taking kids to cypress gardens
ADDRESS: 3030 Cypress Rd, Moncks Corner
ADMISSION: $10 Adults; $5 Kids (6+); Under 5 is FREE.
DRIVE TIME: 2 hours from Central MB
HOURS: Open daily, 9am–5pm.
BEST FOR: All ages will enjoy this!
SUMMARY: This is a beautiful garden with walking trails, a heritage museum, boat tour and an abundance of nature.
PLAN TO SPEND: At least 2 hours. The boat tour itself is 45 minutes.
PRO TIP: If you’re a homeschooling mama like me then the teacher resource tab on the website is extra helpful!
highlights & tips for the gardens
IT IS A FLOWER LOVERS DREAMMMM
The gardens expand over a vast amount of land with many flowers and plants to admire. We found beautiful peaceful spots to take pictures and just sit for a moment. My kiddos loved looking at the blooming flowers and trying to name the ones that were familiar to them. We are plant loving people, I used to own a flower farm in Maryland, so it’s no surprise my kids love seeing beautiful flowers blooming.
don't miss the playground
A playground is located near the parking lot and sits perfectly in the shade. It also has sheltered areas for parents to sit and relax. The playground is large but still easy to keep an eye on your kids. It’s a great place to let them burn off any remaining energy before driving back!
swamp-a-what?
My kids loved the swamparium. What is a swamparium? It’s an amazing display of reptiles and fish that are found in swamps from all over the world. Snakes, turtles, alligators, fish and even a Greater Siren who looks like it belonged on a video game can be viewed here!
the heritage museum
A heritage museum is on the property as well and it displays artifacts that give honor to the salves that worked the land for over 150 years. A video is played in the room to explain the history of the land that is now Cypress Gardens. This area is interesting for older kids, but my little ones were not as engaged. It is air conditioned and has benches so it is a nice place to cool down after being outside for a while.
butterfly house
There is a butterfly house at the front of the gardens with butterfly’s in their various stages of life. There are also caged birds nearby this area and the bathrooms and gift shop.
swamp boat adventures
The best for last! This beautiful swamp sits in the middle of the gardens and open for tours. It was our favorite experience. It does cost extra ($5 per person) for a 45-minute ride, but its more than worth it! My kids are 5, 7, 8, and 14 and they all enjoyed the boat tour and entertained by our guide. We got some history, a visual of where scenes from The Notebook and Patriot movies were filmed and just enjoyed the beauty.
side note for educators or homeschooling mamas
If you are a homeschooling mom like me or a teacher in a traditional setting, you will find the teacher resources tab under the ticket tab on the website to be very helpful. I printed out the info on the Heritage Museum to read to my kids as well as some pictures of the flowers and animals to try spotting in the gardens.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Morgan Graham is a homeschooling mama to four kids and nature lover. You can find her on IG to follow along as she explores the natural and educational side of Myrtle Beach.
want more charleston area fun?
Check out the Charleston section on our day trips page! We love visiting down there and will keep adding to this.