Are you looking for the best place to camp in the Pisgah National Forest? We visited the Davidson River Campground near Brevard and think that you should consider it for your next camping trip! This campground offers not only hiking but also easy access to tubing.
The Davidson River Campground is located in the Pisgah National Forest (off 276) just outside Brevard, NC. It is about an hour and 15 minutes from Downtown Greenville, moments from major grocery stores and dining, and yet seems an entire forest world away. Campers can enjoy wading in the knee-deep Davidson River, diving into the brisk swimming hole, hiking on beautiful mountain trails, tubing down the lazy waterway, fishing for trout, biking through the forest, or simply enjoying the quiet serenity found in the park’s many shaded campsites.
Did you know there are elk in the North Carolina Smoky Mountains? We didn’t! After hearing in passing about the elk herd, we decided to load up the kids and set off on an adventure to see what we could find. And find them we did at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, along with some other great educational gems.
Elk were originally native to the Smoky Mountains, but over 200 years ago the population died off to extinction in the area. However, back in 2001 a project was begun to reintroduce the elk to the Smoky Mountains. Since then, the herd has multiplied. Cherokee, NC offers excellent viewing of these impressive animals in their wild habitat.
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Oconaluftee Visitor Center
One great place to view the elk is the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. This spot offers a wealth of opportunities for homeschool students. The field next to the visitor center is known for elk viewing. In addition, the center boasts a small indoor museum about the history of life in the Smoky Mountains and an impressive outdoor museum consisting of original farm buildings built in the early 1900s.
There is no admission fee.
The best time to observe elk
First, observing the elk. We arrived at the center around 10 am, and we were disappointed to hear from the rangers that the best time to view the elk in the field is either first thing in the morning, about 7 am, or in the evening, approximately 6 – 7 pm, as elk prefer the cooler temperatures.
Walk along the Oconaluftee River
However, determined to enjoy our day anyway, we walked on the easy trail along the Oconaluftee River. The river was crystal clear and we enjoyed skipping stones and our leisurely walk. After walking a short while, we turned around to head back to the car to pick up our picnic basket. But our walk was interrupted by a few large park natives, elk. We were treated to a small group of 14 elk. One of them was a large bull with an impressive set of antlers. They were just a few feet off the trail! It was thrilling.
The bugle sound the bulls make to attract the females is unforgettable. This occurs mostly in September and October.
Be careful to view the elk safely
We climbed down the river bank to avoid getting too close to the bull. However, other walkers did not make the same decision. Another walker decided to approach the bull to take a picture and we watched the him rear up and toss his antlers. Fortunately the bull turned and ran, leading small herd away. (Note that especially in mating season, bull elk can be very aggressive. Approaching them closely is NOT recommended. It is actually illegal to approach them willfully within 50 yards. Stay on the trail and be mindful of getting too close. The Smoky Mountains National Park has some information about viewing the elk safely, you can find that here.)
Mountain Farm Museum
While the elk were extremely exciting to see, we also really enjoyed the small museum in the visitor’s center and the Mountain Farm Museum adjacent to the center. Both of these places allowed us to get a glimpse of what living in the mountains in the early 1900s was like. At the entrance to the Mountain Farm Museum (outdoors) look to the right of the opening in the fence and you will find a covered box with self-guided tour booklets. This will give you a lot of information about the individual buildings themselves, as well as their role on mountain farms at this time. We really appreciated that the buildings in the farm museum were original and not replicas, so we were able to examine the construction and see elements like pegs used as nails, and the dovetail construction of the cabin walls. Here we viewed a cabin, chicken coop, meat house, wood shed, pig pen with pigs, apple house and many other buildings utilized by mountain farmers in the 1900s.
Admission to this site is completely free, and the travel time is a little over 2 hours from Greenville, making this a really fantastic day trip.
Homeschool Field Trip Expansion Ideas for Elk
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As a homeschool trip, this site offers both science and history opportunities. If you’d like to augment the trip, check out some books or search the internet for information about elk or mountain farm life in the 1900s. You might also enjoy the following:
Read Little Farm in the Ozarks, by Roger Lea MacBride. This story is a continuation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, focusing on her daughter, Rose. It is set in Laura’s mountain farm in the Ozarks, in the same time frame as the buildings viewed at the Mountain Farm Museum.
Read Little House in the Ozarks: The Rediscovered Writings, by Laura Ingles Wilder. This is a collection essays Laura wrote for a newspaper during the late 1800s and early 1900s about her life as a farm wife on an Ozark Mountain farm. This is NOT a Little House series story and was not written for an audience of children, so parents may wish to read through first and make sure it is accessible and acceptable for their children.
This article from American Forests offers a lot of information about the project to reintroduce elk to the area. It contains a lot of information, but is quite long, so parents may want to go through it with children and select a few points to focus on.
For an alternative view, read this article about the struggle farmers in the area have with damage caused by the elk (you can view an example of this damage on the farm museum’s apple trees). Consider holding a mock debate in your home between siblings, or kids vs parents, about the benefits to the elk and the park vs the viewpoint of the farmers and the damage the animals cause.
Here is a brief minute and a half long video showing the elk at Oconaluftee with a little bit of information about the herd from the wildlife biologist for the Smoky Mountains National Park. You can hear the male elk bugle at the beginning of the video.
Planning a trip to the Hilton Head or Beaufort area this summer but unsure of what to do with the kiddos while there? After a recent trip to the area with her family, Kristina put together a list of 14 fun things to do with family while in the Hilton Head-Beaufort-Port Royal area. You’re sure to find the perfect activities for your next family trip to this area of the Lowcountry!
Dollywood is such a perfect destination from Greenville! At just about three hours from the Upstate, it’s a favorite with Kidding Around Readers! See what advice Kidding Around’s Bethany had to offer after her trip to the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee theme park.
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Dollywood
I’ll be honest; we truly had such a great family experience visiting Dollywood that I’m not even quite sure where to start. During our visit, I was immediately struck by the carefulness and attentiveness of the Dollywood staff. The park was well-maintained, clean, and attractive. We found a wide variety of attractions for all ages. And, our family, despite visiting for one and a half days, never stopped enjoying our time at the park.
Dollywood Rides & Play Areas
As a family with young children, we were impressed by how many rides Dollywood provides for children. Our then five-year-old was tall enough to ride several small roller-coasters and most other rides when accompanied by an adult. Even our then two-year-old was big enough to ride most of the rides in the “Country Fair” section of Dollywood.
I noticed that the attendants in “Country Fair” were especially alert to helping families with small children. I saw rides stopped on several occasions because a small child was scared or crying. The child was politely allowed to get off, and then the ride was started again for the rest of the group.
The rides also spanned different thrill levels allowing all children have fun choices to ride comfortably. Most of the rides could also seat adults who wanted to ride with their children.
Dollywood Tip: If you visit the Centralized Measuring Station inside the park, your child will receive a colored armband coded by which rides your child is tall enough to ride. This armband will help you not accidentally wait in line for a ride that your child is too small to ride.
We also found a couple of Dollywood rides that our entire family could ride. One of which was the Dollywood Express, an authentic coal-fired steam engine. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of riding the Dollywood Express during our daughter’s nap time (I thought she might fall asleep). Instead, though, she had a complete melt-down and struggled to get free during the entire ride. The train does not stop for anything, so you may want to be sure your kids are happy before boarding.
Dollywood also has a couple of great family rollercoasters, FireChasher Express. Children as small as 39 inches can ride this roller coaster, making it ideal for families wanting a ride that everyone can enjoy. The coaster is a fast-paced ride through a curling track with a mid-stop inside a “fireworks truck.” The car experiences a back-blowing explosion (complete with small flames as a special effect) that shoots the roller coaster back to the station. The fire is a bit thematically scary for some children, but the ride is not too intense.
Another great rollercoaster for younger riders is Blazing Fury, which starts as a sightseeing ride through a mine but ends with a minecart off the rails twist. This rollercoaster only has a couple of small hills and quick twists but is completely dark in the last seconds of the ride.
Not only did we find plenty of rides suitable for our young kids, but my husband and I enjoyed the larger roller coasters as well. My personal favorite roller coaster was the Wild Eagle roller coaster. It’s a massive rollercoaster that runs at 60 mph, but the ride is smooth, and the harnesses fit very snug, making it a more pleasant ride.
Dollywood Tip: If you are visiting with small children, be sure to check out the “Parent Swap” feature that allows you to wait in line once and take turns riding the roller coaster while the other parent watches the children.
In addition to the Dollywood rides, my kids enjoyed playing in the playgrounds and water spray areas of the park.
Dollywood Shows
While we missed out on most of the shows due to my kids’ ages, I enjoyed watching two shows in The Little Engine Playhouse. I love children’s books, so I was delighted to find out that the shows were based on books. I was equally impressed that the shows kept not only me entertained but my two-year-old mesmerized. Outside The Little Engine Playhouse, we also had fun watching a small magic show.
Dollywood Tip: Schedule a show for the hot part of the day to give your kids a break from the heat!
Each summer features a different main show, including everything from bubble shows to dog stunts. Be sure to arrive early as the theater was packed the day we went. The shows do not play every day, so you will want to consult the show guide as you plan your time in the park.
This year we also visited in the peak season and were able to see the nightly firework show. The show was great and definitely worth staying until closing time to see. You can see the fireworks most clearly from near Firechaser at the top of the park. Most of the rides continue to run until closing time, but some of the rides up near the fireworks do close at dusk.
Dollywood Food
We ate inside the park our first year, but the food was expensive and the plates small. In later years we instead opted to pack our cooler with sandwiches and tailgated outside of the park. Consider bringing a couple of lawn chairs if you choose to do so. Re-entry is easy with a stamp upon exit, and the parking lot shuttle runs during the entire day.
Dollywood Tip: You can get free ice water at any of Dollywood’s food vendors! This helps fight the heat of the summer!
Dollywood Extras
I felt like one of the biggest perks of visiting Dollywood was the unique variety of attractions for our family. Here are just a couple of the enjoyable spots we noticed through the park:
Local craftsmen and shops full of handmade items.
A wild bird preserve
A roller-coaster museum
Places to feed ducks
Lots of scenic spots & plenty of shade and benches
Baby-Care Stations
If you are breast-feeding or bottle-feeding an infant, you will be happy to find out that Dollywood does have a nursing station with gliders and a changing station. I also noticed several family bathrooms throughout the park. The bathrooms were well-maintained and clean during our visit.
First-Aid Stations We managed to scrape a knee within moments of getting in the park and had the opportunity to visit the first-aid station. The nurse was able to save the day by applying an Angry Bird bandage to my kid’s knee.
More Dollywood Tips for Families
Don’t miss the tram back to your parking spot just because you have a stroller! The tram has stroller parking in the front of the tram.
While you aren’t allowed to bring food in the park, you can get your hand stamped, leave the park, and reenter during the same day.
The roller-coasters have sample restraint systems outside where you can check to be sure that you fit in and are comfortable with the restraint system.
The restaurants inside the park can help warm bottles for bottle-feeding parents.
You can turn in your tickets after your visit for a credit on a season pass. The season pass is an excellent deal and costs less than three visits to Dollywood.
You can also purchase a 3-day pass to visit both Dollywood and Dollywood Splash Country on the same trip.
I received media tickets in order to write about Dollywood but this post contains my honest opinion about our trip. We had such a great time that we have made two additional family trips to Dollywood since the original publication of this review.
More To See At Dollywood
The team at Kidding Around are huge fans of the country music legend and her amusement parks! Because of that, there is no shortage of information from our trips to share with readers! If you are planning a trip to the Dollywood Resort, we encourage you to make the most out of your trip with the information offered on Kidding Around!
Wildwood Grove Dollywood, the premier theme park attraction located in Eastern Tennessee, added a new attraction to the park in 2019 called Wildwood Grove.
Homeschool Days If you are looking to have an adventure, Dollywood will be offering Homeschool Days for families that are utilizing the homeschool option. These days focus on mostly science and math – and really, what’s cooler than learning about the laws of physics by riding a roller coaster?
Christmas At Dollywood – Smoky Mountain Christmas The famous theme park becomes a mecca with over five million lights draped across every single building. Shows like It’s A Wonderful Life play throughout the month-long festival. And a Christmas parade is held nightly at 8:15 pm, an engaging entertainment show full of lights and colors.
Splash Country Water Park Dollywood is a popular place to visit for Greenville families as it’s tons of fun and only three hours away. While you’re there, you can beat the heat by spending some time at Dollywood’s Splash Country.
After I saw photos from the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville, NC, I knew that my family would have to go. We love outdoor adventures and seeing animals, so I knew that my kids enjoy a visit. When we decided to finally visit, the WNC Nature Center was even better than I anticipated. If you haven’t been, you need to schedule a visit. And guess what? If you already have a Greenville Zoo membership, you can get half off admission to the WNC Nature Center.
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Why the WNC Nature Center is so cool
The WNC Nature Center focuses on animals and plants in the southern Appalachian mountains so you’ll get to see animals that roamed this area eons ago up to the present day. The uniqueness of this aspect helps guests to understand more about their own environment and animals they may see in the area.
The center is built into nature with lots of shade, walkways, and natural playgrounds. It’s not huge so it’s very manageable for a day trip, especially with smaller children. The exhibits are interactive and fun for kids of all ages and the park is hardly commercialized.
The center is expanding though and has been building into their 2020 vision plan with new merchandise areas, a new (and beautiful) entrance, expanded parking and restrooms, and even a new name – which we don’t know yet.
What You Will See at the WNC Nature Center
You will start your visit in the Appalachian Station where kids can see a variety of small animals and reptiles. Children will also enjoy interacting with a textured wall and looking at rocks under microscopes.
Then, you will venture outside where you will follow paved and wooden sidewalks through animal exhibits. Most of the animals are behind glass or chain link fences but the exhibits themselves are large and full of animal play structures. These animal exhibits include: otters, raccoons, foxes, gray wolves, cougars, coyotes, bobcats, black bears, hawks, owls, and more. There is a brand new red panda exhibit with the cutest, fluffiest red panda ever. And the red wolf exhibit is an educational experience unto itself.
While exploring, you will also find the Trillium Nature Trail, a .6 mile nature trail to allow children to see the beauty along the Swannanoa River.
Kids will enjoy the Arachnid Adventure, a playground based on spider web jungle gyms. This playground also is surrounded by spiders hiding on the surrounding trees making a fun “eye-spy game”. There are also other playgrounds scattered throughout the park where kids use natural materials to build and play with.
Otter Falls also has a slide that kids can play on while they watch the active animals enjoy the water.
Your visit will end at the Western North Carolina Farm where kids will get to pet animals and even pretend to be farmers themselves in an interactive play zone with small wheelbarrows and tools inside the huge barn. Be sure to check out “water painting” nearby. A gem mine is also next to the barn and the buckets can be purchased in the little shop.
A new Songbird Garden is near the wolves and built like a big wall but cutouts to try to find the birds that are pictured on the wall.
Sensory Bags are available for free
For parents of children with autism or sensory processing disorders, free sensory bags can be signed out at the gift shop upon entering the center. They are sponsored by KultureCity, a national non-profit, and include headphones, a fidget toy, and a feelings chart.
Signs are posted throughout the park indicating areas to perhaps use the headphones. It’s great that the WNC Nature Center now has these available!
Should I bring a stroller?
If you’ve got small kids, bring a stroller or rent one ($10) there. There are lots of hills and little legs will probably get tired. There are plenty of places to rest and enjoy the animals and playgrounds but yes, strollers would be ideal.
Our Experience at the WNC Nature Center
We came later in the day, so we ended up missing the petting zoo (it closed at 4 pm) and didn’t have time to explore the trail. My kids had such a great time though that we hardly missed the extra activities. We easily spent two hours exploring and could have spent another 30 minutes if the nature center would have been open longer. We tend to be slow visitors to attractions, so your family may tour the center quicker especially if you don’t have small children who want to play in the play areas.
I really enjoyed that the layout and outdoor walkways seemed more like a nature walk than zoo. The animals were active in the cool fall air and most of them were easily visible. The paths were easy to follow, though it was confusing figuring out which way to turn to explore the center without missing any of the exhibits.
My kids favorite exhibits were the Otter Falls and the WNC Farm play area. I personally loved watching the cougars and was thrilled to get some wonderful photos even through glass. I was disappointed that glass and fences made it difficult and even impossible to get good photos of some of the animals, but at least the animals were easy to see in person.
Some concessions are available through vending machines and new concession areas will likely be opening in the next year. The center also has plenty of picnic space for families wanting to bring a lunch. The WNC Nature Center is also right beside a large park with a playground, picnic shelters, and public pool. The center has restrooms in the ticket access, barn near the petting zoo, at the arachnid climbing playground, and in the Appalachian Station which are wheelchair accessible.
Open: 7 days a week, 10 – 3:30 pm Admission: $13.95/ adults ($1 off for seniors), $13.95/ youth (13-15), $9.95/ kids (ages 3 – 12) 2 and younger free, half off with Greenville Zoo membership 75 Gashes Creek Road; Asheville, NC 28805 828.259.8080 WNC Nature Center
Have you ever visited the WNC Nature Center? What did you think?
One of my favorite places to celebrate the outdoors with my kiddos is high atop the Blue Ridge Mountains at Mt Pisgah Campground. The campground is right off the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway (near Canton, NC), and while individual sites are mostly wooded and tucked away, the entire area boasts breathtaking panoramic views of rolling green-blue mountains from horizon to horizon. Picturesque sunrises, sunsets, hikes, picnics, drives, you name it, it all comes with an incredible view.
What to Expect at the Mt. Pisgah Campground
As it sits at an elevation of nearly 5,000ft, the entire area boasts much cooler temperatures than here in Greenville. Even in the middle of summer, don’t forget a light jacket. If you’re camping in the fall, enduring the chilly air will bring the payoff of a vibrant colorscape you won’t soon forget. The campground accommodates both tents and RVs with a total of 127 sites, as well as offering drinking water, fire rings, picnic tables, and full service bathrooms.
Reserving a Campsite
Some sites can be reserved online and some are first-come first-serve. Campsites are just $20/night. There are no power hook-ups – so plan accordingly. And don’t forget to head down to the campfire circle for fun programs and marshmallow roasting. Ranger-led programs are offered most Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm in the amphitheater at the top of B loop.
The Camp Store
Directly across the street, through trails behind the campsites, is a quaint camp store that is always fun to visit, plus it’s got you covered when you think of what you forgot, like lighter fluid, matches, and even coffee if you can’t get that fire going in the morning. The store is open daily from 8 am – 8 pm.
Things to do around the Mt. Pisgah Campground
What else can you do? The campground offers hiking straight from the sites. If you’re feeling ambitious (and your kids are too) you can trek about two miles up the summit of Mt. Pisgah to a viewing platform that’s truly worth the effort. Our kiddos have done this many times over the years and have always enjoyed the hike.
Or drive about a mile to the trailhead of Frying Pan Tower trail, an uphill climb to an old fire watch tower with 360 degree views of the mountains.
If you want to take a dip or explore some more just head down the mountain along 276 toward home and you can enjoy Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock, the trout hatchery, Cradle of Forestry, and the Davidson River among many, many others. Head further along the Blue Ridge Parkway and find yourself in Asheville for the afternoon.
One of my kids’ favorite pastimes about this camp spot is simply driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway with the windows down, and screaming their heads off in every tunnel we encounter. A warning dear friends: there are many tunnels on the BRP. Share this tradition if you dare!
Are you planning a fun family trip for spring break? Myrtle Beach makes an excellent choice for a family friendly spring break vacation! Though it may be a little chilly for swimming in the ocean and the waterparks won’t be open yet, don’t think for a minute that spring weather will limit your fun in the Myrtle Beach area. Instead, the cooler weather will make the parks and attractions more pleasant. There are also smaller crowds and plenty of kid friendly hotels with indoor pools to enjoy. Here is a list of things to do during spring break at Myrtle Beach, plus a schedule of how to fit it all in (complete with dining options).
Thank you to Visit Myrtle Beach and the many venues we visited for hosting Kidding Around.
Where to stay in Myrtle Beach?
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We stayed at the Hampton Inn and Suites Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront. The hotel is situated right on the beach and has multiple indoor and outdoor pools. The outdoor pools even have sprinklers and there is a lazy river and hot tub. Since it was April, we spent most of our time swimming in the indoor pool but the outdoor pools were open even though it was only early April.
Our room faced the ocean with a porch with rocking chairs and a table. It was pleasant to be able to watch the sunset over the ocean from the comfort of our room in the evening and the kids loved being able to open our porch doors to let in the fresh ocean breeze in the morning. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the complimentary “continental” breakfast at our Hampton included a hot bar with eggs and sausage, fresh waffles, fruit, and plenty of other choices. Not only is breakfast great but the breakfast room overlooks the ocean and it’s quite pretty. It was a good start to the day.
Hotels in Myrtle Beach with Indoor Pools
If you want the summer beach vacation experience during your Spring Break vacation, finding a hotel with an indoor pool is a must. Captain’s Quarters Resort Myrtle Beach offers a wonderful indoor lazy river and indoor pool that is open all year, so your spring break vacation will feel more like summer. The resort is kid friendly and is only a few miles drive to Broadway at the Beach, the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, and tons of attractions.
First Evening of Spring Break in Myrtle Beach – Catch a Dinner Show!
Who says that you need a full day to start having fun. Start your spring break vacation off right and make your first night part of vacation by heading to Medieval Times for a dinner show. The show will transport you right back to the Dark Ages. Upon entering the castle, you are immediately lords and ladies (complete with a crown). The show includes a full knight competition with horses followed by serious threat to the kingdom that requires an all-out sword fight to determine the best knight to defend the kingdom’s honor. It’s full of cheering, booing, and fun.
Tip: Make sure you plan plenty of time. The traffic into the Myrtle Beach area can be a little slow and you will want to arrive at the dinner show at least a half hour or more in advance.
Day 1 of Spring Break – Visit the Murrells Inlet & the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk
We decided to hit the ground running our first day of spring break in Myrtle Beach with an action-packed day at Murrells Inlet. Murrells Inlet is about a 45-minute drive from Myrtle Beach, but it’s well worth the drive.
Brookgreen Gardens – We started our morning at Brookgreen Gardens. I had researched the gardens online before our visit but was still amazed by the size and the beauty. We started out our morning in the gardens with a Creek Excursion that took us in a pontoon boat along the creek where we saw rice fields and wildlife (including a couple gators). The excursion is super family friendly, and it is interesting to watch your kids awe over the boat ride. We also learned quite a bit about the history of the area and the Brookgreen Gardens. After our boat ride, we spent time exploring the Children’s Discovery Room, Storybook Forest, Lowcountry Zoo, and the Gardens.
For lunch, we packed a picnic to eat at Brookgreen Gardens where we found ample picnic spots. There were also a couple restaurants on the grounds to choose from.
Huntington Beach State Park– After the gardens, we headed over to Huntington Beach State Park which was just a short distance down the road. This state park offers hiking, a wide 3 miles of beach, and Atalaya. Huntington Beach State Park is also one of the best places to spot birds in the Southeast. Our kids were tired and itching to get on the beach but I was able to sneak off first and get a peek inside Atalaya. You can tour Atalaya, the original 30 room winter home of the Huntingtons for just $2/person.
We decided to splurge on fresh seafood that night at the iconic Drunken Jack’s at the Murrells Inlet marshwalk. Our table offered a view of the ocean and I tried Chef Casey’s Risotto (an award-winning dish that has Mahi-Mahi, scallops, risotto, and lobster & crab cream sauce). It was a more expensive meal, but the atmosphere, fresh seafood, and cool decor made it worth the cost. Our kids felt very welcome as their kids’ meals came with pirate hats and they were presented with a gold coin at the end of the meal as a reward for “eating good”. After eating dinner, you can take a walk down the docks to watch native birds perching, boats cruising through the marsh, or even catch an evening sunset. The Murrells Inlet marshwalk is quite magical at sunset, and my kids loved looking at all the herons and seabirds hanging around.
Spending our first day of spring break in Murrells Inlet was really packed and resulted in some tired kids, so we elected to head back to the hotel after dinner where the kids had a quick swim before bed.
Day 2 of Spring Break – Myrtle Beach SkyWheel and Broadway at the Beach
We started our second day, by heading to Ripley’s Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach. The aquarium was really clean and brightly decorated and the exhibits were very nice. There was a shark tunnel, sting ray exhibit, jelly area, and more. I was impressed to see two sting ray petting tanks (one with some massive stingrays) and even a moon jelly touching tank. If you are looking for additional options beyond the aquarium Broadway at the Beach offers shopping and several kid-friendly attractions including Ripley’s Odditorium, Ripley’s Movie Theatre 5D, Ripley’s Mirror Maze, Wonderworks, and a nice playground. Broadway at the Beach is one of our favorite attractions because it is super family friendly, offers live music and entertainment, has excellent dining options, and is a great way to spend a day during your spring break vacation.
After a couple hours at the aquarium, we ate lunch at Dagwood’s Deli. The burgers and sandwiches we ordered were absolutely delicious and we were glad that we arrived a little before noon as the restaurant quickly filled up soon after we arrived. It was an affordable meal too with most menu items priced under $10.
Dagwood’s Deli was located near several $5 parking lots where we were able to snag a parking space that was not only perfect for lunch but an easy walk to our next destination, the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel.
We had never ridden a ferris wheel as tall as the Skywheel before and we were all a little nervous (in fact, one of my kids almost backed out), but we decided to all give it a try. The line looked long but moved remarkably fast (I think that we were only in line for about 10 minutes). There was space for our entire family to be in one car and it felt safe and even had air conditioning. (If ferris wheels make you nervous, you will be glad to know that there is also an emergency button in the car too).
The Skywheel is in middle of the strip at Myrtle Beach where you can easily shop for souvenirs or walk along the Myrtle Beach boardwalk.
After the Skywheel, we headed to Savannah’s Playground, a massive all-inclusive playground for children. The playground offered a zipline, large playground, swings, and plenty of space to play. It’s also completely free.
Evening Entertainment & Dinner: We chose to experience the dinner show, Pirate’s Voyage, where we were delighted by acrobatics, singing, dancing, and animals. It was a fast-paced show with a lot of special effects and music and there were even mermaids.
Day 3 of Spring Break – Myrtle Beach Full Experience
On our third day, we decided to experience the heart of Myrtle Beach by heading out to nature followed by a relaxing game of mini golf (Did you know that Myrtle Beach is the mini golf capital of the world?).
We were struck immediately by the beauty of Myrtle Beach State Park. It’s a lovely drive into the park area where you will find a Nature Center and programming, a nature trail, a fishing pier, and a beach front. The hiking was very simple and easy for our two children and while we did not fish we did walk out on to the pier to get a better view of the ocean and shore. Our kids then played in the ocean despite it being a nippy 50 degrees outside. Fortunately, the park has rinsing stations and bathhouse where you can change. We packed a couple sandwiches figuring that our kids would be hungry before we left the park.
After the park, we decided to try our hand at mini golf. One thing, we noticed immediately when we drove into Myrtle Beach was how many mini golf options there were to choose from and they all looked fun. We chose Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf, which ended up being just perfect. The easier course, The Lost Boys was fun but not too difficult and our greens took us past mermaids, into a skull cave, near a pirate ship, and past numerous waterfalls.
After a good game of mini golf, you need ice cream! So we returned our putters and drove over to Kirk’s 1890s Ice Cream Parlor. There we found not only an excellent selection of ice cream flavors but also cute retro decor.
Dinner & Evening Entertainment – We were all in the mood for pizza that last night, so after a little bit of research we settled on Ducatis Trattoria and Pizzaria. We knew it was a good choice, the second we saw the ginormous garlic knots arrive at our table. The pizza was equally delicious.
After dinner we decided to cap our trip off with a night at the Carolina Opry. The show was truly amazing and our kids really enjoyed the singing and the dancing. We also saw a couple acts that gave a taste of Thunder and Light (a dance & laser light show) and Pure Magic the Wagsters (a magic show). Both performances were amazing and fun. The evening show did end up having a couple jokes and a song that were too close to PG-13 for our family. In addition, it was a little long for little kids (over two hours) but the music and dancing were incredible. Next time we are in town, we plan on snagging tickets for either the Thunder and Light show or the Pure Magic show as both of those are in the morning and our kids especially loved those acts.
Enjoying the Trip back home
On our way home, we decided to stop in route in Conway to see the LW Paul Living History Farm. This working farm is open to the public on Tuesdays-Saturdays from 9-4. You can either call ahead and schedule a tour or explore at your own pace. There are animals, restored original buildings, and it’s completely free. Check their schedule ahead of time as they also have events on the calendar. The farm is only about 45 minutes from Myrtle Beach. The Horry County Museum is also just a couple minutes away and is also free to the public.
Have you ever been to Myrtle Beach for Spring Break? What are your favorite things to do?
For Fall break this year, my family decided to head up to western North Carolina for a day of fun. While we were up there, we stopped in Rutherfordton, NC (one hour and a half from Greenville and under and hour from Spartanburg) to see the children’s museum KidSenses. I had heard other local parents tell me that it was a popular day trip destination from the Greenville/Spartanburg area and I wanted to see it for myself.
What Is KidSenses?
KidSenses is an interactive children’s museum with 16 exhibits. While at first glance the museum might look small from the outside, the space is packed with fun things to do for all ages of children.
Some of our favorite exhibits were:
Kid’s Pueblito – This Mexican diner was my daughter’s favorite exhibit. The space was bright and cleverly decorated with everything from small tables to food prep and beverage stations.
Zap Theatre! – My son said that the Zap Theatre! was his top choice and I agree that it was an unique experience hearing and watching a Musical Bi-Polar Tesla Coil play music. This particular exhibit has select showtimes so be sure to ask ahead of time for the schedule.
Alphabet Trail – My children were too old for this section of the museum reserved for ages 4 and under but I still peeked in to see what it looked like. The space had ample room to play, imaginary areas, and couch (perfect for feeding a baby or resting while the kids play). The area was completely closed off by a door and the museum staff assured me that they enforce the age limits. I would have happily retreated to this quiet corner back when my kids were smaller.
Bubble-Ology – This room was perhaps one of the most unusual exhibits at the museum. In it, kids could create all sorts of bubbles including a contraption that allowed you to stand inside a giant bubble.
HealthWise – This particular exhibit is not open at all times, but if you are lucky enough to catch it when it’s open you should definitely check it out. Inside, kids could don lab coats, goggles, and gloves to perform science experiments. If you have a child that is always wanting to mix everything in your kitchen cabinets to see what happens, this is the perfect place to let them experiment without the mess.
Lights! Camera! Action! – This exhibit included a full stage, complete with curtains, costumes, and a puppet theatre.
WFUN Studios – My kids enjoyed pretending to be newscasters in this mini studio that had everything from a working camera to a news desk and green screen. This exhibit is best enjoyed with two or more people as one person can pretend to report while the other person can control the background.
PetSenses – In this area, kids could grab a stuffed pet, groom it, weigh it, and even check the pet for ID chips.
In addition, there was also a mini grocery store, firetruck, art room, and more. With 16 exhibit areas, there was plenty for my children to explore.
Tips for Visiting KidSenses
We would recommend calling ahead of time to ensure that you aren’t visiting at the same time as a school trip.
There are only a couple options for dining in Rutherfordton, so pack a lunch or ask at the desk for a couple recommendations. There is however, a great ice cream and coffee shop right across the street.
We saw plenty of street parking on the day we visited.
My kids are old enough where I wasn’t worried about “losing” them, but some other parents told me that they did feel like they had to watch their children closely due to the fact that you could quickly scale a climber in the middle of the museum to get from one floor to another. The museum was pretty contained though with only one entrance. There is a back door but it has an alarm. Overall, I think that due to the smaller size, it would be easier to watch small kids than other similar museums.
KidSenses is in the process of adding a new division for youth ages 11 and up called The Factory. It will be located right behind KidSenses in a separate building. We still don’t have a date on when this new hands-on maker space will open, but it will certainly be a great addition for families with older kids.
Basic Information
KidSenses is located at:
172 N. Main St. Rutherfordton, NC 28139
You can call them at 828-286-2120.
They are closed Sundays and Mondays. Tuesdays-Saturdays they are open from 9-5.
Admission is $8/person (children & adults)
Have you been to KidSenses? We would love to hear what you think.
Local mom Andrea Beam shares her family’s experience at LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Atlanta. Read her review! For more travel options near the Upstate, be sure to consult our Travel Near Greenville page.
My son decided he wanted to have his birthday dinner at Hard Rock Café in Atlanta. What 11 year old does that? Hey, it was cheaper than most venues, so count me in! We decided to turn it into an overnight trip and check out LEGOLAND Discovery Center while there. The overnight stay was an added bonus for our family, but LEGOLAND is completely doable as a day-trip.
I visited Trip Advisor and several other sites and found mixed reviews. I had no idea what to expect.
LEGOLAND is located at Phipps Plaza. I plugged the address into my Google GPS and had no problem. Driving through Atlanta is never high on my “To Do” list, but we survived. You’ll want to avoid morning rush hour traffic. If you don’t, pack a picnic because you’ll be eating lunch on 85!
We parked on the upper parking deck of the mall and entered through the door of one of the department stores. LEGO Land is located in the middle of the mall on the third floor. It doesn’t matter which door you use. Take the escalators. If your kids are anything like ours, they’ll enjoy this as much as the rides inside the building. Doors open at 10 am.
What to expect
The lines were well organized. Once you pay and walk through the front door, you’re pretty much on your own. Pick up a brochure/map at the entrance. There is SO MUCH to see! Most everything is interactive and hands on.
Space Mission is the newest addition and was a BIG hit with our crew. There are stations for the littles (and not-so littles) to build spaceships and a “control center” where they can fly their own ship. None of those compare to the space ship that actually launches every five minutes, complete with smoke and a countdown! I caught this magic on video. The boys have watched it multiple times.
Mini Land was really cool. While it’s not hands-on, we had fun looking at the replicas of the historical places around Atlanta. I had to keep reminding myself that everything is actually built out of LEGOS. It’s unreal.
Duplo Village is the perfect destination for the smallest visitors. There is a play zone as well as soft/hard blocks. Because my kids are older, we didn’t spend time here, but I poked my head in to see what it was about. Everything looked clean and kids were having a good time.
4D Cinema offers multiple movies featuring your favorite LEGO characters! Photos/videos are not allowed during the movie. This is unfortunate because the smiles on our kids’ faces were priceless. They LOVED getting wet! Oops… I hope I didn’t give anything away!
Rides are located inside LEGOLAND. I can’t tell you how impressed I was with the Merlin’s Apprentice. For a brief moment, I felt like I was at Disney World. Okay, that may be a stretch, but it was super cute. At one point a few of the adults were on the ride with NO children. To protect the identity of the guilty (or pitiful) I won’t list names.
Your kiddos will love the Build & Test area. This is the spot where you build your own car to race down the ramps.
If you asked our kids to tell you their favorite thing about LEGOLAND, Pirate Adventure Island would be the unanimous choice. You could easily spend half a day in this play area. There is a huge water table, a slide and several climbing sections. This area reminded me of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate.
One of the biggest complaints in the online reviews was how expensive the food is in the Café. There is another option – a Food Court right outside the entrance and we ate there. An employee, stationed at the exit, will stamp your hand for reentry. There is not an extensive selection of restaurants to choose from but it’s certainly the best option. There is a Moe’s and everyone loves Moe’s, right?!
Before you hit the road, click here to purchase your tickets. You’ll pay more at the door.
Plan your own trip to LEGO Land
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center
3500 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
404.848.9252
Online tickets start at $12.50 (prices may vary by time and date).
Has your family ever visited LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Atlanta?
Meet Andrea Beam
Andrea Beam works for the Greenville County School System, but her passion is writing! Greenville has always been her home. Her family enjoys exploring everything the town has to offer. In addition to Kidding Around Greenville, she blogs at Sunshine & Rain.
Local mom Maria Bassett shares her experience taking her children on a trip with Traveling Homeschoolers. This special group offers travel packages specifically tailored to homeschool families that combine adventure with education!
Nearly every year Traveling Homeschoolers, a group based in Rock Hill, SC, offers a homeschool retreat in addition to the many domestic and international trips they offer each year. My family has joined them for several different trips and retreats, and we always enjoy these retreats. It’s lovely not to have to plan out all the details, and instead leave them in the capable hands of Traveling Homeschoolers. My family just returned from this year’s retreat in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Our Accommodations
We stayed at the YMCA of the Rockies, in Estes Park, CO. This resort style facility boasts many lodges with hotel-style rooms, dining cafeteria style, and just about every activity you can imagine. Picture traditional summer camp, but for families, set in a valley surrounded by magnificent mountains. Then, add in guided hikes, animal, plant and survival skills classes and you’ll begin to get the idea. Our family enjoyed archery, basketball, chess outdoors with giant chess pieces, playground time, swimming, roller-skating, many rounds of miniature golf and hiking all on the YMCA property. How wonderful it is to wake up with your family, not have to worry for even a fraction of a second about meals or responsibilities, and just play all day!
But we didn’t just play, we learned a lot, too! We enjoyed participating in a bear talk, a beaver hike, knot-tying class, family astronomy class, ecology walk and a bird banding hike! We got to watch a professional bird bander catch birds, record data on the bird, and either band it or note where it was initially banded. Some of us even got to hold the birds! The staff running the activities were completely wonderful, friendly and happy. With the exception of archery, which has a $10 fee, all these activities were included in the price we paid to stay at YMCA of the Rockies.
Our favorite adventure at YMCA of the Rockies was horseback riding on a trail through the mountains. None of my family had ever ridden a horse before, and we had such an amazing time. We saw several mule deer, lots of elk and many birds from horseback, as our horses clomped down and up the rocky trail, over creeks, and through trails lined with Ponderosa Pines and Aspen trees. The livery is on YMCA property but is operated by a separate company. Let me tell you, our wranglers (guides) were simply amazing. I was nervous particularly that my 6 year-old would be too afraid to get on the horse, but the wrangler told him he had the best horse in the barn and showed him how to turn and stop the horse. My little guy hopped right into the saddle. The horses were very well trained to follow each other, and other than a few who wanted to stop and have a snack, they needed very little actual input from us. It was a highlight for all of us. This was not an included activity, and had its own fees. Our ride cost $45 for an hour trail ride. It was not inexpensive, but, for us, totally worth it for the experience.
Rocky Mountain National Park
YMCA of the Rockies sits right next to Rocky Mountain National Park. Cross Glacier Creek, and you’re in the national park. If you prefer to drive through the park, the entrance is just about a 10 minute drive. From there you can access many, many hiking trails or drive through the stunning scenery. Our family hiked both the Bear Lake Trail and the Albertta Falls Trail. We had been warned there was still snow on the trails, and advised to borrow hiking boots from the YMCA. They have Lowa boots in all sizes to borrow for hikes, free of charge to YMCA guests. We were super glad we had borrowed boots! The trail was perfectly clear in some sections, but utterly covered in 6 to 7 foot iced over drifts in others. Even with our boots, we relied on the help of fellow hikers, as well as walking sticks and poles to get down some of the drifts. What an adventure! And what a view. Bear Lake was simply stunning.
Traveling Homeschoolers
When you want to travel with Traveling Homeschoolers, you select the trip you are interested in online. You’ll see general information about the trip, costs, and activities, and then you can register right there on the website. Shortly thereafter you’ll be contacted via e-mail by Dianna, who organizes all the trips, and she’ll tell you the payment schedule for that trip and anything else you need to know along the way. She does all the research, finds the least crowded times, with the best deals, handles all the dealing with the venues and anything included in your trip. You just get to show up!
Some of Traveling Homeschoolers’ trips are more organized with a schedule of group events, and some, like the retreat, are more relaxed with fewer organized events. Our family really liked being able to pick and choose what we did, but still found ourselves meeting up with other families in our group at meals, camp fires, and for board games in the evening. It was a perfectly lovely mix. If you’re looking for shorter trips, closer to home, check out Carolina Homeschooler. It’s run by the same person and is also an Option 3 association.
This Rocky Mountain adventure was the anchor for our road trip across the country. Its not something my family will soon, or probably ever, forget. We can’t wait for our next adventure (well, I can, at least until the mountain of resulting laundry gets done.)
Note: Nothing was provided to us to review this Traveling Homeschooler trip. These are my family’s unbiased opinions.
Where would your family love to venture for a Homeschool field trip?
Meet Maria Bassett
Maria Bassett is a former school orchestra teacher, turned home-school mom. She and her husband homeschool their 3 sons and 1 daughter, currently pre-school through 2nd grade age. Believing children learn best when they are engaged and having fun, this family loves to take their homeschool on the road, around Greenville and beyond.
