Must see trees near Charleston South Carolina

Photographing trees in South Carolina

When going to South Carolina for work I had three places on my mind that I had to photograph and then I found another two amazing locations in my research.

Angel Oak Tree

This is a ~500 year old live oak tree near Charleston South Carolina. The limbs of the tree go every which way and they are huge! It’s an incredible site to see and photograph. Be warned that it can get busy and there are some limitations such as no tripods or high heels. The folks that maintain the site want to see this tree live as long as possible and will do anything they can to protect it. It’s nice to touch and even hug the tree but anything more than that might get you in trouble. You might think well, it’s just me and I want a photo of me sitting on it. Then you post it and everyone wants to do that too. That can’t be good for the tree so please be respectful in your photography.

Check out the scale of this tree when compared to my 5’8″ self.

Edisto Island Tree Tunnel

I found this tree tunnel when searching for the most famous sights in South Carolina. It lived up to the hype when I visited. I only wish is wasn’t so blaring hot with so much sunshine. I can imagine this tree lined road with some fog or moody skies. But fear not, at the end of this tree lined drive is another worthwhile spot to see. There are huge trees on the water that make for a great backdrop. Some of the trees are living but most have fallen over. It’s a long stretch of beach so you can wander and find spots without people which was really nice. In fact there were only a handful of people there when I visited.

Avenue of Oaks

This might be the tree tunnel of tree tunnels especially when you think of Charleston South Carolina. This tree tunnel is on plantation property so it’s subject to opening hours and a fee. We arrived shortly before they opened and had the place all to ourselves for a few minutes before the cars started streaming in. I can’t say what the plantation home looks like on the inside, however, because I was only interested in the trees and gardens even though my ticket would have gotten me inside.

Bonus location

When searching for old churches I came across this one that was abandoned. It was the perfect backdrop for a red dress photo. I was so happy we discovered it on the back roads near Charleston South Carolina. If you want to see another old church in a different style head over to the Church of the Cross (below) that’s further south. There’s also the tree tunnel that was made famous in Forest Gump.