Explore The Natural Beauty Of Cypress Gardens In Berkeley County

Did you know that Berkeley County is home to beautiful gardens featured in magazines, television shows, and movies? In this episode of The North Chuck Hookup, I’m going to take you on a tour of Cypress Gardens, a beautiful nature preserve with miles of nature trails. We’ll chat with Cypress Gardens director Heather McDowell to find out all about this amazing park.

All About Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens is one of my favorite preserves. This garden has been open to the public since the 1960s and has been a backdrop of major motion pictures—such as The Notebook and The Patriot. It's also near and dear to me because it’s the location that my husband and I took our engagement photos. I know you're going to love it as much as I do.

Located in Berkeley County, Cypress Gardens is 175 acres full of nature to explore. There’s a large swamp with boat tours, miles of walking trails, the Butterfly House that’s open year-round, bird aviaries, playground equipment, picnic shelters, and more. There are also many areas that you can rent for weddings, receptions, and events.

Rebuilding And Revitalization

A new building, the Heritage Museum, is set to reopen soon. It was the last building that needed to be done after historic floods shut down Cypress Gardens in 2015. Since their reopening in April of 2019, many new and renovated areas have been added to the preserve.

The playground has been largely expanded, now including some equipment that is handicap accessible. There is also the renovated Dean Hall, a gorgeous facility that’s used as a reception space. They’ve also changed the front lawn, creating a big open space without a walkway cutting through.

Additionally, the floating boat dock is completely different than before the floods, receiving a beautiful makeover. Almost everything at Cypress Gardens has been touched up and enhanced, making the space even more pleasing to the eyes than before.

Taking Flight

One of the most popular attractions in Cypress Gardens is the birds, all of which were donated or rescued. Whether they sing or whistle a “good morning,” each feathered friend has their own personality. They all love to see visitors and mimic everybody they meet.

In addition to birds, the Butterfly House is also home to winged creatures. There are often over 250 butterflies at any given time; these fluttering beauties are actually shipped frozen, thawing out in the truck by the time they reach Cypress Gardens. The butterflies inhabit their home year-round and are happy to land on the visitors that pass through.

Enjoy South Carolina’s Natural Beauty

So if you love beauty and nature, make sure you check out Cypress Gardens. You can find more information on their website, including tickets, events, news, and more. If you have any questions, you can also reach out to me and I’d be happy to answer them for you.

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