Inside: A real parent review of Anchor Park at Lake Bowen in Spartanburg, SC. Learn about the playground, water access, boating, and other amenities.
Looking for a family-friendly lake near Spartanburg where kids can play and parents can relax?
Anchor Park at Lake Bowen in Inman, SC offers a fully fenced playground, shady picnic spots, and easy access to water activities like fishing, kayaking, and boating—all in one scenic location. Read on for everything you need to know about what this great park has to offer!
Lake Bowen is the largest lake in Spartanburg County, covering over 1,500 acres with approximately 33 miles of shoreline. It is managed by Spartanburg Water as a scenic reservoir which families can enjoy. Anchor Park is a fantastic place to do just that, with ample parking, playgrounds and picnic shelters, multiple ways to access Lake Bowen, and the Lake Bowen Warden’s Office.
Anchor Park Playground
Anchor Park offers some of the best playgrounds in Inman. It is fully fenced all the way around with gates on each side for easy access in and out. There are two different play structures, one for little kids and one for bigger kids, plus a swing set and a few different options for sensory play.
One picnic shelter sits between the two play structures, allowing parents to easily supervise both, and another picnic shelter sits a little farther up the hill, giving a great view of the entire play area. There are a few benches around the park for additional seating, and a paved path loops around it, too, for those who want to walk, bring bicycles or tricycles, or even color with sidewalk chalk.
Men’s and women’s restrooms are conveniently located right outside the fenced play area, and there are trees scattered throughout offering some shady spots where you can get out of the heat. Plus, there is just no beating the incredible wraparound view of Lake Bowen. You’ll be able to observe all the wildlife and water sports right from the shores of the park!
Fishing on Lake Bowen
Anchor Park is the ideal place to access Lake Bowen for water sports. Whether you’re interested in fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, or boating, you’re going to find a way to do it right here.
The entire shoreline is perfect for fishing. You can stand right on the rocks and drop your line in the water, take advantage of the two dedicated fishing piers, or even climb down onto a small muddy shoreline when the water level is low enough. Because the lake wraps around the park, it’s not hard to find spots in full sun or partial shade at any time of day, either.
Just remember to purchase a fishing license in advance of your visit for any anglers ages 16 years or older! Fishing licenses are not required for freshwater fishing in South Carolina on Memorial Day or Independence Day. Magnet fishing is always prohibited under South Carolina state law.
Water Sports on Lake Bowen
If you want to get out on the water, this is definitely the place to do it! We’ve seen jet skis, tubing, pontoon boats, and more come on and off the water around Anchor Park.
There is a special access point for paddlecraft, or non-powered watercraft, to enter and exit the lake if you follow the road to the right around the park and playground. There are also two boat ramps across the parking lot if you drive towards the left as you enter the park.
Spartanburg Water requires watercraft permits for both powered and non-powered vessels on Lake Bowen. Permits start at $25 for non-powered vessels and go up from there, with lower prices for locals and highest prices for out-of-state visitors. Permits are only available at the Warden’s Office, so be sure to call in advance at 864.592.2240. Office hours are posted, but exact hours vary as the warden comes and goes.
Boat registration with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is also required for any watercraft not relying on human power. This means that paddlecraft such as canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards are exempt, but motorized boats will need to be registered. Boat registration starts at about $20 and can be done online.
Life jackets are required under South Carolina state law for all children under 12 years old. A limited number of life jackets are available to borrow near the non-powered watercraft dock, but it’s a good idea to bring your own in case these run out.
Visit Lake Bowen
Park Hours: 6 am-midnight Restroom Hours: 6:30 am-7 pm Watercraft Hours: Sunrise to sunset Warden Office Hours: 7:30 am-6 pm, 7 days a week
Have you hiked to Station Cove Falls from the Oconee Station Falls Historic Site? Kidding Around Contributor, Liene enjoys this hike and historical spot with her family. She’s sharing everything you need to know about this great summertime hike and place to splash around in Oconee, SC.
We’re out every week enjoying the gorgeous blue skies of summer, and although I’m looking forward to the red and orange hillsides of autumn as much as the next person, we’re having plenty of fun exploring the waterfalls of the Upstate, despite the heat! A great hike for mid-to-late summer is the Oconee Station State Historic Site located on 210 acres just off Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway 11; splashing around at the base of Station Cove Falls is a great reward for the 2-mile roundtrip hike. The Park has the historical features covered as well, with the historic structures and interpretive signage of Oconee Station State Park.
History at Oconee Station State Historic Site
Up on a hill in a clearing are the blockhouse and the William Richards home. The blockhouse was built in 1792 as a military post to protect settlers against the Cherokee Indians, and later to protect Indians against settler encroachment; it was the last blockhouse to be decommissioned in the state. In 1805, William Richards built a brick home next door and established a trading post. Currently, tours are temporarily unavailable, but there is a self-interpretation station.
Hiking at Oconee Station State Park
In addition to these historic homes, Oconee Station features several miles of hiking trails. A small pond adds to the allure of Oconee Station, however, it is the hike to Station Cove Falls that often brings us to the historic site, as it’s an easy hike to a gorgeous waterfall. The waterfall is actually on Sumter National Forest, and nearby is another favorite State Park; Station Creek runs down from Oconee State Park, which although only 3 miles away on the Palmetto Trail, is 30 minutes by car as you circumnavigate Station and Oconee Mountains.
For those that would like a shorter hike, there is a small gravel parking lot on Oconee Station Rd about 0.3 miles past the entrance to Oconee Station State Historic Site that fits about 3 cars. This cuts the hike down to about 1.6 miles roundtrip, however, the additional section might be worth it just for the amenities at Oconee Station: restroom facilities, the Park Office, and the Ultimate Outsider official park stamp if you’re participating in the SC State Parks program.
Station Cove Falls
Station Cove Falls is a 60ft cascade, with plenty of room at the base to have a picnic, splash around, photograph the falls, and relax before hiking back to the trailhead. In the spring and early summer there is a good showing of wildflowers including trillium, may apple, pink lady’s slipper orchids, bloodroot, and Jack-in-the-pulpit. Fall brings the annual show of color to the cove hardwoods, while winter provides an unobstructed view of the falls.
The trail to the waterfall is well marked. From the parking lot at Oconee Station, head back along the paved road for 100 feet or so and you’ll see the trail descending into the woods. There is a loop that circumnavigates the small pond, however, this option is not clearly marked. Once you make the climb up to Oconee Station Rd. and cross into the woods, you’ll pass by a swampy area before the trail splits; keep to the left for the waterfall, to the right for the hike to Oconee State Park and the Foothills Trail.
Looking for more waterfalls to explore? Don’t miss out guide to Waterfalls of the Southeast with hikes that are perfect for families.
Are you looking for a new park to explore in downtown? KAG contributor and local mom, Deborah, has the scoop on Pinkney Fludd Park and some other exciting ways to enjoy your time downtown. Pinckney Fludd Park offers a fun playground, climbing structure and more, all within a short walk of Heritage Green.
What you’ll find at Pinckney-Fludd Park
The small neighborhood park of Pinckney Fludd is on Pinckney Street just up from the beautiful, historic district of Hampton-Pinckney. The first house in this district was built by William Pinckney McBee, Vardry McBee’s son, before the Civil War, so you can expect mature trees and a wide street in a quiet neighborhood.
Just three minutes away from Heritage Green, this park makes the perfect addition to a day at the Children’s Museum or the Hughes Main Library!
Parking for the Pickney Fludd Park is conveniently located on Pinckney Street right in front of the gate. The park is fully enclosed and includes a basketball net as well as a picnic table and shaded bench. The new playground equipment did not disappoint!
My boys loved trying to climb across the playground without ever touching the ground. They even made it a race by timing themselves. As your children tryout the playground’s climbing structures, they will build confidence, determination, and important motor skills.
The go-round was a highlight to the playground. You can safely spin around in it very quickly, and even when you stop pushing it, it will continue to turn around slowly when children are in it. My son was super excited when he noticed the “space ship.” He called it this because of the clear dome at the top of the slide. These kinds of features really ignite the imagination of a child!
More to do after you visit the park
After the playground, we decided to drive down to the Greenville Train Station and were thrilled to watch a long train pulling all sorts of military vehicles! Trains and tanks – how can you go wrong!
Last, but not least, this park is only a block from two trolley stops on the Arts West line, or green line. Catch a free ride downtown to the farmer’s market from 10 am – 2 pm on Saturdays.
Or, enjoy our exciting downtown Thursday through Sunday evenings. Be sure to download the Trolley Tracker app so you know exactly when the next trolley will arrive.
Grab a basketball and bring your entire family out for a fun day or evening together!
Looking for a relaxing day tubing on the French Broad River? You will certainly find it at Zen Tubing just south of Asheville, NC! Load up the kids and cooler for a tubing adventure. We have all the info you need the make the day tubing the French Broad River perfect!
🛑2025 UPDATE: Only the Zen Tubing location in South Asheville at 1648 Brevard Road will be open during the summer of 2025, not the one located in the River Arts District, due to damage from Hurricane Helene.
Zen Tubing is about an hour from Greenville, an easy drive up HWY 25. They have two locations to “drop in” your tubes for an easy-going float down the French Broad River. Zen Tubing is for adults and kids aged 4 and up. I highly recommend looking over the website to pre-plan your trip. Be aware that reservations are required at both locations to secure your spot. As you will notice, they have not only general information but also an up-to-date weather forecast, which is a key aspect of the trip. You can go to the Midtown Asheville location or the South Asheville location, depending on the day you plan to go.
Zen Tubing Locations
The Midtown location has guests tubing through the River Arts District of Downtown Asheville. It takes 3-3.5 hours to float down this river. Check their site or call them for hours and last shuttle pickup time, as hours vary. (The Midtown location will be closed for 2025 due to the effects of Hurricane Helene)
The South Asheville location is the nature tubing experience, with places to swim, picnic, and enjoy the outdoors on the banks of the French Broad River during your float. It takes around 2 to 2.5 hours to float this portion of the river. Double-check their website for hours, availability, and the last shuttle pick-up time.
For both locations, you want to be sure to return back to the outpost by 5 pm, which is when they close the gates. You are able to stay on the water as long as you would like, but Zen Tubing does ask tubers not to leave the water to visit the breweries that can be found along the riverside during the Midtown tubing adventure. You can also bring coolers, and alcohol is allowed, but you can not bring glass bottles or distilled spirits. Be kind and please keep the waterways clean from trash and leftover drink cans and cups.
Arriving at Zen Tubing
Upon arrival, we were asked to sign waivers and were given information as to what to do in the event of inclement weather. The total trip time varies based on the water level, but it’s typically around 2-3 hours total.
You will also want to make sure you have sunscreen, hats, rash guards, and water shoes. Don’t be fooled by a cloudy day. We learned that the hard way with a touch of too much sun after our trek. After we paid and signed our waivers, the kids under 13 were suited up in life vests as we waited to board our shuttle to the drop-off point. Your ticket includes a deluxe tube, a life jacket, free parking, and a shuttle ride. The shuttle was about 10 minutes and a bit bumpy, so make sure you and the kiddos have eaten a solid meal.
You can book a time between 10 am and 2 pm (which is when the last trip leaves).
As for your furry friends, they are not allowed to participate in the tubing adventure at Zen Tubing.
On The French Broad River With Zen Tubing
Once we were brought down to the entry point of the river, we gave the folks at Zen our tubes to blow up. Then we were able to select our cooler tube and get ready for launch. After some safety tips, it was time to get in the water. We had a fairly large group of 8. We roped all of our tubes together so we could begin our journey down the river together.
The water was cold but not too cold and the current was slow and relaxing. The water is also very shallow. If you need to get out of your tube, you would be able to walk if necessary.
Zen Tubing Midtown Asheville – 608 Riverside Dr, Asheville, NC (Closed for 2025) South Asheville – 1648 Brevard Rd, Asheville, NC
$30 per person (age 4+) with a tube
$25 per person (age 4+) if you bring your own tube
For cooler carriers, you can rent a float for $20 and bring all your snacks, lunch, and adult beverages (as long as they are in cans).
Are you ready for an adventure with Zen Tubing?
Ready for a summer adventure? Then head to Zen Tubing in Asheville, NC. Float down the French Broad River, and maybe even take some time on the sandy shores for a picnic!
Inside: Local mom visits The Shores of Asbury on Lake Hartwell and shares all the fun things to do there!
There may not be a traditional water park in Anderson, SC but there is an amazing aqua park and sandy white beach at the Shores of Asbury on Lake Hartwell! It is the only one of its kind in the Upstate and less than an hour from Greenville, SC. We checked it out and have all the information for you and your family to have a blast on this floating obstacle course.
Media tickets were provided for this review and all opinions are those of the author.
Have you visited Pittman Park? This Greenville area park has a shaded playground with mature trees that make it perfect for those hot summer days when you want to avoid the sun at all costs. The Gary L. Pittman Memorial Park is one of KAG Contributor Lindy Wilson’s favorites! It offers a shaded playground, a walking trail, space to roam, soccer fields to practice on, and more!
About Pittman Park
Pittman Park is located off Blacks Road, which runs from Pelham Road to Roper Mountain Road. This makes it a very convenient stop when running errands in that area or Woodruff Road, as well as close to the 385 and 85. It also is near the Pelham Road branch of the library. The location makes Pittman Park the perfect park to stop by on a hot summer day!
The Playground at Pittman Park
If your kids need space to run, they’ll love Pittman Park as it offers many fields and is great for soccer. Or bring your child’s bike and circle the fields on the paved trail. It’s the perfect spot to burn some energy between errands!
The playground is a bit old school with a tall metal design, but it is fun. There are lots of slides including smaller ones you can assist an older baby down. There is no toddler playground, however, there are toddler swings as well as standard ones. The ground is covered with wood chips which are much less messy than the sand found at some playgrounds. Our 1-year-old has no issue navigating the playground and loves the double slide where we can ride down together safely.
Pittman Park tends to be a good warm weather park as there is plenty of shade thanks to the trees surrounding the park. The ice cream truck even stops by occasionally. You’ll find various benches for sitting or even having a picnic. While there are no reservations for use, it’s a popular spot for birthday parties. (See our list of Inexpensive Birthday Party Ideas in Greenville for even more suggestions.)
Restrooms
The bathroom is relatively close but it’s up the hill so it can be a little trek from the play area. Keep that in mind if you have newly potty-trained toddlers. The bathrooms are outdated but are usually kept clean and maintained. You’ll also find water fountains next to the bathrooms.
Soccer & Sports Fields
The park can be busy as there are several soccer fields. However, it’s so big that crowding is almost never an issue. You will regularly see groups using the fields to practice volleyball, soccer, rugby, and even flying kites in the lower fields.
Parking & Landscape at Pittman Park
The parking lot is pretty unique in that it’s oriented longways so there are many spots right along the grass/sidewalk. This is nice because kids can jump out of the car and hit the park without crossing through the parking lot. The fact that the park is downhill from the parking lot also means it’s harder for kids to run off. The landscaping retaining wall also helps as does the more open playground design. I can usually spot my kids without running around to see past walls. This puts my mind at ease while allowing my kids to freely explore.
Kids Biking and Scootering
The park is a great place to ride a scooter or bike, but do know that there are places on the paved trail where roots have pushed up the asphalt, so it gets a little bumpy in places.
Overall, Pittman is a great park. A fun playground, a nice trail, lots of grassy fields, and some nice places to sit in the shade all make it a winner in our book. We hope you enjoy it too!
The SC7 Expedition is once again exploring the state from the mountains to the sea, this year in July 2025! The name South Carolina 7 represents seven natural wonders in our state, including National Geographic-recognized ecological areas and historical sites such as the Jocassee Gorges, Sassafras Mountain, and the Chattooga River.
Kidding Around covered this epic month-long event in 2021; you can find everything about that year’s route in our article South Carolina’s Top 30 Beautiful Natural Spots! This year the team is following a similar path across the state, with a few new locations – including several in the Upstate.
Inside: An easy-to-reference list of recreational lakes in Greenville, SC and the surrounding area, with links to go in-depth and get more information on each location.
Are you wanting to explore the recreational lakes near Greenville, SC? If you have been searching for “lakes near me” and can never figure out the best fit for your day trip, we have you covered! Playing in the freshwater lakes during the hottest months is a wonderful idea for summer family fun.
This list will give you the lowdown on tons of recreational lakes only a short drive away. Whether you want to take the kiddos for a swim, teach them how to fish, pull them along for a thrilling knee-boarding excursion, rent a kayak, in need of boat rentals, or want to spend the weekend camping lakeside, read on.
We have compiled the best list of recreational lakes in the Upstate for swimming, fishing, boating, or camping. The only thing you’ve got to do is gather your troops and decide which one to try next!
Swimming note: Swimming at most area lakes is swim-at-your-own risk. Adults must always determine if the area is safe for their party and watch children.
Fishing note: All lakes require a valid South Carolina fishing license and some other requirements may apply. See the lake management website for details.
Boating note: Some lakes require special boating permits. See the lake management website for details.
Great Lakes Near Me: Greenville, SC
Paris Mountain State Park
Lake Placid in Paris Mountain State Park
2401 State Park Road, Greenville Swimming, fishing, and boating Paris Mountain State Park: This smaller lake, 8 acres, is close to downtown and prohibits private boats but rents canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats. There is also hiking, biking, and a small beach area. The body of water for swimming is Lake Placid, and it has a mile-long easy trail thats great for kids that circles the lake. The sandy beach lures swimmers. Want more information on what you can do at Paris Mountain State Park?
Greer Fishing and boating Lake Robinson: These 200-acre and 800-acre lakes (respectively) are home to bass, crappie, and catfish. They both include a boat ramp, picnic shelters, and a fishing pier. No swimming allowed.
Recreational Lakes Near Me: Less Than 1 hour from Greenville, SC
Lake Cooley
100 Cooley Dock Road, Inman Fishing and boating Lake Cooley: A 330-acre reservoir is one of the areas best recreational lakes and is home to bass, bream, crappie, and catfish offering a fishing pier and a boat ramp. Motors are limited to pontoon 30 HP and/or below. You can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards at the Lake Cooley Outdoor Education Center. No swimming is allowed.
Pinnacle Lake and Lake Oolenoy in Table Rock State Park
158 Ellison Lane, Pickens Swimming, fishing, and boating Table Rock State Park: A 36-Acre lake and a 67-acre lake (respectively) with a boat ramp on Lake Oolenoy. No gas motors allowed. Electric trolling motors and paddle-powered boats are permitted. Canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats are available for rental on Pinnacle Lake which also boasts a sandy swimming beach and the swimming area is perfect for small children. Plus, this park has some of the best hiking trails in the state. There is also several picnic areas, so pack for lunch! Table Rock State Park is a great day trip.
Between US 76 and SC 28, Anderson Fishing and boating This 300-acre lake is home to bass, crappie, bream, and catfish. A public boat launch ramp provides access. Check the water level before going to this recreational lake, sometimes it is too low to access.
Lake Hartwell
19138-A Hwy 11 S, Fair Play Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping Twelve Mile Recreation Area: This 56,000-acre lake includes campgrounds and many boat ramps. Known for its largemouth bass, crappie, bream, stripers, hybrid bass, and catfish. Head to the state park for a 140-ft fishing pier, two boat ramps, and a courtesy dock. The state park also offers over 100 sites, including cabins, RV and tent sites, walk-ups available.
For more swimming and boating, check out the popular day-use facility at Twelve Mile Recreation Area – offering a boat ramp, playground, and sandy beach.
Keowee-Toxaway State Park
108 Residence Drive, Sunset Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping South Cove County Park: This 18,500-acre mountain lake offers it all. Along with motorized boat access not far from the park, a half-mile trail provides lake access to fish for bass, bream, crappie, and catfish. Swimming is at your own risk and there is no designated swimming area. Over 24 campsites are available nearby.
For more fun on Lake Keowee, don’t miss South Cove County Park! You’ll find a sandy beach, playground, fishing pier, 3 boat ramps, picnic space, and more!
High Falls County Park sits on the shores of Lake Keowee and has 2 fishing piers, camping sites, picnic spaces, a playground, and even a mini golf area!
Boyd Millpond
Boyd’s Mill Pond Road, Ware Shoals Fishing and boating A 184-acre lake where you can drop a line for catfish and bass. Small boats with under 15 HP or canoes/kayaks are welcome here. Travel up the lake and into the Reedy River!
Lake Thicketty
Cowpens Fishing and boating This 100-acre lake is home to bass, bluegill, shellcracker, and catfish. A public boat ramp provides access.
Lake Rabon
Laurens Fishing and boating This 540-acre lake offers a double boat ramp and fishing pier. No swimming is allowed and boat motors are limited to 15 HP.
Kayaking at Lake Jocassee
Lake Jocassee at Devils Fork State Park
Salem Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping Lake Jocassee: A sandy beach welcomes swimmers to this pristine 9,000-acre waterfall-fed mountain lake. Touted as the only lake in South Carolina offering both trophy trout and smallmouth bass, Jocassee is a hotspot for brown trout, rainbow trout, white bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie. Three boat ramps provide access for private boats. Rentals of canoes, kayaks, SUPS, and pontoons are also available. Two campgrounds offer plenty of sites, including boat-in sites!
KA review of Lake Jocassee in Oconee County, South Carolina
Lake Bowen
8515 Highway 9, Inman Fishing and boating Lake Bowen: A sizeable 1,534-acre reservoir with two boat ramps, 33 miles of shoreline, and a fishing pier. Come looking for bass, crappie, and catfish.
450 State Park Cross Road, Spartanburg Fishing, boating, and camping Croft State Park is a favorite among our family. Fish for bass, crappie, catfish, and bream in this 150-acre lake. Private boats may enter at the ramp but are limited to electric trolling motors or paddle boats. Fishing boats, canoes, and kayaks are available for rental. Enjoy camping lakeside at this great park!
Gaffney Fishing and boating This 150-acre lake includes a fishing pier and boat ramp. Fish for bass, bream, crappie, and catfish.
Lake Secession
Iva Fishing and boating Acclaimed for its crappie fishing, this 1,450-acre lake is also popular for bass, catfish, and bream. A boat ramp provides public access.
Lakes Near Me: Under 2 Hours Away
Oconee State Park
624 State Park Road, Mountain Rest Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping Oconee State Park offers a swimming area and dive dock on two small lakes. Fishing catches include bass, bream, catfish, and trout in the winter months. Private boats such as canoes, kayaks, and jon boats are permitted. Camp at the lake with over 140 sites available.
302 State Park Road, Ninety Six Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping While there is not a designated swimming area, swimming is permitted at Lake Greenwood. Fish from your boat or from the pier for bass, crappie, bream, perch, catfish, or stripers. This 11,400-acre lake in the Midlands also offers excellent boating opportunities with two boat ramps. The state park has over 100 campsites available near the shoreline.
Lake Russell
Calhoun Falls Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping With around 10,000 acres of water to play in, this lake has it all. Twenty-one recreation areas and sixteen boat ramps offer ample opportunity to swim, boat, camp, fish for large-mouth bass, and much, much more!
Lake Murray
Lake Murray
Columbia Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping Lake Murray: This 50,000-acre lake offers all the recreation options! Swim at your own risk, fish for largemouth, stripers, catfish, bream, crappie and yellow perch, or put your boat in at one of the ramps. Dreher Island State Park’s campground stretches across several islands and provides campers with shoreline views.
Columbia Swimming, fishing, and boating This 7,000-acre Lake Monticello has a sizeable sub-impoundment area that was designed for fishing, boating, and swimming!
Lake Wylie
4490 Boat Shore Road, Rock Hill Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping This 12,455-acre Lake Wylie borders North and South Carolina and is a hot-spot for summer water sports, swimming, fishing, and camping!
Large Lakes in Upstate, SC: Over 2 Hours Away From Greenville, SC
Lake Wateree
881 State Park Road, Winnsboro Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping This 13,800-acre Lake Wateree is on the shallower side but still offers plenty of lakeside camping, swimming, and all the water sports.
Lake Thurmond
510 Clarks Hill Highway, Clarks Hill Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping At 70,000 acres, Lake Thurmond boasts three South Carolina State Parks, boat ramps, campgrounds, and public access areas galore. It’s all here.
Santee Cooper Lakes (Marion and Moultrie)
Santee Swimming, fishing, boating, and camping These giant lakes (110,000 acres and 60,000 acres respectively) offer it all! Lake Marion is literally the largest lake in SC. Swim, fish, boat, camp, or rent a cabin or lake house to create family memories! The lake is also great for bird watching. You’ll regularly see ski boats here, so you know it’s a wonderful recreational lake!
Which lakes have made it to your list? See you out there soon!
This article was originally written by Jackie Vest and has been updated by the Kidding Around Team.
If you’re looking for a lake with a sandy beach and a place to swim, do not miss our list of Lakes with Sandy Beaches.
If you love to kayak, we have a list of the best lakes for kayaking and paddleboarding in the Upstate!
Are you ready to go blueberry picking in Greenville, SC? This small blueberry farm located just outside of Greenville has amazing blueberries plus seasonal produce and is every bit as charming as expected in the South. Head to Mixon Farm for excellent blueberry picking at their berry patch in June and July!
I’m always on the search for new and fun places to bring my kids and tell our readers about and had heard of Mixon Farm Facebook but had never been so I decided I must go before the blueberry season ended. I had no idea just how charming this farm was till I got there!
As soon as you pull into the family-owned and operated Mixon Farm (thankfully you know you are at the right place by the big sign on the gate), you’ll see a beautiful house on a hill where the owners live that overlooks the big garden. Down just a little ways is the shed with produce out front and a lockbox where you can deposit cash for whatever you choose to purchase. I was immediately smitten because I don’t see that anywhere.
There was a handwritten sign on the shed that told people to come up to the house if they wanted freshly picked blueberries for $20/gallon and $4/pint. Adorable.
If you want to do the u-pick berries, follow the signs.
Picking Blueberries
There are clear signs along a bumpy gravel path that winds its way to the back of the farm (I assume it’s the back, I was just following the signs!). All the signs tell you to keep going to get to the u-pick blueberry orchard so that’s what I did because I’m a rule follower.
You’ll drive past a squash patch and some other vegetable patches, past the bee hives, and then finally get to a table with another sign and lockbox. This table has gallon buckets and a sign that asks you to please pay for your blueberries here. It’s $12/gallon. They take cash, cards, Venmo, PayPal and CashApp.
It’s pretty obvious from there where to park as there were other cars when we went but even if you’re alone, just park next to the blueberry trees. We stuck to the mowed rows of blueberry trees and had zero trouble finding lots of beautifully ripe blueberries. We met the owner as well, an older gentleman with a dog at his heels. He assured us we were at the right spot and gave us some helpful hints on where the best berries were to be found.
I was overly optimistic and grabbed two gallon buckets, one for each of my kids, to fill with berries. I soon found out that blueberry picking is nothing like strawberry or apple picking. It takes a loooooong time to fill a gallon bucket. We were probably there an hour (myself and two helpful kids) and didn’t even fill our gallon bucket to the top. We did have to sit in the car for a little while to wait out some passing rain but still, allow enough time to pick those berries.
Visiting Mixon Farm
Blueberry season starts June 16th, 2025 and runs usually through August. The farm’s blueberries u pick is very weather-dependent, which means it is always best to check the Mixon Farm Facebook page before you go for the latest updates. If you want berries pre-picked, make sure to message them beforehand.
The farm is only open during blueberry season Monday – Saturday from 8 am – 6 pm and Sundays 1-7 pm.
What’s Inside: A summary of all the wonderful things offered at Eden Farms in Dacusville, SC, including horse-back riding lessons, trail riding, horse-themed summer camps, birthday party options, and more.
Looking for a horseback trail ride, or maybe a pony themed birthday party? Eden Farms offers so many fantastic ways to experience horses and all of it benefits their fantastic Happy Hooves therapeutic riding program. We got to spend some time at Eden Farms and couldn’t resist sharing some of the wonderful experiences they have available!
