Story and photos by Haley Wolfe
My friends and I ended up in the quiet, country town of Abbeville, SC when one of our own starred in a play nearby.
Our friend Laura is a local, so she decided that we had to experience her home in the short time we were there. We weren’t sure what to expect from her small, rural community, but we were completely charmed!
Abbeville has one of the quaintest downtowns I have ever seen, full of history and character. No two buildings are alike but the people are uniformly pleasant. It was evident to me that the citizens of Abbeville have always loved their town, from the craftsmen who designed and built it, to the generations after who preserved and treasured it. I also grew to love it while I was there, and I believe you will too.
When to Go
I suggest you plan your trip on a Saturday. Abbeville is a very small town so many of its offerings are only available on Saturdays. Be sure to check the Abbeville Opera House showtimes so you can pick a Saturday that gives you the full experience, complete with a show.
And no need to set your alarm the night before because you can sleep in and still have plenty of time for everything in this itinerary.
Lunch on Pickens Street
Leave TR around 10 am to arrive in time for lunch. You can plug the Abbeville Opera House into your preferred map app to arrive in the heart of downtown. There you will find some great restaurant options. It’s hard to beat the location and outdoor patio of Two Brews, but the Village Grill also has a very good reputation.
Trinity Episcopal Church
The highlight for me was touring Trinity Episcopal Church. This small church inspired by Gothic cathedrals was built in 1860 and has been lovingly maintained and occasionally restored since then. I might risk revealing a rather niche interest of my friends and mine but we had so much fun nerding out in the sanctuary, interpreting all the symbolism in the old stained glass.
We were rather awe-struck, and I’m afraid reserved respect may have given way to unbridled enthusiasm. The clergyman must have noticed, but didn’t mind, because he invited us to ring the church bell! My friends and I could not have been more impressed by the loveliness of the place and staff. Trinity Episcopal is open to public admiration from 12-4pm on Saturdays.
Burt-Stark Mansion
If you’re interested in the old church, another piece of history you’ll enjoy is the Burt-Stark mansion. The home was built in the 1830s, and notably in May of 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was convinced by his generals that he would have to surrender to the Union in this very place. The house is the quintessential Southern mansion, featuring an undeniably classic exterior and a fully furnished antique interior. On Saturday, tours start at 1:30 pm and end at 4:30 pm.
Revive Tea
Don’t miss out on Revive Tea! This local cafe specializes in making teas that are healthy and sugar-free, but don’t let that fool you. The drinks are made to taste anything but! Even Laura, having a sweet tooth, suggested we wait for the ice to melt to water our teas down before we drank them. When we did take our first sip, we were shocked how much they tasted like candy!
My friends and I loved the Sunset and Bearcat flavors.
Shopping Downtown
There are several adorable shops and galleries downtown. Jessica, the owner of Pink on Pickens, was so friendly and pleasant, she talked to us for almost an hour. Then we headed over to the antique shop next door, which was loaded with quality pieces of history. Another place we liked was the flower shop on Trinity Street across from the old church, which from what I understand has flowers in the right season, but in the winter we still found their outdoor décor and many succulents quite charming. There are more shops, galleries and boutiques that my friends and I did not get to, but if they’re anything like the stores we did browse, I would say you could spend a very happy afternoon window shopping.
Abbeville Opera House
End your trip with a show at the historic Abbeville Opera House. Like most of downtown, stepping inside is like stepping back-in-time, giving you a glimpse of life 120 years ago. A majority of the shows are musical tributes to old greats, comedy routines by local talent, and the occasional children’s production.
Conclusion
As Laura proudly showed us around, we became quite enchanted by the atmosphere of this small town. The people of Abbeville are endlessly warm, cheerful, patient and hard-working. It is the type of community where everyone knows each other but still welcome visitors with open arms. If you decide to visit Abbeville, I am sure that you will be struck by the culture and history the same as we were.
Happy travels!
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Abbeville, South Carolina is about an hour and a half south of Travelers Rest
Looking for other Day Trippin’ ideas?
Try the Western NC mountains
Hiking in DuPont Forest
Chimney Rock
