Florence Travel Guide

the florence national cemetery is located on the site of the florence stockade. in sept 1864 thousands of union prisoners of war were evacuated from the infamous camp sumter in andersonville georgia to florence. between sept 1864 and feb 1865 more than 2,800 union prisoners died here. at the national cemetery there is a walking trail of the site of the florence stockade.

Schlotzsky’s is one of my very favorite places to eat. It’s a sandwich shop that you can take out or eat in the shop with plenty of tables always available. It’s a bit pricier ($6-7 for a sandwich) than most other sandwich shops but definitely worth it.

It's a place where you order at the counter, then wait for your food and pick it up when they call your number. It's very casual and I'm sure you'll love the food!

Mon-Sat: 10:30am-9:00pm; Sun: 11:00am-7:00pm
Includes Free WIFI and has a Cinnabon Express with it for dessert

Favorite Dish: The highlight is the sandwiches. They make it with thick sourdough bread and very thinly sliced meat. Then they sprinkle cheese (the best is a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella) on one piece of bread and run it through an oven conveyor belt. Therefore the sandwich is warm and very tasty. The Original is their signature sandwich and comes with: “Home of The Original® Sandwich. Lean smoked ham, Genoa and cotto salamis, and melted cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses layered with black olives, red onion, lettuce, tomato, mustard and our signature dressing on toasted Sourdough bread.” (From the website.)

Their sandwiches are quite large. I’ve never ordered a large, the mediums are quite enough when you’re at your hungriest.

Their original chips are delicious! Their pizzas are as well. The cheese and pizza is definitely worth trying, also cooked on a sourdough. The bbq chicken looks just as good but it’s hard not to get my favorite sandwich, the turkey and cheese.

We stopped into the Save Mart to get some gas. The guy looked quizically at our car (laden with suitcases and clothes) and at our out-of-state NY plates. After I gassed up the car and went inside to pay, he glumly said that "that will be cash only". This was one of the few places in all of our east coast travels down I-95 that we could not use our credit card to pay for gas.

Was it me? was it the NY plates? was it store policy? I have no idea but I thought it was a curious custom.

Location was off I-95, off US52 about a quarter mile.

Florence appears to be a nice town for the most part so I was a bit surprised to see the crime reports for the city.

There is an average annually of: 3 murders, 15 rapes, 120 robberies, 350 assaults, 200 auto thefts. Florence has nearly three times the crime index as an average American city.
Wikipedia quotes that "Florence had the highest number of total violent crimes per 100,000 residents according to the Crime In the United States publication."
Florence is home to 166 registered sex offenders.
If you are traveling with children or are a lone woman traveler and you are going to be in the Florence area, then you probably should check out the website below.

So be careful when you visit this city. Ask at the motel which areas should be avoided; lock all doors; keep money and credit cards in a money belt. Use especial caution when out alone or at night.

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A beautifully landscaped 18 hole course. The greens are large and contoured. The fairways are well bunkered rolling hills. The rough, especially into the tree line, is two strokes for many golfers.

The cost is $40-50 for 18 holes with cart. Please call ahead to schedule tee times because this is a semi-private club that holds internal and international outings and groups.

to get there:
(3540 Shadow Creek Road)
I-95 exit onto route 327 south. south on route 327 to connect to East Palmetto Street (conjoined US301 and route 327) and go east 1 mile. now go south on route 327 again (Francis Marion Road) to connect to route 57 (Claussen Road). go west on route 57 to Harleston Green Drive. see signs to the golf course