The Upstate has definitely caught LEGO fever since gaining a LEGO store of its own. KAG Contributor Melanie Coblentz and her family visited LEGOLAND Amusement Park in Florida.
Here’s how she surprised her children and her review of the park.
LEGOLAND is offering guests a new “Peace of Mind” policy during the pandemic. You can read more about the current LEGOLAND cancelation policy, and the other important changes, online.
(more…)Need a new place to play indoors? Its cold out and the playground might not be an option, so KAG Contributor Robert Neely is recommending Mountain Play Lodge in Arden, North Carolina. Its only about an hour drive from Greenville and would make a fun family day!
Have you visited the Biltmore at Christmas? KAG Contributor, Anna Artz, visited the Biltmore during Christmastime and found the popular mansion decked out with 55 Christmas trees, seemingly endless lights and garland, and a greenhouse full of poinsettia plants. Read on to find her review of Christmas at Biltmore, and plan your visit before the festivities end January 10, 2021.
(more…)Thinking about a vacation in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee? KAG Contributor Kristina Hernandez traveled to Pigeon Forge with her family and stayed at the Margaritaville Island Hotel. This hotel has so much to offer, including a spa, roof top pool and onsite dining. Kristina is sharing all the little details about this hotel that made is perfect for her family.Â
Planning a trip to Pigeon Forge? KAG Contributor Kristina Hernandez recently visited Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and came back with this review of Magic Beyond Belief. Read about this family friendly show that’s way more than a magic show. You’ll want to add it to your list of things to see on a trip to Pigeon Forge.
(more…)Looking for things to do in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee? We sent KAG Contributor Kristina Hernandez to Wonderworks to check out all the exhibits and activities. She had a blast with her kids and is telling us all about the rides, 4D movies and activities like rock climbing, a ropes course and a bubble lab! Read on to find out why you should put Wonderworks on your Pigeon Forge itinerary.
(more…)Looking for a fun day trip not too far from Greenville? Have you heard about Dillard House? Everybody loves a good day trip and local mom Andrea Beam took her children to Dillard House just for that purpose! Today she’s telling us all about the grounds, the family friendly horseback riding, farm animals and more.
(This post has been edited to reflect 2018 pricing information.)
For more day trip options, check out Kidding Around Greenville’s extensive list of day trips.
Today I am going to talk with you about The Dillard House in Dillard, GA. Have you been? I went for the first time last year and loved it. Every minute of it.
So did my boys.
Located on 768 Franklin Street in Dillard, Georgia, The Dillard House has a lot to offer you and your family.
First, let’s talk about the scenery. Breathtaking would be an appropriate adjective. As you near the property, you feel like you’re driving through the mountains of Tennessee. I don’t know about you, but I love to feel like I’m a million miles away from home. (Because Tennessee is exactly one million miles from my house).
Though you may feel like you are far away, it’s actually only about a two hour drive from Greenville. Unless you drive like me – then you are looking at an hour and a half, maybe less.
I have friends who make the trip just to eat at their family style restaurant. It is open seven days a week and serves a mean breakfast!
Although yummy, the food is not the reason we go. On the gorgeous grounds you can enjoy horseback riding, fishing and a small petting zoo. The prices are also reasonable.
When we took our boys, we paid $20 for them to ride a horse for fifteen minutes. That may not sound like a long time, but for a child fifteen minutes on the back of a horse is an eternity. Or, if you’re looking for something a little longer, a 30 minute trail ride for children and adults (6 and up) is just $35. The staff is friendly and very helpful. You are able to take pictures, so make sure to have your camera on hand.
There are guided trails for longer periods of time available for adults and older children. I certainly plan to take my son back in the future.
The kiddos will also enjoy feeding the animals.
Please check their website for a list of activities offered. It is very informative.
The Dillard House is one of my favorite day trip destinations. I strongly encourage you to pack up your car and go.
768 Franklin Street, Dillard, GA
800.541.0671
Visit their website or their Facebook page.
Hours vary daily. See their events page for details.
Has your family ever visited The Dillard House?
Up for a road trip that includes something extraordinary, loads of natural beauty and maybe a touch of history too? We’ll tell you why we think the Biltmore Estate in Asheville is a great option for a journey this summer! You’ll find history, wonderful dining, family friendly activities and more at this beautiful estate.
Want more ideas for a road trip or two? Check out our travel page for information on all kinds of places you might just love!
Find a place to stay near the Biltmore. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
Of all the family escapes that we’ve taken, a day trip to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina rates as one of the most enchanting, unique and definitely out of the ordinary (unless you’re a Vanderbilt yourself).
The Biltmore estate is only 90 minutes from Greenville. Known to be the largest private residence in all of America, it was built in the late 1880’s by George W. Vanderbilt, grandson of famed industrialist and philanthropist, Cornelius Vanderbilt. It was George’s first visit to the Blue Ridge Mountains with his mother that inspired him to build his country house. With his love for all things French and passion for nature, he built a chateau style mansion featuring 250 rooms on 125,000 acres of land. Later, the house would become a home with his marriage to Edith Stuyvesant Dresser and the birth of their daughter, Cornelia.
Summer is a great time to see the estate as the mansion has many outdoor events and exhibitions. But before anything else, do buy a week ahead to avail of ticket discounts and decide whether to visit peak (weekends and requires calling ahead to reserve a time slot for seeing the house) or off peak.
The house designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, took six years to build featuring 250 rooms, 35 guest rooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. It’s of course recommended that you start your tour here. The sprawling estate requires a car to navigate, and takes about three miles to the parking lot from the ticketing office. (Tip: Print your tickets ahead of time to skip the registration process. With tickets in hand, you can go straight to your parking lot of choice. We usually park at the gardens and walk to the house to avoid having to wait for the parking lot shuttle).
Allot about an hour and a half of your day to see the mansion. If you are interested in anecdotes and stories behind the rooms, you may rent an audio guide. Tip: Since we usually visit with kids 9 and below, we usually skip the audio tour and rely on the free printed brochure of Cedric’s Treasure Hunt guide of the mansion at the house. Just ask for it when you go inside. Also, be sure to go to the bathroom before you go inside the mansion since there are none inside.
While some kids thoroughly enjoy the mansion with its maze-like architecture and magnificent rooms, it may be boring for smaller children. Our favorite highlights of the house: George’s 22,000 volume library; the cavernous dining hall; in some of the rooms, the unmarked secret doors and passageways; the indoor pool, bowling alley and Halloween room.
While you can take a self-guided tour of the house, the Biltmore offers lots of really cool guided tours.
Designed by no other than Frederick Olmsted of New York’s Central Park, the Gardens of Biltmore Estate are one to behold. From the mansion, we love walking through the formal walled garden and stroll thru heritage roses in full bloom. If you’re lucky, you may spot a hummingbird or two hovering about patches of Bee Balm and Zinnias. At the end of the rose garden is the conservatory filled with exotic plants. During the Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt’s time, the conservatory provided fresh flowers and plants for the mansion.
While visiting the gardens is a thrilling experience any time of the year, the spring and fall are especially stunning.
A more casual affair, the Antler Hill Village is a great way to cap a Biltmore visit with kids. A short drive from the main house includes a Winery, more dining options, a creamery (hooray!), changing exhibitions and specialty estate shops. To the edge of the Antler Hill Village is the Farmyard where kids can play at the playground, pet the barn animals or tour the stables. The Antler Hill barn features turn of the century games and displays of old farming equipment to make Biltmore a self-sustainable community. Blacksmith, woodworkers and craft demonstrations are held daily to introduce old artisan traditions to young curious onlookers.
This Biltmore has brought back the Vanderbilt Travels Railway, a 250-foot model train display which showcases George Vanderbilt’s travels by using handcrafted architectural models made from leaves, twigs and other natural materials. Includes five model trains that run along track loops, passing by miniature versions of the Biltmore Rail Depot, the USS Vanderbilt Steamship, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc De Triomphe, London Bridge and other landmarks. This display is shown several months out of the year.
Begin by taking a stroll underground through the historic cellars of the former Biltmore Dairy. The kids enjoyed the cool temperature of the cellar and wandering thru the exhibit. Your stroll will lead to an impressive tasting room where gracious wine hosts guide you through a complimentary wine tasting. For a nominal fee, you can sample their finest reserve. Kids had grape juice and complimentary snacks while adults enjoyed their wine. The tasting room opens up to some wine shopping, cooking ware and gourmet tastings of spreads and honeys produced in the estate.
Tip: Combine your visit with a private Wine Tasting tour such as the Red Wine and Chocolate tasting tour. There are several other tours at The Biltmore Winery as well. Book your free tasting when you first arrive at the Biltmore at the Visitors Center. Slots fill up fast.
If you are looking to extend your visit, the Biltmore has a whole list of private tours to capture every imagination. Last year, we took the Upstairs-Downstairs tour and were able to see how the 438 employees kept the mansion in tip-top shape including the use of synchronized clocks and a state of the art in-house communication system and combined with other technological marvels of the time. Staff unlike those at the Downtown Abbey mostly lived upstairs in the upper floors with hidden passageways to the Master Bedroom and guest floor.
Biltmore is a home for all seasons. The estate plans seasonal celebrations and many families have made this part of their tradition. They have an annual Easter Egg Hunt, summer concert series, art exhibitions, Christmas displays, and so much more.
The Biltmore Estate is certainly a romantic destination perfect for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions. Book your stay at Village Hotel, The Inn or the Cottage.
Dining at the Biltmore estate can range from quick but delectable Courtyard Market fare such as sausages and pretzels in the House and Garden to a more formal sit-down affair complete with white linen and finery at The Dining Room located in the The Inn. There are over 16 places to choose from. And yes, they have a two ice cream shops, a bakery and BBQ! Most of the restaurants near the House and Garden are open daily but the Smokehouse at the Farmhouse at Antler Hill Village is only open on weekends. During our visits with kids in tow, we pack a light lunch and treat them to ice cream at the Creamery
If you’d like to sample afternoon tea Vanderbilt style, The Inn serves a selection of Newby Tea’s along with some artfully prepared sweet and savory bites. Offered daily 1 pm to 2:30 pm at $40 a person.
If you’d rather take a picnic basket, Guest Services can recommend picnic spots in their many beautiful lawns and gardens. (picnics are allowed just not around the mansion or near any of their dining establishments). Use of tents, grills, multiple camping chairs/tables, and large coolers, is not permitted in Biltmore parking lots or on the grounds. The Azalea garden path, Bass Pond and Boat house are wonderful choices for your a walk and a packed lunch.
We love to go biking on the trails at the Estate as well. The paths run along the French Broad River and up to the Gardens.
For those folks who have everything, the estate has some beautiful shops to choose from. Our favorites would be the Toy Maker’s which carries vintage toys and exquisite dolls for the quintessential doll collector; A Gardener’s Place by the conservatory sells rare plants and flowers such as the Chinese Lantern vine and heritage tomato seeds; and The Barn Door, located at the Antler Village Barn and features beautiful locally made arts and crafts.
Tickets are priced by season but most start at $86 for adults and include the House and Gardens plus Antler Hill Village and the Winery. Reservations are required for visits inside the House.
If you plan to make more than two visits a year, buying an annual pass makes it worthwhile. Annual passes go on sale at different times throughout the year. To make it friendlier to families, during the summer months, Biltmore offers free entrance for kids 16 and under with the purchase of one adult admission.
One Lodge Street, Asheville, NC
The Biltmore is open daily but hours vary
Have you visited the Biltmore house? What were your favorite parts?
Ready for a day trip? local mom Lacey Keigley and her family visited Flat Rock, North Carolina. In this review, she is sharing insight on what not to miss if you visit Flat Rock with your family! It’s smaller than an amusement park, but it’s loads more fun. Just over the mountain, a short drive north of Travelers Rest, it’s an easy, beautiful drive. It’s a perfect place to spend a day.
Looking for even more travel ideas? Check out our day trips page or our travel page!
Opens at 7 am
Buy a scone, a muffin, or a danish and coffee or tea and dine on the back deck under the branches of a fabulous tree that grows up and around and right through the deck.
Park your car and breathe in the fresh air. Wander up the lovely trail that takes you up to the Nobel Prize-winning author’s last home. Take a tour of his home – it’s only $5 for adults and free for kids and it’s absolutely worth it to see a snapshot of his life, left as if he might be entering his old study at any moment.
If you’ve got energy and time on your side, take a hike that begins behind the home, near the adorable barn teeming with goats who are direct descendants of Sandburg’s wife’s prized goat herd. Little Glassy has a view completely worth the manageable trek. Very family-friendly. When you reach the giant rock and take a break, you can pull out one of your new books and read for a little bit on the mountain top.
Open 9 am – 5 pm daily.
Head right back to where you started for lunch. (And after your hike, you’ve earned your lunch.)
Or, check out the super amazing playground at The Park at Flat Rock.
The Park at Flat Rock is free to visit and open dawn to dusk daily.
The Park at Flat Rock
55 Highland Golf Drive, Flat Rock, NC
828.435.0397
For lunch, we chose a local BBQ hot spot. Friends, you just won’t find tastier BBQ in North Carolina. Sure, they have great fish tacos and delicious sides (try their deviled eggs and potato salad) but it’s their classic BBQ that draws the crowds. You pick pork or chicken and then you add your own sauce choice. (I lean to the vinegar variety, but you’ve got options and none of them are bad.)
Open at 11 am daily. Closed on Sundays.
(If your kids just aren’t into BBQ, you can order a pizza from Flat Rock Village Bakery and let them have that. The seating is all outdoors and is combined in a convenient way with the bakery so it’s no problem to grab options from both restaurants.)
After eating and drinking and feeling satisfied, step upstairs to The Wrinkled Egg – an endearing shop filled with quirky souvenirs, home decor, eclectic design, local art, and even a pet rabbit who loves to be petted, along with a few beautiful songbirds. Kids and grown-ups will quickly call this store their favorite.
Open 10 am – 5:30 pm most days.
If you happen to be visiting Flat Rock in late summer or fall you will want to drive back in the direction you came for a millisecond and turn right and head up to SkyTop Orchard.
You can’t beat the views and the apple picking is convenient and feels perfectly autumnal. If you have room remaining, you can dessert on fresh apple cider donuts and cold apple slushes – or warm apple cider, depending upon the weather and your mood. Either way, you won’t be disappointed. The kids can have a hayride, visit the animals, wander through the bamboo forest, or romp on the playsets. And you get to take him the best reminder of your day out – fresh North Carolina hand-picked apples! Before you go, be sure to read our tips for apple picking with kids!
Open 9 am – 6 pm daily.
If you still have time, money, and inclination, stay for dinner and eat at the Flat Rock Wood Room.
Open until 8 or 9 pm most nights, closed on Monday and Tuesday.
You can catch a movie at the neatest local theatre – Flat Rock Cinema – with shows every day at 4 pm and 7 pm. (Closed Mondays.) You can order popcorn, but they also serve BBQ and full menu options.
You can even take in a live theatre show at North Carolina’s State Theatre – Flat Rock Playhouse.
That’s a full day packed and overloaded with all the good things the fabulous little town of Flat Rock has to offer you.
It may be small in size, but it is full and wide in charm and activity.
What is your favorite thing to do when visiting Flat Rock, NC?
Searching for your perfect beach to visit this summer? Surf City, North Carolina is a quiet coastal town that offers tons of family fun, great places to eat, peaceful beaches, and more! They even have a turtle rehabilitation center that your family can visit. Local mom Jennifer spent some time in Surf City with her family and had a wonderful time. You can check out her review below.
We are beach people, but we are quiet beach people. My family prefers to rent a beach house for a week rather than stay in a hotel. We like beaches where there is some space between your beach chairs and umbrellas. This is how we ended up in Surf City, NC for the first time this summer. And, we fell in love!
If you haven’t heard of Surf City, I’m not surprised. This is a small township located on Topsail Island. Maybe you’ve heard of Topsail Island, which is a 26-mile-long barrier island off the coast located close to Wilmington, NC. Whereas Topsail Island is 26-miles-long, Surf City is a small, walkable section of the island. And, it is where all the action happens.
Looking for other beaches to explore in the Southeast? Check out our list of 20+ Amazing Beaches in the Southeast that are family-friendly and waiting to be explored!Â
Surf City is full of vacation rentals instead of large hotels. There are a few hotels on the island, but far more townhouses or beach houses for rent. Since this is a small township, almost everything was within walking distance of our rental. It was fantastic! We could walk to get food from restaurants, pick up groceries, or shop.
Another fun part of staying in Surf City was the number of surfers! While we didn’t see many large waves, we did see a large number of surfboards in the water each morning. And, the local Surf City Surf School offers daily surfing lessons to tourists.
Surf City is quiet during the week, which was perfect for my introverted family members. But, it is much more crowded on weekends. This is because the locals head to Surf City on Topsail Island because it has several public beaches, as well as a beautiful pier. On the weekend we visited, there were lots of people around; however, there were still far fewer people than you find at other beaches that are tourist destinations.
Surf City is a quaint beach town, so do not expect to find a ton of tourist attractions. Instead, plan to spend your days enjoying the beautiful beach. Take time to explore the town on foot. Visit the pier, shop the various boutiques and beach stores, and try out the restaurants. My favorite thing to do was walk across the street from the beach to the local bookstore.
Additionally, there is a mini-golf course in Surf City, as well as a turtle rescue and rehabilitation center. Both are family-friendly tourist attractions.
Topsail Island is close to Wilmington, NC, and Carolina Beach, NC. My family took a day trip to Carolina Beach and visited the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher and the Carolina Beach Boardwalk amusement park.
Since we were on vacation and could walk to multiple restaurants, we ate out a lot. And, I do not regret it one bit! The food was excellent. In particular, I grew incredibly fond of Shaka Taco, a fun taco restaurant connected to the Surf City Surf School. I ate there three times in a week. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I am still dreaming about their Shaka Nachos. Plus, there were several other local restaurants that my family enjoyed while on vacation, such as Daddy Mac’s Beach Grille and Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar.
I love going to beach towns that feel like authentic beach towns, and this is the case with Surf City. It is not commercialized. It is quiet and quaint. My family felt safe enough there to walk everywhere. Plus, it was beautiful. Honestly, I would drive the five hours so that I could walk from the beach to eat at Shaka Taco again.
What’s your family’s favorite nearby beach to visit?