There was an audible gasp from most of the crowd as they stepped into the new T.C. Hopper Planetarium at Roper Mountain Science Center for the 6:00 pm showing of Starry Nights in Greenville, SC. After going through a nearly year-long $1 million-plus renovation in 2017, the Roper Mountain planetarium is one of Greenville’s most amazing gems, and it is truly stunning.
The RMSC is part of the Greenville County School System and they strive to engage kids of all ages in the sciences in ways that are imaginative, fun, and memorable. RMSC is truly one of the coolest things you can do here and Starry Nights at the only planetarium in Greenville, SC is a favorite activity of not only us here at Kidding Around but lots of Greenville families.
Looking for Free Things to Do in Greenville? We have some great ideas on this extremely packed list. This list is an ode to that song, “The Best Things in Life Are Free.” Make memories and take advantage of all the great things around Greenville. Enjoy!
Do you want to keep tabs on all the things to do in the Upstate? Don’t skip our giant list of Things to Do Near Greenville, SC, full of fabulous family fun any time of the year.
Have you explored the Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, SC? You may have heard the name of the Roper Mountain Science Center and wondered what in the world this is or maybe your kids attended a field trip there. But really, do you know how cool this place is?
With a dinosaur trail, a living history farm, a Marine Ecology lab, and active classrooms you can explore, you can visit multiple times and find something new and exciting at each visit! Plus, RMSC has the only planetarium in Greenville, SC and a giant 23” refractor telescope that you can look through during special events. It doesn’t get much cooler than that!
Are you heading to the movies in Greenville, SC? Fun for the family, fun with friends, or a great date night, whatever the reason, a movie at the theater is great entertainment. For the next time you are wanting to head to the theater, we have a list of the movie theaters in Greenville to help you find the best place to watch a movie.
The action-packed Jurassic World Live Tour is in Greenville, SC this weekend and we have a full review of what to expect when you see this live dinosaur show! We were given media tickets so we could review the show – all opinions are our own.
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I’m a big fan of the Jurassic Park movies and my kids have seen most of them – and we just really think dinosaurs are cool – so when the Jurassic World Live Tour came to town and we had the opportunity to go, I jumped on that like a T-Rex on the bad guys. After all, this is Jurassic World comes to life.
I’ll tell you all about the live show, what to expect, what ages this may be good for, and some mildly scary parts to think about before you go. So let’s go on with this Jurassic World Live Tour review!
The Jurassic World Live Tour starts with a pre-show that anyone who has a ticket can go to. But you have to get there when the doors open an hour before the show. You’ll get to go right on the floor of the arena and see two dinosaurs – a Stegosaurus and a Triceratops – plus the baby dinosaur, baby Bumpy from Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous. The Jurassic World Jeep is on display as well as the glass globe that you’ll recognize from the movie.
Jurassic World Live Pre-Show
You’ll have the opportunity to take as many photos as you like and get pretty close to the dinosaurs as they move and blink. The show did a really great job with these creatures, making them life-size and super cool to see.
The floor will close to guests 20 minutes before the show starts so you’ll have time to go to the restroom and get to your seats.
About the Jurassic World Live Tour: the Main Show
The storyline of the Jurassic World Live Tour centers on Jeanie, a Troodon dinosaur, and Dr. Kate Walker, her trainer and a scientist herself. Dr. Walker created a device that goes atop Jeanie’s head and transmits what she is feeling, which the evil guys from Ingen definitely want and try to get throughout the live show.
The show starts at Isla Nubar and gets right into the action immediately with dirt bikes and fighting and Jeanie being captured by Ingen. But Dr. Kate Walker and her crew of scientists and hilarious interns track Jeanie down in Chile and then have to fight the bad guys even more, especially when the raptors (my favorite!) show up.
Jeanie and Dr. Kate Walker
There are a lot of surprises that may make guests jump, like pyrotechnics, but overall, the show is fast-moving and pretty fun to watch. The 20-minutes intermission comes about 35 minutes into the show when Dr. Kate and her team have to travel back to Isla Nubar to help Jeanie find her eggs and save the day.
The second half starts off with a possible Triceratops fight after one of the interns mistakes her eggs for Jeanie’s. The Stegosaurus and her baby make an appearance here, as do more Raptors and the flying dinosaurs. The mighty Tyrannosaurus rex rounds out the show with a bang and a lot of fire on the stage.
Jurassic World Live Tour: Appropriate Ages
I took kids ages 8-12 and all of them loved it. They got the gist of the storyline, which I don’t think younger kids will understand. But younger kids also won’t care because the show has big, lifesize, and live dinosaurs so really, what’s better than that?
The arena was filled with families who had babies through tweens. I’d say most of the kids were preschool through elementary-aged. I saw some kids cuddle up next to their parents if they were scared but I didn’t think there were a ton of scary parts. It really depends on each child.
Jurassic World Live Dinosaurs
There was a lot of (fake) fight scenes between Dr. Kate and her team and the Ingen guys. Dr. Kate gets into a one-on-one fight with a burly guy during the second half of the show and he really looks like he hits her but she gives it right back to him. One of the scientists on her team has a crush on her and saves her from this dude and they share a short kiss before heading off to rescue the rest of their team, who Ingen had captured.
There is one part where a flying dinosaur takes off with one of the bad guys, which is typical Jurassic Park style. There is no inappropriate language and overall, the show is very family-friendly. Some older kids may think it’s cheesy but thankfully my 12-year-old thought it was great.
As for the noise level of the Jurassic World Live Tour show, it wasn’t that loud at all. The biggest noise makers were the surprise pyrotechnics and maybe some of the music and the roars from the T-Rex. If you’ve been to a Monster Jam show, this was less than half that noise level and I don’t think ear plugs are needed.
And if you haven’t ever seen any of the Jurassic Park movies, don’t worry, you’ll still enjoy the show. You don’t need to have seen the movies to enjoy all that the show has to offer.
Jurassic World Live Tour: The Dinosaurs
OK, the dinosaurs are awesome. The Raptors and Jeanie are obviously people and you can see their legs, which are covered in black leggings but honestly, I hardly noticed because the movements and sounds of the dinosaurs is so real. I thought the show did such a great job with this.
If you sit in the premium floor seats, the dinosaurs will come right up to you. It looked super cool and I was mildly jealous.
Jurassic World Live Tour Raptor
The bigger dinosaurs are on rolling floor things that make them move so that may take away the “real” look of the dinosaurs but their heads and tails move independently and their eyes even blink. The T-Rex was impressive. It also moves by a controlled floor machine but man, that thing can turn on a dime. It was awesome. The jaws on all the dinosaurs move like you would think a real dinosaur would move so I felt like I wasn’t even watching the animatronics or the people that moved the dinosaurs because just watching them as a whole was pretty captivating.
The set was also fantastic. The show did a great job making it seem like the actors and dinosaurs were in the rainforest in Isla Nubar or the desert in Chile. It was a very thought-out show all the way through and truly, a lot of fun.
Jurassic World Live Tour: Tickets
You can get your tickets for the Greenville, SC show at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena website or box office. For all other shows, you can get tickets from the Jurassic World Live Tour website.
The schedule for Greenville, SC is:
Friday, February 10th: Pre-show starts at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm
Saturday, February 11th: Pre-show times are 10 am, 2 pm, and 6 pm and show times are 11 am, 3 pm, and 7 pm
Sunday, February 12th: Pre-show times are 10 am and 2 pm and show times are 11 am and 3 pm.
The entire Jurassic World Live Tour show runs about 1 hour and 45 minutes, which includes the 20-minute intermission. Ticket prices start at $20.
Another big arena family entertainment favorite is Monster Jam. Thinking about bringing your kids to Monster Jam when those giant Monster trucks come to town? Don’t miss our Monster Jam review, where we tell you everything you need to know!
Planning a birthday party for a baby and searching through the first birthday party venues in Greenville, SC? What are the perfect spots in Greenville for a baby’s birthday party? Babies are a little tricky. They need a lot of supervision and a safe space. Many times, they need an indoor playground or indoor play area. That’s why we came up with this list full of first birthday party venues, parks, and other creative spots that would be perfect for babies and toddlers in Greenville, SC.
Are you ready for the first Restaurant Week of 2023 in the Upstate? There will never be a better time to support your Greenville restaurants than right now! The whole state of South Carolina will holds its annual Restaurant Week in January (Greenville also holds a mini-Restaurant Week in August). The South Carolina Restaurant Week provides diners with the perfect opportunity to support locals and try something new.
The 2023 restaurant week lineup includes over two dozen restaurants in Greenville for you to try on January 12-23, 2023
That’s a lot to choose from, so we will pick a few Upstate favorites and explain how to best take advantage of this special week for lovers of local restaurants.
Have you been to Herdklotz Park in Greenville? It’s such a beautiful park, is close to Paris Mountain, and gives you an unexpected view of the downtown Greenville skyline. With two large playgrounds, unique climbing structures, and two multi-purpose athletic fields, this park has it all.
If there’s one thing my child loves, it’s heading to the park and playing on the playground. And to be honest—I love the opportunity for her to be outside and get some energy out. Herdklotz Park is a perfect place for her to play and run around.
First, a little history. Herdklotz Park is named for former county councilman, Dick Herdklotz, because of his desire to advance outdoor recreation in the Greenville area. So, even if the name is hard to remember, the sentiment behind it is very much appreciated. The location of this beautiful park is that of the former Hopewell Hospital, built in 1930 to treat patients with tuberculosis. The original building burned down one morning in 2002, but you can still walk by one remaining building and read about its history.
This spacious county park sits on 17 acres at the base of Paris Mountain. You will find very large athletic fields on both sides of the playground. Games and team practice are often going on, but if you’re lucky enough to find the fields open, they’re perfect for running and playing.
Herdklotz boasts one of the few county parks that has a sand volleyball court and horseshoe pits (you furnish the horseshoes). The pavilion shelter is up on the hill overlooking the park and is a lovely spot for a gathering (be sure to reserve your time in advance!). Bathrooms are just on the other side of the pavilion. And the panoramic view of downtown Greenville can be seen from the top of the hill.
Toddler Playground at Herdklotz Park
The playgrounds at Herdklotz
The Herdklotz Park playgrounds are some of the best playgrounds in Greenville (see our list of the 5 best playgrounds in Greenville for even more choices). The larger playground has a three-story tower for climbing. There are 6 slides, a climbing wall, a large swing set and a kid favorite—the sliding handle. Because it’s so large and challenging, this is definitely the place for older children or younger ones who are good at climbing.
The smaller playground is fenced in and has its own covered pavilion with a few picnic tables (perfect for a mid-visit snack!). This smaller playground is where you’ll find the swings for toddlers and the much smaller playset geared toward the little ones.
Between the two playgrounds is a .545 walking trail, perfect for exercising while the children play. You can see the larger playground no matter where you are on the path. If you want to take the children on a walk with you, there is a learning path with signs and many teaching opportunities.
fenced in toddler/smaller playground with picnic tables under a small shelter
the famous sliding handle
shade
scenic view
large athletic fields
Drawbacks:
little playground and big playground are far apart
no toddler seats on the big playground swings
Herdklotz Park in Greenville, SC
Athletic Fields and Playground at Herdklotz Park in Greenville, SC
Where is Herdklotz Park
Herdklotz Park is tucked away off Rutherford Road, right behind Half Mile Lake subdivision at 126 Beverly Road in Greenville. The parking lot is vast, with spots close to the playgrounds. And if you’re lucky, you’ll watch a train go by on your drive to or from the park.
Miss the local farmer’s markets in the winter? We’ve got the scoop on Greenville’s best indoor farmers market and it’s really a lot more than a farmers market. The Toasty Farmer is no longer an Upstate secret; however, parents in the know have discovered that the family-friendly winter farmers market can be the perfect outing on a dreary winter’s day.
Are you wanting to take your kids out to eat in Greenville, SC (but would like to avoid the typical fast-food fare)? If you’re looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate something special, or just something a bit fancier than chicken nuggets, check out this list of the best restaurants for kids in Greenville, SC!
Dining out with kids isn’t only for intrepid parents who’ve taken their kids to dinner since birth. Parents deserve some fun and creative dining experiences that don’t involve chicken tenders! To make it more fun and memorable experience, in addition to providing you with a few dinner suggestions (not the usual suspects), we’ve also shared some of our tips below based on our dining experiences around town.
