1 tracked destination
across 1 tracked cities in South Carolina
20 of 20
Categories shifted this check
Latest findings
How South Carolina compares, rolled up
Confirmed-open rate
South Carolina
82%
Network average
81%
Distinctiveness
South Carolina
20%
Network average
11%
Presence rate
South Carolina
67%
Network average
11%
South Carolina's benchmark numbers averaged across its tracked cities, compared to the network average across all tracked destinations.
Each metric shows two bars: the rolled-up average across South Carolina's tracked destinations and the network average for that metric, so you can see how it compares. See how these scores are calculated.
Key takeaways
What this check tells you
Volatility
Best Local Experiences saw 92 of 29 tracked entities shift position between checks, the largest churn of any category for South Carolina.
Concentration
For Best Family Hotels, the top 3 picks (Charleston, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Wild Dunes Resort) capture 32.1% of mentions versus the 21.4% you'd expect if all entities were recommended evenly.
Concentration
FIG, Husk and The Ordinary dominate both Best Restaurants and Best Food Experiences, each time pulling 22.5% and 31% of mentions respectively into just 3 names.
Volatility
Best Budget-Friendly Restaurants is highly unstable, with 79 of 27 tracked entities moving between the two checked dates.
Lead finding
South Carolina's AI narrative shows a 157% concentration spike, the strongest signal type detected for the destination.
South Carolina's AI presence is overwhelmingly defined by Lowcountry cuisine and seafood, reinforced by supporting themes like barbecue, fine dining, and culinary excellence. Sentiment is overwhelmingly positive at 96% across 328 rated mentions, signaling a strong, favorable AI narrative. However, cross-model agreement sits at 0% versus a 5% network average, and distinctiveness scores just 10% against a 21% average, showing AI models describe the state inconsistently and less uniquely than peers. The standout 157% concentration finding suggests South Carolina's culinary identity dominates its AI narrative more than any other theme.
How AI sees South Carolina
Across the prompts we've tracked, AI most consistently associates South Carolina with:
barbecuehistoric charmLowcountry cuisineoutdoor activitiesseafoodbeachesculinaryculinary capitalculinary destinationculinary excellenceculinary experiencesfamily-friendlyfarm-to-table
How South Carolina benchmarks
Confirmed-open rate
South Carolina
80%
Network average
81%
Distinctiveness
South Carolina
10%
Network average
11%
Presence rate
South Carolina
0%
Network average
11%
South Carolina's AI benchmark numbers compared to the network average across all tracked destinations.
Each metric shows two bars: South Carolina's rate and the network average for that metric, so you can see how it compares. See how these scores are calculated.
Presence beyond South Carolina-specific questions
How often South Carolina comes up in regional and national AI questions that aren't specifically about it (out of 12 tracked questions, as of Sep 15, 2026):
See all questions
Two-Week Must-See Itinerary in the United States — Direct
Not mentioned
Two-Week Must-See Itinerary in the United States — Conversational
Not mentioned
Two-Week Must-See Itinerary in the United States — Recommendation
Not mentioned
Best Winter Destinations in the United States — Direct
Not mentioned
Best Winter Destinations in the United States — Conversational
Not mentioned
Best Winter Destinations in the United States — Recommendation
Not mentioned
Best Foodie Cities in the United States — Direct
Not mentioned
Best Foodie Cities in the United States — Conversational
Not mentioned
Best Foodie Cities in the United States — Recommendation
Not mentioned
Best Romantic Weekend Destinations in the United States — Direct
Not mentioned
Best Romantic Weekend Destinations in the United States — Conversational
Not mentioned
Best Romantic Weekend Destinations in the United States — Recommendation
Not mentioned
Where AI might be wrong
Peninsula Grill
— Best Restaurants for Couples
Temporarily closed
Flagged closed by 1 source, still recommended by GPT-4o and Perplexity Sonar.
Peninsula Grill in Charleston, South Carolina is temporarily closed for renovation and is expected to welcome guests back this fall.
Source
Top picks by traveler intent
Rankings: Volatile
45 places moved rank this check
11 new1 in & out
Soby's New South Cuisine
21 of 40
rank #2–#12
The Anchorage
21 of 40
rank #1–#11
Motor Supply Co. Bistro
20 of 40
rank #4–#14
The Ordinary
17 of 40
rank #3–#5
Hall's Chophouse
16 of 40
rank #1–#12
Rodney Scott's BBQ
14 of 40
rank #3–#16
Rankings: Volatile
15 places moved rank this check
6 new
Montage Palmetto Bluff
21 of 30
rank #1–#11
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
21 of 30
rank #1–#7
Charleston
18 of 30
rank #1–#12
Hotel Bennett
17 of 30
rank #1–#8
Wentworth Mansion
13 of 30
rank #2–#6
Zero George Street
13 of 30
rank #2–#7
The Inn & Club at Harbour Town
8 of 30
rank #2–#10
The Sea Pines Resort
6 of 30
rank #8–#11
Rankings: Volatile
31 places moved rank this check
7 new2 in & out
Charleston
21 of 30
rank #1–#6
Congaree National Park
20 of 30
rank #4–#17
Hilton Head Island
18 of 30
rank #1–#13
Myrtle Beach
18 of 30
rank #2–#11
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
15 of 30
rank #3–#9
Fort Sumter National Monument
14 of 30
rank #1–#15
Brookgreen Gardens
13 of 30
rank #5–#18
Falls Park on the Reedy
11 of 30
rank #5–#15
Rankings: Volatile
25 places moved rank this check
2 new
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
20 of 30
rank #1–#8
Wentworth Mansion
18 of 30
rank #1–#5
Montage Palmetto Bluff
15 of 30
rank #1–#9
Zero George Street
12 of 30
rank #1–#9
Charleston
10 of 30
rank #1–#8
The Spectator Hotel
10 of 30
rank #2–#7
The VendueNew
9 of 30
rank #1–#7
The Inn & Club at Harbour Town
8 of 30
rank #1–#8
Rankings: Volatile
40 places moved rank this check
10 new2 in & out
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
20 of 31
rank #1–#15
Myrtle Beach
19 of 31
rank #1–#9
EdVenture Children's Museum
18 of 31
rank #2–#16
South Carolina Aquarium
18 of 31
rank #1–#9
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
15 of 31
rank #3–#8
Congaree National Park
13 of 31
rank #3–#18
Greenville
13 of 31
rank #4–#14
Charleston
12 of 31
rank #2–#8
Rankings: Volatile
79 places moved rank this check
20 new1 returning1 in & out
The Pita House
36 of 61
rank #1–#11
Bertha's Kitchen
33 of 61
rank #1–#11
Hannibal’s Kitchen
26 of 61
rank #1–#8
Simply Southern Smokehouse
25 of 61
rank #7–#11
Lizard’s Thicket
24 of 61
rank #1–#20
OJ’s Diner
24 of 61
rank #2–#10
Columbia
22 of 61
rank #4–#7
Page's Okra Grill
22 of 61
rank #1–#10
See more categories
Rankings: Volatile
92 places moved rank this check
12 new2 in & out
Congaree National Park
25 of 49
rank #2–#15
Scott's Bar-B-Que
24 of 49
rank #1–#12
Penn Center
16 of 49
rank #1–#11
Hite’s Bar-B-Q
15 of 49
rank #1–#7
Beaufort
14 of 49
rank #5–#15
Bowens Island Restaurant
13 of 49
rank #1–#12
Gullah Culture
12 of 49
rank #1–#11
Aiken
11 of 49
rank #7–#17
Rankings: Volatile
40 places moved rank this check
7 new3 in & out3 classics
Husk
27 of 44
rank #1–#13
Scott's Bar-B-Que
19 of 44
rank #2–#8
Bowens Island Restaurant
18 of 44
rank #1–#18
Rodney Scott's BBQ
18 of 44
rank #1–#9
82 Queen↔
16 of 44
rank #1–#15
Hannibal’s Kitchen
15 of 44
rank #2–#12
Hite’s Bar-B-Q
14 of 44
rank #2–#11
Rankings: Volatile
38 places moved rank this check
16 new1 returning2 classics
Bowens Island Restaurant
28 of 44
rank #1–#9
Bertha's Kitchen
22 of 44
rank #1–#5
Husk
20 of 44
rank #1–#14
Scott's Bar-B-Que
20 of 44
rank #3–#12
Hannibal’s Kitchen
16 of 44
rank #1–#9
Gullah Grub
13 of 44
rank #2–#12
Hite’s Bar-B-Q
12 of 44
rank #4–#9
OJ’s Diner
12 of 44
rank #6–#11
Rankings: Volatile
49 places moved rank this check
6 new1 in & out1 classic
Circa 1886
25 of 37
rank #1–#5
Peninsula Grill
19 of 37
rank #1–#10
Jianna
14 of 37
rank #4–#13
Chez Nous
13 of 37
rank #1–#3
CQ’s Restaurant↔
13 of 37
rank #6–#12
The Library Restaurant
13 of 37
rank #1–#14
Saluda’s
11 of 37
rank #1–#12
Passerelle Bistro
10 of 37
rank #4–#9
Rankings: Volatile
29 places moved rank this check
4 new
Beaufort
19 of 36
rank #1–#12
Congaree National Park
19 of 36
rank #1–#13
Charleston
14 of 36
rank #1–#8
Hilton Head Island
13 of 36
rank #1–#9
Caesars Head State Park
12 of 36
rank #4–#16
Brookgreen Gardens
10 of 36
rank #2–#17
Myrtle Beach
10 of 36
rank #2–#5
Aiken
8 of 36
rank #5–#14
Rankings: Volatile
31 places moved rank this check
7 new2 in & out
Hall's Chophouse
24 of 34
rank #1–#7
Circa 1886
18 of 34
rank #1–#10
Scoundrel
10 of 34
rank #4–#7
The Ocean Room at The Sanctuary
10 of 34
rank #1–#8
Charleston
9 of 34
rank #3–#10
McCrady's
9 of 34
rank #3–#7
Rankings: Volatile
53 places moved rank this check
15 new2 in & out
Congaree National Park
18 of 32
rank #1–#8
Daufuskie Island
13 of 32
rank #1–#13
Hunting Island State Park
10 of 32
rank #2–#12
Old Sheldon Church Ruins
10 of 32
rank #3–#11
Cypress Gardens
9 of 32
rank #1–#11
Lake Jocassee
8 of 32
rank #1–#8
Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden
8 of 32
rank #4–#11
Penn Center
8 of 32
rank #5–#11
Rankings: Volatile
28 places moved rank this check
6 new4 in & out
Cowpens National Battlefield
22 of 32
rank #2–#12
Charleston
20 of 32
rank #1–#8
Kings Mountain National Military Park
18 of 32
rank #1–#13
Drayton Hall
16 of 32
rank #1–#15
Middleton Place
16 of 32
rank #3–#9
Fort Sumter National Monument
15 of 32
rank #1–#5
Penn Center
15 of 32
rank #4–#19
Boone Hall Plantation
10 of 32
rank #5–#16
Rankings: Volatile
34 places moved rank this check
10 new2 in & out
Charleston
18 of 31
rank #1–#12
Columbia
15 of 31
rank #2–#15
Greenville
13 of 31
rank #1–#14
Myrtle Beach
10 of 31
rank #1–#6
Days Inn
6 of 31
rank #3–#12
Dayton House Resort
6 of 31
rank #1–#4
Hilton Head Island
6 of 31
rank #7–#11
Motel 6
6 of 31
rank #1–#9
Rankings: Volatile
32 places moved rank this check
6 new1 in & out
The Spectator Hotel
18 of 30
rank #1–#7
The Vendue
16 of 30
rank #1–#6
Zero George Street
16 of 30
rank #1–#7
French Quarter Inn
13 of 30
rank #1–#10
Charleston
12 of 30
rank #1–#14
Hotel Trundle↔
10 of 30
rank #2–#11
Beaufort
8 of 30
rank #7–#13
The Restoration
8 of 30
rank #3–#7
Rankings: Volatile
24 places moved rank this check
5 new
Hilton Head Island
18 of 30
rank #1–#8
Wild Dunes Resort
17 of 30
rank #3–#10
Charleston
12 of 30
rank #2–#10
Marriott's OceanWatch Villas
12 of 30
rank #1–#5
Myrtle Beach
12 of 30
rank #2–#12
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
12 of 30
rank #1–#11
Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort
11 of 30
rank #4–#9
Dunes Village Resort
10 of 30
rank #1–#8
Rankings: Volatile
27 places moved rank this check
6 new3 returning
South Carolina Aquarium
20 of 30
rank #1–#10
Charleston
16 of 30
rank #1–#10
EdVenture Children's Museum
14 of 30
rank #2–#10
Gibbes Museum of Art
12 of 30
rank #2–#8
South Carolina State HouseBack
12 of 30
rank #1–#11
Columbia
10 of 30
rank #1–#11
The South Carolina State Museum
9 of 30
rank #1–#9
WonderWorks
9 of 30
rank #2–#14
Rankings: Volatile
29 places moved rank this check
8 new2 returning
Caesars Head State Park
20 of 30
rank #1–#4
Sassafras Mountain
17 of 30
rank #1–#9
Hunting Island State Park
14 of 30
rank #3–#10
Table Rock State Park
14 of 30
rank #1–#4
Jumping Off Rock
9 of 30
rank #1–#5
Lake Jocassee
8 of 30
rank #6–#13
Raven Cliff Falls
8 of 30
rank #3–#13
Ravenel Bridge
8 of 30
rank #5–#10
Rankings: Volatile
45 places moved rank this check
10 new
Charleston
17 of 30
rank #1–#12
Congaree National Park
13 of 30
rank #1–#11
Myrtle Beach
13 of 30
rank #1–#24
Hilton Head Island
12 of 30
rank #2–#22
Table Rock State Park
10 of 30
rank #5–#9
Greenville
9 of 30
rank #3–#26
Huntington Beach State Park
9 of 30
rank #1–#12
Caesars Head State Park
8 of 30
rank #6–#10
Where Perplexity's answers about South Carolina come from
The web domains Perplexity's live search pulled most while answering tracked travel questions about
South Carolina (last 90 days). ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini aren't grounded in our tracking yet.
See the network-wide ranking.
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Other U.S. destinations TakeScout tracks