Are you looking for a new secret spot to explore near Greenville, SC? I have yet to meet someone who wishes they lived anywhere other than Greenville. This is such a great place and as Kidding Around Greenville readers know, there is almost an endless amount of things to do with kids. Besides the planned events, playgrounds, parades, and museums, Greenville still holds a few secrets and we asked our readers if they wouldn’t mind unveiling some of their favorites.
So on this edition of Greenville Speaks, if you need some ideas to throw into the rotation of fun things to do with the kids, read on because we are revealing some of our readers’ favorite secret spots to enjoy with their families.
Secret Places to Visit in Greenville, SC
Gardens at the Kilgore-Lewis House
Another secret (kind of) garden! Be sure to put these gardens on your to-do list. They are just beautiful and the kids may enjoy the pond, checking out the flowers, or having a picnic.
560 North Academy Street, Greenville
Hidden Waterfalls
One Kidding Around Greenville reader is on a mission to see all the beautiful waterfalls within an hour of Greenville. She uses the AllTrails Hiking & Mountain Trails app to find them and suggested Issaqueena Falls near Walhalla, Dupont State Forest in Cedar Mountain, NC, Table Rock and Paris Mountain. Start chasing those waterfalls!
If you need some ideas, don’t miss our Waterfall Driving Tour! Or, this waterfall you can walk behind!
Last but not least, here’s our Guide to Waterfalls of the Southeast perfect for family hikes and exploration.
Rock Quarry Garden
Rock Quarry Garden was built on the site of a pre-Civil War-era granite quarry and is a popular area for wedding and family photoshoots. With waterfalls, flower beds, grassy hills, and a stone bridge over a rocky stream, it is a gorgeous place to take family photos or have a picnic. Located in Cleveland Park, at the corner of McDaniel and Sherwood St, the garden is easily accessible from the Swamp Rabbit Trail near the Major Rudolph Anderson, Jr. Memorial (aka “the airplane”).
McDaniel Avenue and Sherwood Street
Children’s Garden at Linky Stone Park
This park is tucked away right off the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the perfect little spot for a picnic lunch or to let the kids get out some energy. They have a sensory garden, musical instrument area, and during the summer, lots of flowers and herbs. Check out our Kidding Around review of Linky Stone Park!
Interactive Secret Garden at The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
Who doesn’t love a secret garden? Word has it that there is an interactive “secret garden” beneath the front entrance of the Children’s Museum. Look for the metal frog and butterflies. This whimsical garden is free anytime you are visiting Heritage Green.
300 College Street, Greenville, 864.233.7755
Cedar Falls Park
If you haven’t been to Cedar Falls Park in Fountain Inn you really do need to get there. This park is huge (90+ acres!) and amazing! Hit the playground, take a walk, hike down to the waterfalls. Be sure to pack lunch because they have a picnic shelter and tons of grassy areas perfect for a picnic. And when you’re little one tells you they have to go to the bathroom? No problem! Cedar Falls Park even has restrooms.
201 Cedar Falls Road, Fountain Inn
See the Tank at Gower Park
This local Greenville Park has a tank on display that the kids love to check out. Plus there’s a great playground and restrooms at this park. You’ll find this little park off of Laurens Road.
24 Evelyn Avenue, Greenville
Family time at Furman University
Furman is quite family-friendly and you can have a great time for free there – hang out at the lake, feed the ducks, take a walk along the stroller-friendly path. In fact, Kidding Around Greenville contributor Lauren did a great write-up of what families can do there!
Cabela’s on Woodruff Road
In a last-ditch effort to find something entertaining on a rainy Sunday when my husband was sick, I trekked out to Cabela’s because I heard they had a small aquarium. They do! And since it is a hunting store, they have tons of animals for the kids to check out in their taxidermy forms. My preschooler was entertained for at least an hour. And fudge too. They have amazing fudge.
1025 Woodruff Road #H101, Greenville, 864.516.8100
See the Plane at Major Rudolph Anderson Jr. Memorial
Park at Cleveland Park and take the Swamp Rabbit Trail to view the Major Rudolph Anderson, Jr. Memorial. There you’ll find a F-86 Sabre Jet along with signage about the life of Greenville’s Major Rudolph Anderson Jr. and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Little ones will enjoy looking at the plane while older family members can learn a bit of history.
150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenville
American Burger is moving their KIDS NIGHTS to Mondays
Do you know what time?
I would recommend the park right beside Runway Cafe (at 21 Airport Road Ext, Greenville) at the downtown airport. While the cafe is a business, the park is run separately by the local government and is open to the public. The little ones will love seeing small airplanes land while they play at this wonderful park, and you can sit at a covered table nearby. We even had my 5 year old’s birthday party in a private room at Runway Cafe, and arranged to have a pilot drive a small plane on the other side of the fence during the… Read more »
Totally agree! It’s one of our favorite spots as well!