The take
Why locals love it
It does not disappoint. Go on a weekday morning and bring a thermos.
Word on the street
What locals are saying
Locals and longtime Charlestonians hold the Angel Oak in genuine reverence — it's free, deeply tied to Johns Island's Black cultural history (including civil rights figure Septima Clark), and consistently called a true Lowcountry treasure rather than a tourist gimmick. The main friction point is sheer volume: with an estimated 400,000 visitors annually, crowds can undercut the experience, and locals recommend spring or fall visits to avoid summer heat and tour-bus congestion. Community advocacy around the new 35-acre Angel Oak Preserve signals strong local investment in protecting the tree and its surrounding landscape from overdevelopment.
free and genuinely worth the driveovercrowded in summerdeep Black cultural and civil rights historyspring/fall visit strongly recommendedactive local conservation pushstrict rules to protect roots and tree health
