Go somewhere -- ANYwhere -- else!
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 11/28/10
One of the few positive things I can say about this place is that it's free. Once you pass the visitor center, almost everything looks the same. There is almost nowhere to sit, and there are almost no signs to let you know where you are. Even if you have a map, the numbers on the map aren't described anywhere.
They kind of sucker you in because the walk between the parking lot and visitor center is a nice boardwalk across actual swamp land (and by "actual" I mean cypress trees, water, etc.), but, once you get past there, the paths are filled-in land over the wetlands where there are very few trees, and most of it is just tall grass in nasty water. We did see 2 bald eagles flying overhead, but that was about the extent of the interesting wildlife.
Oh, and the one alligator we saw was in an enclosed area where he can't get out, and that area happened to be a water treatment pond. Nice.
I'm giving it 2 stars for atmosphere because the front walk is nice, but the rest sucks. I'm only giving 2 stars for value since, even though it's free, it still isn't worth it. On the whole, though, I'm giving it 1 star. For all the money apparently sunk into this place, it leaves a lot to be desired. Go visit the Congaree Swamp and have a MUCH better time!