Do you know a special needs child or adult who could benefit from a unique friendship? Did you know that the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center offers an Equine Therapy program only 40 minutes from the Upstate? The program works with children and adults who have autism and other physical, cognitive, and emotional disorders, giving them a beneficial activity to engage in. We have information about their therapeutic riding program and the cost of lessons, so you can get your little one into their program as quickly as possible.
The FENCE equestrian center is just over the state line in Tryon, North Carolina, and under 40 minutes from most of Spartanburg. We have all the information you’ll need to see why the drive could make a world of difference in a child’s life.
For over fifty years, horses have been used as a source of therapy for people with disabilities. The relationship built between the rider and the horse, helps those with disabilities lead fuller, more satisfying lives.
About TROT at Foothills Equestrian Nature Center
At the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE), they’ve been offering TROT for over 18 years. Therapeutic Riding of Tryon offers lessons in small classes and individual classes. Each rider is accompanied by three volunteers to help guide the horse and as side walkers for safety.
Classes are available for children and adults and strictly follow the standards of PATH, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International. Individuals in the North Carolina counties of Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford are welcome at TROT. South Carolina counties of Spartanburg and Greenville are also welcome in the program.
Benefits of Equine Therapy
Equine-type therapy is beneficial to so many. Horses provide a non-judgmental relationship in a rider’s life. It doesn’t take much to fall in love with these horses. Some of the challenges that can be eased by the companionship gained through the classes at TROT are eating disorders, PTSD, Autism, ADD, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, and more.
Equine Therapy Course Information
The weekly therapeutic riding courses utilize specially trained horses and each rider has volunteers supporting them before and during the lesson. Typically, three volunteers are assigned to each rider to ensure their safety.
These courses are based on the needs of each student. They teach riders to do everything that goes along with riding a horse from start to finish. Each student spends hands-on time with the horse before each class grooming and learning how to saddle the horse. After each lesson, students help remove the saddle, clean their horses, and offer treats.
Courses are about thirty minutes in length and are encouraged to be taken weekly. You can choose to join one of two riding seasons TROT offers in ten-week blocks – March and early June, and another between September and early December.
For those who are unable to ride astride a horse, TROT also offers an unmounted course. These courses include caring for the horse and learning how it communicates, basic horsemanship, and relating the horse’s behavior to humans. The unmounted courses are typically an hour long.
Pricing of TROT
TROT currently charges $250 for a 10-lesson mounted session and $100 for a 10-lesson unmounted session. Financial assistance in the form of a “ridership” is available for those in need who meet certain criteria.
The peaceful surroundings at FENCE only lend to the therapeutic effects that the horses have. These majestic creatures are just waiting to help people feel better. For a child or adult struggling with an emotional or physical challenge – the victory of learning to care for, and/or ride a horse is life-changing.
Check out Foothills Equestrian Nature Center
3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC 828.859.9021 Visit the FENCE website.
Have you noticed that murals are gracing the walls of buildings all over the Upstate? We’ve listed out where you can find Greenville, SC murals (and more mural locations in the Upstate). Make an afternoon out of it and go on an Upstate Mural Driving Tour!
We’ve put together six driving tours of murals in Greenville, Travelers Rest, and Spartanburg. You can combine routes as well if you’re in the same area (Google won’t let us add more than ten destinations to each route).
Special thanks to reader Amanda for letting us use one of the photos she took during her driving tour with her family (where they got milkshakes for extra fun during this current coronavirus crisis).
Only a true lover of the paranormal would be searching for “Haunted places to stay near me”, and we have the list for you! These haunted vacation rentals, cabins, and historic hotels come along with eery legends, ghost stories, and creepy vibes. We have haunted places to stay in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia that will make for a memorable night full of ghost stories and creepy sounds. Plus, some pretty neat ghost tours in hub cities for spooky activity, like Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, SC!
Kidding Around earns when you book through some of the links on this page due to an affiliate relationship with Stay 22.
Haunted Places to Stay Near Me: South Carolina
Halloween is coming up. If excitement and adventures are more suited to your family than cartoon character costumes and mountains of candy, perhaps a weekend stay at one of these (allegedly) haunted accommodations is perfect!
Annie’s Inn was once a hospital, and the main ghost of the residence is one of a little girl who roams the halls looking for her mother. People have reported hearing the girl’s voice calling for her mother, only to see no one there.
Embassy Suites – Greenville, South Carolina The Embassy Suites hotel is new, and while there have been no ghost sightings, there have been other unusual events. Usually, hauntings are associated with older buildings; however, bizarre things are going on in the hotel.
During construction, the builders of the hotel claim reports of lights coming on despite the electricity not being wired yet. This phenomenon of unexplained lights continues, and guests report hearing the wailing coming from the walls.
The resident spirit, Nancy, will separate the believers and the skeptics. Is that the sound of her crying or just the breaking of the floorboards beneath your feet? Only one way to find out.
Regardless of what happens, you’re in for a memorable Halloween when you stay at the 3,500-square-foot lodge situated far away from noisy trick-or-treating. Plus, you’ll be staying where US President Lyndon B Johnson once stayed.
A luxury hotel dating back to 1925, reports of hauntings include an elderly man appearing unannounced in guest rooms before vanishing, and a ghost peering out of windows on the third floor. Who is he? Book a stay at the Westin Poinsett this Halloween and see if you can find out.
Reportedly the home of 2 ghostly figures, guests say you may run into a ghost named Abraham on the ground floor. The second figure is an unnamed Scottsman reportedly seen on the main staircase. How do they know the second ghost is from Scotland? Or that the first ghost’s name is Abraham?
Perhaps you’d better book a room this Halloween and ask them yourself. Hopefully, he is a friendly ghost!
A heartbroken man is the ghost of this Charleston hotel. He lept to his death when his love story didn’t work out the way he’d planned. Rumor has it he likes to open windows in the hotel and is sometimes seen as a crying ghostly figure in the hall. Be sure to check out White Point Gardens, just an 8-minute drive from the Francis Marion Hotel, for the chance to see a pirate ghost!
The Embassy Suites in Charleston’s historic district off of Meeting Street is designated as a Civil War monument. As one of the most well-known haunted hotels in Charleston, SC, it’s easy to see why.
It is said to be frequented by ghosts of former soldiers, who feel entitled to the hotel’s many amenities including corner suites with jacuzzi tubs.
If you’ve lived in the Carolinas long enough, you will have heard of the Gray Man. It’s said that if you see the apparition of a man when a hurricane is approaching, take heed and evacuate immediately. The legend indicates that those who listen and leave usually have all of their worldly possessions spared from the storm. The Gray man frequents the Inn area and has saved the property from two major hurricanes when others weren’t as lucky.
Pawley’s Island
While in Charleston, SC, be sure to check out the Haunted Harbor Tours with Sandlapper Water Tours! The guy who runs Sandlapper Water Tours literally wrote several books on ghosts of Charleston, so you have a true expert.
Haunted Places to Stay Near Me: Tennessee
While some places seem to be more haunted than others, Tennessee seems to have a good bit of spooky hotels thanks to gore, war, and tragedy. If you are looking for a weekend away, here are some one-tank trip destinations in Tennessee that you can enjoy the weekend exploring.
This historic hotel hid a delightful surprise that we discovered after our arrival. Read our review for all the details about the Read House haunted hotel and our time in Chattanooga. One of our writers stayed at the Read House, and they even got to visit the haunted room 311 and learn about the murder that occurred there. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones to stay in room 311 yourself!
There is no shortage of ghost stories in Chattanooga! You can take a self-guided tour to the locations listed as some of Chattanooga’s Most Haunted Places.
Georgia has the old South vibe, and with that vibe comes tales of swamp ghosts, haunted hotels, Civil War-era apparitions, and more! You will also find haunted ghost tours in Savannah and Atlanta that we highly recommend.
Tales of hauntings abound at the Marshall House, formerly a hospital during the Civil War and through yellow fever epidemics. Widely recognized as a haunted place, it’s featured on haunted tours of Savannah and even on haunted travel-themed shows on the Travel Channel.
This quaint 1,000-square-foot cottage that dates to 1799 served as a filming location for Robert Redford’s 2010 crime drama, “The Conspirator.” The former resident, Laura, who called the cottage home for 50 years, is often blamed for unexplained events. People report seeing the opening and shutting of windows, flickering of lights, and the smell of burning wood without fire lit or an obvious source. Maybe the ghost of a southern belle will show up.
Are you looking for more spirited fun on your trip? Book a tour provided by local experts for the perfect weekend.
Fraidy Cat Haunted History & Ghost Walk – Savannah, GA Join a fun, spooky family-friendly stroll through gorgeous Savannah. Always fact-based, using first-hand historical accounts, you will hear details of the creepy locations and fascinating ghosts that make Savanah the most haunted city in the US. Discover Savannah’s many secrets, stroll creepy parks, view haunted antebellum mansions, and find Savannah’s hidden burial grounds – places few locals know about or ever see.
Learn why Savannah is haunted, about our most famous ghosts, and our curious history.
They offer smaller tour sizes for a more friendly, intimate experience.
Formerly the Winecoff Hotel, this was the site of the deadliest hotel fire in US history. Like the famous “Unsinkable” Titanic, this hotel was branded as fireproof when built-in 1913. However, nearly every feature of the hotel lent itself to feeding the flames or trapping people. Over 100 people, including the original owners, died that day.
Current day guests report seeing terrified apparitions running through the halls, screaming, and the fire alarm all going off at around the time the fire broke out that day in 1946.
Experience an evening of chills & thrills on Stillwell’s From the Grave and Beyond Haunted Tour. Guests will participate for 1 hour at The Historic Stillwell House. The tour will engage guests with information about the house, including its original homeowners, history as a Civil War hospital, and the spooky personal experiences of many who have walked through its doors.
The Stillwell House is also a bed and breakfast and rooms can be booked.
Heading to Georgia? Here’s our Travel Guide to Georgia. It’s full of things to do, towns to explore, and not-to-miss adventures to help you plan your trip.
Have you visited Folly Beach, SC?No matter what kind of beach trip you are looking for, you can find it on the barrier islands of Charleston, South Carolina. Folly Beach is your best bet for the perfect mix of relaxing beaches and spots to dine. Folly Island is 18 square miles of sand and sun and offers a beach town vibe just 20 minutes from the tourist attractions of Charleston.
If you are looking for a place to have some fun, get some phys-ed time for your home-based learners, or just a place to squeeze in a date night – we’ve found a place for you.
3’s Greenville Golf & Grill is conveniently located just south of Downtown Greenville, and we went to check out this family-friendly golf course.
Are you looking for a way to sneak in a trip to the South Carolina coast with the kids, while also working in some educational content? There are so many opportunities for educational things to do in Charleston, SC! We’re sharing our recent educational trip to Charleston, SC with you just in case you want to explore, learn, and expand your knowledge, too.
Charleston is so rich with opportunities for learning. You, the parent might even learn some fun things along the way.
Like did you know a famous poet called one of the barrier islands home for a short time, prior to his fame?
You might know that the Civil War started in Charleston Harbor, but did you know what started it?
Did you know that there is a certain behavior that the dolphin pods that reside in Charleston Harbor teach their young, that isn’t seen anywhere else?
See right there we covered language arts, history and science. That’s just a drop in the bucket of the things you can discover in Charleston, not to mention getting to relax in a beautiful setting.
For more things to see and do while in Charleston, check out our huge Guide To Charleston, SC.
Accommodations for this trip were generously provided by The Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant. All opinions are my own, honest and genuine.
Educational Things to Do in Charleston, SC
Here are some of the fun educational things we found in in Charleston, SC:
The Young Soldier Stationed At Fort Moultrie
Subjects: Language Arts and History
On May 26th a young man enlisted in the Army, unable to afford the last three years of university and left without options. He lied about his age and his name and after just two short years of a five year term, he “hired” someone to complete his term.
That young man’s name was Edgar Allan Poe, and evidence of his short stay on Sullivan’s Island is all around you when you visit. If you are very clever, you can slip some Poe related math into your lesson.
Poe was a huge fan of ciphers, and your kids probably will be too! The “Gold Bug” was inspired by his time on Sullivan’s Island and involves a treasure hunt.
While you’re visiting Sullivan’s Island and Fort Moultrie, go behind the visitors’ center. There you will find a small black bench. Have a seat. That bench was placed there as a place to memorialize the history of enslaved Africans, and a place for people to reflect. When seated on “The Bench By The Road”, the first of many to have been placed since 2008, you’ll be looking out onto the water where most enslaved people entered this country.
This provides you with a great opportunity to talk to children about what it must have felt like to be brought to a foreign land, and how they would feel.
There are endless opportunities around Charleston to learn about slavery. One of my favorite “hands-on” opportunities is on Philadelphia Alley in the historic district. You and your children can stroll this brick-paved alley and find the handprints left behind by the slaves that formed the bricks at local plantations. Those bricks can also be found in the buildings at the local plantations, like Boone Hall Plantation.
The Unique Dolphins Of Charleston Harbor
Subject: Science
There are so many different things that are different ecologically in the Low Country from what we have around us in the Upstate. I love that in just a few hours we can go from a mountain ecosystem to a coastal one. This provides our children with so many opportunities to learn about the environment!
As a volunteer with a research laboratory in Florida while in college, I sat next to a Loggerhead Sea Turtle nest as it unexpectedly erupted. If I could somehow provide everyone on the planet with that magical experience I would. The next best thing is learning about them from afar, and maybe if you time your trip to the coast right, you could have a once in a lifetime sea turtle experience, too.
A more common sight off the shores of Charleston are the pods of wild dolphins that call these waters home. But these aren’t just any dolphins, they are so unique that they have been the subject of research studies. No one knows why, but the dolphins that are native to this area do something called strand-feeding.
Learning Opportunities
Read all about strand-feeding along the South Carolina Coast.
There is a good deal of eco-tours that will take you around the harbor and some will even have an ecology expert on board. We recently took an eco-tour with Sandlapper Tours and would recommend it as a safe option to learn about the ecology of the coastal waters.
Another option for aquatic study while in Charleston is a visit to the South Carolina Aquarium. You can use a virtual aquarium field trip, or go in person and then do the activities found online. The Aquarium is a great way to learn about the ecology of our state!
Home Away From Homeschool
Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant
The Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant generously provided us with a home-away-from-homeschool for this article and we loved our time there. Schoolwork is hard work, and it’s nice to have a place you feel safe to kick back and relax afterward. The hotel has an on-site restaurant, a huge outdoor pool deck, and heightened cleaning protocols.
Eliza’s Bar + Kitchenhas delicious options for any meal of the day. The kids loved having chocolate chip Belgian waffles for breakfast! My favorite was the wedge salad at dinner, make sure you get the ranch dressing. The rooms also include a properly functioning mini-fridge. Something we find essential when traveling because there are always leftovers!
For those traveling with pets, The Hotel Indigo is pet-friendly too! There are several great travel packages that include meals, pet stays, and more on the Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant website
We love staying in Mount Pleasant because it’s centrally located. The Hotel Indigo is just a short drive across the Ravenel Bridge to the downtown area, and you don’t have to pay downtown parking prices, in fact, parking here is totally free!
Travel Times to Popular Destinations from Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant :
Patriots Point – 3 minutes
The South Carolina Aquarium – 9 minutes
Sullivan’s Island – 10 minutes
Historic Charleston – 11 minutes
Isle Of Palms – 14 minutes
Folly Beach – 24 minutes
Kiawah Island – 58 minutes
Have you found an awesome way to work homeschooling or an educational aspect into a trip to Charleston? We’d love to know in the comments!
Thinking about trying Urban Wren in Downtown Greenville? This Greenville restaurant consistently gets rave reviews from locals! For multiple years in a row, they garnered multiple “Best Of The Best” wins locally. So we wondered, what is everyone ordering when they eat at Urban Wren? We thought you might be wondering too. So we asked Kidding Around readers what they recommend off the menu at Urban Wren.
The menu changes frequently, so be sure to check the Urban Wren website for updated menu options.
Photo Credit: Dee Dee Cobble Miller | Paper Bag Salad
Have you the food from the Yum Bai SC food truck in Greenville, SC? Unfortunately, there aren’t very many places, if any, in the Upstate where you can find Vietnamese and Korean food separately. However, now thanks to Yum Bai SC, you can find both in the form of Asian fusion street-style cuisine all over Greenville and Spartanburg in South Carolina! This food truck continues to see a lot of positive feedback from patrons! If you haven’t caught them around town yet, we have all the info to make your mouth water and get you seeking this bright orange food truck out!
Have you enjoyed a meal at Aryana in Grenville, SC? Local diners and visitors to Greenville, South Carolina can enjoy an authentic Afghani meal at Aryana! Food from Afghanistan isn’t something you come across on a regular basis, but we are lucky to have our own source right here in the Upstate! If you haven’t been yet, we’re going to share info about the menu, and everything you need to know to plan your own trip to this corner of the world via Aryana Afghan restaurant in downtown Greenville!
TheSpartanburg County Public Library offers some really cool crafting resources you may not be aware of yet. one of which is the SPARK Space. This unbelievable resource offers tons of classes and machines any crafter out there is going to want to know about! With over 20 specialized crafting machines to use for FREE or super cheap, the SPARK Space is a valuable resource for all crafters and makers.
Have you ever wished you owned one of those cool home die-cutting machines you see used all over Pinterest? Or have you wished you had an embroidery machine, so you could monogram your entire wardrobe? Well, maybe not your entire wardrobe… just most of it.
Well, guess what? All those items and more can be yours to use for the low, low cost of a library card!
What is The SPARK Space?
Teenage and adult patrons of the Spartanburg library system are lucky because they have access to something called the SPARK Space. This unique program gives patrons the opportunity to learn about and use die-cutting machines, embroidery machines, sewing machines, a green screen studio, VHS transfer system, and more! Not to mention several 3D printers that are available to produce small items for only a small fee.
This program also offers arts and crafts classes that only cost a small registration fee or are completely free. A few of the classes offered include canvas painting, tile mosaic art, tie dye, knitting, and floral design, just to name a few. Most of these classes teach the same things that, away from the library a person would pay ten times more to learn, with the added benefit that the library always supplies the needed materials, so all you need to do is show up.
Christina Fuller-Gregory, former Makerspace Librarian at the headquarters library, had this to share with me about the facility – “The Spark Space specializes in both high-tech and low-tech making. We wanted to build a space where both the crafty DIY-er and the techie have equipment and tools that they can use to create. We support making by offering a monthly programs in a variety of interest areas (Photoshop, Illustrator, sewing classes, How-Tuesdays, etc.). While we are an age-restricted space (12 and older) we offer programs for our young makers … These programs have an emphasis on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) but we use creativity to make learning fun.”
Take The SPARK Space home
If you don’t have the time to craft away from home, but would still like to give a new hobby a test drive, the make-away kits are just for you. These kits include different kinds of crafting sets that can be checked out for weeks at a time and used at home.
The kits include various things like a wood whittling kit, jewelry making, knitting, crocheting, rainbow loom & more. Some make-away kits also include cake-baking sets with character pans. This is especially nice because purchasing these pans is usually pricey and most people do not use them more than once. Now you can just borrow one from the library. These kits can also be transferred for loan from your local branch library.
Completed Embroidery from the SPARK Space
What does The SPARK Space offer?
Because your time may be limited, depending on which crafting equipment you want to use, it’s best to go in knowing what to expect. Any of the appropriate design files you find online at home can be loaded to a flash drive for use with the different machines once you get to the library.
3D printing
There are 3 Makerbot replicator 3D printers in the maker space. These machines print from a design that you can choose from websites like www.thingverse.com or design your own on www.tinkercad.com. 3D printing fees are currently $1.50 an hour and that covers the plastic filament used. There is currently a limit of 4 hours of print time per item, which limits your project to a small figurine-size item.
Cricut cutting machine
With so many different things that can be made with the help of a die cutter, this is an exciting item that has been made available for the public to use free of charge. Patrons only need to supply their own cutting material.
There is a selection of designs available, but I suggest going in already having a plan, so that you can be sure to have all the vinyl or paper colors you’ll need when you get there. A search on Pinterest for “free SVG files” will turn up an infinite selection of compatible files.
One of my favorite sources of free SVG files can be found here. The library also has a selection of card stock for purchase ranging from .20 – .30 a sheet.
Embroidery machine
The cost of this type of machine can be cost prohibitive, keeping most people from having access to their own personal one. It is also a great test drive opportunity for someone who might be thinking about investing in one.
The sessions have a limit of 90 minutes, and for that reason, I suggest going in knowing what you want to make. With a design in hand, you can sit down at the machine and leave 90 minutes later with a completed monogram. Several things will determine how long it takes to complete a design, including the number of thread color changes. Keeping it simple for your first design, is preferable.
You’ll need a PES file to use; Boutique Fonts is my favorite source. Free PES files are less common, but some sites like Boutique Fonts post a new downloadable free file every week. Etsy is also a good source for this type file if you are looking for something specific. Aside from a plan, you’ll need to bring the item you wish to embroider on and patience. The session fee is currently $5.00 for 90 minutes.
Sewing machines
Sewing classes are frequently available and include all the needed materials. If you want to use the machines on your own, there is no cost and you only need to supply the fabric and pattern. A limited supply of thread colors is available and you can purchase a bobbin for .10 if needed.
VHS conversion
For those who have boxes of family home movies on VHS, this is a great way to convert them without spending a fortune. There is no fee, you just need to supply the flash drive or DVD to store the digital version on. If you forget to bring them, both are available for purchase in the SPARK Space. Flash Drive – $10 , DVD – $2
Check out The SPARK Space for yourself
There are so many more things to explore in The Spark Space than we mention here! A full list of the equipment in the SPARK Space can be found online. I hope this inspires you to take advantage of this truly unique resource we have at the Spartanburg libraries. Don’t worry if all of it sounds intimidating, there is a patient, knowledgeable team at the library just waiting to show you all of the crafting fun you’ve been missing.
