There is nothing more welcoming than the smile of a friendly local in a quaint town that genuinely asks you how you are and treats you like family. This is the treatment you will receive when visiting Columbus County, North Carolina. Discover a rich history, wild and scenic rivers, the magic of Lake Waccamaw, antique shopping, and genuine Southern hospitality.

Lake Waccamaw is one of North Carolina's most remarkable natural features — a Carolina Bay lake that is home to several species of fish and mollusks found nowhere else on Earth. The lake's unusual chemistry, shaped by the surrounding pocosins and the limestone outcroppings along its northern shore, creates conditions that have driven the evolution of unique endemic species.

Lake Waccamaw State Park protects the lake and its surrounding ecosystem, offering hiking, paddling, fishing, and wildlife watching in a setting of exceptional natural beauty. The park's visitor center provides excellent interpretation of the lake's unique ecology and the cultural history of the surrounding region.

Columbus County is blessed with several rivers that offer exceptional paddling and fishing. The Waccamaw River — which flows from Lake Waccamaw south into South Carolina — is a designated National Wild and Scenic River, recognized for its outstanding natural values and recreational opportunities.

The river's dark, tannin-stained waters wind through ancient cypress swamps that are home to alligators, river otters, wood ducks, and dozens of other species. Paddling the Waccamaw is one of the most immersive natural experiences in the Southeast.

Whiteville, the county seat, offers a charming historic downtown with antique shops, local restaurants, and the Columbus County Courthouse — a beautiful example of early 20th-century civic architecture.

For more information, visit visitcolumbuscounty.com.