A few minutes from downtown, the bluff above Black Creek drops away into one of the prettiest small gardens in the Carolinas. Kalmia Gardens (35 acres opened to the public by Dr. May Roper Coker in 1935 and given to Coker College in 1965) runs from formal plantings down a steep bluff to a black-water swamp boardwalk, with mountain laurel (the kalmia of the name), camellias, and a famous run of azaleas.
It is free, open daily, and at its absolute best in spring, when the azaleas turn the bluff. It's the perfect slow morning before the drive home, or a reason to plan the trip around April in the first place.