Are you new to Spartanburg, SC? Maybe you’ve lived here a while, but have run out of ideas to keep your family busy? We’ve got a list of must-try fun in Spartanburg for your family to enjoy! This list is also great when you have out-of-town guests and are looking for things to do that showcase your hometown.
Head over to the Kidding Around Spartanburg Facebook and the Kidding Around Upstate Instagram to see more of the fun we are having daily in Spartanburg and beyond!
2026 Spartanburg Bucket List
Whether you’re a Spartanburg local or new to the area, we’ve found some great things for your family to enjoy at some point in your Spartanburg experience! We’ve sorted them seasonally, so you can easily decide what bucket list items you want to check off next!
Year-Round Options
Enjoy Some X Games
Let your kids flex their extreme sporting interest at two local spots where access is free and available year-round. The Hot Spot Skate Park and Subaru of Spartanburg Bike Park can provide your child (and yourself!) with hours of x-treme fun!
Get to Know Your Local Library
The Spartanburg County Public Library offers 10 different branches around the county, as well as a used bookstore called Pages on Pine with unbelievable semi-annual sales! If you’ve never visited the Headquarters Library in downtown Spartanburg, it offers a ton to explore, including the Planetarium Learning Center, two different Maker Labs for children and adults, and an outdoor playground connected to their Children’s Department. It’s also worth getting to know the branch nearest to your home, as every location is unique. Visit each branch as you get the opportunity, and you’ll discover everything from hidden parks to seed libraries to storytimes!
Learn Something New with an Educational Adventure
There are so many opportunities for educational experiences around Spartanburg and beyond! For STEM learning with a “WOW!” factor, consider visiting the Spartanburg Science Center or the Planetarium Learning Center, both located in the heart of Spartanburg’s downtown. If you’re interested in local history, you can check out these two historic plantations in the area, Blackstock Battlefield in nearby Enoree, or Musgrove Mill in Clinton, SC. For the arts, don’t miss the Spartanburg Art Museum or any our awesome local art studios like The Painted Palmetto or Paint it up! Chesnee. We also have a list of educational travel day trips and vacations from the Upstate. There are so many opportunities to travel and learn, and you don’t always have to travel very far to experience something new!
Shop a New Local Business
Spartanburg is a fantastic community for small, family-owned businesses to launch and grow. Why not support one of these many great businesses with a little shopping trip? Take a few hours, or a whole day, and visit at least one shop that’s new to you! Just check our guide to local businesses in Spartanburg to see what catches your eye.
Stamp Your Book at a State Park
The South Carolina State Parks Department offers its own incentive program for families to visit all the parks, called the Ultimate Outsider Program! There is no deadline, so once you get started, you can take as much time as you need to visit as many parks as you want. To get started, just pick up a Guide Book on your first State Park visit or order one online (at last check, they were only $1 to order). Bring it with you to each park, find a Ranger to stamp your book, and enjoy prizes once you’ve visit all 47! Over half the parks also participate in the Junior Ranger Program, an educational adventure to help your kids learn about the great outdoors and earn stamps and prizes, too! We recommend starting with Croft State Park, located right here within Spartanburg County.
Take a Tour of Public Art
Spartanburg is a deeply artistic community with beautiful public art displays everywhere you turn. One of its most notable public art projects is Lighten Up Spartanburg, which launched in 2017 with unique oversized lightbulb sculptures all over the City of Spartanburg. We’ve also put together a sprawling Mural Tour of Upstate SC, with a dozen murals across City of Spartanburg alone!
Visit The Pacolet River Heritage Trust Preserve
The Pacolet River Heritage Trust Preserve is the home to two Native American soapstone quarries. The Native American residents are thought to have used this land between 3000 BC and 1100 BC to obtain materials for their daily necessities. The soapstone outcrops are fragile and should not be touched, in order to preserve them for another several thousand years.
Spring
Attend a Spring Festival
Spartanburg is an excellent place to enjoy a family-friendly Spring festival, and one of these should absolutely be a part of your annual bucket list. Your family can enjoy several different festivals from April through June, engaging your family in the worlds of travel, food, music, culture, and of course the emerging Spring!
Pick Some Local Strawberries
Strawberry Hill USA is a great place to grab local strawberries! Rows of fresh berries as far as the eye can see have been grown by this local family for generations. They also serve up a juicy burger in the diner on the farm! If it’s the Fall season, Strawberry Hill has a fall event with lots of pumpkins and activities that you don’t want to miss. If it’s outside of the normal strawberry season and you want some fresh local berries, head to Bush-N-Vine Farm in York County, SC where you can find freshly grown strawberries nearly 365 days a year. While you are there, grab a fresh fruit slushie, and let the kids run around the play area before you head back.
Summer
Go Creek Stomping in the Upstate
Creek Stomping in the Upstate is a great way to cool off in the warmer months! Croft State Park in Spartanburg has the perfect trail that leads to a spot where you can hang a hammock and splash the day away, and River Place Park in Lyman has a massive sandhill where kids can literally build sandcastles next to the water…right in the middle of town!
Rent a Kayak at Lake Cooley
Renting a kayak at Lake Cooley is a must-do! This is a yearly tradition for a bunch of local families, and once you go, you will know why. The calm, glass-like water of Lake Cooley is the perfect place for first-time paddlers to learn, and who knows? You might just decide to buy your own equipment after you get hooked on this awesome hobby!
Fall
Celebrate Fall at These Local Festivals
With the changing seasons comes an excellent break from the humid, summer heat. Explore various cultures, enjoy delicious food, and maybe even fly a kite. Nothing beats the fall festivals in Spartanburg, which offer some excellent family-friendly events to add to your bucket list!
Winter
Take the Holiday Light Tour
The Kidding Around Holiday Light Driving Tour has become a part of the Upstate’s family holiday traditions and we are thrilled! This is a great way to enjoy some free fun, that can be spread throughout the month of December.
