Summer Is Here!
Events You Can't Miss, Revolutionary War History You Can Feel, and a Free Spring in the Middle of Nowhere
Summer is here and there are so many fun things to do in the Carolinas! This week we have three things worth your time: the full summer 2026 events guide, packed with everything from four days of country music on the Myrtle Beach waterfront to fireworks over the Cape Fear River in Southport to Charleston's Marion Square turning into a living museum for America's 250th anniversary. We also have four Revolutionary War sites across the Carolinas where history doesn't stand behind glass. And finally, a detour worth making: God's Acre Healing Springs in Blackville, SC, where a natural artesian spring sits on land deeded to God in the 1700s and the water has been free to the public ever since. Summer in the Carolinas is wide open. Here's where to start.
- Tar Heel athletes competing across sled hockey, short-track, skeleton, and Olympic ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- Romantic Valentine’s ideas offering spa dates, scenic hikes, candlelit dinners, and art-filled afternoons in the Carolinas.
- One-night getaways from cozy vintage escapes to luxury and wellness retreats designed for couples.
- Quirky museums showcasing Bigfoot, pinball arcades, cat mummies, haunted dolls, and unexpected local oddities.
- Family-friendly picks including Greenville’s top playgrounds, winter events, and museum experiences for kids and families.
Festivals, Fireworks, and Living History — The Carolinas Have a Full Summer and It Starts Now
From Myrtle Beach to Boone, the Complete Carolina Summer 2026 Event Guide Is Here
The Carolina Country Music Fest brings four days of national acts to the Myrtle Beach waterfront starting June 4. The NC Blueberry Festival fills downtown Burgaw on June 20 with 50,000 people, a BBQ cookoff, and fresh blueberries from the farms that have been growing them here for decades. The Hampton County Watermelon Festival, South Carolina's oldest running festival, dating back to 1939, returns June 20-27. Fort Moultrie opens free all day June 27-28 for the Carolina Day SC250 Commemoration marking the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan's Island. And that's just June. Southport's fireworks over the Cape Fear River, Charleston's week-long living museum at Marion Square, and four weeks of world-class performing arts in Boone are all still ahead. The full guide has every event, every date, and everything you need to plan your summer. Read more…
History That Fires Muskets at Close Range and Asks You to Sign Your Name With a Quill
Four Carolina Sites Where the Revolution Is Still Very Much Happening
Halifax State Historic Site is where North Carolina first called for independence in April 1776, three months before the Declaration. You move through the town rather than past it, with costumed interpreters inhabiting the spaces where those decisions were made. The Museum of the Waxhaws living history weekend runs June 5-7, opening Friday evening with a march into downtown Waxhaw and running full encampments and battle sequences all weekend. Kings Mountain National Military Park preserves the site of the Patriot victory that turned the Southern Campaign, with a July 4 Declaration reading and a full anniversary weekend in October. And Middleton Place in Charleston is where Arthur Middleton signed the Declaration and enslaved people worked the land while liberty was being argued into existence. The site doesn't ask you to resolve that. It asks you to sit with it. Read more…
The Spring in Rural South Carolina Deeded to God in the 1700s and it's Still Free to the Public
People Drive Two Hours to Fill Jugs From This Artesian Spring in Blackville, SC. They Say It's Worth It.
Blackville, South Carolina is not on the way to anything. God's Acre Healing Springs sits on Highway 3 with no visitor center, no gift shop, no admission fee, and always-on spigots flowing cold artesian water that people call the best they have ever tasted. The land was deeded to God Almighty in the 1700s by a landowner named Nathaniel Walker, and that deed still exists. Blackville Baptist Church has served as caretaker ever since. The spring has reportedly been flowing free since British soldiers were led to it during the Revolutionary War and recovered. Whether you believe the healing part or not, the story is remarkable and the reviews on the water are suspiciously consistent. Bring your own jugs. Pair it with a morning in Aiken or an afternoon at Barnwell State Park and you have a day that is genuinely unlike anything else in the Carolinas. Read more…
The Carolina Traveler Summer 2026 Issue Just Dropped
Waterfalls, Battlefields, Fireworks, and Five Destinations Built for This Season
The Summer 2026 issue of Carolina Traveler is out now and it covers the full season from coast to mountains. Walk behind the thundering mist at Dry Falls near Highlands without getting wet. Watch fireworks over the Cape Fear River at Southport's week-long 4th of July festival. Stand at Cowpens National Battlefield where Daniel Morgan's tactical brilliance stopped Tarleton's force and changed the course of the Revolutionary War. With America turning 250 this summer, the historic sites scattered across the Carolinas carry extra weight, and this issue has a full guide to the best of them. Plus five summer destinations, small-town day trips, and the Carolinians who shaped independence. Read more…
Upcoming Events
Here’s a quick look at what’s happening this week across the Carolinas — perfect for planning your next adventure!
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On CarolinaTraveler.com
Titanic – The Expedition
May 15 – Sept 7 | Charlotte, NC
Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Show
June 16 – 17 | Corolla, NC
NC Blueberry Festival
June 20 | Burgaw, NC
Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival
July 31 – Aug 1 | Cary, NC ♕ VIP Free Tix
Liquid Summer Festival
August 15 | Wilmington, NC ♕ VIP Free Tix
Carolina Traveler VIPs Scored $1436 in Free Tickets Last Year!
Want in on the perks? Carolina Traveler VIPs enjoy exclusive access to free tickets for events, festivals, and top attractions across the Carolinas. From beer festivals and aquariums to historic tours and adventure parks, we’re unlocking hundreds in savings every year—just for our subscribers. 👉 Sign up now and make this your best summer yet!
Make the most of your summer—discover, explore, and create memories that last long after the season fades.
Travel Fearlessly
Traveling is an adventure, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. In this week’s issue, we share some expert tips on how to travel fearlessly and handle unexpected emergencies with ease. With the right preparation, you can enjoy your travels with peace of mind. Learn more about smart travel practices to ensure a safe, stress-free journey.
Save Big, Travel More
Got family coming into town? Or maybe you’re planning a holiday escape yourself? Carolina Traveler has the inside scoop on unpublished hotel rates that’ll stretch your vacation dollars. Join Tripfox and start planning that extended stay—or just bank the savings for more eggnog.
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