Visit SC town where sweet tea was born

It’s no secret that most Southerners love sweet tea, but did you know there is an entire trail dedicated to the refreshing beverage?

>> National Iced Tea Day 2019: Here's where you can get free tea

The Sweet Tea Trail fittingly runs through Summerville, South Carolina, the “Birthplace of Sweet Tea” and was designed to help visitors and locals alike explore all the town has to offer.

The trail runs through historic downtown Summerville, shops and restaurants at Azalea Square and the scenic Plantation District. One of the highlights along the trail is "Mason," the World's Largest Sweet Tea, standing over 15 feet tall and able to hold up to 2,524 gallons.

Many of the bakeries and cafes along the trail offer specials that include, sweet tea cupcakes, sweet tea cinnamon rolls and sweet tea jelly. Heartier items include a sweet tea pork chop sandwich and sweet tea brined chicken salad.

You can also relax and enjoy a unique spa experience with a tea scrub or facial.

Summerville’s tea history dates back to the 1700s when the first tea plant was imported, although it was nearly a century later when Dr. Charles Shepard, a wealthy scientific philanthropist, established the Pinehurst Tea Plantation.

More recently, the town made its way into the record books in 2016 by setting the Guinness World Record for the world's largest (sweet) iced tea on National Iced Tea Day, also known as June 10.

For more information on visiting Summerville and the Sweet Tea Trail, click here.

>> Rare water lilies in bloom on Catawba River

Cox Media Group