Cypress Gardens
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre county-owned nature preserve and swamp garden attraction in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, operated by Berkeley County Government since 1932, serving families, K-12 school groups, wedding parties, and event hosts through general admission, boat tours, seven event venues, and education programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1932
- HeadquartersMoncks Corner, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cypress Gardens does
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre nature preserve and swamp garden attraction located in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, on the former Dean Hall Plantation site dating to 1725. The park was opened to the public in 1932 and is owned and operated by Berkeley County Government through its Parks & Recreation Department; it is therefore a public-sector asset rather than a privately-held company, and does not raise venture or private equity capital. The attraction offers six core experiences under a single general admission ticket: the Butterfly House (a climate-controlled greenhouse with hundreds of butterflies), the Swamparium (aquarium and reptile center including a South American anaconda and African crocodiles), Swamp Boat Adventures (guided $5 add-on tours or self-guided paddling), the Hollywood at Cypress self-guided filming-location tour, the Wild Neighbors animal exhibits (including 50+ year-old resident alligators Boss and Ally and African Spurred Tortoises), and a Splash Pad added in May 2025. Seven event venues — Dean Hall (250 guests), Heritage Room/Museum (80 guests), Conference Cottage (40 guests), Wedding Gazebo (150 guests), Memory Garden & Double Gazebos, Front Lawn (250 guests), and Heirloom Garden (80 guests) — are rented for weddings, corporate events, and celebrations. Education programs aligned to South Carolina Academic Standards serve K-12 school groups, and seasonal programming (Halloween in the Swamp, Santa in the Swamp, Berkeley County resident free days) drives visitation spikes.
Cypress Gardens generates revenue through a diversified mix of one-time transactional streams and a small subscription component: general admission tickets ($10 adult / $6.50 senior-military / $5 child / free under 5), $5 guided boat tour add-ons, special event tickets ($5 Halloween general / $30 Haunted Swamp Experience), seven venue rental facilities, $35 engraved commemorative bricks placed in the Butterfly House, donations (minimum $5), and season passes sold via the Gift Shop. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the park's official website, on-site box office, Eventbrite for special events, and direct bookings for school groups and venue rentals. The park was closed from October 2015 to April 2019 due to historic floods; since reopening it has undergone a sequence of capital reinvestments — Dean Hall (2020), Heritage Room (2021), Splash Pad (2025) — partially funded by SCPRT matching grants, with marketing centered on community events, school field trips, the resident free-day program, and the park's Hollywood filming heritage. Headcount is 51–100 and the website is hosted on the Berkeley County government domain (cypressgardens.berkeleycountysc.gov).
Cypress Gardens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cypress Gardens
- Legal name
- Cypress Gardens (Berkeley County Government)
- Website
- https://cypressgardens.berkeleycountysc.gov
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1932
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre county-owned nature preserve and swamp garden attraction in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, operated by Berkeley County Government since 1932, serving families, K-12 school groups, wedding parties, and event hosts through general admission, boat tours, seven event venues, and education programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cypress Gardens industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nature Preserve and Tourist Attraction
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)
Keywords
Where Cypress Gardens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moncks Corner
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cypress Gardens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- General Admission Tickets: Entry fees from individual visitors and families visiting the park. Adults $10, seniors/military $6.50, children $5, children under 5 free.
- Special Event Tickets: Separate ticketed events including Halloween in the Swamp ($5 general, $30 for Haunted Swamp Experience).
- Venue/Facility Rentals: Rental income from seven event venues including Dean Hall (up to 250 guests), Heritage Room/Museum (up to 80 guests), Conference Cottage (up to 40 guests), Wedding Gazebo (up to 150 guests), Memory Garden/Gazebos, Front Lawn, and Heirloom Garden.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support preservation and maintenance of Cypress Gardens. Minimum donation $5.
- Buy a Brick Program: Engraved commemorative bricks sold for $35 each, placed inside the Butterfly House.
- Swamp Boat Tours: Guided boat tours available for additional $5 per person on top of general admission.
- Season Passes: Contact gift shop for season pass pricing - unlimited visits for the season.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult General Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Senior/Military/First Responder Discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Children Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Boat Tour Add-on |
| Subscription | Annual | Season Pass |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Halloween in the Swamp - General |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Haunted Swamp Experience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Commemorative Brick |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cypress Gardens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cypress Gardens operates a 170-acre nature preserve and swamp garden attraction in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, offering general admission ticketed access to natural attractions (Butterfly House, Swamparium, swamp boat adventures, Hollywood filming-location tours, Splash Pad, Wild Neighbors animal exhibits), seasonal programming (Halloween in the Swamp), educational field trips, and rental of seven event venues for weddings, receptions, and corporate events.
Product overview
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre nature preserve and swamp garden attraction located in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, operated by Berkeley County Parks & Recreation. The park offers a unified portfolio of core attractions including the Butterfly House, Swamparium, Swamp Boat Adventures, Hollywood filming locations, Splash Pad, Seasons/nature displays, and Wild Neighbors animal exhibits. The venue operates as a single attraction with general admission covering all six immersive attractions. Additionally, the park rents out seven distinct event venues for weddings and celebrations: Dean Hall (largest, up to 250 guests), Heritage Room/Museum (up to 80 guests), Conference Cottage (up to 40 guests), Wedding Gazebo (up to 150 guests), Memory Garden & Double Gazebos (up to 50 guests each), Front Lawn (up to 250 guests), and Heirloom Garden (up to 80 guests). The park also offers education programs for field trips with natural history and cultural history options. Notable seasonal events include Halloween in the Swamp and Santa in the Swamp.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Butterfly House A climate-controlled greenhouse featuring hundreds of butterflies fluttering freely, exotic species, colorful birds, turtles, fish, and a tranquil pond. Visitors can observe all life stages of butterflies.
- Swamparium An aquarium and reptile center featuring large tanks and terrariums with fish, amphibians, and reptiles native to local swamps. Includes a South American anaconda and African crocodiles in naturalistic habitats.
- Swamp Boat Adventures Scenic boat rides through the swamp with options for guided tours ($5 per person additional) or self-guided paddling along marked trails. Features views of alligators, turtles, birds, and reflections of bald cypress and tupelo trees.
- Hollywood at Cypress Self-guided tour of filming locations for iconic movies and TV shows including The Notebook, The Patriot, Cold Mountain, and Outer Banks. Visitors can walk paths used by Hollywood stars.
- Splash Pad
Quantifiable outcome
- 50,294 visitors from April 13 - June 30, 2019 following reopening
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cypress Gardens
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cypress Gardens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cypress Gardens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Atkinson PoolsminorDesigned the new Splash Pad water play area at Cypress Gardens. The splash pad features spray cannons and a tipping bucket for children's summer enjoyment.
- Berkeley County Roads & BridgesminorContributed to the splash pad project development and implementation.
- Berkeley County Facilities & GroundsminorContributed to the splash pad project development.
- Berkeley County Water & SanitationminorContributed to splash pad project infrastructure.
- Satchel ConstructionminorPerformed interior renovations for Heritage Room renovation project ($215,000 total cost). Project included demolition, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and interior finish work.
- Carrier ConstructionminorPerformed metal roof panel screw replacement for Heritage Room renovation.
- Berkeley County School DistrictminorProvided school buses as shuttles to transport guests during Grand Re-Opening event.
- GoogleminorProvided shuttles for Grand Re-Opening event and contributed to Wi-Fi availability throughout the park to advance educational opportunities and digital access.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cypress Gardens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Charles Pinckney National Historic Site: National Park Service site in Mount Pleasant, SC preserving a historic Lowcountry plantation. Comparable as a destination for heritage, gardens, and interpretive programming in the same Charleston-area market.
- Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge near Pawleys Island, SC with blackwater river and cypress swamp habitats. Comparable as a Lowcountry wetland/nature experience, though free and federally managed.
- Huntington Beach State Park: South Carolina state park near Murrells Inlet with Atalaya historic site and nature programming. Comparable as a publicly-owned nature/cultural attraction with admission fees and educational programming in coastal SC.
Emerging players
- Edisto Island Serpentarium: Small Edisto Island, SC reptile and aquatic life exhibit. Modest-sized regional attraction with overlapping content around alligators, snakes, and native reptiles like the Swamparium.
Direct peers
- Middleton Place: Historic plantation and garden near Charleston, SC offering gardens, horse-drawn tours, restaurant, and event venues. Directly competes for wedding bookings and gardens-based tourism in the Charleston area.
- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens: Historic Lowcountry plantation garden attraction near Charleston, SC. Combines gardens, nature tours, wedding venues, and seasonal events, making it the closest direct competitor in geography and product mix to Cypress Gardens.
- Boone Hall Plantation: Mount Pleasant, SC plantation with gardens, tours, and event venues. Comparable attraction offering admission-priced tours and wedding/event rentals in the same Charleston-area market.
- Brookgreen Gardens: Murrells Inlet, SC sculpture and botanical garden attraction with nature preserve,Lowcountry native animal exhibits, and event rental spaces. Comparable as a paid-admission garden/nature attraction in the SC coastal market.
Broad incumbents
- South Carolina Aquarium: Charleston, SC aquarium focused on South Carolina native aquatic species. Overlaps with Cypress Gardens' Swamparium and aquatic wildlife exhibits on species, conservation messaging, and visitor demographic.
- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden: Zoo and botanical garden in Columbia, SC combining animal exhibits with curated gardens. Comparable as a South Carolina zoo/botanical combination attraction, though it operates at a meaningfully larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cypress Gardens social profiles
Digital presenceCypress Gardens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cypress Gardens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Cypress Gardens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cypress Gardens M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cypress Gardens
What does Cypress Gardens do?
Cypress Gardens operates a 170-acre nature preserve and swamp garden attraction in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, offering general admission ticketed access to natural attractions (Butterfly House, Swamparium, swamp boat adventures, Hollywood filming-location tours, Splash Pad, Wild Neighbors animal exhibits), seasonal programming (Halloween in the Swamp), educational field trips, and rental of seven event venues for weddings, receptions, and corporate events.
Is Cypress Gardens a public or private company?
Cypress Gardens is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Cypress Gardens founded?
Cypress Gardens was founded in 1932. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cypress Gardens based?
Cypress Gardens is headquartered in Moncks Corner, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cypress Gardens make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. General Admission Tickets are the primary driver. The others are special Event Tickets, venue/Facility Rentals, donations, buy a Brick Program, swamp Boat Tours and season Passes.
Who are Cypress Gardens's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge and Huntington Beach State Park. Edisto Island Serpentarium is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Middleton Place, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Boone Hall Plantation and Brookgreen Gardens. Broad incumbents are South Carolina Aquarium and Riverbanks Zoo & Garden.
Does Cypress Gardens have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cypress Gardens.
What industry is Cypress Gardens in?
Cypress Gardens's product category is Nature Preserve and Tourist Attraction. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAL, Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections), with a secondary code of THAJACAH, Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions. Its NAICS code is 712130 and its SIC code is 7900.