Start at Angel Oak on Johns Island. The tree is estimated to be 400-500 years old, stands 66 feet tall, and has a canopy that shades 17,000 square feet. It is one of the oldest living things east of the Mississippi River. The walk from the parking area to the tree is less than 100 yards.
From Angel Oak, drive 45 minutes south to Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve on Edisto Island. The boneyard beach here is one of the most hauntingly beautiful landscapes in South Carolina: ancient trees killed by saltwater intrusion stand as bleached skeletons in the surf, their roots exposed by erosion. The beach is accessible only on foot via a 1-mile trail through maritime forest.