♪ upbeat music ♪ ♪ Devyn Whitmire>> South Carolina is a spectacular place to visit or call home.

With plenty of outdoor activities and a climates to support year-round adventuring, there's no shortage of fun to be had here.

Hello, I'm Devyn Whitmire.

In this episode of Go For It we'll discover tons of ways to experience the state...especially if you are hungry for adventure.

♪ Nothing says adventure quite like whitewater rafting and there's no other place to do that in South Carolina quite like the Chattooga River!

This world-class whitewater river is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the Southeastern United States.

These rapids offered up an adrenaline pumping experience!

(wildlife sounds) One of the coolest things about South Carolina are all the different landscapes that we have here from mountains and fresh water lakes and forest and the sandy beaches of the coast.

No matter what your ideal vacation looks like, you can experience it here in South Carolina.

♪ Today, we are actually in the mountains of the upstate in Long Creek, South Carolina.

Long creek is a little mountain town that's best known for being right by the Chattooga River which is the one of South Carolina's true natural gems.

It is designated as wild and scenic.

I am going to experience it firsthand today because I am going white water rafting for the very first time.

I'm just a little bit nervous but we're going to go for it.

♪ Devyn>> Y'all, this is Trey with Wildwater.

They're going to be helping us out today.

Trey, what do you guys do here at Wildwater?

Trey>> Wildwater, we do rafting on the Chattooga River We do zip lining in the Blue Ridge.

We do some awesome scenic lake kayaking and stand up paddle boarding.

As well, as we have a lot of folks that stay for multiple nights.

So, we have some really cool lodging in the area.

Devyn>> Awesome.

So, what do you think is so unique about this part of South Carolina?

>> Well, one of the things is the biodiversity here.

I mean, you will see more plant life and animal life than anywhere else, but really the biggest thing is that even the way the roads are designed, this landscape is as unspoiled as possible.

So, even the roads will just wind through the mountains, just like the river does instead of cutting through like you would with the major interstates.

So, we get to be in one of the prettiest places that is the way it originally was.

>> That's awesome.

So, what would you say to encourage somebody to try white water rafting or zip lining for the first time?

Trey>> Honestly, what do you have to lose?

I mean the fear that you might have or the nervousness that's one of the greatest gifts in life, because if we don't get the chance to overcome those fears then are we really ever living?

So, the things that we fear the most are really the things that we should probably see if there's a way to do.

Devyn>> ...That's exactly what we're going to do today.

Are y'all ready?

Let's go for it!

>> Perfect!

♪ dramatic music ♪ >> Oh my gosh, y'all!

That was wild.

I get why they call it wild water.

I had water all up in my face.

It was awesome.

I will absolutely be back.

Thanks so much to Wildwater for everything that they did today.

They took great care of us.

Ya'll if you have not been to the Blue Ridge Mountains, what are you waiting for?

The mountains of South Carolina are beautiful.

There's so much to do here.

Just go for it.

♪ Devyn>> From the thrill of the Chattooga, let us head to the midlands where there is a track that is known world-wide as “too tough to tame.

” NASCAR fans can all agree on one thing, Darlington Raceway is steeped in history making it a tradition for folks who have a need for speed!

♪ race car engine and music Devyn>> I'm willing to bet that you never knew that there's a region in South Carolina called the Pee Dee because I didn't know for the majority of my life but that's actually where we are today and in this region you can visit, farms that create the ingredients for some of our favorite southern dishes, visit small towns and discover true hidden gems and there's plenty of opportunity for outdoor recreation but the real gem of the Pee Dee is actually right here in Darlington, South Carolina.

Darlington is home to the second oldest track on the NASCAR circuit, and whether you know it as The Track too Tough to Tame, or the Lady in Black, this track is steeped in history and tradition of the sport of NASCAR, and I am so excited to experience it today for the first time.

Y'all, welcome to Darlington Raceway.

Let's go for it!

♪ race car engine and music Y'all, this is Kerry Tharp.

He is the president here at Darlington Raceway.

Kerry, this track has a lot of history in South Carolina.

Can you tell me a little bit about that and maybe where it got its names?

Kerry>> This is one of the oldest tracks in all of NASCAR.

In fact, it's the second oldest.

It was built in 1949 and it's got a lot of nicknames: The Lady in Black, Too Tough to Tame, probably a lot of nicknames I can't mention on air, but it's a track that has so much history and so much tradition.

If you...equated it to another sport, we're the Wrigley Field of NASCAR and there's been a lot of great champions that have come through here, a lot of great racing that's come through here, and we look forward to many, many more years, but when you think about history in NASCAR and tradition, you immediately think about Darlington Raceway.

>> Awesome, well do you think maybe you could give me a loop around the track here?

>> I'd be more than glad to give you some pace laps.

Now I'm not going to give you the full experience that say a Jimmy Johnson or a Kyle Busch would because those guys are professionals and I'm pretty much of a novice driver with not a whole lot of fortitude, okay?

But on this racetrack, which is only 1.366 miles and it's shaped unlike any other track on the circuit.

None of the corners are the same, and they'll go upwards of a 195 miles an hour on the backstretch.

Now I won't do that with you today, but I'm just telling you.

Can you imagine being out on this racetrack as narrow as it is with 38 or 39 other competitors and most of them don't like you.

So you're going to be doing a 180, 190 miles an hour.

Can you imagine doing that on I-20 or I-26?

Devyn>> Not at all.

Kerry>>Let me tell you we're going to do that, but we won't go that fast.

I promise you.

We won't go that fast.

>> Nice and safe.

>> Yes, ma'am.

>> Awesome.

Let's go for it.

♪ music (Engine revs) Tires screech on road ♪ Wooo!, There you go!

Do you just come out regularly and do this?

Kerry>> I do this some.

You know, it relieves some stress.

(Engine revs) Devyn>> These racers do like 200 or more.

I cannot imagine.

That was a rush.

And so now that we got our racing experience we're going to head over to the Stock Car Museum to get a little bit of the history of the track.

Let's go.

(Engine revs) ♪ music ♪ It's places like this that remind me why it's so important to venture out and change things up because whether you come here for a race like the Southern 500 or come for one of their experiences or simply to tour the Stock Car Museum you really get a sense for how special this place really is, the history that it holds, and you understand why people love this sport so much.

So grab some friends, road trip to the Pee Dee, visit Darlington.

Even if it's something you've never considered before that's exactly why you should go for it.

♪ ♪ I can tell you first hand that all it takes is a bit of confidence if you are wanting to try out a new experience.

Adventure seekers looking to catch that next wave can look no further than Southtown Wakepark in Rock Hill for their next conquest.

♪ Devyn>> You know that saying, confidence is key?

Well, I'm going to need a lot of that for today's adventure.

I am at SouthTown Wake Park here in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and as you probably gleaned from the name, I'm going to try wake boarding for the first time today.

I'm not going to stand here and pretend that I'm not very nervous, because I am, but here we are and we're going for it.

♪ upbeat music Devyn>> Y'all, we're here with Kyle.

He is going to be helping me out today.

Kyle, can you tell us a little bit about Southtown?

>> Yeah.

This is Southtown Wake Park.

We like to call it an adventure water park.

It's not your traditional water park.

Our passion here is wake boarding.

We offer different water sports here.

We teach people how to wake board.

We have a mean cable system where five people can be riding at a time for wake boarding, knee boarding, water skiing, wake skating, pretty much most tow water sports.

We can do out here.

We have an area for kayaks and paddle boards, and we have an aqua park, which is an inflatable obstacle course, which is a great addition to the park, because it's something where anyone can go out and just have fun.

There's no learning curve or anything.

You just go out and have fun at your leisure.

Devyn>> Yeah.

That sounds a little bit more my speed, but I guess today we're going to try wake boarding.

What would you say to someone like me who's actually never wake boarded before?

Why would you encourage them to try something like this?

Kyle>> Well, I'm going to tell everybody to wake board, because that's my passion.

It's literally the most fun thing I can do.

We take an extreme sport and we break it down, so that way it's a very easy learning process.

It's not like, Here, go do this.

It's okay here's step one.

Accomplish step one, here's step two.

You have two cable systems.

So, we start on the training cable where it's a one on one coaching environment.

The cable runs at the speed that's ideal for you.

Breaking it down makes this extreme sport an easy learning experience for anybody.

Devyn>>Cool.

That makes me feel a little bit better.

So, alright.

I guess... they're already getting started.

Maybe it's time.

I got started.

What do you think?

Kyle>> Let's give it a try.

>> Let's go for it ♪ upbeat music ♪ Meh.

♪ upbeat music ♪ Devyn>> Y'all, before today, I had no idea that places like this even existed but that is what this show is all about, going for something, trying it for the first time, whether, it makes you nervous or not.

Did I fall?

A lot.

(laughs) Did I have fun?

Yes.

Would I do it again?

Absolutely.

That's what this show is all about, y'all.

So, the next time you are thinking of trying something new in South Carolina Take it from me.

Just go for it.

♪ folk music Like most South Carolinians one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend here is on the water, particularly, one of the state's spectacular lakes, But, there was one adventure I'd never tackled before captaining a boat.

Let's check it out!

♪ folk music Well, y'all, I'm going back to school today, driving school, that is... sort of.

I am going to learn how to captain a boat.

I figure there are so many great waters across the state of South Carolina, it's probably about time I learned how to navigate them myself.

Let's go for it!

♪ Devyn>> I'm here with Kevin Davis here at Blacks Camp.

Kevin, can you tell us just a little bit about your history as a guide here in South Carolina?

Kevin>> Yeah, well, I've been a fishing guide for 25 years at Blacks Camp here.

We're a full service fishing camp with a restaurant and cabins and rooms and everything else the fisherman needs.

Devyn>> Yeah?

Kevin>> Yep.

Devyn>> Awesome!

So why do you think people should come to places like this and get out on the waters of South Carolina?

Kevin>>Well, here in the Low country of South Carolina, we're still very rural, and you come to a place like this, it's like you're going back to the 50's or 60's or something.

It's just like you're stepping back in time, and it's peaceful.

You're not going to see a whole lot of boats on the Santee Cooper lakes because they're so big and the boats are spread out, but it's just a great place to come and get away from the everyday stresses of life.

Devyn>> Absolutely.

So today you're going to teach me how to captain a boat.

You ready to go?

Kevin>> I'm ready to go.

>> Alright.

Let's go for it!

♪ upbeat music Kevin>> The captain always gets on the boat first.

Devyn>> The captain gets on the boat first?

Okay, here we go.

Kevin>> ...I'm supposed to ask, permission to board, Captain?

Devyn>> Permission granted, sir.

Kevin>> Thank you.

Throw that inside.

Devyn>> Done.

Step one.

Kevin>> I'll let you get on this side.

Alright, crank her up right there.

Just turn it to the right, just like you would your car.

(engine cranking) Kevin>> All right, now just ease the throttle down in reverse, straight down.

Devyn>> Ease it down.

Kevin>> Yep.

Kevin>> There you go.

Now, use your wheel.

Kind of curve us around that way.

Devyn>> Okay.

>> And see how that takes the front of the boat away from the dock?

Keep on backing out that way.

There you go.

>> Oooh, I'm driving a boat!

(Kevin laughs) Just keep us right on the left of that.

Alright, let's not get going too... let's turn her.

<Devyn shrieks and laughs> Kevin>> Let's get away from these boats.

Devyn>> I thought we were still in neutral.

Kevin>> Oh, you did?

It's touchy now.

This throttle is touchy on this boat and this is a powerful boat, so be careful, okay?

>> Okay!

Kevin>> Alright, we're straightened back out.

♪ Devyn>> I'm so excited!

♪ Kevin>> Lean against the seat right here in case you put it all the way wide open or something.

Alright, and here's your throttle.

Go ahead and give it some gas.

♪ upbeat music ♪ When you add Lake Moultrie with Lake Marion and the diversion canal, you put that all together, it's almost 200,000 surface acres of water.

>> My goodness.

Kevin>> So yeah, they're huge.

♪ upbeat music continues This is one of the best fisheries in the United States for large mouth bass, huge catfish.

The striper fishery has come back tremendously.

Crappy, big crappy, bream, shell cracker, all the big major freshwater species.

♪ upbeat music continues ♪ Kevin>> Alright, just barely put it down.

There you go.

Now hold it right there until the boat stops.

Give it a little bit of gas.

Kevin>> Look at that.

Alright, neutral.

Perfect!

Back up just a little bit.

Devyn>> Back up a little more?

Kevin>> There you go.

All right, let's put it in neutral.

♪ <upbeat music continues> Devyn>> Y'all, I want to say some cheesy joke about how I'm the captain now, but I'll save you from that, but that was so cool.

I am so glad that I got to drive a boat today.

It was never something that I thought I could see myself doing before, but I'm so glad I gave it a shot.

Now it's your turn to try something new, and when it comes to getting out on the waters of South Carolina, just go for it!

♪ upbeat music I certainly had a need for speed on that trip.

If you'd like to check out more Go For It , visit SouthCarolinaETV.org.

You can read about more of my adventures at DiscoverSouthCarolina.com.

and, if you are thinking of taking your own adventure around the Palmetto State, well, just Go For It .

♪ peaceful music ♪ (traffic sounds) (broom whisks) ♪ upbeat music begins Devyn>> This is literally the most outdoorsy I have ever been in my life.

♪ (Gun fires) ♪ >> This is our town.

>> This is our town.

♪ >> Salutations and Welcome everyone.

♪ >> Food is southern culture.

♪ >> When I think of southern cuisine, I think, it's just filled with flavor, filled with love.

♪ >> If South Carolina was a dish it would be a tomato sandwich.

We have really hung our hats on that too.

♪ (laughing) ♪ music concludes ♪ folk music >> Hey, Scott Biering here at Bee City, Bee City Zoo and Honey Bee Farm.

I want to tell you a little bit about what we do here or how we got started.

I got started, my dad retired from Naval Shipyard.

His name's Archie Biering and my mother, Diane Biering and him started playing around with some beehives painting them up.

We had some beehives then, but they started painting some of those beehives up like buildings Pig Bee Wig Bees, Glory Bee Baptist Church, Apple-Bees, Bee-P station and yes the pun is definitely intended in all of them.

Next door, we have a bird aviary.

That was one of the things that heard all my life.

My grandfather, my dad's dad, I didn't really get to know him.

He was gone before I came along and after I bought it, I told him that I was wanting to build a bird aviary.

Out of all the stuff we have, they get to go in there with those parakeets, and you see smiles on everybody's faces.

Not everybody.

One or two have a fear of birds, but a lot of healing powers what these animals will do if people just don't some people might not get it.

Most people do.

You can see things.

I have stories of people who go in there that those birds have brought them out of some serious stuff in their life and just the animals in general.

So, it's really cool to be a part of that, and this is our outback, Australia themed obviously of red kangaroos.

You'll see joeys in the pouches, If you look close enough.

There's some albino wallabies We have cuckoo birds and cockatoos in here right now.

People actually get to go in and actually hand feed them.

We built the red rock, like some of the Australians areas you'll see.

So, we're kind of come in on that, got to build this ourself.

We get to dream up these crazy things and we actually get to see them through.

It brings people in.

They love to see it so it helps us quick, accomplish our mission.

♪ >> Hi, I'm Nick Yoder.

I'm the naturalist here at Cypress garden which is 100 and about a 170 acre blackwater swamp with cypress trees and tupelo trees, mainly as the two main trees in the swamp.

One of the main features of the swamp is to be able to get out here in one of the paddle boats that we have.

We have self guided tours, as well as tours that are led by some of our employees who tell a good history of the park as they take you along the boat trail.

It's about a 40 or 45 minute boat trail and it takes you around the swamp and you get to see a bunch of different areas and different types of plants and animals as you go and learn a little bit about the history of the park.

Some of the other exhibits that we have in the park here are the swamp areas, which is basically a reptile and amphibian, as well as fish aquarium.

A lot of those animals come from the park itself, the same species that we have here.

Others are species, exotic species from different places around the world.

So, it's a great place to go in there and check out and cool down for a little bit, walk around, learn a little bit about the animals and you really get to see them up close at that point.

You know, we really invite you to come out here to Cypress Gardens and enjoy what we have.

There's so many different things to offer.

There's no one time that's better to come than others.

Definitely come out and check us out and you'll have a good time.

I promise.