If you’d like to take a peek into some of the many outdoor activities available in our area, all in one place at one time you need to put Get Out! Greenville on your calendar. Local mom Kristina tells us why this is one event any lover of the outdoors needs to get to. Read on for a rundown of what happens at this event and when and where it happens!
There are few places I’d rather be on any given day than someplace in the outdoors of the Upstate. Whether it’s hiking the trails, splashing in the waterfalls, kayaking in the lakes, or trying out new things like stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and rock climbing, I’m in. I just want to be outside. And there is an entire festival devoted to this kind of thing! Get Out! Greenville is happening this fall, and it’s totally free.
What you’ll find at Get Out! Greenville
Here’s what you can expect: rock climbing demos, a chance for the kids to test out kayaks and SUP boards in actual pools, outdoor-themed crafts, trail races (Ultra 50K, 30K, 10K, and 3K), the Greenville CX-Cup race (bike racing), an REI fashion show, frisbee toss, slacklining, and tons of games. Food trucks will also be on-site if you want to grab lunch or coffee.
Get Out! Greenville is a big celebration of the outdoors and it’s an event you really don’t want to miss, especially if you’re interested in learning more about what activities are available for families in the Upstate when it comes to all things nature-related. I took my kids last year and we had a blast! They absolutely loved the paddling pools. My oldest discovered she has quite the skills with a SUP board. We were there for at least two hours and didn’t even get to everything that was offered.
This year, the event lineup also includes sessions on things like how to pack your backpack for camping or hiking, how to tie figure eight knots, how to identify certain plants, and how to make sure you’ve got an ideal first aid kit in the outdoors. The exhibitors are pretty amazing, too. Places like the US Whitewater Center in Charlotte, Sunrift Adventures, The Gorge Zip Line, Mountain Goat Indoor Rock Climbing, SC State Parks, and Climb Upstate will all be there. Kidding Around Greenville will also have a booth so come over and say hi! We love meeting our readers and introducing ourselves to new families.
If you love the outdoors, be sure to mark Get Out! Greenville on your calendar!
12:00pm – Kids Short Track Mountain Bike Race (20 mins, ages 8-17)
12:30pm – Beginner Short Track Mountain Bike Race (30 min, ages 12 & up)
1:15pm – Expert Short Track Mountain Bike Race (45 min, ages 12 & up)
2:15pm – Campfire Contest
Park Hop End Of The Summer Celebration Park Hoppers get to celebrate each year with an end-of-the-summer celebration, where they recieve the earned prizes. If you are unable to join us at Get Out! Greenville and pick up your prizes, please contact Park Hop to arrange an alternate pick-up. Not sure what Park Hop is? We’ve got the Ultimate Guide to Park Hop in Greenville, SC!
If a trip to Central Florida is in your family’s future, consider a stop at Wild Florida, a gator-themed park that has lots of unique experiences for your family. KAG’s Kristina has the scoop.
There is a lot to do in the Orlando area besides the theme parks. One such adventure is Wild Florida, less than an hour from downtown Orlando. The park is home to lots of alligators, crocodiles, snakes, a Florida panther, birds, and our favorite – goats. The park also has airboat rides on the nearby lake, the headwaters of the Everglades, as well as a drive-thru safari and unique animal experiences. We only did the gator park so that is what this review will cover.
Find a place to stay in Orlando, FL. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
Alligators and Crocs
Even though South Carolina has alligators, they (thankfully) aren’t located in the Upstate so I’m not too familiar with their characteristics and lifestyles. Wild Florida does a great job of educating their guests on all things gator and croc-related with boards around the park explaining different facts about them. There are also gator feedings twice a day and a place where you can feed smaller ones yourselves.
We got to see the exotic animal show when we went to Wild Florida, which was super interesting. The guide brought out a blue-tongued skink, a Burmese python, and an American alligator. The crowd loved learning about the animals and seeing them up close. Reptiles have lots of cool facts about them and seeing them up close like that was enjoyable for my kids, especially since they are homeschooled and we are learning about animals like these currently in our studies.
There are several enclosures throughout Wild Florida that house alligators, including two albino ones. You can walk over a wooden walkway to see tons of alligators right below you in the lagoon – terrifying and fascinating.
Birds, snakes, and lemurs
Wild Florida has several different snakes at the park like the copperhead, pygmy rattlesnake and even a King Cobra. They also have an enormous Burmese python, which are invasive species in the Everglades just a couple hours south. I love anything having to do with python hunters so seeing one up close was pretty neat.
They also have a neat aviary where you can walk through a bird enclosure and feed the birds from a stick (there’s a small fee to buy one). There are so many gorgeous birds in the aviary so walking through was quite the memorable experience.
Several lemurs are at the park, which my kids loved. They are pretty cute I have to say. Other exotic animals live at Wild Florida, many of which have been rescued or donated if their owners couldn’t care for them.
Petting Zoo
While my kids, ages 9 and 6, enjoyed all the animals at Wild Florida, the petting zoo was our favorite. The park allows you to walk into the big, fenced in space where there are lots of goats and even some baby goats! You can buy food to feed them or just go in and get happy playing with them.
Readers at Kidding Around Greenville know how obsessed we are with goats so this part of the park was especially awesome. The goats are very friendly and the babies were adorable. It was a lot of fun to play these animals.
There is also a small cow and large tortoise here plus some peacocks, although we didn’t see anyone trying to pet them.
Manageable Size
I thought the size of Wild Florida was not too big but also not too small, a very Goldilocks-esque kind of park . There is plenty to see and do plus an on-site restaurant and lots of areas to sit and enjoy a meal.
We spent around two hours there and would have spent more time except that it was brutally hot. The park had fans and mists everywhere but Florida heat can be oppressive so be sure to hydrate well when you’re there.
You can add on an airboat ride to your park ticket as well as the drive-thru safari.
If you want to take a break, there is a shaded playground near the alligator lagoon, which makes for a nice rest.
COVID-10 policies
In accordance with local regulations, masks are mandatory all throughout the park, both indoors and outdoors.
There are hand sanitizing stations all throughout the park.
Admission
Admission to the gator park alone is $10/adults (ages 13+) and $8/kids. Follow them on Facebook for special deals. When we went, they were doing a promotion where you got free admission if you donated canned goods to the park.
Wild Florida has several Animal Encounter packages for guests, most of which require kids to be at least 12 years old. You can see what they offer and prices here.
Airboat rides start at $30.50/adults and $27.50/kids. And the drive-thru safari is $29/adult and $20/child. You can also combine experiences with Adventure Packages and they do offer transportation from some parts of Florida.
The park is open daily from 9 am – 6 pm.
Wild Florida 3301 Lake Cypress Rd, Kenansville, FL 407.957.3135
Looking for something straight out of a fairy tale where you can see manatees, paddle a kayak, and go swimming in crystalline waters? Blue Spring State Park, less than an hour from Orlando, is the ideal place. Here’s what happened when KAG contributor Kristina took her kids for an adventure there.
You know when you see a photo of someplace that is just so unbelievably gorgeous that you save it on Facebook or Instagram or put it on a list you have of places that you must go to? I have a list like that and Blue Spring State Park has been on it for a bit. I think I found it through a kayaking group and right away, I knew I had to go.
So when I found myself spending some time in Florida, Blue Spring State Park was at the top of my list and this beautiful oasis with clear, spring water ended up being one of my family’s most fun adventures in the state for lots of reasons.
This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
Florida’s Natural Springs
My grandparents and dad’s family all lived in Florida so I ended up spending a significant amount of time there as a kid and teenager but we never explored that much, spending most of our trips on the Orlando area or at the beach.
So I didn’t have any knowledge whatsoever of these perfect, clear springs that dot Florida’s hot and humid landscape. There are several in the central part of the state and most are located within Florida’s state parks system.
The water is so clear because it’s filtered underground through limestone and is abundant in minerals that keep it so pristine (thank you big park educational boards that explained all this). Here is a list of other freshwater springs throughout Florida.
See Manatees
On a previous trip to Florida eons ago, I vaguely remember my parents taking my brothers and I to see manatees. I thought they were pretty neat, having had grown up in the Northeast, where we don’t have the big sea cow around.
Manatees, I learned from watching a YouTube video about them while waiting to get into the park, don’t have a lot of body fat so they need fairly warm water to survive, above 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The natural springs are 72 degrees year round so they migrate there every fall and stay till early spring.
Conservation efforts by Florida’s parks have significantly increased the protection of these gentle giants and their populations have grown. Swimming with them is prohibited.
I didn’t think we would see any manatees while there since we were a little bit early in the fall but surprise, we saw a couple of them! One swam right by us while we were canoeing and then another slipped by us while were tubing down the spring.
Manatees are super protected by the parks. A woman in a kayak followed the manatees everywhere and told people to basically get out of the way and let the manatee swim wherever it wanted. Her kayak even said “manatee observer”. Legit job.
Paddle the Spring
I love kayaking and decided this had to happen there. I went through Blue Spring Adventures to rent a three-person canoe, which was super sturdy and spacious. I am much more comfortable in a kayak but the only three-person option, which was my situation with my two small kids, ages 9 and 6. We rented a canoe for an hour and it worked out perfectly since it was the ideal amount of time to paddle the spring and head back without having the kids get bored.
Blue Spring Adventures also has guided kayak and canoe tours. They are located right inside the park and I thought their prices were very reasonable (we paid around $25 for the hour canoe rental for three people).
If you are planning on paddling through the spring, be sure to take the first time in the morning since they close that area from 11 am on since more people are swimming and tubing. You are required to wear life jackets, which come with your rental.
When paddling the spring, you are not allowed to get out of your boat or off your paddleboard and go for a swim.
The spring flows into the St. John’s River, where bigger boat nature tours are offered. We didn’t do that but the reviews online were very good.
Swimming in the Spring
The water is a little chilly but it does feel great on a hot day, which are pretty prevalent in sunny Florida. And you can see straight to the bottom, which is around 18 to 20 feet. There are a few platforms that are easily accessible. Kids are welcome to wear puddle jumpers or life vests and you can bring a tube or flotation device as long as it’s not larger than six feet.
Snorkeling and scuba diving are also permitted. I definitely wanted to snorkel after taking our tubes down the spring a bunch of times. It’s not far at all from the furthest drop in point till where you get out. You can walk down a beautiful boardwalk trail to get to that furthest point where you can swim or put in your tube.
If you don’t have a tube, you can rent one for $6 for the first hour, $3 for each additional hour.
Snorkeling seemed really fun. There are huge alligator gar fish (totally harmless) and some smaller fish that you can view just from looking in the water. I can’t even imagine how cool it would be to see them through snorkeling or scuba diving.
What about Gators?
OK, not gonna lie: I Googled the heck out of this topic. In Florida, you have to assume that alligators are present in any freshwater or brackish water springs, lagoons, ponds, etc. So yes, there are alligators there. We saw one in the lily pads while canoeing.
The park has signs that there are possibly alligators there when you go swimming but gators usually prefer warmer water and in general, are pretty shy and avoid people. This doesn’t mean I didn’t have my eyes peeled the entire time we were in the water!
Also, the park rangers walk the boardwalk that overlooks the spring and they are on the lookout for alligators and will close the swimming area if any are spotted. The last time someone was killed by an alligator at the spring was in 2015.
Need to Know
Blue Spring State Park is a popular park so you need to get there early, like before they open at 8 am. They will close when they reach capacity, which happens soon after opening. We got there at 7:30 am on a Saturday morning when we had the canoe rental reservation for 8:30 am. We didn’t make it there until 8:40 am with the long line and getting inside the park.
The ranger told me they let in around 140 cars before they close it. We were probably number 30 or 40 in line. So get there early.
So many people brought tents and coolers and we even saw an air bed. You can easily spend the day here and apparently that’s what people do. You can bring in food but they also sell hamburgers and hot dogs and other concessions.
Be sure to bring lots of sunscreen and bug spray. It’s Florida so there will be bugs and sun. Be prepared.
You can either buy your admission online or just pay when you get there. It’s $6 per car so certainly an affordable trip for a family.
Blue Spring State Park is an easy day trip from Orlando, where it’s a short 45 minute drive. It’s the same distance from the Daytona Beach area as well. If you’re in the area, a trip to Blue Spring State Park is an amazing adventure that your family won’t forget!
Visiting Florida and want to have an unforgettable gator experience? Then a day at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is a must-see. Media tickets were provided for this review.
I think alligators are pretty interesting and I adored Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, so checking out the St. Augustine Alligator Farm when I was in the area was certainly of interest. And I’m thrilled I got the chance to see it because it was truly nothing like I was expecting.
The zoo is one of the very oldest in the country, founded in 1893. They are accredited with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (which means you get a 50% discount on your tickets if you have a membership to another AZA zoo) and house 24 living species of crocodilians from the Americas, Australia, Asia, and Africa.
This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
Let’s Start with Lunch
My kids and I got to the zoo right before an alligator feeding, which I was pretty excited to see. I had seen videos of gator feedings, mostly from watching television with my kids (which I’m totally fine admitting so don’t be ashamed) but seeing it in person was a neat experience.
The alligator lagoon is an open air huge pit with sand, water, and a platform where the zookeeper stood with all the gator food. I had my kids count the gators in lagoon and they guessed around 25 alligators lived there. The zookeeper told the crowd there were 34 gators in all, most of them stealthily swimming towards the platform while others pushing their massive jaws against each other, knowing that food was on the horizon. What a sight.
These gators were fierce and seeing them up close was a tad scary but also thrilling. The zookeeper talked a little about the gators, what they eat, and how much meat they need to stay healthy and grow. It’s only about 80 pounds a year, which I thought was very low. That’s like us humans eating one sandwich a week.
We learned the differences between gators and crocs and then got to see a rat getting snatched up by the awaiting gators. The crowd may have let out a couple loud “eeewwwww” sounds.
So that was our introduction to the Alligator Farm. Then we were off to check out the rest of the zoo.
Land of the Crocodiles
The Alligator Farm has not only tons of alligators but a lot of crocodiles as well and they are some funky looking creatures. Some of them are small and others are massive but others really catch your eye with their long and skinny snouts and razor sharp teeth that are equally terrifying and fascinating.
There are several educational stations throughout the park where visitors can learn about the lives of the animals that live there. And the park also has other reptiles like snakes and lizards as well as tropical birds and sloths.
If you’re homeschooling, this is a great trip to make if you’re in the St. Augustine area. The zoo also has dedicated homeschooling days, which are geared towards education and entertainment for school-aged kids.
The animals are grouped into regions such as Africa and Egypt. We loved the Egyptian area as my kids are currently learning about Ancient Egypt. They were able to see hieroglyphs and pictures of the Egyptian gods. And the exhibit that houses terrifying Gaboon vipers is awesome – it is a sandy bottomed glass box that has a replica of the Ark of the Covenant and weaved baskets. Information about the Nile River and a crocodile is right behind a glass wall – we got stuck in a typical Florida rainshower under the overhang in that part of the park and saw the croc in the water, which then disappeared. He reappeared right next to my youngest, who was standing at the glass wall. I was never more happy for glass.
Kids Zone
I loved the small kids area next to the funny looking birds. It’s geared for kids ages 3-12 and has shaded areas for sitting, slides, a rope climbing web, and a small climbing wall. It’s perfect for taking a rest while walking around the zoo.
Next door to the kids play area is the concession stand, which has lots of typical American cuisine like burgers and hot dogs. Definitely try their gourmet popsicles, which are made locally and are delicious.
Walking Across the Gator Trail and Zip Lining
While you can watch the zookeeper feed the alligators, you can also do so yourself if you dare while walking over the wooden trail that is suspended over a huge lagoon with alligators everywhere you look. Bring some quarters to get the gator treats and throw them overboard.
And sure, your kids may be short and have to look through the posts down below but don’t pick them up or carry them on your shoulders. Bad idea. They can see the gators below snapping for the treats.
For those brave souls who want to zip line over the actual croc and gator enclosures, the park allows you to fulfill your daredevil dreams. While we were waiting for the alligator feeding, we heard some zipping noises and looked up – sure enough, people were on a zip line right over the 34 alligators in front of us. This also includes a ropes course over crocodiles. Prices are between $37 – $67 and all participants must be taller than 52 inches, at least 8 years of age, and under 250 pounds
Visiting the Park
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is open year round from 9 am – 5 pm (closing is at 6 pm over the summer). Adult admission is $27.99 and kids (3-11) are $16.99. They offer a 10% discount to AAA members, military, and senior citizens and you can print out a $1 off coupon at their website.
And since the zoo is accredited with the AZA (if you have a Greenville Zoo or WNC Nature Center membership, you have an AZA-accredited membership), when you show your pass, you get a 50% discount for up to six people.
Hand sanitizing stations are all over the park and masks must be worn indoors. There are only a few indoor exhibits. Everything else is outdoors.
Plan to spend at least a couple hours at the zoo. There is a lot to see and it’s very educational and enjoyable. My kids and I had a blast during our time at the zoo and hope to go back the next time we are in the area.
St. Augustine is under two hours from Orlando, Florida and about six hours and fifteen minutes from Greenville. There are a lot of other incredible attractions in St. Augustine such as their old town area and Castillo de San Marcos, a fort right on the water, so a day trip from Orlando would be a wonderful family adventure or a long weekend from Greenville!
St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park 999 Anastasia Blvd. St. Augustine, FL 32080 904.824.3337 https://www.alligatorfarm.com/
Would you love to visit the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoo?
If there ever was an hour for some time away from daily life and for moms to bond with their daughters without the pressure of eLearning, technology crashes, work frustrations, and a world turned upside down, this is it. Enter the Princess Palace, an upscale salon and event space decked out in cotton candy pink that is solely for the purposes of moms (or grandmas or aunts) connecting with and enjoying time with their daughters.
AUGUST 2022 UPDATE: The Princess Palace is temporarily closed as they are moving to a new location. We’ll update when they reopen.
Dreaming of a Princess Palace
Farrah Owens has a lot on her plate already as she is a mother and runs a home healthcare business. But when she was doing her nails with her daughters one day, they asked to go to a salon for some special time together. Hmm, where would they go?
While there are nail salons in the Greenville area that have one or two chairs for kids, none are designed specifically for Mommy & Me spa days the way Farrah envisioned.
Farrah decided to change that. She envisioned creating a relaxing, one-of-a-kind salon complete with plush pink and white pillows, actual chairs that look straight out of a fairy tale castle and fit for a queen, comfortable robes, and of course, princess punch and tiaras.
She told me she really wanted to create a space where “little girls can be little girls” and be pampered and be treated like royalty for a day.
Dreams do come true.
Salon Services & Events
The Princess Palace offers manicures, pedicures, and mini-makeup sessions. Mini-manicures start at $12, mini-pedicures at $20, and various VIP packages with all the royal amenities like a wand, tiara, princess punch, and plush robe, go up to $85, which covers two people. Pricing is available at this link.
The palace is designed primarily as an entertainment and pampering facility so they do not have acrylics and gel services but offer the highest quality products for mani-pedis. You know you’re in for a fun and relaxing time at the five star Princess Palace.
They also have a large event space where parents can opt for a spa-themed party for their own little princesses. One of the options include lots of dress-up costumes and a mini-runway fashion show. Can you hear the little girls squealing already?
Farrah also designed a relaxation room with dim lighting, a salt lamp, and fluffy pillows where moms and their daughters can hang out and read a princess book or receive a mini-facial. The facials for the little girls are even edible, which I had no idea existed before. Farrah stressed to me that the salon is very much geared towards little girls but also pampers moms too. But I do want an edible facial.
“I wanted to bring something fun to the Upstate”, said Farrah. “After a long week of stress, we want moms, and grandmoms, to come in with their daughters and have fun together.”
The Princess Palace is geared towards young girls ages 4 through 16 and their moms and grandmas.
Being a salon service and entertainment venue, The Princess Palace is already taking great care in cleaning and disinfecting procedures. There is no mask policy in place but guests are certainly free to wear them if they like and employees will be wearing them.
The Princess Palace takes both appointments and walk-ins. Make your reservation here.
If you love dolphins and nature and are planning a trip to see the vanishing island in Hilton Head Island, exploring the salt marshes and trying to find dolphins with Island Explorer is the way to go. This story reviews three of Island Explorer’s dolphin cruises out of Hilton Head. Some of those trips were granted as media tickets so we could tell our readers all about these neat experiences.All opinions here are our own.
Find a place to stay in Hilton Head. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
The other passengers in our boat all gasped when we caught sight of the first dolphin off of Hilton Head Island on the gorgeous South Carolina coast. Growing up with a love of dolphins, I was right with them, grabbing my camera to capture the beautiful creatures in their natural environment.
My two young kids and I were guests of Island Explorer, led by Captain Jim, who was the very first person to open a water sports company on the island 20 years ago. He started Island Explorer with just a raft and a love of showing visitors the vast diversity of ocean life right off the dock in the salt marshes.
The boat we were on was custom-made – Island Explorer has three of them – that was designed for comfort and maximum viewing capabilities of dolphins. It also conforms to US Coast certifications and fits up to 12 passengers. The summer is the company’s busiest time of year for obvious reasons, although they operate from March through Thanksgiving.
Let’s See Some Dolphins
The first time we did a tour with Island Explorer, we enjoyed the one-hour tour of the salt marsh, which Jim describes as a “nursery for ocean life.” I immediately understood this as I had taken my young daughters the evening before to a boardwalk overlooking another salt marsh where fishermen were only catching baby black tip sharks (and throwing them back). Captain Jim described this fertile environment as perfect for the smaller sea life just trying to make their way.
The cool thing is that the tours often take guests during low tide because it’s the best chance to see dolphins – for the reason that the fish have less places to hide from the dolphins and it’s prime feeding time. I love nerdy information like that.
As we watched the dolphins swim close to the boat, I wondered if Island Explorer has ever taken guests out and not seen dolphins. Nope. They always see them, to the delight of everyone on board.
Another cool thing I loved was that the boat allows guests to bring snacks and drinks. If you have young kids, snacks are essential. They are probably more important than water. My kids loved an extended snack time plus dolphin watching. Big win.
Vanishing Island Tour
I had my eye on this tour for over a year so when I had the chance to go, there was no hesitation. The Vanishing Island tour with Island Explorer is a three-hour expedition that takes guests to an island that is only visible during low tide where they can hunt for sand dollars and cool shells.
Vanishing Island is just past Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island, the last island in South Carolina, and is a wide expanse of sand. You can only get there by boat but when it’s high tide, it disappears. It feels like you’re out in the ocean walking on water! Because of the currents and tides, sand dollars are aplenty here, much more so than you’ll ever find on the beach. Island Explorer gives you a bag when you board the boat so you can grab as many interesting items from the island as you like.
We found tons of beautiful sand dollars and pretty shells. My kids were in heaven. We were able to spend over an hour on the island and wandering to other parts of the island through shallow waters. It was a unique experience.
Since the tour goes through the same salt marshes as the other dolphin tours, you get to see dolphins! We got really lucky and saw them doing a unique feeding behavior where they splash their tails really hard in the water to stun the fish and then gobble them up. I only heard about this but had never seen it. I really love dolphins and seeing them in the wild doing their cool things was amazing.
Bring plenty of sunscreen and water since it’s really hot and the summer sun is relentless.
Sunset Dolphin Cruise
The last trip I did with Island Explorer was actually with co-workers – so no kids aboard this time. We had a lot of fun! The trip goes out in the early evening on Broad Creek with plenty of time for dolphin sightseeing and viewing the sunset over the sound.
Guests are welcome to bring aboard snacks and adult beverages if they like. For our sunset cruise, the sky was overcast and far away near the horizon we could see clouds start to gather as we started out of the creek area and past the oyster beds. But our captain was in control and happy to slow the boat down when we spotted our first dolphin near one of the oyster beds, which he told us plenty of information about. He fielded all our questions with ease as he guided the boat out to the waters surrounding Daufuskie Island.
I really want to go to that island, like badly. I was trying to convince him to drop me off for a bit. I wasn’t successful (maybe next time!). Our captain spotted a pod of dolphins near the island and we headed in that direction, which also happened to be in the direction of storm clouds that looked like the alien spaceships of the movie Independence Day. It was pretty cool I have to say. Scary, but neat.
No worries though as our captain was watching the radar – and the dolphins – and checking in with the other boats out in the same area. We decided to turn back at this point for safety and I figured our chances of actually seeing the sunset were pretty slim. I was wrong.
Somehow the dark clouds never reached us. In fact, they parted just enough so we could see the brilliant reds and oranges of the setting sun. It was spectacular. The beauty of the sunset over Broad Creek was stunning. We spotted a few more dolphins on our way back to the dock and really didn’t want to leave.
This cruise was fantastic. One of the better parts of it was that the sun wasn’t beating down on you since it’s much later in the day. It’s a relaxed, but very enjoyable adventure. Kids are welcome on this cruise but if you’d like a date night while on the island, this is the way to go.
Trips
Island Explorer has several trips you can choose from to watch dolphins and explore nature.
There are several tours to choose from. After the pandemic, Island Explorer changed their pricing and business model to focus more on private, chartered tours. However, there are cruises, like the Sunset Dolphin Cruise, where you can still pay by person.
Ready to See Dolphins?
Book a tour now for your Lowcountry trip because summer is the busy season for Island Explorer. The company has won multiple travel awards for their exceptional experiences for guests, and ours was no different. They are top-notch operation and I would choose them again in a heartbeat!
The lazy days of summer are right around the corner. That means lots of time at the neighborhood pool, heading to the beach, or checking out local swimming holes. But as a parent, the fun times around water are a little more stressful because accidents in the water are more common than need to be.
This post is sponsored by YMCA of Greenville.
Every year during warmer months, we hear tragic stories about accidental drownings involving children. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children 1-14, but formal swimming lessons can reduce that risk by 88%. The YMCA of Greenville is committed to reducing the rates of drowning by providing water safety and swimming lessons to as many members of our community as possible.
With that commitment in mind, the YMCA of Greenville has partnered with Upstate Pool Management and Clarity Pool Management to offer a week of free water safety classes over spring break to help kids learn to swim and be more comfortable in the water. Water Safety Week, which runs April 13-17, 2020, also teaches parents what to do to prevent drowning accidents and how to keep a careful eye on the little ones around water.
Trained and certified instructors teach participants basic comfort and survival swimming skills while working toward building confidence around water. While lessons focus on safety, they are also a great time for children to have fun and be active.
Classes will be held at:
Caine Halter Family YMCA in downtown Greenville
Eastside Family YMCA in Taylors
YPC Program Center in Simpsonville
Morning and afternoon sessions are available, but spaces are limited for the free classes so be sure to register online. You don’t even have to be a member of the YMCA.
Have you heard of Pelvic Floor Therapy? This form of physical therapy address pelvic floor disorders, including those that occur from pregnancy and child birth. Kidding Around’s Kristina went to pelvic floor therapy at Zoan Physical Therapy and learned all about how this kind of therapy is helping women. Read on to find out what to expect at a pelvic floor therapy session.
Kayla Blood, a 29-year-old mom who lives in Louisiana, is fierce. She was in the Louisiana National Guard for six years and now drives a huge Monster Truck called Soldier Fortune on weekends. Oh, and she competes against her husband, Blake Granger, who drives Maximum Destruction in Monster Jam Triple Threat Series®.
Kayla is nothing but ordinary yet deals with the same challenges that most of us moms face just trying to do our best for our kids and family. She’s had to overcome vast obstacles to get where she is now, choosing to never let an opportunity pass her by where she didn’t make the most of it. Now she’s the first female National Guard veteran driver for Monster Jam, crashing through the glass ceiling with Solider Fortune.
Photo courtesy of Monster Jam
You can cheer for Kayla at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena at the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series® shows on Friday, February 7th at 7 pm and Saturday, February 8th at 1 pm and 7 pm. We got a chance to chat with her about her son, how she got started as a Monster Truck driver, and what it feels like to leave all the boys in the dust.
Kidding Around Greenville:How did you start your career as a Monster Truck driver?
Kayla Blood: Before Monster Jam, I raced ATVs competitively. My husband and I were asked to do Quad Wars during a local Monster Jam show, which we just did for the fun of it. After doing New Orleans Monster Jam, I got a phone call from one of the guys that got the Quad Wars together and asked for the redhead who drove the ATV. They were looking for people who were athletically fit and capable who could compete. I fit that bracket! I trained at Monster Jam University in Illinois for about six months, learning every aspect of the Monster Jam Triple Threat show from driving to media training to gym training.
KAG: Tell us about your son. What does he think of your career? Does he come with you to shows?
Kayla: Austin is 7-years-old and I have a 9-year-old stepdaughter, Riley. They love coming to the show and it’s a definite plus when they come. Sometimes shows don’t go the way you want but it’s so nice to have their hugs and kisses. Learning the balance being away from them is hard. When I’m home, my kids are my focus. Austin is really humble so it’s almost like he’s just shy about what I do. I’m the same way and like to fly under the radar.
KAG: What’s it like being a mom while working for Monster Jam?
Kayla: It’s hard to balance – from being in a show trying to whoop these boys to transitioning to mom mode. My husband is on tour with me all year [Blake Granger who drives Maximum Destruction] and his mom is our saving grace at home. Between her and his sister, they help us so much while we are on tour.
Photo courtesy of Monster Jam
KAG: Wow, your husband is a driver, too! What’s the dynamic like of competing against him?
Kayla: I’m the only female on the floor and I want the guys to treat me equally. I want to win fair and square. There are times when Blake and I have gone head-to-head and I’ve beat him. I love it. It doesn’t happen often but when it does, it feels great. When it comes to ATVs, he’s ridden them all his life and usually leaves all of us in the dust. It makes me so mad!
Going into the Washington, DC competition we were tied in points and it was so much pressure. It was a tough weekend and now I’m in third place but not far behind. I plan on giving everything I have in Greenville. He’s standing in the way of a champion. He better get out of the way.
KAG: Were you ever deployed when you were in the Louisiana National Guard?
Kayla: I was in the Louisiana National Guard for six years and worked full-time in Force Protection, which is like military police. Then I did administrative work for my colonel. My unit had orders to deploy to Afghanistan – which is when I found out I was pregnant with my son so I couldn’t go. I wanted to do a tour but I’m so blessed with my son and everything I learned from that experience literally led me to the next one.
KAG: How do you drive normally? Are you aggressive and think you’re driving your truck and wonder why people don’t get out of the way?
Kayla: After driving my Monster Truck all weekend and coming home and getting into my car, I have to tell myself to be gentle. I can’t go all over and hit things! It’s definitely a transition. My husband says he gets so sick driving with me.
KAG: What do you hope some little girl watching you at the show takes home from the experience?
Kayla: I had to grow up at a young age and if I wanted to make anything of myself, I had to do it myself. Anything worth having in life isn’t going to be given to you – you’ll have to work for it. When you do that, you have to put yourself out there and you’ll fail. But everything that goes bad, it’s teaching you a lesson.
I was a track star in high school and went to college on a track scholarship out of state and it just didn’t work out for me. I got depressed and down on myself. I thought I was going to be this Olympic track star and it didn’t happen. When I was down, I got up and decided to join the military and do something with my life. So that’s what I did; I went to the recruiting office and before I knew it, I was in boot camp and going through crazy and amazing things that made me into the person I am now. I didn’t want to skip a beat in life, I wanted to take advantage of everything that came my way.
Never give up. When you’re a mom and working and taking care of your family, you’re doing enough. Don’t ever feel like you’re stuck – you can do something about it. Anything is possible.
Want to go to the show?
Want to see Kayla drive Soldier Fortune in Greenville? Grab tickets to the Monster Jam shows in Greenville here or at the Bon Secours Wellness Center Box Office.
Shows are at 7 pm on Friday, February 7th and at 1 pm and 7 pm on Saturday, February 8th. Tickets start at $15. The Pit Party is on Saturday from 10:30 am – Noon and costs $15.
Do you have a child at home who loves trains? If you haven’t been to the huge train show at the Mauldin Cultural Center, put it on your calendar for mid-September. This FREE event is a must-see and must-do train spectacular you’re going to love!
NOTE: Because of COVID-19, this train show at the Mauldin Cultural Center has been postponed.They may do it in the Spring of 2022 to check back here!
