Discover Port Royal through a variety of themes: the history of fishing, historic sites around Camp Saxton, and trails through nature. The Henry Robinson Boardwalk runs along Battery Creek; at Cypress Wetlands, walking trails and birdlife take center stage. You can shape your trip around whether you’re more interested in history, activities on the water, or nature.

Along Battery Creek and Through Cypress Wetlands

The Henry Robinson Boardwalk is a good place for walking, crabbing, and fishing. This selection combines a walk with two specific activities along Battery Creek. Cypress Wetlands offers a different focus: walking trails, as well as an outdoor pavilion or amphitheater. The boardwalk and the wetlands therefore offer different ways to plan your day, without limiting you to just one kind of outdoor activity.

Wildlife is also part of the picture at Cypress Wetlands. Herons, hawks, eagles, owls, and falcons live there, along with geese, ducks, and other migratory waterfowl. If you’re interested in birds, you can combine that interest in nature with the walking trails; the outdoor facilities are another feature of the area. This makes a visit there different from activities on the boardwalk: at the wetlands, trails and birdlife come together, while along Battery Creek, walking, crabbing, and fishing are all options.

Fishing History and Camp Saxton

The Historic Port Royal Foundation & Museum is located at 1634 Paris Ave in Port Royal. Its exhibits cover the coastal history of shrimping, fishing, and crabbing in Port Royal. This gives you a direct way to explore three areas that have shaped the town’s history. Port Royal also grew into a boomtown because of its busy harbor and active railroad. Together, these topics offer a look at both the fishing industry and the town’s historical development.

Camp Saxton adds an important chapter to the area’s history: the Emancipation Proclamation was first read there. Camp Saxton was home to the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, later renamed the 33rd United States Colored Troops. Pinckney-Porter's Chapel in Naval Heritage Park is a Freedmen’s chapel from the Reconstruction Era. Its exhibits tell the story of Camp Saxton and the soldiers trained there.

Park rangers occasionally lead tours to Fort Frederick that focus on the history of Camp Saxton. If you’d like to include one of these tours in your plans, check the schedule in advance. Fort Frederick was built around 1733 and is the oldest surviving tabby fort in South Carolina. It adds an example of this type of fort to the historical themes without losing sight of Camp Saxton’s history.

Saturday Market and Trip Planning

The Port Royal Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Naval Heritage Park, rain or shine. This gives you a specific time frame to plan around if you’d like to include a market visit in your trip. Pinckney-Porter's Chapel is also located in Naval Heritage Park, so the market and historic chapel share a location but appeal to different interests: visiting the market and learning about the history of Camp Saxton.

When choosing a hotel in Port Royal, it helps to first decide what you’d like to focus on during your trip. Would you like to make time for historical topics related to fishing and Camp Saxton, are you interested in activities along Battery Creek, or would you like to explore the trails and birdlife at Cypress Wetlands? These distinctions can help guide your search without imposing a fixed order for visiting the different places.

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