With spring break around the corner, Kidding Around Greenville gives you a list of fun day trips not too far from home. To make room for some unpredictable weather, we have separated the list of spring day trips near Greenville, SC into two main categories: indoor and outdoor.
To help in your trip planning, we have also listed a summary of driving times in the end. Before going, just be mindful of operation hours. Lastly, don’t forget to take photos and tag us on social media!
Are you searching for a great vacation rental in the Southeast? We gathered Blue Ridge Treehouse Rentals, awesome dome homes, and the best cabins throughout the Southeast, from the mountains to the sea! KAG’s Kristina Hernandez compiled this list to help you out. Here you’ll find the coolest vacation homes situated in the mountains, by lakes and even near the beach.
Think a day trip escape would be a welcome change for your family? These cities and small towns near Greenville, SC will do the trick! It’s time to take a fabulous relaxing stroll down a small-town sidewalk with a coffee in hand, browse shops, get some lunch, or check out an amazing park. We love visiting new places near Upstate, SC and we love making day trip adventures for our family and readers.
If you’re looking for a fabulous town where you can spend the day, check out this list of towns that are an easy day trip from the Upstate. We have ideas for things to do, places to eat, and even places to stay if you decide to make a weekend of it.
Buffalo still roam in this country and while most of them are out West, there are herds that roam at Buffalo Creek Vacations in Clyde, NC. Less than two hours from Greenville, SC, this vacation destination is close to so much fun, and the property is pretty awesome all by itself. We stayed in a caboose on this beautiful property and have all the details!
Thank you to Buffalo Creek Vacations for inviting us to stay on their property.
Buffalo Creek Vacations is located in Clyde, North Carolina, about an hour and 45 minutes from the Upstate and right in the middle of so many fantastic places in Western North Carolina like the Biltmore in Asheville, the adorable town of Waynesville, and some of the best hiking trails in the state. But Buffalo Creek has its own claim to fame because they have an entire buffalo herd roaming on their property.
These are the very same American Bison that roam out West and were once nearly extinct. As guests of Buffalo Creek, you can watch them get fed and just enjoy them doing their buffalo thing while roaming around the private farm. And you can do it all while staying in a decommissioned caboose or a luxury log cabin. We stayed in the caboose and it was super cool and something that a kid (or grownup) who loves trains will go nuts over if they get the chance to stay here.
About Buffalo Creek Vacations
Harold Clackett was a UPS driver on Long Island, New York when he decided he wanted to get out of the rat race and find someplace beautiful to retire with his wife, Harriet. He had a love of all things America so decided he would do something about it and raise bison. So he built a log cabin in Clyde, NC, with views of the Great Smoky Mountains, and worked on that big dream of his in 1994.
A decade later, the 40 acres behind Harold and Harriet’s log cabin and bison ranch went up for sale. The Clackett kids – five boys and one girl – and their spouses decided they wanted to expand their dad’s dream and create a vacation rental business, along with the bison ranch. So they bought the land and built beautiful cabins on it.
Harold is also a train enthusiast. He had lots of model trains in his basement and just loved tinkering with them. So in 2016, the Clackett family bought a decommissioned caboose and had it shipped all the way to the mountains, renovated it, and started renting it out. Then came another caboose and Buffalo Creek Vacations made a national list of the Top 10 coolest places to stay in the country. High-five!
They have two cabooses for rent and are currently renovating four more.
Staying in a Caboose
I love staying in unique rentals and the decommissioned caboose was no exception. This was a really cool experience.
The caboose rental we stayed in, the Gray Caboose, was part of the Seaboard Coast Line, which operated all along the Eastern Seaboard starting in 1967. I’m fascinated with all things history and loved the story behind the cabooses on the property.
The caboose is quite large and Buffalo Creek did a pretty amazing job renovating it. It has a full kitchen, bathroom, living room, two televisions, a bedroom with a queen bed, and a loft with another queen bed. The couch folds out to a twin sleeper so in all, the caboose can sleep five people. There is also free wi-fi.
Also, the windows look out on the pasture where the buffalo roam so you can see them right from the caboose! All of the accommodations at Buffalo Creek are pet-friendly.
The BC Depot
The BC Depot is right next to the cabooses and houses the game room, the huge model train room, the little shop, and laundry area.
My kids absolutely loved the game room and one didn’t want to leave. Ever.
Buffalo Creek has a ping pong table, foosball, a mostly enclosed area with lots of toys for smaller kids, a chess/checker table, and air hockey. You can also hang out there and play a DVD or take one back to your caboose to watch later. They’ve also got a pet turtle in there plus coffee and all kinds of books to read and information about the area to peruse.
The little shop has all kinds of buffalo-themed goodies like aprons, stuffed animals, socks, shirts, and keychains. Cheryl, one of the owners and the only daughter of Harriet and Harold, will likely be in here and is so friendly and helpful. If you have any questions at all, she will know the answer!
The Buffalo Ranch:
So Buffalo Creek Vacations is really unique and fun because they are situated on a buffalo ranch and I find these creatures pretty fascinating. They literally roam the property (with fences) and you can see them hanging out and chilling and do whatever it is that buffalos enjoy doing.
At 9:30 am every morning, they are fed and guests are invited to watch. Let me tell you – this was entertaining. Feeding the buffalo herd, which consists of more than 35 heads of them, is quite the task. They get fed special pellets once a day and graze the rest of the day in the pastures. To feed the buffalo, Harold, 78, drives the tractor while his wife, Harriet, also 78 years old, and a cousin of the family, Dennis, sits on the front end with the buckets of pellets and dumps them into the troughs.
Buffalo, which is the nickname of bison, are not typically nice creatures. They are part of the Bovidae family, which consists of cattle and antelope. While they seem like fluffy cows, they can run up to 30 miles per hour and jump straight up six feet, plus they can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and have horns. They can easily run you over and cause serious damage, which is why warnings about staying away from these buffalo are all over national parks where they roam out in Yellowstone. These are the same animals at Buffalo Creek so definitely follow all the signs and don’t think you can go cuddle with these wild mammals.
Now, back to the feeding of the buffalo by the coolest grandparents I think I’ve met, aside from my own. These two septuagenarians on the tractor feed the buffalo every morning and do it fast and efficiently. If I manage to live to be 78 years old, I hope I can be as fearless and adventurous as these two grandparents.
Jeff, Cheryl’s husband, told me all kinds of cool buffalo facts while we watched Harold and Harriet feed the herd and hold a new baby goat (best day ever honestly). Buffalo are pregnant for about nine months and they rut for a couple months in the late summer and give birth in late spring/early summer. Baby buffalo weigh around 60-70 pounds and put on weight quickly. Their hides are a tan color and then turn brown as they grow older. The hides feel rough and are fuller during the winter. When summer rolls around, the buffalo will rub against trees to shed some of that course fur to stay cooler.
There are also mini-horses, llamas, alpacas, goats, rabbits, donkeys, and horses at Buffalo Creek Vacations. The alpacas and llamas are sheared once a year for their fluffy fur and the goats make baby goats, which make a lot of people happy. The donkey is one of the guard animals and we got to hear him hee-haw a bunch of times. They are louder than you think!
Model Trains Everywhere at Agapeland
Harold Clackett is a train enthusiast and over his lifetime had collected a significant number of model trains, which he kept in his basement. When the BC Depot was built, a special room was added for the Smoky Mountain Model Railroaders Club, which is like walking into another world of tiny people, landscapes, and trains.
The model train room is part of the ranch but a separate fee is charged to enter and explore the room ($10/adults, and $8/kids and seniors). Guests get a reduced rate.
The room, called Agapeland, currently has nine working trains and I’m guessing about eight or nine separate little worlds – a carnival, a 50s diner, a little town, a mining village, a castle, and several others. I lost count. I was so overwhelmed walking into that room and was amazed at what this model train world consisted of. I’d definitely recommend a stop at Agapeland while you visit. Plus, this is a great stop if you’re in the area. Totally worth it plus you can see the buffalo.
Birthday Parties, Field Trips, and Day Passes
If you want to host a birthday party at Buffalo Creek Vacations, that’s an option. They have a lot of space in the BC Depot and offer opportunities for kids to interact with the animals and see the buffalo.
In addition, field trips are also offered at the ranch. There’s a lot to see and learn about farming and animals.
If you’re in the area or want to make a day trip to Buffalo Creek Vacations, they offer a Day-Cation Pass. The pass allows you to watch the daily bison feeding, check out the model trains, do a mini-horse ride, visit the playground and game room, and see all the animals. You also get a free souvenir cup of animal feed to give the goats some treats. The day pass is good from 9 am – Noon and costs $45/adult and $38/child ages 3-17. Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.
The Playground
The BC Coral is the big playground at Buffalo Creek. It’s an old-school one with wooden bridges, monkey bars, a climbing ball, see-saw, and little zip line. My kids loved it.
To get to it, you actually have to hike one of the trails, which was definitely fun. It’s uphill on the way there and only takes about 10 minutes to get there from the cabooses and BC Depot. We went before the bison feeding so didn’t have a lot of time. My kids would have definitely stayed longer if I had let them!
Luxury Cabins: Buffalo Creek Vacation Rentals
As we didn’t stay in one of the luxury cabins at Buffalo Creek Vacations, I can’t speak directly to those log cabins but we did walk by a couple of them and they look beautiful. All cabins were built almost solely by the family and every luxury cabin is pet-friendly and have pool tables, wi-fi, a private fire ring, and hot tub.
Cabins sleep anywhere from 2 to 14 people so this is an awesome place for a family trip, couples retreat, or even a family reunion or wedding party.
And if you want a massage, they actually have a masseuse that will come to the property and give you a massage right in the cabin. Heaven.
Nearby Things to Do
Buffalo Creek Vacations is in such an ideal location that it’s hard to pick one or two things nearby to focus on if you want to do some day tripping. So I’m just going to tell you a bunch of things and you can choose!
Hiking & Outdoor Fun
Max Patch This is one of the best spots I’ve ever been to with its 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. It’s about 45 minutes from Buffalo Creek and the road is really bumpy up there but it’s only about 1.5 miles round trip to get to the bald and…wow. Go for sunrise.
Waterrock Knob About 35 minutes away, you can get to the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Waterrock Knob. Again, sweeping views of the mountains. There are the remnants of an old Cessna plane that crashed there many years ago that you can hike to. Look at a map before you go as it’s a little tricky. But the hike to the Waterrock Knob summit is short but steep. Be sure to visit the Visitors Center there as it has some cool information about the area.
Midnight Hole This beautiful emerald lagoon is such a nice spot to visit during the summer when you can take a dip in the cold water. Hike a little further up to Mouse Creek Falls for even more beauty. Get there early as the trail is super popular. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Buffalo Creek.
Cataloochee Ski Area Located only 20 minutes from Buffalo Creek in Maggie Valley, you can go skiing, snowboarding, and tubing here during the winter.
Lake Junaluska I have yet to explore this lake but it’s on my list. Lake Junaluska is really close to Buffalo Creek, less than 15 minutes away and you can rent kayaks or paddleboards, take a boat tour, walk the trail around the lake or visit the gardens.
Whitewater Rafting A short 40-minute drive over the summer will get you to Smoky Mountain Outdoors where you can choose one of two whitewater rafting routes, a less intense ride for younger kids or a more wild one for older kids.
Towns to Visit
Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge These two towns are only about an hour and 15 minutes away, which is so perfect because you can enjoy all the cool things to do there and then go back to Buffalo Creek for some rest & relaxation.
Waynesville This town has a quaint little downtown where you can shop, eat, and explore.
Cherokee Under an hour away, Cherokee has all kinds of neat things to do with your family from the Museum of the Cherokee Indian to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to see the elk and tour the village.
The Biltmore in Asheville The Biltmore is a half hour away and is easily a day trip. There are the gardens to explore, trails to walk, the House to tour, wine to taste, and the ice cream to eat at the creamery.
I thought the caboose rental was super cool and my kids loved the loft, game room, and playground. Learning about the buffalo was certainly a highlight and having that unique experience was pretty amazing.
We also got to cuddle with a baby goat and anyone who reads my stories knows that baby goats make me ridiculously happy, so that’s a plus.
I thought the family who runs Buffalo Creek Vacations was just so down-to-earth, welcoming, and happy to answer all my questions. They have been in the hospitality business for about 19 years and have worked extremely hard to make the farm and the experience of the guests all top-notch.
And really, you cannot beat the location. There are so many things to do not only on the property but within an hour that you cannot be bored.
Also, the communication from Buffalo Creek Vacation was excellent. I got emails before I was set to go with relevant information. The phone numbers of Cheryl and the other family members on the property are displayed in the caboose and on the front of the shop window so if you need anything at all, the family is easily accessible.
While I’m not a train enthusiast myself, I still really enjoyed the stay, especially the model trains at Agapeland. If you are a train enthusiast, oh my gosh, you won’t want to leave this place!
Booking with Buffalo Creek Vacations
You can find Buffalo Creek Vacations on AirBnB and VRBO but you can also book direct, saving you a lot on fees.
Rates depend upon season and weekend/weekdays and are available to view on their website.
For Kidding Around readers, Buffalo Creek Vacation is offering 5% off their rate when you enter promo code KIDGVL.
Have you visited the Carl Sandburg home in North Carolina? We love the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site for many reasons – great hikes, gorgeous views, and adorable goats you can pet and play with – but there is so much more to do at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site in Flat Rock, NC. The Carl Sandburg home, Connemara, is less than an hour away from Greenville, so visiting makes for a perfect day trip. Tours of the historic home and access to the pasture, barn, and trails are currently free!
Connemara, home of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and writer Carl Sandburg, is located in the charming town of Flat Rock, North Carolina. It’s an easy drive across a beautiful mountain, just below Hendersonville, NC. Once you arrive, you will find several trails branching from the National Park Service parking lot, including the contact station, Front Lake (restrooms and brochures), Front Lake Loop, and the wide main road that heads up towards Connemara.
One of the wonderful things about being so close to Connemara is that you can read Sandburg’s children’s book The Huckabuck Family one morning and then get in the car that afternoon to see where the book’s author wrote and explored and ate and laughed and walked.
Tours of Carl Sandburg’s Home
Poet Carl Sandburg and his family lived at Connemara from 1945 until his death in 1967. Currently visits to the farm, grounds, and House tours are available Wednesday-Sunday. Tour tickets for adults are $10 each and tickets for kids 15 and younger are $1. House tours are free in 2024 on January 6th, March 23rd, June 15th, and October 19th-20th.It is highly recommended to make reservations for house tours, as tour capacity is 10 people and fill up quickly.
The house has been left exactly as it was when Sandburg passed away in 1967. The rooms of the home are teeming with books that Sandburg touched, read and studied. The view from this house elicits a smile just thinking about the poet sitting in his chair on the rocks being inspired by the same image. The Sandburg’s had over 17,000 volumes of books. The man liked to read. Inside the basement of Sandburg’s home is a sweet little gift shop and a room for viewing a video about the writer’s life. During the year there are several events scheduled that are engaging, educational, and fun!
Visiting with Goats at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site
As you head past the lake, up towards the house on the gravel road, and past some of the older historic structures, you’ll eventually end up at the dairy barn. This is where the goats live. The property continues to be a working goat farm to this day. Gentle, adorable, loving goats. Goats that love kids petting and touching and hugging them. The goats are actually descendants of Mrs. Sandburg’s own prize-winning goat herd.
The barnyard is also home to chickens and giant shady trees and rock walls and green fields. Excellent for a picnic. During April and May the barnyard is full of babies, so when visiting in Spring be ready to hear lots of awes from your kids.
The goat farm is unique in that visitors can walk in the pasture with the goats (and in the enclosure with the kids!) as well as explore the barn, not only meeting the goats, but petting them and watching them feed and interact. The hours of access to the barn and goat pasture will be daily from 10 am – 3 pm and is free. The entire park is open from sunrise to sunset.
Reading to a Goat During National Literacy Month
September is National Literacy Month and March is National Reading Month. Both fit nicely with the theme of the entire park given Sandburg’s choice of career. So to honor the heritage of the park and give guests a pretty good reason to come there, the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site invites visitors to grab a book and read to a goat (or several).
You can bring your own book, although I don’t recommend it for one very important reason, which I will get to in a second. They also have books in a red wagon right outside the gates to the barn that you can borrow and bring into the pasture to read to the goats. We found a couple of great books that both my kids really enjoyed. The goats did, too.
Once you pick out your book, you can go see the goats. All the goats you’ll interact with are females and they are really sweet and curious and have no idea about personal space. The very first time I ever went to see the goats was when my kids were super little, they were terrified because the goats are pretty big if you’re a little kid. Now my kids, ages 10 and 7, love the goats and enjoy petting them and this time, reading to them.
So reading to goats is not an easy task. We really tried. One of the goats ripped out a page and started eating it, which we grabbed back because you know, they have special diets, which don’t include books. This is why you may not want to bring your own book. We ended up sitting with a few goats who may or may not have been sleeping and reading the books. I had a book of Sandburg’s poetry, which was wonderful to read while at his home.
My oldest daughter found a nice, docile goat with a white coat who seemed to be totally enthralled with being read to. It was very cute to watch.
We spent about an hour with the goats and our attempts at reading books. We had a blast and reading was such a bonus because books are pretty popular at my house and we all enjoy it.
But reading to goats? A whole level of awesomeness.
Hiking the Carl Sandburg Home National Site Trails
In addition to the home and the barns, which are plenty to fill an afternoon, there are hiking trails on the property that are family-friendly and quite rewarding. You can also take the rambling walk back to your car and trek around the beautiful fishpond. It’s a great path to wear your children out with good, honest exercise so they can nap on your drive back across the mountain to Greenville.
If you are up for a challenge, you can take the Memminger Trail Loop and the big Glassy Mountain Trail up to the Glassy Mountain overlook. It is 1.25 miles, but the 523-foot increase in elevation makes this a more challenging hike. Although there are several other options for reaching Glassy Mountain from the parking lot, they are all about the same length with the same workout.
The exposed rock makes for interesting plant communities in the various seeps, and the overlook is the only spot in the park with a view of the mountains. Round trip, this strenuous hike takes around 4.5 miles.
Kids Track Trails at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site
You might notice a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail kiosk at the entrance. The Kids in Parks network is a family-friendly collection of outdoor adventures called TRACK Trails. Each TRACK Trail features self-guided brochures and signs that can enhance your outdoor experience, and you can earn prizes for tracking your adventures.
Wear closed-toed shoes because you’ll be going in a field, which has lots of grass, some mud, goat poop, and other things you don’t want on your feet.
Bring water. The hike up to the goat barn isn’t long, a bit over a quarter mile, but it is somewhat steep. There are water fountains to refill your bottle, and you can also purchase small snacks and water bottles from the bookstore. Please recycle your bottles!
There is no charge to visit the historic site, hike the trails, or go to the goat barn.
House tours recommend a prebooked registration, and only 8 people are allowed per tour. Tours are currently free!
Backpacks and large bags are not allowed on the tour, so plan accordingly.
Strollers and backpack child carriers are not allowed on the home tours, but soft-front carriers are allowed for babies and toddlers.
The hours of access to the barn and dairy goat pasture are every day from 10 am – 3 pm. The entire park is open from sunrise to sunset.
The pedestrian bridge from the parking lot to the main entrance is currently closed. In order to access the park you’ll walk from the parking area .4 miles around the lake and another 1/3 mile up a steep grade. If you require accessibility assistance, please call 828.707.8125 when you arrive.
Visitor Center/Park Store is open Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. This is where you can pick up Junior Ranger program packets, get information for your visit, purchase books, and more.
Directions to the Carl Sandburg Home
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site 81 Carl Sandburg Lane Flat Rock, NC 28731
Are you, your family, or a group of friends ready for a getaway just a stone’s throw from the Upstate? Whitewater Whispers is a 3-bedroom 2-bath house with a jaw-dropping mountain view and the gentle soundtrack of a rippling river you can hear from the back deck. Need more adventure? The nearby Sapphire Valley Resort is open year-round and offers plenty of family fun!
Whitewater Whispers is located in Sapphire, NC, which is just over the state line and about an hour and a half from Greenville, SC.
Highlights include:
3 bedrooms, 2 full baths
Sleeps up to 8
1570 square feet
Gas log fireplace
Located in the quiet wooded setting of the Whisper Lake community
Fully-stocked kitchen
About 60 miles from Greenville, SC
Allows pets
Several easy-to-access waterfalls & hiking trails nearby
Nearby Sapphire Valley Resort offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a hot tub, miniature golf, a game room, a fitness room, skiing, snow tubing, zip-lining, a golf course, and gem mining.
Stunning mountain view
The rippling waters of the Horsepasture River offer a calming soundtrack
Take in a Mountain View
Whitewater Whispers promises relaxation! The view from the back deck is coupled with the sound of the babbling Horsepasture River. Once you sit down to this view, you will not want to get up. One of Whitewater Whispers’ owners, Jason Gillespie promises “The view is stunning! You will *never* want to leave the back deck.” It’s a great place to start your day with a cup of coffee or unwind at the close of your day. Or maybe you won’t abandon that view at all during your stay!
Have a Mountain Adventure
If you or your family need a little more adventure during your stay, the Sapphire Valley Resort is just 4 miles away. Day passes to the resort are available for just $2 per person. These passes give you access to one indoor pool and two outdoor pools, plus mini-golf, game room, and fitness room. For an additional fee, you can also enjoy zip lining at the resort.
The nearby Sapphire National Golf Club is the only golf club in the area that is open to the public. And, of course, one of our winter favorites is Ski Sapphire Valley, which offers skiing, snow tubing, and snowboarding. And, for a really good time, check out their Outhouse Races!
Whitewater Whispers is for Family and Friends
Owner Jason Gillespie describes his property as very livable and a good choice for families. The owners have two kids of their own and purchased this property with them in mind. “We have enjoyed staying at this property. We want to share this great location with other families, while also providing them with a good value. Seeing others come and have a good time really puts a smile on our faces!”
As Jason described his property to me, I knew exactly where I am taking my 7-year-old son and a few of his friends on their next “Dudes’ Weekend.” Whitewater Whispers promises something for all of us to enjoy! They can spend the day burning off energy hiking or swimming and I can unwind at the end of each day with that view that looks like a painting! Win-win!
And if Grammy and Gramps want to take your kids for a weekend getaway, the property is a single-level home with no steps to navigate. As Jason described the back deck to me, I thought this sounded like a perfect escape for a small group of friends, too!
Planning a Myrtle Beach family vacation? Myrtle Beach is a clear favorite, and it is easy to see why. As one of the most popular beaches for vacationing in SC, Myrtle Beach offers top-notch hotels and resorts along with tons of family-friendly activities along the Grand Strand. So we’ve gathered up reviews and coverage from Kidding Around into one convenient guide! Our guide includes places to stay, where to dine, fun activities, and more to help you create the perfect vacation.
There are lots of other great places for family vacations! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite travel spots with all the best things to do and see while you’re there in this Ultimate Travel Guide!
Are you looking to get away to a vacation home in the Charleston, SC area? A trip to Charleston, South Carolina, can be so many different experiences from a relaxing beach getaway to a city adventure, a culinary excursion, and a history buff’s dream trip. These Charleston vacation homes will give you the perfect place to do all the things while in the low country, or nothing at all.
Looking to visit black history sites in Charleston, SC? Or maybe looking to learn more about Charleston black history? The beautiful city has some unique historical sites and museums where you can learn about the atrocities of slavery in this country and in South Carolina.
We recently visited and compiled this list of black historical sites in Charleston, SC, where you can go to learn anytime you’re in the area.
Thinking about making atrip to Charleston, SC to visit the South Carolina Aquarium? We were able to experience all the SC Aquarium has to offer and we’re ready to share it with you! If you’re looking for South Carolina Aquarium reviews or information on how to plan your visit, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got all the info you need to plan your trip and have a blast with your family at the aquarium.
Thank you to the South Carolina Aquarium for providing media tickets for our review. All opinions are genuine and those of our team member.
Scenes from the South Carolina Aquarium
About the South Carolina Aquarium
In 2019, the SC Aquarium was one of ten recipients of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the highest honor for an aquarium to receive. They received it “not for having a massive living collection of exotic species from around the world, but for keeping its collection’s focus local.” This focus is entirely evident as soon as you step foot into the Aquarium.
If someone asked me what the focus of the Aquarium is, I’d tell them conservation and education. It is easy to see how dedicated this nonprofit is to educating the public on the local species right there in Charleston and throughout the state as well as ways to conserve the beautiful animals you’ll see.
Bald eagle at the SC Aquarium
My favorite parts of the Aquarium were the two interactive talks given by the volunteers and staff at the Aquarium, which I’ll tell you about shortly. When you visit the beautiful Aquarium, you will no doubt walk away with a greater appreciation for the different climates and environments of South Carolina as well as the incredible work being done by the Aquarium in areas of conservation and the treatment and rehabilitation of sea turtles.
The Exhibits at the SC Aquarium
The South Carolina Aquarium is the perfect sized-aquarium for really getting to understand the different exhibits and spending time learning about sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, river otters, and even the resident bald eagle, Liberty. My daughters and I took our time going through the exhibits and attending the two educational talks and in total, spent about two hours there. We probably could have stayed longer if we had a snack at the Sea Turtle Snack Bar or fed the stingrays!
Spoonbill at the SC Aquarium
There are two public floors to the aquarium: the first floor houses the sea turtle hospital, the stingray touch tank, the gorgeous balcony overlooking the USS Yorktown and the Ravenel Bridge, and the bottom level of the Great Ocean Tank. The upper level has the kids play area, the salt marsh exhibit, the jelly fish, the mountains to Piedmont exhibits, and the upper viewing area of the giant tank.
There are many hands-on exhibits all throughout the Aquarium, which really any kid will find entertaining and fun. When you enter the Aquarium, you can scan the QR code located at the visitor stand or if you would prefer to print out a copy for your visit, here is a map of the South Carolina Aquarium Exhibits.
The Educational Programs at the SC Aquarium
At the advice of the Aquarium’s public relations staff member, we timed our visit so we could see the Dive Into the G.O.T and Turtle Talk programs.
The Dive Into the G.O.T. was phenomenal! The G.O.T. stands for the Great Ocean Tank, which holds more than 350,000 gallons of water and is 42 feet deep. There is a diver inside the tank who does a question-and-answer session with an Aquarium staff member and then takes questions from the audience.
Diver at the SC Aquarium
We learned all kinds of cool things about how the volunteers and staff feed the animals in the tank, how they clean the tank, and ways to practice conservation on our own. The Turtle Talk was also amazing. The sea turtle care center is really neat and an active place where the sea turtles are taken when they are stranded or injured. Many are cared for and rehabilitated and then released back into the wild.
Sea turtle hospital at the SC Aquarium
There are also animal encounters throughout the day. We saw a couple of volunteers and staff offering guests the opportunity to pet a snake. My kids passed on that one unfortunately.
The staff we met were all so, so kind and helpful. They all seemed to really love their jobs and were happy to be working at the Aquarium. The passion they had for the animals and education about them was easy to see.
Also, to add on some more educational fun to your visit, consider doing one of these onsite activities at the Aquarium, which include scavenger hunts, discovery bins, and deeper dives into the exhibits that are grade-level appropriate – looking at you, homeschoolers.
Interacting with the Stingrays
I personally think stingrays are pretty cool and just beautiful to watch, although I’m terrified of accidentally stepping on one while wading on the shore. Yet, seeing them up close and learning about them is fascinating. All of the times I’ve ever seen them in touch tanks and aquariums, they have been very playful and fun.
Stingrays at the SC Aquarium
The ones at the SC Aquarium are no different. They have a huge tank to swim and play that overlooks the Charleston Harbor and it’s just gorgeous. The stingrays will come right up to the edge of the tank like puppies and basically beg for pets. It’s really adorable. They are a little slimy but once I got over that, I was all about it.
You can feed the ocean puppies for $5. I didn’t do that but I saw others who did and they looked like they were really enjoying the experience.
Trading Post at the SC Aquarium
I was really excited to see that the Aquarium has something called “The Trading Post”. If you’re familiar with the Nature Exchange at all at the Roper Mountain Science Center, this is a similar concept. You can bring in up to two natural items found in nature and earn points, which are redeemable for other cool things that the Aquarium has like shark teeth and pretty shells.
There are a few items that the Trading Post will not accept. This includes bird items (nest, egg, feathers), live animals, sea turtle bones, or anything else from an endangered species.
A great opportunity to find shells and fossils can be found with the Sandlapper Water Tours that launch right around the corner at the maritime center. You can go on a morning eco-tour and then head to the aquarium.
Visiting the South Carolina Aquarium
The Aquarium is located just minutes from downtown Charleston and right next to one of the places you can take a boat tour to Fort Sumter. The view from the deck is worth the experience alone!
You can purchase tickets in advance using the Aquarium’s dynamic ticketing system. Admission is determined by day of the week, school calendars, local events, weather, and holidays. You can see what the prices are for different days and purchase up to 60 days in advance.
There is an on-site gift shop as well as a snack bar, which is open 11 am – 3 pm daily. Parking is easy at the nearby Aquarium parking garage, which is $2/hour.
The Aquarium is open daily 9 am – last ticket sold at 3:30 pm and the building closes at 5 pm Closed Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day, closes at 1 pm on Christmas Eve.
