A Few Days in Lexington, SC

Several months ago (when it was still cool), I volunteered to house/pet sit for friends in Lexington, SC.  I mean, how could I say no to the opportunity to explore a city I had only quickly visited, while being able to bring my dogs along, still be able to work (yay for not using any vacation days) and also get to love on their two sweet pets?  Well, that was before it was hot as blazes at the end of June. This city is HOT. And muggy.  But I persevered.

Chances are if you are visiting Lexington or Columbia, SC, you are either in town for business, visiting friends or here for a specific event. It’s not a place people go for vacation. If I’m wrong on that, let me know in the comments.   But, with a little searching, there are plenty of things to do in Lexington to occupy a day, evening or weekend.

Lake Murray is a central part of the area and a great way to cool off on a hot day.  There are various places around the lake that rent kayaks, paddle boats,  SUP (stand up paddleboards),  power boats or pontoons.    I rented a kayak at Better Boating and spent a couple of relaxing hours on the water.  There are several coves to check out with calm water where you can watch turtles swim, fish jump and the heron stalk their next meal.  I suggest a weekday to have a quieter time and less boat traffic.  Or rent one of their pontoon boats to really see the lake.

Nothing says local like a Farm Market and Soda City, held every Saturday in Columbia, does not disappoint.  Besides offering a bounty of local produce, meats and other food products from the region, you will find a good mix of local artists and craftspeople.  All items must be grown or made by the vendors, so you won’t find anything mass-produced here!  Go early before the temps get to hot and you will also get the best selection of fresh produce and baked goods.  Then grab a snack or lunch and one of the vendors or food trucks and people watch.

Get out of the city and stretch your legs (maybe see some wildlife) with a hike at Congaree National Park.  There is an easy to navigate boardwalk trail or you can get a little more adventurous if you prefer.  The trails are well-marked, but pick up a trail map at the visitors center on your way in so you have something to refer back to when you are trying to decide which way to go (otherwise you stand there debating with yourself for way too long).  Make sure you take plenty of water with you. Even though the terrain is fairly level and the forest offers shade, water is still necessary.

No trip is complete without a little wine tasting (wink, wink).  Mercer House Estate Winery has a cozy, but spacious, tasting room and varied selection of wine (and even wine slushies).  All of their grape wines are made from muscadine grapes (I learned there are a lot of varieties of Muscadine grapes, who knew!) and as such have a very distinct flavor.  The Gamecork was my favorite for a general table wine as I’m partial to red.  They also make several non-traditional wines, which were fun and interesting to try.  The Blueberry was really good and (shockingly) so was the Wisteria wine.  The Wisteria wine tasted exactly how you would expect wisteria to taste- nothing artificial or fake, I felt like I was drinking nectar.  It was especially refreshing made into the slushie.  After tasting their wines (and purchasing a few to bring home), I enjoyed a mile long stroll through around their property by the pond and through the vineyards.

 

 

 

Follow my blog to go along with me on more adventures!