The photographer and author with their children (left to right), McRae and Tade, in the Children’s Garden.
At Brookgreen Gardens’ Nights of a Thousand Candles, the live oaks become even grander at dusk.
Stratton and his children gaze across a reflection pond just after sunset
Daughter Tade takes in a few of the thousands of candles.
Chicken bog and hot chocolate are on offer at the food truck corral
A “cranberry bog” framed by white poinsettias makes a striking impression.
Brookgreen Gardens’ soaring China fir is one of the Southeast’s grandest Christmas trees.
Stratton’s son, McRae, takes in the array of LED vines overhead.
Tade poses with her new bagpiper friend during a quick break from Scottish-tinged carols.
Tade twirls outside The George, a boutique hotel in Georgetown that opened in 2024.
The rooms at The George are relaxed yet refined.
A mural by Charleston artist David Boatwright welcomes guests down a hallway...
...beyond the cozy lobby, decked out for the holidays.
Downtown Georgetown is enjoying a rebirth with new restaurants, boutiques, and a charming hotel.
The Harborwalk accesses restaurants and watering holes on the Sampit River.
Bistro 217 chef-owner Adam Kirby delivers a plate of bang-bang shrimp tacos.
Bistro 217 flounder filet over local greens
The Hammock Shops Village is a great spot for last-minute holiday shopping or lounging after a hearty lunch.
The holidays never end at the Christmas Mouse store.
The pro lighting designers at Nights of a Thousand Candles know how to maximize the water feature’s reflection.
The MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet
Visit the illuminated waterfront, complete with a 20-foot Christmas tree, at sunset.
Christmas is a special (and uncrowded) time to visit Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park.
A Segway tour rolls past.
Exploring the courtyard, all by ourselves
Brookgreen Gardens
Huntington Beach State Park
Caledonia Grillroom
Enjoy a long weekend with plenty of time to relax and explore the Hammock Coast
