night, and they're booked up for months.
And it's called Italian Boys by the way at the Pass,
and so you should absolutely go if you ever have
(06:38):
the opportunity. And then you've got beaches not very far either,
like you can be at the Ala Palms or Folly
and get totally different experiences or Sullivan's, but it's all
right there. Charleston is incredibly unique and it's one of
the most beautiful and special places in the world.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And we're not going to talk too much about history,
but oh my gosh, I mean you want to talk
about just history is everywhere again going to that East coast,
that East Coast vibe, You've got so much history because
this is where this country started. I mean things going
back hundreds of years to the very beginning of what
we know as America.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Absolutely, and we're so proud of the way we've not
shied away from our history. They do. So many of
the attractions and places in Charleston are interpreting the start
of our country, as you just mentioned, so authentically that
(07:41):
you just can't help but feel connected in a way
when you go to the people to hopefully you know,
the rest of the country in the world, because it
did start there in so many elements. I mean, you've
got the International American African American Museum that just opened
that are doing such a great job and telling the
(08:02):
stories of all of the people who have made Charleson
in our country what it is today. It's yeah, it's
You're going to see history at every corner and every
step along the way.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
All right, let's dive into some of the activities that
people can enjoy if they make a trip down to
South Carolina. We'll first start with golf, because I do
know that that is a big thing. I've got some
guys in my life that do golf trips to South
Carolina often because they love to go down there and play.
The weather is just the right temperature for things. So
let's talk about golfing in South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yes, so golf is truly one of our most popular
things because you have access to nearly a new public
course every day of the year. We have approximately three
hundred and fifty give or take, so you really can
play golf here almost every day of the year, all
(08:55):
year long. Because we do have such temperate weather. We
also have a lot of turns that you can come
and experience, like the RBC Heritage presented by Boeing on
hilton Head Island. It for the longest time was one
of the only PGA Tour stops that happened annually, and
it is such a vibe. Okay, these people were plaid.
They call themselves Plaid Nation. Scottie Scheffler, world number one,
(09:20):
just won it last year right after he won the Masters,
So it's a hugely cultural thing to go to the Heritage.
And then we also have a brand new event that
started last year. It's called the One Flight Myrtle Beach
Classic and it happens in May, just a month after so,
and then not long after that is like a BMW
(09:41):
charity pro am where you've got celebrities coming to play
up in Greenville, so you can hit all of our
major golf pockets within a couple of months, so just
you know, just move on down and play some golf.
If you're a fan, I have.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
To tell you, I have to admit, as much as
I can appreciate golf for what it is, there is
enough more boring in my life than watching golf. However,
I will say the PGA has made some changes, whether
they like them or not, where it does look like
it's more of a party at some of their events now,
so I might have to give it a try someday.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
You know, I personally don't play golf. My husband recently
picked it up and it became his whole personality, as
most of his hobbies normally do, and I don't mind it.
Sometimes he'll take our son with him, and it's it's
fun for him to get out. He works hard, he
deserves it, and I've gotten a little bit more interested
in watching here and there, especially the tournaments that happen here.
(10:36):
I have the opportunity to get to go a couple
of times and see it, and I get I used
to think, oh, that's nap, that's a nap show, like
you're gonna just fall asleep while watching. But once you
slowly kind of understand the game or just the people
around you are really interested in it. You know, you
can kind of join the bandwagon and get on board.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Well, maybe I'll have to give it another try.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Here.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
There's a lot of different things to do outdoors, lb sides, golfing.
I mean, we touched on this a little bit earlier.
There's such amazing landscapes throughout the entire state of South Carolina.
Did I read you've got about fifty state parks as well?
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Yes, we do so. In my opinion, our state parks
are our state's greatest asset truly because they are so
accessible and they allow for a lot of our smaller
destinations that you would never hear of, maybe even as
a local, hadn't heard about if you were just you know,
from the upstate or the low country. That it gives
(11:32):
them an attraction, It gives them something to invite people
to come and enjoy and then experience their small town
and we do. Our state parks are growing. We have
acquired some new ones slowly and it for the years
it's been forty seven state parks and now we're approximately fifty,
(11:53):
and so those assets are growing and giving so much
opportunity for all kinds of recreation, be that you know, kayaking, fishing,
paddle boarding which the state parks can accommodate, and geocatching
and hiking of course, but it also has a lot
of opportunities for education and interpretation because our rangers are
(12:14):
so hands on and offer so many incredible programs for
people to easily sign up for and come and just
learn all about the different flora, fauna, and the landscape
of South Carolina through these parks.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
What's your favorite one if you had to pick, I know,
as someone who works for tourism, it's tough, but like,
if you can give me a couple of your favorites
that you like to frequent.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Okay, So when you go to the upstate, I really
love Devil's Spork. It's on Lake Joe Cassie, which is
kind of a I wouldn't say hidden lake, but in
a way it kind of is because you can only
access that lake publicly through Devil's Fork State Park, and
they have these gorgeous cabin villas that you can rent
(12:58):
and stay in with a with your family and with
friends and get access to the lake. And it's actually
like crystal clear blue water. That you don't really find
very often, and so the upstate I would give it
to that one. And then if you go to the coast,
Huntington Beach State Park would probably be my favorite for
(13:21):
a couple of reasons. For one, it has a castle
called Adalaea Castle that is like a Moorish construction architecture,
and they have like an art festival that they host
there every year. But Huntington Beach actually has like the
most stunning views and like wildlife, like a huge bird population.
(13:43):
I'm not a birder, but like you can just appreciate
like the beauty of birds flowing over the marsh, you know.
And it has this gorgeous causeway that you can walk
down and on one side is freshwater and on the
other side is saltwater, which I just think is really unique.
And so those are two. I love them all. They
all have so much character and beauty. But I'll get
(14:07):
I gave you an upstate in a coast.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
No, that's good, Like, no, that's good. I appreciate it.
Every time I ask someone in these kind of settings,
like what's your favorite, They're like, I can't have a favorite.
I'm like, you could, you could give me things that
you like. Come on, it's okay, of course, Well I don't.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
I always promote the parks. I feel like I can't
not because, like I mentioned, I think they're just incredible
in terms of that, I don't work specifically for the
park Service, so I can't really get in trouble for
picking fasity. Perfect.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Okay, good, Well you mentioned something else there you were telling.
You mentioned there's a festival, and festivals are a big
thing in South Carolina. And I noticed when I went
to your website, which is discover south Carolina dot com.
When I went there, the very first face I saw
was Darius Rucker, So I know music festivals are also
a very big piece of the puzzle here in South Carolina.
I know, I work for a country radio station primarily,
(14:54):
so I know I've heard of the Carolina Country Music Festival, yeah,
which happens in June. But you know, I I just
feel like people can flock to your state to see
just about any type of music they want to.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Absolutely, you've got barbecue and bluegrass, You've got the country
music festival that happens in Myrtle Beach. Like you mentioned,
Darius has his own music festival that happens in Charleston
called the Riverfront Revival. We also have a festival up
in the upstate that's pretty obscure called the Albino Skunk
Festival that used to happen. I think it's still happening,
(15:27):
but I just thought, who what a vibe albino skunk? Like?
Of course, why would I not want to check that out?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
It's the mountains.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
We have a lot of new music venues that are
opening right now as well to foster more music festivals,
which I'm excited about, like Greenville has the True Line
that's about to open up. So yeah, we love the music,
we love the vibes.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
What goes better with music than food? And I know
food is just a key piece of the puzzle when
it comes to South Carolina too. My friends that go
to Charleston will always come back and say, you will
never have better food in your life than what you
will find in Charleston. Now that's just one piece of
your entire state. But I know food is a big
thing for y'all.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Absolutely. You know, I don't want to hate on other
states because that's not how we roll. You know, we're
friends with everybody. But my husband works and then remotely
for another state, and when he was traveling to go
to their home office, I was thinking, what kind of
food are you going to have? Like what's the state dish?
(16:33):
And he didn't really have an answer for me. And
in South Carolina we have a plethorat. I mean you
go from barbecue where the birthplace of barbecue, we had
the tradition of slow and low like whole pig or
we call it whole hog barbecue. That's a huge tradition. Here.
We have shrimp and grits. We have pimento cheese. There's
(16:55):
in Colombia, where I live, we have an entire pimento
cheese trail where you different restaurants have a specific paminted
cheese dishes that you have to try when you come
to Columbia. Do you know what comina cheese is? I do.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
I am very familiar.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Yes, So, I mean it's you'll find it on everything,
and there's a reason for that. It's because it's freaking good.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
It's good.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
It's a stape. I put it on everything. You know,
what's that like? Frank Souf put that on everything. That's
how we are with pomena cheese here in South Carolina
oysters are a big deal here. We have a really
unique oyster with the marsh and the salt components on
our coast in the Low Country, and we also have
(17:40):
incredible chefs who are working with our local farmers. South
Carolina is really lucky. The reason that our food is
so good is because we have so many farms in
the state that our restaurants are utilizing these local ingredients,
so they truly are getting the taste of our state
(18:02):
and incorporating it into their menus. And we've capitalized on
that by partnering with chefs to be ambassadors for us.
So we have a chef Ambassador program. We've got about
thirty seven chefs that have participated thus far that are
committed to using local ingredients and their menus, and then
they go and kind of share the food gospel of
(18:22):
South Carolina at events across the country. They were just
at Charleston went In Food Festival this past week, which
is a huge international festival. So you're getting such an
influx of people from all over who come and really
get to experience what is so unique and special about
our flavors.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I think my favorite thing that's happened to the culinary
world in the last decade or so is the idea
of farm to table. I know there've always been chefs
that did it, but like just it became a much
more popular popularized term over the last decade. And I
love that because we have a similar thing in Maryland
where so many of our up and coming chefs and
reststaurants are going to the farms just outside of Baltimore
(19:02):
and they're they're finding these really amazing items to use
in their food, and it just it makes everything to
me tastes so much better and I feel good knowing
I'm supporting the local economy as well. Like I was
just texting my wife last night because she wanted me
to pick up food on the way home from work,
and I was like, well, here's a couple of options,
but the one I really want to go to is
the local restaurant that's in our neighborhood. Like I don't
(19:23):
want to go to the chain, Like I always try
to keep my money in our local area. And I
love the farm the table thing that you were just describing.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Yes, absolutely, it's exactly what you said. You are supporting
locals who you know this is truly their bread and butter.
This is what they do day in and day out
and what they care so much about. And when you
know that the ingredients you're getting we're just down the road. Yeah,
it's automatically going to taste better because it's pressure and
(19:52):
that chef's just going to put a little bit more
care into knowing. You know, I just got this from
this farmer that I have a relationship with down the street,
Like I really care about this ingredient and care about
making it shine for people, and so it's just such
a beautiful symbiotic relationship that benefits everyone.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
This interview, Devin, has been great, and I have a
unique opportunity with you because most of the time I'm
speaking with people who don't have their own podcast already,
but you have one that you've been doing for now,
I think three seasons, and we you and I have
about twenty ish minutes or so to talk about South Carolina.
But if people are interested to learn more on a
(20:32):
deeper level, you've got this incredible show that I took
a listen to that I think is a wonderful way
to take a more deep dive into a lot of
different topics. Why don't you talk about this.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Well, thank you so much for listening. Yes, I am
honored to host The Palmeta Porch, which is our States
podcast that really focuses on our people. When you talk
to someone who visits our state, most likely they're going
to talk about our landscape for our food, but they're
probably also going to mention how friendly everyone was. They're
(21:04):
going to mention the people. In my opinion, the people
are what make a destination have so much impact and
want you make you want to come back is the
hospitality that you experience, and that's what we're all about.
And and so I thought, why would we not talk
to locals and hear their stories, And since we're in
(21:24):
South Carolina, the best way to do that is on
the porch. I grew up having porch conversations, still do
when I visit others, and you know, you got a
nice cold beverage in hand, depending on the season, and
and that's where true authentic storytelling takes place. And so
(21:45):
exo facto the Palmetto Porch. And I've had the opportunity
to talk to some incredible people who are chefs, who
are farmers, who are working in their communities as small
business owners. I've talked to park rangers and and heard
you know, not all of them are from South Carolina.
Some of them are transplants. Some of them were here,
(22:07):
they moved away and then came back and are now
you know, investing their time and talent into their local communities.
And they all have incredible stories to share. And it's
been such a pleasure to get to know every guest
that I've gotten to have. I've learned a lot from
our state dance, which is the South Carolina Shag, to
(22:30):
learning about the you know, cultivation of an old mill
and and and the trials and tribulations of owning local businesses.
So it's it's been a true honor and privilege to
get to facilitate them sharing their stories. And yeah, we're
we're hoping for more to come in season four.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
I think it's great. I think the way you've put
this whole thing together is awesome. And I'm actually very
jealous of you because I think it's such a great idea.
But there is something about talking to people in spat
so that you don't necessarily know great yourself. That's one
thing I enjoy about doing this these conversations is that
I've never been to South Carolina really and now I've
sat here for the last you know, half an hour
or so listening to you tell me all the incredible
(23:12):
stories about it. It's making me really want to go
do it or dive deeper into it to find out
more because there are so many cool things. So, yeah,
the pal Metal Porch, that's the name of your podcast.
If anybody listening wants to check that out. But if
somebody does want to start planning their trip to South
Carolina to get down there and visit themselves, where should
they go to do that?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Well, of course you can visit discover South Carolina dot
com and follow us on all of our social media.
We're on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, so you can experience
all of the stories that are happening here and hopefully
come and make your own.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Devin Wentmeyer, the digital engagement manager for Discover South Carolina.
This has been truly a pleasure and one of my
favorite conversations that I've done with this show so far.
You are just a welcome knowledge. I love your energy.
I think it's great and I hope that I can
find some time to swing down to South Carolina for
real to really check it out.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Please do and don't hesitate to reach out, happy to
give you some suggestions and help facilitate your trip. Would
love to have you.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Oh well, now that I got your information, oh boy,
I'm definitely going to contact you to help me plan
my trip. Big thank you to Devin Whitmeyer for her time.
This was just so much fun. And don't forget to
check out her podcast for South Carolina called The Palmetto Porch.
And thank you to all of you for checking out
(24:37):
delightful destinations this week. Until next time, be well,
Heyway South Everybody. Welcome to you Delightful Destinations. My name
is Jeff S. Pierre, and welcome to episode twenty seven
of the show. If it's your first time checking out
the program, welcome, I appreciate your time. Delightful Destinations is
a show that I created so I can talk to
your representatives from different locations around the country and learn
more about these beautiful places that are just all around us.
(00:24):
And I'm always looking for an excuse to get away
from home, so hopefully this show will help inspire you
for your next excursion. One of my bosses loves Charleston,
South Carolina, no joke. The other day she came into
my studio and said, I haven't been to Charleston in
two weeks, and I think I'm starting to get hives.
She just loves it, and I hear that from a
lot of people. In fact, another coworker is going down
to Charleston soon to take part in a ten k
(00:45):
South Carolina seems to be one of those places that,
at least in my area, people love to visit. But
the state, you know what, It's bigger than just Charleston.
South Carolina has so much to offer, like a little
bit of everything, honestly, beaches, history, golf, mountains, rural escapes,
and so much more. I would say it's part of
a handful of states that truly offer a little slice
(01:07):
of everything that makes this country what it is. You
know what I mean. Like every state has something special
to offer, but a place like South Carolina takes a
piece of all of it and somehow packs it into this
tiny state. So let's take a dive into all that
South Carolina has to offer. I'm catching up with Devin Whitmeyer.
She's the digital engagement manager for Discover South Carolina. This
(01:28):
was a really great chat. I think South Carolina has
definitely found its way onto my family's radar for a
little trip this summer.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Oh, it is such a pleasure to be here. Thank
you for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I'm excited to talk about South Carolina because I have
very limited experience with South Carolina. I would say my
three experiences are one I've driven through on the way
to Florida, so I have that experience. I watched Southern
Charm religiously, and I did a little work with a
radio station in Greenville for a little while, but I
didn't live there. I was doing it remotely to help
them out while they were in a transition. So I
(01:58):
haven't spent much time, but I feel like South Carolina
is still a piece of me in some way.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
I love that, you know. I would love to just
be a piece in everybody's heart in some way. And
we're our state's kind of shaped like a heart, so
that makes sense. That's true. Well, you've hit some good ones.
So Greenville is actually where I'm originally from, and so
I have so much love for that city. I'm currently
now in the capital in the Columbia area, and you
(02:25):
hit on Charleston. Charleston is you know, just a true
gem of a destination, not just for our state but
really just all over the world. People really know us
for that place, and you've got to get here. I'd
love to have you. You got to come and experience
our food and our culture. It's an incredible state, and
we have so much to offer from different landscapes. We
(02:48):
really have mountains to see all in one very small
place that you could be anywhere within you know, three
to six hours fully across.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
So that's what I love about these states, sort of
on the East coast here, because you do have that
range right, Like the mountains are a couple hours away
from the coast, but you can make that happen. And
you've got so many different opportunities right really within your
grasp any time you want.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Absolutely, when you drove through to Florida, did you pull
off anywhere? Did you see like a roadside stand or anything.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I would say there is a particular rest area. I
think it's in South Carolina that just about everybody stops at.
Is it south north.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Of the border?
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Is that what it is? North of the border? You
would I'm sorry, I knew I was gonna say it wrong.
I'm like, north of the border makes sense, but no,
it's south of the border.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Oh man, Yeah, that's that's a unique spot. I personally
have not been there, so you you would have more
informational on that one than me.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
We didn't stay very long, to be honest, and not
for any particular reason other than we were just really
trying to make it to our destination for the day. Yeah,
but we did. We saw all the signs leading to it,
were like we kind of just have to at least
pull off and say we stopped here.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Fair. It's a unique spot for sure, but yeah, you
got to come back and let me help you play
in an itinerary to really experience our steak, because it's
pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I did sort of feel like a fraud. I was
working with wssl FM and Greenville. I think it's Whistle, Yeah.
I was doing some work with them to help them out,
and I felt like a fraud because I was trying
to sound as local as possible. But I'm like, I've
never been here. I don't know any of these places,
but it sounds so awesome. They have so many cool things.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
I really do Greenville, especially I grew up there and
growing up like, I don't recognize it now when I
go back, and my family's all still up there, and
so I try to get up there as much as
I can, but you know, work life kids, so I
try to like schedule work trips up there as much
(04:47):
as I can, just to like get back home a
little bit. But the food scene, the art scene in
Greenville is also incredible, and outdoor recreation because it's so
close to the mountain. We also have a lot of
state parks that are really accessible nearby Greenville, so you
can go find waterfalls and incredible hiking so close by.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I do want to dive more into all the different
opportunities at South Carolina has, but I have to touch
on Charleston for just one more second. I just feel
like it's one of those cities that even people here
in Maryland like, Actually, my boss just the other day
was like, it's been two weeks since I've been to Charleston,
and I'm starting to get hives, Like I need to
go back. It's just one of those cities that so
many people always flock to, Like it's just on everybody's list,
(05:35):
whether it's a bachelor or a bachelorette party, whether it's
a wedding, like there's just people just want to there's
a rate. You've got a running race coming up. One
of my interns is going down to run the Cooper
River Bridge. I think it's called the Bridge Run.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
She's going down to do the Bridge run soon. Like
there's just something captivating about Charleston.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
That's a great word for it. It truly is captivating.
Charleston has so many elements to it right, so many layers.
It really is like an onion, you keep healing things back.
You've got this historic district that you can just really
walk anywhere and cobblestone streets, these gorgeous old buildings that
have so much color and character, and in these pocket
neighborhoods nearby, you've got these teeny tiny restaurants that have
(06:18):
so much flavor. I just ate at a restaurant this
past week that only sat twelve people. They're like a
sandwich shop by day, and they do chef tastings for
twelve people each night, and they're booked up for months.
And it's called Italian Boys by the way at the Pass,
and so you should absolutely go if you ever have
(06:38):
the opportunity. And then you've got beaches not very far either,
like you can be at the Ala Palms or Folly
and get totally different experiences or Sullivan's, but it's all
right there. Charleston is incredibly unique and it's one of
the most beautiful and special places in the world.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And we're not going to talk too much about history,
but oh my gosh, I mean you want to talk
about just history is everywhere again going to that East coast,
that East Coast vibe, You've got so much history because
this is where this country started. I mean things going
back hundreds of years to the very beginning of what
we know as America.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Absolutely, and we're so proud of the way we've not
shied away from our history. They do. So many of
the attractions and places in Charleston are interpreting the start
of our country, as you just mentioned, so authentically that
(07:41):
you just can't help but feel connected in a way
when you go to the people to hopefully you know,
the rest of the country in the world, because it
did start there in so many elements. I mean, you've
got the International American African American Museum that just opened
that are doing such a great job and telling the
(08:02):
stories of all of the people who have made Charleson
in our country what it is today. It's yeah, it's
You're going to see history at every corner and every
step along the way.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
All right, let's dive into some of the activities that
people can enjoy if they make a trip down to
South Carolina. We'll first start with golf, because I do
know that that is a big thing. I've got some
guys in my life that do golf trips to South
Carolina often because they love to go down there and play.
The weather is just the right temperature for things. So
let's talk about golfing in South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yes, so golf is truly one of our most popular
things because you have access to nearly a new public
course every day of the year. We have approximately three
hundred and fifty give or take, so you really can
play golf here almost every day of the year, all
(08:55):
year long. Because we do have such temperate weather. We
also have a lot of turns that you can come
and experience, like the RBC Heritage presented by Boeing on
hilton Head Island. It for the longest time was one
of the only PGA Tour stops that happened annually, and
it is such a vibe. Okay, these people were plaid.
They call themselves Plaid Nation. Scottie Scheffler, world number one,
(09:20):
just won it last year right after he won the Masters,
So it's a hugely cultural thing to go to the Heritage.
And then we also have a brand new event that
started last year. It's called the One Flight Myrtle Beach
Classic and it happens in May, just a month after so,
and then not long after that is like a BMW
(09:41):
charity pro am where you've got celebrities coming to play
up in Greenville, so you can hit all of our
major golf pockets within a couple of months, so just
you know, just move on down and play some golf.
If you're a fan, I have.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
To tell you, I have to admit, as much as
I can appreciate golf for what it is, there is
enough more boring in my life than watching golf. However,
I will say the PGA has made some changes, whether
they like them or not, where it does look like
it's more of a party at some of their events now,
so I might have to give it a try someday.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
You know, I personally don't play golf. My husband recently
picked it up and it became his whole personality, as
most of his hobbies normally do, and I don't mind it.
Sometimes he'll take our son with him, and it's it's
fun for him to get out. He works hard, he
deserves it, and I've gotten a little bit more interested
in watching here and there, especially the tournaments that happen here.
(10:36):
I have the opportunity to get to go a couple
of times and see it, and I get I used
to think, oh, that's nap, that's a nap show, like
you're gonna just fall asleep while watching. But once you
slowly kind of understand the game or just the people
around you are really interested in it. You know, you
can kind of join the bandwagon and get on board.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Well, maybe I'll have to give it another try.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Here.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
There's a lot of different things to do outdoors, lb sides, golfing.
I mean, we touched on this a little bit earlier.
There's such amazing landscapes throughout the entire state of South Carolina.
Did I read you've got about fifty state parks as well?
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Yes, we do so. In my opinion, our state parks
are our state's greatest asset truly because they are so
accessible and they allow for a lot of our smaller
destinations that you would never hear of, maybe even as
a local, hadn't heard about if you were just you know,
from the upstate or the low country. That it gives
(11:32):
them an attraction, It gives them something to invite people
to come and enjoy and then experience their small town
and we do. Our state parks are growing. We have
acquired some new ones slowly and it for the years
it's been forty seven state parks and now we're approximately fifty,
(11:53):
and so those assets are growing and giving so much
opportunity for all kinds of recreation, be that you know, kayaking, fishing,
paddle boarding which the state parks can accommodate, and geocatching
and hiking of course, but it also has a lot
of opportunities for education and interpretation because our rangers are
(12:14):
so hands on and offer so many incredible programs for
people to easily sign up for and come and just
learn all about the different flora, fauna, and the landscape
of South Carolina through these parks.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
What's your favorite one if you had to pick, I know,
as someone who works for tourism, it's tough, but like,
if you can give me a couple of your favorites
that you like to frequent.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Okay, So when you go to the upstate, I really
love Devil's Spork. It's on Lake Joe Cassie, which is
kind of a I wouldn't say hidden lake, but in
a way it kind of is because you can only
access that lake publicly through Devil's Fork State Park, and
they have these gorgeous cabin villas that you can rent
(12:58):
and stay in with a with your family and with
friends and get access to the lake. And it's actually
like crystal clear blue water. That you don't really find
very often, and so the upstate I would give it
to that one. And then if you go to the coast,
Huntington Beach State Park would probably be my favorite for
(13:21):
a couple of reasons. For one, it has a castle
called Adalaea Castle that is like a Moorish construction architecture,
and they have like an art festival that they host
there every year. But Huntington Beach actually has like the
most stunning views and like wildlife, like a huge bird population.
(13:43):
I'm not a birder, but like you can just appreciate
like the beauty of birds flowing over the marsh, you know.
And it has this gorgeous causeway that you can walk
down and on one side is freshwater and on the
other side is saltwater, which I just think is really unique.
And so those are two. I love them all. They
all have so much character and beauty. But I'll get
(14:07):
I gave you an upstate in a coast.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
No, that's good, Like, no, that's good. I appreciate it.
Every time I ask someone in these kind of settings,
like what's your favorite, They're like, I can't have a favorite.
I'm like, you could, you could give me things that
you like. Come on, it's okay, of course, Well I don't.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
I always promote the parks. I feel like I can't
not because, like I mentioned, I think they're just incredible
in terms of that, I don't work specifically for the
park Service, so I can't really get in trouble for
picking fasity. Perfect.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Okay, good, Well you mentioned something else there you were telling.
You mentioned there's a festival, and festivals are a big
thing in South Carolina. And I noticed when I went
to your website, which is discover south Carolina dot com.
When I went there, the very first face I saw
was Darius Rucker, So I know music festivals are also
a very big piece of the puzzle here in South Carolina.
I know, I work for a country radio station primarily,
(14:54):
so I know I've heard of the Carolina Country Music Festival, yeah,
which happens in June. But you know, I I just
feel like people can flock to your state to see
just about any type of music they want to.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Absolutely, you've got barbecue and bluegrass, You've got the country
music festival that happens in Myrtle Beach. Like you mentioned,
Darius has his own music festival that happens in Charleston
called the Riverfront Revival. We also have a festival up
in the upstate that's pretty obscure called the Albino Skunk
Festival that used to happen. I think it's still happening,
(15:27):
but I just thought, who what a vibe albino skunk? Like?
Of course, why would I not want to check that out?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
It's the mountains.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
We have a lot of new music venues that are
opening right now as well to foster more music festivals,
which I'm excited about, like Greenville has the True Line
that's about to open up. So yeah, we love the music,
we love the vibes.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
What goes better with music than food? And I know
food is just a key piece of the puzzle when
it comes to South Carolina too. My friends that go
to Charleston will always come back and say, you will
never have better food in your life than what you
will find in Charleston. Now that's just one piece of
your entire state. But I know food is a big
thing for y'all.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Absolutely. You know, I don't want to hate on other
states because that's not how we roll. You know, we're
friends with everybody. But my husband works and then remotely
for another state, and when he was traveling to go
to their home office, I was thinking, what kind of
food are you going to have? Like what's the state dish?
(16:33):
And he didn't really have an answer for me. And
in South Carolina we have a plethorat. I mean you
go from barbecue where the birthplace of barbecue, we had
the tradition of slow and low like whole pig or
we call it whole hog barbecue. That's a huge tradition. Here.
We have shrimp and grits. We have pimento cheese. There's
(16:55):
in Colombia, where I live, we have an entire pimento
cheese trail where you different restaurants have a specific paminted
cheese dishes that you have to try when you come
to Columbia. Do you know what comina cheese is? I do.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
I am very familiar.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Yes, So, I mean it's you'll find it on everything,
and there's a reason for that. It's because it's freaking good.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
It's good.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
It's a stape. I put it on everything. You know,
what's that like? Frank Souf put that on everything. That's
how we are with pomena cheese here in South Carolina
oysters are a big deal here. We have a really
unique oyster with the marsh and the salt components on
our coast in the Low Country, and we also have
(17:40):
incredible chefs who are working with our local farmers. South
Carolina is really lucky. The reason that our food is
so good is because we have so many farms in
the state that our restaurants are utilizing these local ingredients,
so they truly are getting the taste of our state
(18:02):
and incorporating it into their menus. And we've capitalized on
that by partnering with chefs to be ambassadors for us.
So we have a chef Ambassador program. We've got about
thirty seven chefs that have participated thus far that are
committed to using local ingredients and their menus, and then
they go and kind of share the food gospel of
(18:22):
South Carolina at events across the country. They were just
at Charleston went In Food Festival this past week, which
is a huge international festival. So you're getting such an
influx of people from all over who come and really
get to experience what is so unique and special about
our flavors.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I think my favorite thing that's happened to the culinary
world in the last decade or so is the idea
of farm to table. I know there've always been chefs
that did it, but like just it became a much
more popular popularized term over the last decade. And I
love that because we have a similar thing in Maryland
where so many of our up and coming chefs and
reststaurants are going to the farms just outside of Baltimore
(19:02):
and they're they're finding these really amazing items to use
in their food, and it just it makes everything to
me tastes so much better and I feel good knowing
I'm supporting the local economy as well. Like I was
just texting my wife last night because she wanted me
to pick up food on the way home from work,
and I was like, well, here's a couple of options,
but the one I really want to go to is
the local restaurant that's in our neighborhood. Like I don't
(19:23):
want to go to the chain, Like I always try
to keep my money in our local area. And I
love the farm the table thing that you were just describing.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Yes, absolutely, it's exactly what you said. You are supporting
locals who you know this is truly their bread and butter.
This is what they do day in and day out
and what they care so much about. And when you
know that the ingredients you're getting we're just down the road. Yeah,
it's automatically going to taste better because it's pressure and
(19:52):
that chef's just going to put a little bit more
care into knowing. You know, I just got this from
this farmer that I have a relationship with down the street,
Like I really care about this ingredient and care about
making it shine for people, and so it's just such
a beautiful symbiotic relationship that benefits everyone.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
This interview, Devin, has been great, and I have a
unique opportunity with you because most of the time I'm
speaking with people who don't have their own podcast already,
but you have one that you've been doing for now,
I think three seasons, and we you and I have
about twenty ish minutes or so to talk about South Carolina.
But if people are interested to learn more on a
(20:32):
deeper level, you've got this incredible show that I took
a listen to that I think is a wonderful way
to take a more deep dive into a lot of
different topics. Why don't you talk about this.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Well, thank you so much for listening. Yes, I am
honored to host The Palmeta Porch, which is our States
podcast that really focuses on our people. When you talk
to someone who visits our state, most likely they're going
to talk about our landscape for our food, but they're
probably also going to mention how friendly everyone was. They're
(21:04):
going to mention the people. In my opinion, the people
are what make a destination have so much impact and
want you make you want to come back is the
hospitality that you experience, and that's what we're all about.
And and so I thought, why would we not talk
to locals and hear their stories, And since we're in
(21:24):
South Carolina, the best way to do that is on
the porch. I grew up having porch conversations, still do
when I visit others, and you know, you got a
nice cold beverage in hand, depending on the season, and
and that's where true authentic storytelling takes place. And so
(21:45):
exo facto the Palmetto Porch. And I've had the opportunity
to talk to some incredible people who are chefs, who
are farmers, who are working in their communities as small
business owners. I've talked to park rangers and and heard
you know, not all of them are from South Carolina.
Some of them are transplants. Some of them were here,
(22:07):
they moved away and then came back and are now
you know, investing their time and talent into their local communities.
And they all have incredible stories to share. And it's
been such a pleasure to get to know every guest
that I've gotten to have. I've learned a lot from
our state dance, which is the South Carolina Shag, to
(22:30):
learning about the you know, cultivation of an old mill
and and and the trials and tribulations of owning local businesses.
So it's it's been a true honor and privilege to
get to facilitate them sharing their stories. And yeah, we're
we're hoping for more to come in season four.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
I think it's great. I think the way you've put
this whole thing together is awesome. And I'm actually very
jealous of you because I think it's such a great idea.
But there is something about talking to people in spat
so that you don't necessarily know great yourself. That's one
thing I enjoy about doing this these conversations is that
I've never been to South Carolina really and now I've
sat here for the last you know, half an hour
or so listening to you tell me all the incredible
(23:12):
stories about it. It's making me really want to go
do it or dive deeper into it to find out
more because there are so many cool things. So, yeah,
the pal Metal Porch, that's the name of your podcast.
If anybody listening wants to check that out. But if
somebody does want to start planning their trip to South
Carolina to get down there and visit themselves, where should
they go to do that?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Well, of course you can visit discover South Carolina dot
com and follow us on all of our social media.
We're on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, so you can experience
all of the stories that are happening here and hopefully
come and make your own.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Devin Wentmeyer, the digital engagement manager for Discover South Carolina.
This has been truly a pleasure and one of my
favorite conversations that I've done with this show so far.
You are just a welcome knowledge. I love your energy.
I think it's great and I hope that I can
find some time to swing down to South Carolina for
real to really check it out.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Please do and don't hesitate to reach out, happy to
give you some suggestions and help facilitate your trip. Would
love to have you.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Oh well, now that I got your information, oh boy,
I'm definitely going to contact you to help me plan
my trip. Big thank you to Devin Whitmeyer for her time.
This was just so much fun. And don't forget to
check out her podcast for South Carolina called The Palmetto Porch.
And thank you to all of you for checking out
(24:37):
delightful destinations this week. Until next time, be well,
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