Overview
Hartsville is in the Pee Dee Country of South Carolina, comprising the largest town of Darlington County. It holds honoree status as an All-America City and Arbor Day Foundation Tree City. Its early days were full of some headstrong entrepreneurs, which lent the town a fair share of industry, and today it's the headquarters of Sonoco and Coker University, which has a nice botanical garden.
1 sights · 3 things to do · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Hartsville
Kalmia Gardens
This botanical garden with camelias, azeleas, wisteria, and a mountain laurel called Kalmia latifolia, encompasses a pond and bluffs and the Thomas Hart house, the home of the town's founder, as the centerpiece.
Lawton Park
You can enjoy some languid scenes of Prestwood Lake from this city park and admire some Works Progress Administration work with a Colonial Revival building on site.
Hartsville Museum
Small local museum with textiles and things.
Center Theater
A retro theater builty by the WPA where, among other things, you can attend the annual Renofest, which is a bluegrass festival dedicated to Don Reno.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Feb–May, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 93°F; winter lows dip to about 37°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Santee Cooper Country)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- FLO Florence Regional Airport, Florence — 24 mi away. Directions
- CAE Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Columbia — 67 mi away. Directions
- CLT Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte — 76 mi away (major hub). Directions
Hartsville is about 14 miles north of I-20 and 20 miles northwest of I-95.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Hartsville Museum, Center Theater
- Afternoon Lawton Park, Kalmia Gardens
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
Hartsville is about 14 miles north of I-20 and 20 miles northwest of I-95.
See
Do
Sleep
Nearby
Florence
City / town · 10 listings · 22 mi away
Sumter
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Laurinburg
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Monroe
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Pembroke
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Congaree National Park
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My experience
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