Paddle Lake Juniper

Cheraw State Park kind of seems like an unexceptional place. It's got your typical small-park facilities: car camping, golf course, boat launch, tiny public beach. But row a boat (canoes and kayaks are available to rent) about 2 miles southwest of the visitors center and you'll find yourself paddling through mysterious black water under a crowded forest of towering cypress trees. Not exactly an ordinary day on the water. 

Head out in the morning or evening for the most tolerable conditions (excessive heat and insects are a bother here, as they are most places in the south--be vigilant for snakes and alligators, too) and for the best chance to espy some of the swamp's feathered inhabitants. Herons, Ospreys, Owls, and Bald Eagles call Lake Juniper their home.