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How the Freedom of Africa is Brought to You at Hollywild Animal Park

Formosan Sika Deer, Cervus nippon taioanus
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So you have your exotics, and your traditionals. Parks vary usually between the two; and to be even more accurate, when you’re dealing with animals, they’re generally called ‘zoos’. But would you be surprised if that wasn’t always the case with certain venues? Sure, you have your zoos, and even public farms. And if you go around the Midwest, you actually might find what are commonly called wildlife parks or sanctuaries. Trust that those venues are probably even more of an experience for the seasoned animal lover (although kids have been known to love those sort of places, too).

Please understand that there is a ‘wildlife park’ (for lack of a better label) that surpasses all. In essence, it ‘brings Africa to you’ once you enter. And you’ll only find this place right in South Carolina.

It is called the Hollywild Animal Park, located on Hampton Road in Wellford. And it’ll blow you away.

Only available on weekends starting in November to February and then open from 9 to 1 weekdays and 9 to 5 on weekends the rest of the year, one would think the Hollywild Park is only an upscale entertainment spot. You’re partly right. The rates aren’t terribly high, but the reason why the hours tend to be limited is the fact that you’re up close and personal with these animals. It’s about the closest thing you can get to a safari! As said before: it brings Africa to you.

You can have picnics there, birthday parties–all sorts of things. But the best part is the ‘Safari Ride’ feature where you actually trek over their wilderness, over 70 acres worth of it. These animals roam free–we’re talking Fallows, Sika and White-tail Deer, Zebras, Bison, Watusi, Scottish Highlander Cattle, even Donkeys and Emus! And that’s only some of the animals they have roaming their fields.

Check it out in South Carolina. You won’t be disappointed!

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Huck Finn, Eat Your Heart Out: A Trip on the Beaufort River Tour

Straight out of South Carolina, enjoy the spectacle of dolphins playing in the crystal waters of the ocean off of Downtown Marina of Beaufort, and you’ll touch on some good ol’ American Dream, coupled with that river boat adventure making you feel like a little orphan boy escaping with a Negro slave. That’s the taste of the Palmetto State, thanks to the Beaufort River Tours.

It’s a breezy trip of relaxation on the boat, running through the river and then out into the ocean to watch the sea life. But the best part of it, really, is the feeling that you have peace of mind on your own, whisked away on sheer whim. Rides on the boat do that to you, you know? On your tour, you’ll get to view the salty marshes of South Carolina as well as the osprey gliding overhead. Numerous other bird species reveal themselves to you with astounding beauty and sanctity as you almost forget time exists in the heart of the Carolina coast.

The actual boat itself is named the Prince of Tides, a 24-passenger ride, and rates are as follows: $18.00 for adults, $12.00 for children of ages 12 and under. The whole tour actually takes about an hour and twenty minutes, so the truth is you’re never bored. There’s always something to see.

When you’re in South Carolina, everything seems pure and simple, real and historical. But nothing compares to the utter silence and tranquility of the sea; and South Carolina carries it with the Beaufort River Tours, a true tourist gem marking the state as a worthwhile place to visit. Come visit one of the oldest states known to Americans someday soon and witness one of the greatest rides of peace on the Prince of Tides. Your royalty on water awaits….

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Carriage Rides in Carolina

Sounds like a romance book title! It might as well be a headliner for a real-life story, because you can almost be sure a relationship flourishes on any carriage ride, specifically in the beautiful Palmetto State of South Carolina. Beauty flourishes there. And you can’t go wrong with the Camden Carriage Company, one of the most luxurious carriage rides you’ll ever take with your sweetheart, fiance(e), or spouse.

Why would such a relatively short trip be so romantic and wonderful? Think Venice and the boat rides. Just the two of you. A carriage ride is just like that. And when you have the ambience of South Carolina at your fingertips, that’s double the romantic desire and love to boot. As said before, it’s all about ambiance. If you ever had been on a carriage, the close quarters makes for an intimate setting, and when the sun sets over the coast and you’re in the carriage led by a wonderfully suited carriage rider with a pleasing smile on his or her face.

Located right in Camden, South Carolina, you not only have the majesty of nature in the state, but also the budding vintage city life to admire as you see all the little shops, stores, beautiful streets and lamps, numerous palmettos and the skies decorated with many birds flying high. It’s obvious: there’s nothing better anywhere.

But then again, any carriage ride, no matter what, is a must for any romantic couple. This writer, however, promises this: if you’re going to choose a carriage ride that’ll wow you with passion and music in your head reminiscent of Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes”, among your choices, be sure to hit South Carolina’s Camden Carriage Company. The trip will be worth the gas money, time, energy, and extended stay. Who knows? It might actually lead to an engagement ring if it hasn’t already come to that….

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Not Just Another Ghost Story….

And to think one would assume Myrtle Beach is about frisbees, fun in the sun, swimming, bikinis, and sun tanning. Wrong. There’s a reason Myrtle Beach is so popular. And when you’re dealing with a seasonal time of year, right on Myrtle Beach is the reason when you visit the annual show of Ghosts and Legends, an utterly ominous and adventurous time at night that tastes of newt eyeballs and skeletal pirates. Can you say ‘Halloween’? It’s truly a spectacle that has to be seen to be fully realized.

Located in Barefoot Landing, you have a myriad of different activities for all ages: if you want some adult time away from the kids, send them to “Skool 4 Pirates” and JIVE HO! Your kids receive a personalized canvas pirate bag filled with bottled water and snacks for their heavy appetites, fun gold coins, stickers, a pirate tattoo, coloring, puzzles and game pages, jewelry and much, much more!

Then witness the Ghosts and Legends Show and be mesmerized by some of the stories out of South Carolina about ghosts, Captain Blackbeard, and other mysterious legends, inside an age-old building where the spirits roam….

You really want to explore the beach? You can, but be careful…. The ghosts might get you. On Ghosts and Legends “Ghost Walk”, you’ll feel them under the moonlight with your pirate guide leading the way, telling you some of the oldest legends of South Carolina. Don’t get scared, though….

If you like palm reading, astrology, and other psychic phenomenon, Ghosts and Legends even has THAT. A tremendous 90-minute show of the inner mind magic will leave you delighted.

Furthermore, participate in a special seance to communicate with the legendary pirate Blackbeard who used to coast alongside the Carolinas wondering if he could hide his booty and sail off into the rising sun. Spooky….

Amazing that all of that is offered to you, all in fun! But it’s not just another ghost story….

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The Ghost of Abbeville Opera House

History has a habit of bringing out the dead–sort of. No one ever is that certain about the afterlife, though. One thing’s for sure, when you’re dealing with the past, sometimes the spirit of the present hits you, and guess what, you’re haunted!

But, no worries, it’s not like you’re going to be possessed or anything. All that’s being said is historical places do have a tendency to be, well…haunted.

Like the Abbeville Opera House in South Carolina, for instance.

Located in Abbeville, South Carolina, 100 Court Square, the opera house is still in operation with numerous showings of great playwrights, musicals, and operas of course! But there’s one little thing about the place….

It’s haunted. At least that’s what everyone says about it.

Although it’s considered the State’s official theatre, attracting over 17,000 patrons and maintaining a steady stable of professional actors and prestigious musicians from all around the country, when you go up to the top part of the auditorium, you’ll notice something chilling about it: the section was actually considered the ‘Negro Balcony’. That’s how old the opera house is. Think about it. This is South Carolina, the state that was said to have begun the Civil War, which centered around slavery and the emancipation of Negroes.

That’s all fine and dandy knowing that the top section of the auditorium was the ‘Negro Balcony’, but you’ll also notice that one chair in that balcony is missing. You know why?

Residents would tell you that it’s where the “ghost of Abbeville Opera House” usually sits. The legend was that a black patron was murdered up in that balcony. Who’s to say that there’s no ghost of that man still lurking about? As said before, history has enigmatic spirit. And South Carolina is full of them. Come and see!

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The Little Boy of Graniteville Cemetery

It’s a sad story, but one with tremendous spirit and compassion, one holding South Carolina–particularly the small city of Graniteville–in high esteem and honor. Listen up, for the story starts now:

Back in 1855, a little boy without any identification whatsoever had actually boarded a train heading for South Carolina. Why? No one knew. He was so quiet, not speaking to anyone; and once he got off the train stopping right at Graniteville, a few other passengers knew why:

The little boy was horribly ill. So ill that he was practically mute.

The legend continues with an area wagoner named Henry Senn who took the little boy in, not knowing where he was originally from or what he was doing in Graniteville, and brought him to his wife’s business called the Graniteville Hotel, keeping him safe and warm as they tried to break his fever.

They failed.

In a few days, the fever got so bad that the boy died immediately. And no one, not even a cat or dog walking by, had a chance to hear the little boy’s story. No one knew who the boy was and what he was doing–just that he died right then and there in Graniteville.

Needless to say, residents were dismayed and ponied up some money to pay for a coffin and plot for his burial. It took a little fundraising, but they eventually even funded a headstone for the boy as a proper burial. Here’s the sad intrigue of the story: it took so long for them to buy the headstone that no one remembered when the boy died. Just the year and month.

So take a trip to Graniteville this year and see the cemetery in which the little boy is buried. His headstone reads “The Little Boy: October 1855″. To this day, people either living in or visiting Graniteville leave gifts for him–to remind the little boy that he is remembered.

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The Haunting of Holly House

Traditionally, South Carolina is known for their historical hauntings. You can find them everywhere in the Palmetto State. Just do your research. But if you get a chance to stay at a hotel, pull a Stephen King 1408 maneuver and test out Holly House and see if you can handle the ghosts there! Countless stories fill the halls of that hotel, and they’re waiting to be told. Lend an ear?

It was originally an inn that was built in 1898. Still operating today, the fact is you’d have to have nerves of steel to stay there. After all, everyone says it’s haunted…. NAH! It’s all just stories. So you want to hear a few of them?

Here are some of the stories people have told while staying at Holly House. Don’t bite your nails, and keep your Adam’s apple down. Because, remember, they’re just stories….

Generally, you’d find most of the happenings in Holly House on the second floor. Noises. And shadows. Housekeepers have reported hearing whispers in empty halls during their rounds. Not something you’d hear if no one’s there. Another story is that one housekeeper did a room on the second floor, leaving her cart right outside the door; when she finished and exited, she’d find the cart all the way down the hall….as if someone pushed it down there. Pretty scary, huh? Guests had also reported numerous times of a lady crying–even screaming. Even toilets flush spontaneously. Your characteristic haunted doors are in effect, too–opening, closing, opening, closing. Basement lights had also randomly turned on. Sometimes that could mess with your head. But the strangest story of all is this….

In Room 225, people have reported a TV turning on with no one staying in there. Spooky.

Again, just stories. But why not discover for yourself in the heart of South Carolina, the Holly House. Who knows? You might meet a ghost….

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The Cry Baby Bridge of Anderson, South Carolina

Here’s an explanation of a “cry baby bridge” (and if you’ve heard of the term, graze through this until you get to the part that really matters). You’ll find these types of bridges all over America, but what it means is a bridge that one night was the setting for a maniacal fiend to toss a little infant over the edge into a watery death. Hence the term “cry baby”. And, yes, this is essentially a ghost story. They call them “cry baby bridges” because many visitors have reported hearing a baby crying as they crossed–which isn’t something you necessarily want to hear. Sort of spooky.

Case in point: The Cry Baby Bridge of Anderson, South Carolina.

Moreover, not only are there reports of a little baby crying and screaming, there are sightings of a ghostly woman walking the bridge wearing a white old-time gown dress. Furthermore, some have also added that they’ve seen a ghostly car cross. The legend goes like this: it was one silent night when a mother was driving with her baby in the back seat until an accident occurred, which sent her and her baby in the car over the edge of the bridge to meet a watery grave–hence the reports of a woman and a baby crying. You’ll find every county of South Carolina tell you that legend, leaving the area of Anderson and the infamous Cry Baby Bridge a fanatical urban legend.

It’s like Sleepy Hollow. Almost. There’s no flaming Jack-o-Lantern and headless horseman, no petrified trees and scary owls or even Tim Burton and Johnny Depp with their crazy whimsical horror and adventure. But definitely if you’re driving down that bridge, be careful. The same legend might occur with you! (No, not really–just trying to scare you! After all, ghost stories are fun!)

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The Ghostly Girl of the Sullivan Music Center

Deep in the heart of South Carolina sits Anderson College, a prestigious school complete with every department necessary for quality learning. In visiting the Sullivan Music Center, you realize the truth: the place is haunted. The reason being is you, several times already over the course of a few weeks, have spotted the sight of a young ghostly girl who looked as if she was waiting for someone.

And in mentioning the word ‘waiting’, that’s not to mean ‘waiting for a ride’ or even ‘waiting for a friend’. No. This girl was waiting for a loved one, an actual soon-to-be fiance, who her father hated due to the man’s Catholicism. She was, in fact, an eerie sort of girl, daring to misbehave if not ever going to meet up with her betrothed. But even stranger is the fact that she continually waits because she has in fact already met up with the man of her dreams:

YOU.

It’s a pretty scary thought, you’d think. And to have a ghostly girl fawning over you isn’t an ideal situation–especially when her eyeballs vanish, leaving black sockets and a wide smile as if she was going to swallow you whole. It’s not pretty. In already learning that history, getting out of the college is a must; but you can’t. You’re drawn to the ghostly girl. And she’s drawn to you. So the question remains….

WHAT DO YOU DO?

(So, friends, this is just a story. A ghost story, yes. But keep in mind this amazing truth behind it. Sullivan Music Center in Anderson College right in South Carolina is, in fact, haunted. And there have been sightings of this ghostly girl. So before you take it as just a story, just know that what you’ve read might have actually happened in history! Or at least was told in legend! After all, ghost stories are fun….)

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The Haunted Chapel of Ease

We normally don’t associate horror with churches–unless you’re dealing with demonic revelation stuff. But in this case, in Beaufort, South Carolina, when the church has been long abandoned for countless decades, you could possibly come across spooks that’ll shock you out of your feet.

Case in point: Professional sealers when the Chapel of Ease had been closed down. Their experiences would stick the hairs on the back of anyone’s neck.

No one likes crypts, but these sealers did what they had to do. Unfortunately for them, after sealing the crypt, the next morning they always had a surprise waiting for them: the rocks used to seal the crypt were neatly piled away. Now if that isn’t strange, pigs normally fly in your neighborhood and cats, and dogs rain down on your head. Apparently, reports indicated that it happened several times with the sealers as they constantly tried to seal the crypt, only finding the next morning their work was done in vain.

Furthermore, others have reported strange feelings as they walked around the Chapel of Ease cemetery. Maybe even heard the oddest sounds, like growls–and not from dogs or any other deep-throated animal.

Needless to say, the Chapel of Ease was declared haunted. And no one ever set foot on its land again. That comes with the territory regarding an abandoned building. But the story lives on, fears still sit in the back burner waiting to come out as whatever spirits lurking in the shadows of the Chapel and cemetery await the next hapless visitor into their abode.

Of course, if you happen to be that hapless visitor, pray that you’re only running into Casper the Friendly Ghost! And you might not be too scared. He would be just about the only ghost that could say, “Can I keep you?” without being scary. Just adorable!

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