Have you seen the Oconee Bell? Spring is the perfect time to spot this rare flower. It doesn’t bloom in very many places, but Devils Fork State Park is one of the few places you can see the Oconee Bell.
The sides of the streambed are blanketed in waxy, red-tinged leaves, small white flowers visible only upon a closer look. Had we not traveled to Devils Fork State Park specifically to see this delicate wildflower, we might have hiked right past the colonies of this rare plant.
About the Oconee Bell
The Oconee Bell is only found in a few locations in the southern Appalachian Mountains, in moist, wooded areas along the streams of Georgia, North, and South Carolina, like Jocassee Gorges. The tiny flowers are one of the first to bloom in the Upstate, and attract quite the crowd to this state park better known for summer swimming and camping.
One of the rangers said “We had a brochure in the holder by the trailhead. Usually, folks finish the trail and put them right back. Last weekend cleaned us right out, there were at least a hundred; I’m going to have to print more.” (This was on our visit last year, right about the middle of the month of March.)
The flower has a very limited range in the wild, and so the appearance of the native wildflower is cause for celebration. Every year Devils Fork SP puts on the Oconee Bell Nature Walk. If you can’t make the ranger-guided walk, you can still see the Oconee Bell blooming; the flower usually blooms from mid-March to early April, and the Oconee Bell Nature Trail takes you along a dozen colonies of this unique wildflower. The park holds Bell Fest every year as well, a festival dedicated to the rare wildflower that also has lots of great local vendors. In 2024, the date is Saturday, March 16th from 10 am – 3 pm. It’s free with park entry.
The Oconee Bell Nature Trail
The trail is an easy 1.5-mile loop that takes hikers through the oak-hickory forest, past a small pond full of American toads, and alongside the creek that is home to the elusive wildflower that gives the trail its name. In addition to the Oconee Bell, dozens of other plants and trees are identified by wooden markers, and several small cascades on the creek add to the list of attractions available year-long.
If you’re headed to Devils Fork to hike the Oconee Bell trail you just follow signs to the Ranger Station. A quick stop there for a map or restrooms, and then it’s just a matter of crossing to the other side of the parking lot to the trailhead. The parking lot is on the southeast corner of Lake Jocassee, and the scenic views of the lake, Double Springs Island, and the swimming and picnic area on the southwest shore are stunning.
Bring a picnic to eat on the lake, or upon finishing your hike circle around to Buckeye Drive where you will find picnic shelters and a playground.
In any case, make sure you practice what the Park Naturalist terms “belly botany” – to get an up-close look at the low-lying flowers you’ll have to get close to the ground. There are several locations where the colonies are right on the trail, so it’s relatively easy for all the kids (and adults) in your group to get a good look at the Bell. Remember, for your safety and the protection of the bells, please stay on the trail!
Upick tulips in the spring, and Upick pumpkins and sunflowers in the fall, count us in! Thompson Family Farms in Campobello, SC has so many opportunities to pick your own. Picking blooming flowers and pumpkins is delightful, and Thompson Family Farms is one of the only farms near the Upstate that offers u-pick tulips. 57,000 of them! What a win! We adore this farm because it is well-maintained, it is run efficiently, the view of Hogback Mountain is perfect for photos with my kids, and everything we have picked has been high quality. Tulip season is over for 2024 as of March 23rd, 2024.
*Tulip U-pick begins on Monday, March 11th, 2024 and ends March 23rd, 2024! Hours are 10 am – 6 pm, Monday – Saturday *Upick pumpkins, sunflowers, and cotton will occur in early Fall 2024.
Watch! See Tulips at Thompson Family Farm
Offered in March: U-pick Tulips at Thompson Family Farms
As some of the first pops of color to emerge from the ground, tulips are a welcome sign that spring is here. Fresh-picked tulips make excellent gifts, centerpieces, and decor. Plus, it is so much fun going out to a U-pick patch and selecting the flowers yourself. It’s pretty joyful.
Scenes from the tulip farm
Check out some of the beautiful scenes waiting for you at Thompson Family Farms.
Arriving at Thompson Family Farms for tulips in Campobello, SC
For 2024, you will find the u-pick tulip farm at Thompson Family Farms Campobello location! If you picked pumpkins are sunflowers in 2023, then this is the same location.
The Flower Patch at Thompson Family Farms is open seasonally in March. The length of time the patch is open depends on the weather and bloom time, and the season is very short, but so worth it. It is stunning. Upick begins Monday, March 11th, 2024!
The Flower Patch at Thompson Family Farms, SC
U-Pick Tulips in The Flower Patch at Thompson Family Farms
Tulips are synonymous with the cool, breezy weather of early Spring. You can u-pick from 9 varieties of tulips throughout the short season. They have multiple colors, including pink, red, yellow, white, and variegated orange/red, and more.
Be sure to stay on the paths when walking through the flowers. In addition, if you cut the flower, you buy it. Be sure it is the flower you want before taking your scissors to the stem.
The Thompsons recommend cutting the flower at the length that you want, and we found cutting low on the stem to be best for us. Most importantly, make sure to not dig or stomp on the bulbs, as they will be left in the ground to bloom again next year!
Once you have all of the tulips you would like, you can head back to the tent to have them wrapped in bouquets. If you plan to pick a large number of tulips, I recommend bringing something sturdy like a box to take them home in, so they are safe from damage.
Tulips: Photo Opportunities at The Flower Patch
Other than the obvious photos of you and your children amongst the flowers, The Flower Patch also has two lovely photography setups on the property. If you head to the far ends of the fields you will find a red tractor set up with a rustic farm vibe of window panes and flower buckets that make for some adorable photos!
There is also a pallet-style backdrop with a chair and blooming flowers to take pictures with. The property itself is situated in a field that is surrounded by trees, so there are many opportunities to get that perfect spring picture.
Photographers who are interested in renting the space can contact Thompson Family Farms directly through their sign-up link to book private sessions. There are a limited number of sessions available due to the short season for tulips. Private sessions occur from 5 pm until sundown.
Price of Admission and U-Pick Tulips
Admission is $8 per person for ages 12 and older. Children under 11 and under are free to attend. If you want to participate in u-pick, Tulips are $1 per stem. Flowers will be wrapped in a bouquet for guests at checkout. The farm does take cash, card, and Venmo.
Please follow the farm’s guidance for cutting and watch your step to ensure that the other tulips are safe for other people to enjoy their u-pick experience.
Tips to Keep Your Flowers Fresh
Sara Thompson, the owner of The Flower Patch, recommends making a fresh cut before putting your flowers in their water vase once you arrive home. You should then display your flowers out of direct sunlight. She also mentioned the fascinating fact that tulip stems continue to grow once placed in water, so they may appear to be longer after a few days in the vase. Be sure to change out your water regularly to elongate your bloom time. And most importantly, enjoy!
Tulips at Thompson Family Farm, SC
Key Things to Know Before Visiting Thompson Family Farms
There are no dogs allowed at The Flower Patch.
There is a porta-potty for emergencies, so be sure to take a potty break before arriving.
You can pack a picnic and enjoy the view. There are a couple of picnic tables, and plenty of grassy space to lay down a blanket. If you picnic, please pick up all trash before leaving.
It can be muddy in the fields, so wear appropriate shoes.
The farm is accessible but is bumpy because of the gravel parking lot. If you plan to bring a stroller, ones with wheels made for rough terrain are highly recommended. A soft body carrier for baby may be easier.
Reservations are not required. However, you should follow the Thompson Family Farms’ Facebook for updates and information before heading to the farm.
The u-pick tulip fields are open in light rain but be prepared for mud in that scenario.
Don’t forget water, hats, and sunscreen when you head out to pick sunflowers in the summer!
Thompson Family Farms 13830 SC-11, Campobello, SC Hours: Monday- Saturday 10 am – 6 pm
Looking to make a day trip out of your adventure? Check out Campbells Covered Bridge located just a few miles’ drive of the Thompson Family Farms. You can also find other fabulous things to do in our discovery guide to Landrum, SC!
Fall is Here: Sunflower Maze & Pick Your Own Pumpkins
As the fall season begins, so does the time of year to head down to the pumpkin patch to pick some pumpkins for decorating your home for fall and Halloween. Thompson Family Farms will open their pick-your-own-cut pumpkin patch in September. There will be over 10 varieties of pumpkin to choose from, which is more than I even knew existed! The farm will also have prepicked and organized pumpkins near the farm stand if you aren’t too keen on picking yours yourself.
While at the farm, you can enjoy a sunflower maze, a selection of fall crops, and lots of photo opportunities! So, grab your sunscreen and closed-toed shoes (it’s a little bumpy out there in the fields) and head on down to the pumpkin patch at the farm.
U-pick Pumpkins
Pumpkins will be priced by size and variety and will start at $7 per pumpkin. The farm will have a limited number of wagons to help lug your pumpkins to the car, but they do recommend bringing a wagon if you want to have one out in the fields.
Pumpkins in the field are precut from the vine to ensure that underripe pumpkins are not picked. Any pumpkin still on the vine is not ready to pick, so please do not pull on their stems!
There will also be prepicked pumpkins, Indian corn, corn stalks, and cotton stems for sale as they continue to ripen throughout the season.
Sunflower Maze and U-pick Flowers
While at the farm, be sure to head to the sunflower maze! The maze is 7 acres and is a great way to spend some time with your kids doing a scavenger hunt. You will find scavenger hunt papers at the front counter, which include clues to the educational maze.
After the maze, you can also pick sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos for an additional fee and have them wrapped in a bouquet at the front counter to take home.
Hours and Admission
Thompson Family Farms will be open in September 2024, through the end of October for u-pick pumpkins along with other seasonal items. Hours are 10 am – 7 pm, Thursdays – Saturdays. Admission is free!
Things to Know Before You Go U-Pick Pumpkins
The Thompson Family Farms pumpkin and sunflower fields are located at 13830 SC-11, Campobello, SC.
There is a graveled parking area right when you enter the farm to park at.
Be sure to bring sunscreen or a UV umbrella, the farm is mostly un-shaded.
Wear closed-toe shoes or boots to protect your kids and your feet from ants, sticks, etc.
The fields are pretty bumpy, so strollers are not recommended. We recommend bringing a carrier if you have smaller children, as the ground has dips and holes that are hard for little feet to navigate.
The farm does have porta potties if you need to use the restroom.
Bring water! It gets hot out there in the fields.
There are honeybees enjoying some of the flowers, so be careful when picking your flowers to avoid getting stung.
If you love sunflowers (it is hard not to) then Thompson Family Farms has a U-pick experience for you! You can mosey through fields of gorgeous sunflowers, and even pick a few to take home.
The U-pick sunflower fields are located in Campobello, SC, right past the Greenville County line into Spartanburg County off of Highway 11. The patch is huge, and overlooks Hogback Mountain, making for spectacular views. There are also several varieties, so you can create an array of yellows and orange colors for your bouquet!
Sunflower maze
In addition to the sunflower fields, there are places for photo opportunities, a kid-sized sunflower maze, and picnic tables to enjoy the view. The sunflower maze is unique in that you will not find another one in the Upstate. It is so much fun walking through the flowers and seeing the honeybees at work! There are flowers of various sizes, shapes, and oozing oils that smell delicious. It does get hot in the midday while crushing through the maze, so bring water and wear hats.
The sunflower fields at Thompson Family Farms
Sunflower Photo Ops: More Than Just the Flowers!
There is not much needed to get some amazing photos, but Thompson Family Farms has created some special areas to get those Pinterest-worthy shots. There is a pallet-style photo backdrop surrounded by sunflowers, a fun “face in the hole” sunflower wall, and even some adorable bamboo bean pole teepees near the entrance that make for some adorable photos.
There are also rows and rows of blooming sunflowers to use as the backdrop of your photos. The farm is offering daytime and evening hours (on Friday and Saturday) and even has sessions available for professional photographers.
Thompson Family Farms, Campobello, SC
Hours and Pricing for U-pick Sunflowers
Thompson Family Farms will open for u-pick sunflowers in Fall 2024. For updates, including weather changes and sell-out date, check out the Thompson Family Farms Facebook page.
Hours: Monday – Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm. They will have sunset hours on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 pm – 9 pm. The farm will be open on July 4th for their regular day hours.
Prices: Admission is $6 per person, but ages 12 and younger are free. U-pick sunflowers are $1 per stem.
If you are looking for a fun park day, then here are the best parks with playgrounds Greenville, SC has! They are free, offer kids a chance to run and play, and also provide great lunch or play-date locations. We have tried to visit as many playgrounds in the Greater Greenville area as possible, and these are our Top park playgrounds in Greenville. These park playgrounds are based on unique play structures, imaginative themes, and scenic surroundings.
Are you hoping to do a little flower picking at one of the local U-pick flower farms? Spring has sprung with rows and rows of beautiful blooms at flower farms near Greenville, SC, and in Western North Carolina. These are the U-Pick flower farms that will welcome you and your kids to a feast of color, and an opportunity to pick your own gorgeous blooms.
Thompson Family Farms: Tulips and Sunflower Picking
13830 SC-11, Campobello, SC Season: Early spring for tulips, fall for sunflowers Thompson Family Farms offers cut-your-own tulips in their flower fields beginning March 11th, 2024. The tulip season is short, so make sure you visit early! The cost is $8 per person 12 and older (children under 12 are free), and stems are $1 per stem. U-pick sunflowers are in fall for 2024 along with their u-pick pumpkins, zinnias, corn, and cotton! Follow the Thompson Family Farms Facebook page for updates.
3456 Harris Bridge Road, Woodruff, SC Season: Early spring Dirt & Grit offers u-pick tulips and daffodils at their family farm in Woodruff, SC. Their tulip fields open to the public starting on March 8th, 2024, and go until sold out (a couple of weeks at best). The cost is $25 per person 10 and up, which includes 10 stems. General admission begins March 10th, 2024; $8 per person 10 and up, flowers $1/stem with general admission. For up-to-date info follow Dirt & Grit Flower Farm on Facebook.
170 Stepp Orchard Drive Hendersonville, NC Season: Opening March 22, 2024 Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard is open in March for u-pick tulips. Be sure to follow Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard so you do not miss up-to-date info.
Watch! Picking Tulips at Stepp’s Orchards
Alexander’s U-Pick
385 Waterfall Drive, Mountville, SC Season: Early spring for tulips Alexander’s U-Pick is offering u-pick tulips for the first time in 2024. The tulips are $2/stem. Their operating hours vary so follow them on Facebook for the latest information.
Callaham Orchards
559 Crawford Road, Belton, SC Season: Early spring for tulips Callaham Orchards may be known to our readers for their strawberries but they’ve also added in tulips! They do not have set hours or days so you need to follow them on Facebook to see when they have tulips available for picking. They offered them initially at $10/10 tulips + vase or $8/10 tulips if you bring your own vase.
Grandad’s Apples N Such: Pick your own lavender
2951 Chimney Rock Road, Hendersonville, NC Season: Late May, Early June Grandad’s will offer u-pick lavender beginning May 24th, 2024. There will also be new summer bakery items, fresh produce, and in-season fruit to purchase. The farm will be open from 9 am – 4 pm, Thursday – Sunday until June 30th, 2024. The farm will reopen again in the fall for apple season.
Never Ending Flower Farm: A HUGE variety of U-Pick flowers
152 Tom Harris Trail, Barnardsville NC Season: spring, summer and early fall Open for the season in mid-May 2024, Never Ending Flower Farm offers a wide variety of flowers for picking from May through September. You can see the full list on the Never Ending Flower Farm website, but in May look for varieties like poppies, snapdragons, and yarrow. As summer progresses you’ll find varieties like marigolds, sunflowers, cosmos, dahlias, and more.
141 North Campbell Road, Landrum, SC Season: 2024 dates are Tuesday, June 4 – Sunday, June 9, 2024, Tuesday, June 11 – Sunday, June 16, 2024, Tuesday, June 18 – Sunday, June 23, 2024, Tuesday, June 25 – Sunday, June 30, 2024.
The U-pick lavender season at Elf Leaf Farm is quite short, so be sure you watch their website and Facebook pages for up-to-date information. It is typically late spring into early summer. In addition to UPick lavender, the farm also offers a large variety of lavender products like soaps, teas, baked treats, and more.
4638 Midway Road, Williamston, SC Season: late May through early July Twin Creeks Lavender Farm expects to open 2024 for U-pick lavender in late May. While at the farm you can enjoy the fields, picnic, and browse items in the barn shop. Cut your own lavender bundles will be measured and banded at checkout and prices around $5-$15.
Sassafras Flower Farm: Evening U-Pick flower events like no other
255 Alex Drive, Easley, SC Season: All summer Sassafras Flower is open seasonally for Upick flowers on specific dates. The 2024 schedule has not been released, but we are looking forward to it! You can find additional information on the Sassafras Flowers events website.
Sassafras Flower Farm also hosts relaxed open field and farm stand days, children’s events, flower-arranging workshops, and more. Here are all the Sassafras Flower Farm Events.
158 Chambers Farm Ln Canton, NC Season: All summer Ten Acre Farm offers U-Pick flowers, as well as a vegetable CSA, fall events, and more. Follow them on Facebook for flower availability and upcoming events.
145 Chapman Grove Road, Pelzer, SC Not a U-Pick farm, but this farm has a flower CSA! You can join the flower CSA and keep fresh flower bouquets decorating your home all season long. They have several options in their Flower Club Membership for bouquets throughout the season, starting at $180.
1126 Jeter Mountain Road, Hendersonville, NC Season: Late summer (Opens in July for Upick Zinnias, Dahlias, Poppies, Cosmos, Blackberries, and Blueberries) In addition to apples, of course, Jeter Mountain Farm also offers UPick zinnias in July and sunflowers in early August. So, you can pick your flowers, get apples, and enjoy a coffee on the farm, in one fabulous day trip. Don’t miss their fun (free) indoor play area!
204 Bates Bridge Road, Marietta, SC Season: Late summer Beechwood Farms is known for strawberry picking, but they also offer U-Pick sunflowers in late July/early August. They will have u-pick sunflowers beginning in June. The cost is around $20 per car to drive up to Sunflower Hill. The price includes 2 U-pick sunflowers, use of the picnic area, and you can stay as long as you want until 5 pm. Additional sunflowers are $2 per stem. Follow their Facebook page for additional updates.
1515 Denver Road, Anderson, SC Season: Late June and Early July In addition to the huge amount of fall fun Denver Downs offers guests with its corn maze, slides, kids’ activities, jumping pillow, and more, they also offer u-pick sunflowers as part of their South Carolina Sunflower Festival in late June and early July.
150 Bradley Road, Anderson Season: Summer- sunflowers You can usually pick sunflowers at the Good for the Soul Sunflower Festival. Learn more on the Sol Flowers of Anderson, SC Facebook page.
Nix Pumpkin Patch: Dahlias and Zinnias in Fall
3726 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC Season: Fall Check Nix Pumpkin Patch for U-Pick flowers in the fall along with their wonderful pumpkin patch. In 2023 they offered colorful zinnias and dahlias.
Are you looking for free things to do in Spartanburg, SC? Do you have an idea in your head that doing something fun with your kids in Spartanburg is going to cost money (and probably a lot of it)? We are setting the record correct today once and for all: Spartanburg has tons of fun free things to do and even more that are really cheap.
Conestee Nature Preserve in Greenville, SC opened in 2006, and quickly has become a favorite destination for families across the Upstate. We’ll tell you all about this amazing preserve right in the heart of Greenville.
Conestee Nature Preserve is an incredible park with miles of trails, wetlands, boardwalks, educational programs, and lots of hands-on opportunities to learn about the environment, conservation, and participate in some pretty cool things. We are big fans of the Preserve and can’t wait to tell you all about it here.
First and foremost, it is easy to confuse Conestee Nature Preserve (CNP) with its neighbor, Conestee Park. Managed by Greenville County Recreation, Conestee Park has an enormous playground, stadium, baseball fields, dog park and picnic shelter. For more about Conestee Park check out Kidding Around Greenville’s mom review of Conestee Park.
The nature Preserve boasts 13 miles of trails that crisscross 640-acres of forest and wetlands. In 2020, the Preserve changed its name from Lake Conestee Nature Park to Conestee Nature Preserve to better reflect the park’s environment education and conservation mission.
Since its inception in 2006, the nonprofit has purchased more land and expanded the preserve, making it one of the top nature destinations in Greenville. They host events throughout the year like river cleanups, night hikes, bird watching, homeschool days, educational programs for kids, and even adult events like the Winter Wine Walk, which features wine and food.
Trails at Conestee Nature Preserve
With 13 miles of hiking and walking trails, you can easily get however many miles you’d like of the easy trails. We like to combine them and wander around. Conestee Nature Preserve has a helpful Trail Guide to get you started. We like using AllTrails as well in there to kind of see where we are and help us get to where you want to be.
There are boardwalks throughout the park as well where you can observe all kinds of cool things in the water like salamander eggs, salamanders, turtles, fish, ducks, geese, and lots of different kinds of birds. There are 11 observation decks so no shortage of places to check out the local wildlife.
The Swamp Rabbit Trail even goes through the heart of the Preserve. In the spring, be sure to look for all the cool wildflowers. We like using the free Seek app to identify them. Just don’t pick any and follow the Leave No Trace principles.
Conestee boardwalk
Mountain Biking at Conestee Nature Preserve
It may not be widely known but there are mountain biking trails at Conestee Nature Preserve. The trails are accessed by parking at 415 Churchill Circle, Greenville. They are located on the Brushy Creek Lands and are used by both pedestrians and bikers so trail etiquette is important.
The Preserve asks that bikes go right on trails on even days, and left on odd. Pedestrians should go left on even days, and right on odd. You can see the trails on this map.
Birding at Conestee Nature Preserve
Other than hiking and biking, there are many other fun things to do at Conestee Nature Preserve. CNP is one of our favorite destinations for birdwatching. The National Audubon Society has designated the Preserve as an Important Bird Area of Global Significance, and over 220 bird species have been reported by the Greenville County Bird Club. You can join the Greenville County Bird Club on a guided bird trip in the Preserve on the third Saturday of every month.
They do a short and long walk so you can choose what suits you best.
Nature Discovery program
Educational Programs at Conestee Nature Preserve
We have been to so many of the Preserve’s educational programs and have loved all of them. Here are some of the different programs they offer.
Field Trips
Ever seen an ant zombie or get up close to a snake? It’s all possible if your school group does a field trip at the Preserve! They offer field trips from pre-K all the way through high school and adhere to the South Carolina Science Standards. The field trips fill up really fast so if your group wants to do it, get in touch with them well before the beginning of the next school year.
Field trips are free for public schools. The cost for private schools are $10/student for a standard field trip (3.5-4 hours long) and $8/student for a two-hour field trip. For homeschoolers, the cost is $10/student, $5/adult or child ages 3 and 4 for a standard field trip; $8/student, $4/adult for two-hour field trip.
Classes & Programs for Ages 2 and Up
If you have been looking for educational but fun classes for your kids, then you are in luck! Conestee Nature Preserve offers classes for kids ages 2 through middle school! Classes are offered monthly, and they even have some specialized homeschool classes and adult classes you may want to check out. Some of the adult classes include themes like rain barrel workshops, guided hikes, and birding! Tickets must be purchased ahead of time.
Preschool Nature Discovery Club (Knee-High Naturalist)
For younger children ages 2 – 4 years old, this spectacular program gets your kids outdoors learning about local wildlife. Cee, our instructor during our hour long class, was amazing! She speaks to every child with kindness, making the class interesting and fun, while creating a fun craft to go along with our lesson.
For our class in February, we started off reading a book about the subject we would be studying, in our case, metamorphosis. The classes have a different theme each month and correspond with what is going on during that time of year. We then explored logs for larvae and beetles, and the kids were so excited to find some critters crawling around on the logs. Afterward, we made a fun craft lighting bug that paired with the theme while reading another book and talking about what we saw.
The class is an excellent bite-size science lesson for littles, allowing them to engage with nature and look a little closer at the world around them. Classes are available twice per month, usually on a Thursday morning or Saturday morning, during the school year.
Knee High Naturalists
Nature Discovery After School Program: Elementary and Middle School Classes
Nature Discovery is a really cool program that gives exclusive access to elementary and middle school students to parts of the Preserve that the general public cannot go to. Kids can explore well beyond anything they could if they just visited the Preserve and this lets them dig deeper into the environments present and learn all about the different wildlife and seasonal cycles.
We did a salamander-focused Nature Discovery with the middle school group and had such a fun time! We learned what the eggs look like, got to search for them, hold them, and look at them under a microscope. We even got to search around to find a salamander, which one of the kids in our group. It was the coolest thing. Like the themes for the younger kids, these classes also follow the seasons and what is happening that time of year.
The staff at the Preserve are so passionate about their jobs and it’s hard not to have some of that passion rub off on the students while there.
Nature Discovery is offered in the fall and spring and you can sign up for one class or the semester. They meet every other week in the late afternoons. The cost is $10/session or $60 for all eight sessions.
Homeschool Days
The Preserve offers multiple homeschool days throughout the year but they sell out quickly. This is a drop-off program and you must reserve tickets in advance. You can stay tuned to their events page or subscribe to their email newsletter for the latest updates on when those dates are released.
Visiting Conestee Nature Preserve
Conestee Nature Preserve is open daily sunrise to sunset. While there is no admission, the Preserve kindly asks for a donation of $3/person. All proceeds go to supporting the Preserve. It is entirely a nonprofit and funded by donations.
Conestee bridge
Other tips when visiting the Preserve
CNP has a brand new little shop, which you can check out at the main entrance near the playgrounds. You can purchase CNP-branded merch.
Dogs are allowed at the park but they must be on leash at all times.
Follow Conestee Nature Preserve on Facebook to get the most up-to-date information on trail closures. The Preserve often floods and sometimes these waters can damage or close trails.
There is absolutely no swimming at Conestee Nature Preserve, for humans or animals. The lake was created when the Reedy River was dammed at the Conestee Mill in 1892. The lake originally covered about 130 acres, but over the years industrial waste and discharge filled about 90% of it with sediment so toxic that the lake was classified a Superfund site. Safety studies of the brownfield site were completed, and it was determined that the best course of action would be to leave the toxic sediment in place.
Did you know there is a FREE self-guided tour at Split Creek Farm in Anderson, SC? Goats and educational opportunities are plentiful at Split Creek Farm in Anderson, SC. Plus, the farm shop sells award-winning cheese and must-eat fudge made from their goat milk. Get outdoors, enjoy some animals, and learn something new!
If there are baby goats involved somewhere around the Upstate, we’ll be there. Goats, especially baby goats, make us so happy! Split Creek Farm is a Grade A goat dairy farm in Anderson, SC that we’ve written about and visited before to the delight of both us and our readers. But they are more than goats. Education is hugely important to the farm and to that end, they have recently designed and installed a new self-guided tour that anyone can take.
We tried it out because, well, goats. And I’m homeschooling and thought this would be a fun adventure.
Goats 4 Goodness is the non-profit arm of Split Creek Farm. It was established a few years ago with the intent to “do good things” and has delivered on that goal through goat yoga, virtual farm tours, allowing guests playtime with baby goats, and participating in Make A Wish.
But a big part of the vision of Goats 4 Goodness is the educational component of the farm. They do offer tours, both virtually (imagine surprising your co-workers on a Zoom call with baby goats!) and in-person, as well as field trips and other opportunities to educate the public on what their farm does, which is a ton. The goats are the backbone of the farm, supplying the milk needed to make their award-winning feta cheese, the delicious fudge, yogurt, and other products. The farm also supports the local restaurant industry and breeds nearly-extinct breeds of goats. They also participate in local and regional goat shows and research.
Sandra and Jessica, the owners of Split Creek Farm, are pioneers in many areas of goat farming and their non-profit helps to provide funds to further the goals of the farm and integrate them even deeper into the supportive local community, bringing the joy of the goats to everyone.
The new self-guided tour
While the farm store is open Monday – Saturday for purchases, self-guided tours are available only on Friday and Saturday. The farm employs a small number of people and as you can probably imagine, it takes a huge amount of work to run the farm, milk the goats, make the cheese, fudge, and yogurt, clean the pens, collect the eggs, take care of the babies, and care and feed the herd.
As much as Sandra and Jessica would like to take every single guest on a personal tour of the farm, they needed to find a way to make what they do more accessible and understandable for guests and their families. And so was born the self-guided tour with easy-to-read and follow boards around the farm.
The topics are broad and fascinating. Guests will learn about all the different breeds of goats and why they are unique. They will learn about how the cheese is made and where the goats are milked and how that process worked. They will learn about every animal on the farm and why their individual jobs are important to making the farm run smoothly. I’ve personally been to Split Creek Farm numerous times and still learned a lot walking through the tour and reading all the plaques.
For myself and my kids, learning about where our food comes from and what goes into that process often has led to a deeper appreciation for farms and all the work they do. My own love of goats is only compounded every time I learn more about them. And my goodness, they make me happy. And they make my kids happy, which is all the more reason to visit the farm and learn about the goats.
It’s totally free to visit the farm and take self-guided tours. If you come with kids, just be sure to keep a close eye on them as it is a working farm and guests need to be respectful of those rules.
Playing with the goats
Split Creek Farm treats their animals with extraordinary care. I’ve seen both Sandra and Jessica speak to these animals exactly like I speak to my own kids. But the difference is that the goats listen to them! The goats obviously love the owners and employees and the female goats are quite literally what makes the farm run due to the sale of the products made with their milk.
So it’s no wonder the farm is protective of their animals. However, the animals get a lot of freedom and you’ll probably run into goats wandering around and Sam, the border collie, making sure they are where they need to be. There are chickens and two enormous pot-bellied pigs roaming around as well.
As long as guests are respectful of the animals, they are allowed to play with them and pet them. This is glorious. Playing with the goats is just awesome, especially the smaller ones. They are super curious (one really enjoyed munching on my daughter’s hair) and sweet and fun. Sam likes to play fetch with his frisbee and the chickens, well, they do their own thing.
Sometimes the farm will do special events where guests are able to play with the baby goats or have goat yoga sessions. Follow their Facebook page for that info. It’s really fun to play with the goats especially after you’ve done the self-guided tour because, I feel, that you may have a greater respect for them and for what goes on at the farm.
Virtual farm tours
Split Creek Farm also does virtual tours for anyone anywhere. People have really loved these as seeing the goats on their computer screens always elicits a lot of joy. Virtual tours can be arranged here at Goats 4 Goodness.
Visiting Split Creek Farm
It’s free to visit the farm and you don’t need to sign up to do the self-guided tours. Just follow all the posted rules, which include no pets. Once you arrive at the farm, you’ll see the space allowed for visitor parking on your left. The first couple of self-guided posts will be on your right near the huge penned goat pasture and on your left near the open barn. You’ll see the others around the farm.
Self-guided tours are available Friday and Saturday 10 am – 6 pm.
The farm shop is open Monday-Saturday 10 am – 6 pm.
For the latest on events and pictures of their baby goats come late winter, follow Split Creek Farm on Facebook.
Need some ideas for fun things to do on Sunday? While having kids and keeping them entertained isn’t exactly the typical R&R of a Sunday, making memories and enjoying each other’s company are certainly on the list of desires for Sundays. So here you go – we’ve come up with two lists of 20+ things to do on Sundays split into indoor and outdoor activities. Now go have some fun and enjoy some quality time with your kids before Monday morning!
Swamp Rabbit Cafe is great for a relaxed Sunday. Grab a coffee, scone, and delicious stecca, and then hang out in the enclosed play area for a couple of hours while the little ones play. I’ve met some great parents here and love the relaxing feel (and good food) of the cafe. Stay for lunch and indulge in their wood-fired pizza.
205 Cedar Lane, Greenville Sunday hours: 7:30 am – 7 pm
Hiking
Put together a lunch, snacks, and drinks on Saturday night, and head out to your favorite trail on Sunday morning. Lake Conestee is great for small kids and offers some sections of paved trails. Another option is to head to Yellow Branch Falls in Walhalla for an incredible three-mile hike to a gorgeous waterfall. Or go to Table Rock State Park and do the two-mile Carrick Creek Trail for a scenic hike. There are so many trails within a couple of hours of Greenville that cater to all levels of skills.
Here’s a great Hiking Guide we’ve put together to help you.
Greenville Drive
A great Sunday family activity is a baseball game at Fluor Field over the summer. They even have a playground on site plus a big, grassy area for kids to run around in while you watch all the action on the field. Sunday games are often in the late afternoon and kids can run the bases after the game. You’ll also find some excellent events throughout the year at Fluor Field that tend to run the entire weekend, Sunday included.
Fluor Field, 945 South Main Street, Greenville
WNC Nature Center
Located right outside of Asheville and a little over an hour from Greenville, the WNC Nature Center is a great option for Sunday entertainment. The Nature Center is like a zoo except I’d argue even cooler. They have several playgrounds inside the campus plus all of their animals are local to the area so it’s educational and interesting. Learn more in our KA review of the Western North Carolina Nature Center.
75 Gashes Creek Road, Asheville, NC Sunday Hours: 10 am – 3:30 pm (Park closes at 4:30 pm)
Go to a Family-Friendly Brewery
There are lots of other family-friendly breweries in our area that are open on Sunday and are great places to relax with a brew and good food while the kids play.
The Swamp Rabbit Trail is one of the best places to ride a bike in the whole state. You can pick it up at several points in Greenville and it’s a fun activity to do as a family, especially if you love being active together. You can also check out the Doodle Trail in Easley for a fun-filled bike riding day!
Looking for a thrill? Flying Rabbit Adventures located off of Laurens Road in Greenville, has a ropes course that will challenge your entire family. They are open on Sundays, so get outside and enjoy the adventure.
Flying Rabbit Adventures is awesome! Read our review of this awesome ropes course near Downtown Greenville, SC.
Things to do on a Sunday: Indoor Activities
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
Those lazy Sundays are a particularly good reason to grab a TCMU membership – it’s so easy to head over there and spend hours among all the exhibits and interactive games. A boring Sunday could be a good excuse just to go check out one of the most popular attractions for families in Greenville. If you’re in Spartanburg, that location is also open and it’s just $7 to get in or free if you’re already a TCMU member.
300 College Street, Greenville 130 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg Sunday hours: 11 am – 5 pm
projectROCK Easley
This huge indoor rock-climbing facility in Easley is a lot of fun! They have the nation’s highest indoor climbing wall at 84 feet high plus have a great little room for smaller kids. You can have hours of entertainment here. You can also find some additional indoor and outdoor rock climbing gyms near Greenville in our handy guide.
An indoor playland with laser tag, a movie theater, an arcade, and bowling are all part of The Big E in Gaffney. It’s a bit of a hike from Greenville but worth it to spend lots of time together with friends and family.
Exit 90 off of I-85 at the Gaffney Premium Outlet Mall Sunday hours: 10 am – 8 pm
Frankie’s Fun Park
Enjoy mini golf, go-karts, an indoor playground, laser tag, a batting cage, an arcade, bumper boats, and more at Frankie’s Fun Park.
Most Greenville Library branches are not open on Sundays. However, the Hughes Main Library in downtown Greenville and the Five Forks branch in Simpsonville are both open on Sunday afternoons so grab the kids and your favorite book for an afternoon in the kid’s sections.
Take your kids to Barnes & Noble for the free train table and LEGO table. These can keep most kids entertained for a good while. And it’s free. You can also spend a few dollars and grab a coffee at the in-house Starbucks.
735 Haywood Road, Greenville (Sunday hours: 10 am – 7 pm) 1125 Woodruff Road Suite 1810, Greenville (Sunday hours: 10 am – 7 pm)
Upcountry History Museum
With awesome rotating exhibits and permanent ones about the history of the Upstate, the Upcountry History Museum is a great option for indoor fun on Sundays.
Most Sundays from 2 pm – 3 pm, the Greenville County Museum of Art has a program called Sundays at 2 that features music or family art adventures. And it’s free! Check beforehand to make sure you don’t have to register ahead of time.
420 College Street, Greenville Sunday hours: 1-5 pm
Bounce Houses & Trampoline Parks
Spending a rainy or cold day indoors on a Sunday is a good idea – even better when it’s someplace where kids can get out lots of energy. Trampoline Parks Big Air, DEFY, Urban Air, and Sky Zone are all open on Sundays. Kangaroo Jax and The Pavilion are both open on Sundays for indoor fun.
Spare Time
The indoor entertainment facility, Spare Time hosts a state-of-the-art bowling alley, arcade, birthday parties, and an escape room. It’s an indoor playground for any age.
Get out stress by taking a bat and smashing lots of things in an enclosed (and safe) space at Mad Smash in Taylors Mill. Kids ages 8+ can participate!
250 Mills Street, Taylors Open Sundays by appointment
Roller and Ice Skating Rinks
There are a handful of roller skating and ice skating rinks in Greenville, which are great options for spending time indoors on a Sunday. During the winter, you can skate outdoors in downtown Greenville right near the Peace Center. See individual sites for Sunday hours.
Ice on Main, Village Green, Greenville (only during winter)
Swamp Rabbits
Head to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena and watch our city’s minor league ice hockey team, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, play on a Sunday. They usually have at least one Sunday home game a month.
Bass Pro Shops
Why is an outdoor store on this list? Because Bass Pro Shops has pretty neat animals on display that kids love. They also have a small aquarium with lots of cool fish in the back of the store. And Santa is there most Sundays during the holiday season. And it’s free. Be sure to taste-test the fudge (and then buy a few pounds because it’s amazing).
1025 Woodruff Road, Suite H101, Greenville Sunday hours: 10 am – 7 pm
Haywood Mall
Besides the obvious shopping, Haywood Mall has a small indoor play areaperfect for smaller kids.
What’s your go-to family destination on a lazy Sunday afternoon?
You can also find events throughout the Upstate in the Kidding Around Events Calendar! You will find educational events, festivals, free events, and more on the calendar.
Have you explored the Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, SC? You may have heard the name of the Roper Mountain Science Center and wondered what in the world this is or maybe your kids attended a field trip there. But really, do you know how cool this place is?
With a dinosaur trail, a living history farm, a Marine Ecology lab, and active classrooms you can explore, you can visit multiple times and find something new and exciting at each visit! Plus, RMSC has the only planetarium in Greenville, SC and a giant 23” refractor telescope that you can look through during special events. It doesn’t get much cooler than that!
RMSC is part of the Greenville County School system and during the week they host classes for science exhibits and hands-on learning for the public school system. However, they have greatly expanded their offerings and hours for the general public in the last several years and there several wonderful opportunities to explore this gem in Greenville. Every season offers something new and exciting at the RMSC.
The Roper Mountain Science Center is absolutely the place to go for STEM activities in Greenville, SC that are fun and engaging. During special events throughout the year, Roper Mountain is open to the public, and it is truly worth a visit (or ten). From September through May, you can visit during Afternoon Explorations on Thursdays and Fridays.
You can also explore June through July during their Summer Adventure programming, during which an exciting traveling exhibit is set up. And don’t forget their year-round Friday Starry Nights at the Hooper Planetarium.
Kids of all ages will love the RMSC. There is so much for them to see and do from the Dinosaur Trail, the touch tanks in the Marine Lab, the rainforest with its small waterfall, the outdoor play area, the pirate and castle playgrounds, and traveling exhibits.
Environmental Science and Sustainability Building
There is so much to explore at Roper Mountain Science Center that we promise you’ll need lots of visits to see everything. When you first arrive, you will enter through the Environmental Science and Sustainability Building. The building is dedicated to water ecology and sustainability practices and is filled with immersive experiences, a traveling exhibit (in summer), live animal displays, and more.
You can see a Timber Rattlesnake and Copperhead snake mere inches away and see a Hellbender up close as well. Kids love the interactive exhibits that teach them what not to flush down the toilet (parents like this one as well) and how to lower and raise the water level in a lake. Pretty neat stuff.
One of the most popular exhibits is the Nature Exchange. Here, your child can bring in items they found in nature, including moss, rocks, shells, lichen, or other items in exchange for points that they can use to spend on awesome items like crystals, fossils, and even owl pellets.
The Environmental Science and Sustainability Building is only open to the public during special events and Afternoon Explorations and Summer Adventure.
Harrison Hall of Natural Science
As you leave the lower level exit of the Environmental Science building, you can follow the path toward the Dinosaur Trail to the left or the Harrison Hall of Natural Science to the right. I am a huge ecology lover, so I immediately gravitate toward Harrison Hall. Here you will find multiple active classrooms to explore. There are live animals to meet and even touch like docile snakes, lizards, and sometimes even an alligator.
I love the permanent rainforest exhibit since it’s nice and humid and has a small waterfall, cocoa tree, and benches to enjoy the warmth, which feels especially nice during the colder months.
You can explore taxidermied animals, bone collections, specimen collections, and living animal exhibits. Your child can touch snakes, meet a skink, and learn about ecology and biodiversity during their exploration.
The Marine Lab is super popular because you and your children will be able to touch stingrays, starfish, and other sea creatures in the tide pool while learning about them.
The Ecology Lab showcases South Carolina habitats with their native animals, which include a Mountain Trout Stream, a Beaver/Turtle Pond, a Cypress Swamp (with an alligator), and a Salt Marsh. Guests can also check out a live honeybee hive at work.
Harrison Hall of Natural Science is only open to the public during special events such as Summer Adventure.
Dinosaur Trail
If you decide to head to the Dinosaur Adventure Trail first, then your dino adventure will start with a meet and greet with a Triceratops. All the dinosaurs are life-size models, so be sure to notice the awe in your young kid’s eyes as they notice them towering above them.
Be mindful of the ropes, as RMSC does not allow climbing on the majority of the exhibited dinosaurs. There is a big slide and play area that was designed to look like dinosaur bones coming out of the ground that kids can play on.
In 2023, a brand new animatronics T-Rex was added, which moves and roars. It’s motion-activated so you have no idea it’s going to move until you (or your kids) walk in front of it.
The Dinosaur Adventure Trail is open to the public during special events, Afternoon Explorations, and Summer Adventure.
Pirate and Castle Playgrounds
In 2023, RMSC added two new playgrounds: a large pirate playground for older kids and a smaller castle playground for toddlers.
Both are located next to Harrison Hall and are partially in the shade depending on the time of day. There are benches for parents to sit on as well. Kids really love these new playgrounds as they foster lots of imaginative adventures on the high seas and in the world of knights and ladies at the castle.
These playgrounds are open during Summer Adventure and Afternoon Explorations.
Living History Farm & Butterfly Garden
One of my earliest memories as a kid was visiting the Living History Farm when I was in Kindergarten. With authentic log cabins, a schoolhouse, a working barn, and a reconstructed former slave cabin, there is so much history that you can live the experience. Walking through the gardens, fields, pasture, farm pond, and farm animals certainly lend itself to easily imagining that time period.
The Living History Farm also has an incredible garden in the summer. You will find the Butterfly Garden on the outskirts of the Living History Farm. The garden has native plants that are frequently visited by butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
The Living History Farm is only open to the public during special events and Summer Adventure while the Butterfly Garden is open during Afternoon Explorations, Summer Adventure, and special events.
Living History Farm, Roper Mountain Science Center
Symmes Hall of Science
If you are a lover of all things STEM, then the Symmes Hall of Science will be the highlight of your trip to the Roper Mountain Science Center. Though Symmes Hall is only open during special events, it is worth it when you get to explore chemical reactions through experimentation, explore Tesla coils and solar panels, and interact with robotics.
Hooper Planetarium & Daniel Observatory
Last, but not least, the incredible Hooper Planetarium and Daniel Observatory. If you are wanting to spark a love for science in your child, this is a great place to start. The Hooper Planetarium is designed with a 360-degree dome with 4K projection and a truly immersive sound system.
The Hooper Planetarium offers special space-themed programming called Friday Starry Nights throughout the year. The planetarium is also equipped with a Laser Fantasy projection system, which is spectacular, to say the least! You can enjoy Laser Days of Summer, Halloween Laser Shows, and Special Laser Events throughout the year.
If you’re looking for a truly magical experience for adults and kids, then head to the Daniel Observatory after your planetarium showing to look through the historic 23’’ refractor telescope. The telescope is the 8th largest of its kind in the United States! You’ll be able to observe Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and more as you climb the steps to look through the scope.
Friday Starry Nights at the Roper Mountain Science Center
Friday Starry Nights at the Roper Mountain Science Center on Friday nights is a favorite activity for many. Shows sell out quickly and RMSC suggests purchasing tickets online beforehand.
Friday Starry Nights are offered on Friday evenings throughout the year at the Hooper Planetarium. Typically, there are three showings (4:30 pm, 6:00 pm, 7:30 pm), with each showing offering a unique feature film themed around space. The 4:30 pm show is excellent for younger children to attend and is recommended for ages 4 and older. The 6:00 pm show is also kid-friendly and features a film that is more exploratory of space in a kid-friendly way. The 7:30 feature showing is most appropriate for older children and adults.
Tickets to Friday Starry Nights are $8/adults and teens, $7/kids ages 3-12. Starry Nights is free for RMSC members. The shows are generally not recommended for kids three and under (I can vouch for this – to my dismay, my toddler was scared when we visited the planetarium during an event).
Laser Shows at the Hooper Planetarium
The planetarium also features several special events throughout the year, including Laser Days of Summer,Halloween Laser Shows, Holiday Laser Shows, Pink Floyd Laser Shows, and more. I saw the Laser Days of Summer Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon a couple of years ago, and it was EPIC.
These events are fully immersive, and allow you to sit back and listen to classic albums of the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Stranger Things, and more while lasers tell a story across the 360 degree screen. Regularly check the Roper Mountain Science Center website for updates about their upcoming special events and laser shows.
Tickets for Laser Days of Summer can be purchased now, and the event will begin July 18th, 2024. Multiple showings are offered from Thursday through Saturday from 4:30 pm to 9:00 pm on most nights. Tickets for Laser Days of Summer are $8 per adult or child, and $4 for members.
The Nature Exchange
There are 12 Nature Exchanges in the country and they are like little shops for kids that focus on learning about things you find in nature and seeking out neat things that you may not otherwise see if perhaps you weren’t looking for them.
The Nature Exchange at the RMSC is the only one in the state but it’s connected to the other 11 through a database. When your kids sign up, they are entered into this national database. As they rack up points, if they visit another Nature Exchange on a trip, they can use those points to get something from that particular place they visit.
At the Nature Exchange at RMSC, there are lots of neat items already that kids can choose from if they earn enough points. Each person who signs up automatically gets 100 points plus they get points for their birthday, also. Kids can then choose something from the big Nature Exchange wall that is the same number or less than the points they have accumulated. Or, they can accumulate their points and save up for something super cool like a dinosaur fossil plate or a pretty stone or a big bug.
Kids will find everything from gemstones to intricate shells to mummified grasshoppers and tarantulas. The Nature Exchange is located on the top floor of the Environmental Science and Sustainability Building, to the left of the main entrance.
Nature Exchange at Roper Mountain Science Center
Afternoon Explorations at Roper Mountain Science Center
Afternoon Explorations is when RMSC is open to the public during the school year. For 2023-24, they will open on September 14, 2023 and be open on Thursdays and Fridays from 1:30-5 pm. Guests will have access to the Environmental Science and Sustainability Center, the Rain Forest Room, Marine Lab and Ecology Lab in Harrison Hall of Natural Science as well as the Living History Farm when weather permits.
You will also be able to hunt for dinosaurs on the Dinosaur Adventure Trail, play in Wildwood, visit the Butterfly Garden, and play on the Pirates of the Carolinas playground.
Tickets for Afternoon Explorations are $8/adults and teens, $7/kids ages 3-12. Members receive free admission.
Summer Adventure and 2024’s summer Traveling Exhibit
Summer Adventure dates for 2024 have not been announced as of publication. You can typically visit during Summer Adventure Tuesday – Saturdays from 10 am – 4 pm. Explore all the exhibits RMSC has to offer, including a traveling exhibit that is only accessible during the summer.
The traveling exhibit changes every year, so it’s something special and unique to experience. Summer Adventure also offers special programs, including cockroach racing, the Eat a Bug challenge, farm animal interactions at the Living History Farm, period costume volunteers, and more to get children engaged and excited about science.
2024’s Traveling Exhibit hasn’t been announced as of publication. But for 2023, the traveling exhibit theme was ‘How People Make Things’, located on the top floor of the Environmental Science and Sustainability Building. This exhibit is a lot of fun as kids can create different objects at various stations throughout the exhibit like a trolley car (based on Mr. Rodgers’ show), a pressed coin, or a small box made from cut-out paper.
Admission is free for members, and tickets are $12 per adult and $10 per child 3 – 12 years of age. EBT cardholders can purchase tickets for $5.
The Butterfly Garden
The butterfly garden is located beside the parking lot in front of the Harrison Hall of Natural Science. It’s definitely something to check out, enjoy the beautifully landscaped garden, and see some butterflies. If you’d like to make it a homeschool adventure, try some of the books, ideas and activities below.
Make it Educational
Math: Draw the butterflies with colored pencils (maybe take pictures with a cell phone to reference later) and keep a tally count of how many of each variety you see. Once you return home, turn your tally count into a bar graph. Siblings can compare their graphs and see how they differ.
Science: Use some butterfly books or websites to help you name the different species of butterflies you see. If it’s too much to manage “in the field” just take pictures and look them up when you get home. The following resources may be helpful.
Discuss the butterfly life cycle before or after your visit to the garden. Here’s a great freebie coloring sheet of the life cycle.
Language Arts: Come up with some super sentences about butterflies. Make them factual or fictional. Use the bright colors and textures of the insects and the garden to dress up your sentences with adjectives. Look at how the butterflies move and what they do to pick some great verbs for your sentences.
Resources
This website deals with butterflies specific to our area, and has pictures that may be helpful to you when trying to name species.
The Life Cycles of Butterflies: from egg to maturity, a visual guide to 23 common garden butterflies (J 595.789 Burris) by Judy Burris and Wayne Richards -This book shows the life cycle of butterflies, but also shows pictures of common butterflies and areas where they are found. The Greenville libraries have many other fine books on butterflies with photographs under the call number J 595.789.
If you’d like to know a little more about the purpose of butterfly gardens, or the specific plants and landscaping you see at the garden, check out this portion of Roper Mountain’s website. It lists the host plants and nectar plants found at the science center’s butterfly garden. Many of these plants are labeled in the garden. Spend some time examining these plants.
Summer Camps at Roper Mountain Science Center
RMSC is focused on making STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics- fun for kids, and summer camps are no exception. But summer at Roper Mountain is more than just science: they also offer camps focusing on art, literature, moviemaking, mythology, photography and so much more. Summer camps at the Roper Mountain Science Center are available from K5 through Grade 12, and early drop-off and lunch stays are available for students attending separate morning and afternoon sessions.
Summer camp registration begins in March and camps fill up very quickly. Members will get first dibs on summer camp registration and if you really, really want your kid in a certain camp, you can get the concierge membership, which will ensure you will be able to register your kid(s) before anyone else.
Bring Science Lessons to you with Science on Wheels
If you are looking for a unique and science-driven demonstration for a school program or public outreach program Science on Wheels will bring the experimentation to you. They even have a portable planetarium! The program is perfect for school science days, preschools, library events, family audiences, afterschool groups, evening school events, summer camps, and community centers.
If you think RMSC’s Science on Wheels would be perfect for your group event, you can request more information by contacting the Roper Mountain Science Center directly. Educators can also utilize the many amazing programs Roper Mountain has to offer, including field trips, virtual field trips, elearning Live From Roper, and more to boost their science curriculum for their students.
Roper Mountain Science Center Membership
Speaking of membership to the RMSC, they have some worthwhile packages, especially if your family loves science and technology.
Memberships include free admission to Afternoon Explorations, Summer Adventure, and Friday Starry Nights, special pricing for special events and Laser Days of Summer, and early registration to summer camps. A family membership costs $125 and is easily paid for in just a couple of visits to the RMSC.
For instance, if a family of four travels to nearby Asheville and goes to the Western NC Nature Center, admission for them would be free with a membership to the RMSC.
Bottom line: A membership to the RMSC is a good investment in both learning and entertainment!
Have your kids ever been to Roper Mountain Science Center?
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Head up to Zip ‘N Slip in Mars Hill, NC for a fun, fast ride on any of their eight snow tubing lanes. We checked them out and have all the details on enjoying this fun, winter entertainment.
You cannot miss Zip ‘N Slip Snow Tubing Park in Mars Hill, North Carolina. It’s right off Highway 26 heading through NC towards Tennessee, about an hour and 40 minutes from Greenville, SC. And wow, you’re in for some fast and fun rides at this snow tubing park.
Zip ‘N Slip has eight snow tubing lanes that can run more than 800 feet long in optimal snow conditions. How long is that in terms of flying down on a tube? About 20 seconds! It’s really fast, especially in colder weather.
My kids – ages 13 and 9 – had a blast at this snow tubing park and it was well worth the drive up there. The owner is really nice and has owned the property for more than a decade. He initially wanted to build a hotel and shopping center on the property but ended up having so much fun with the snow tubing park that he kept the fun winter activity as it was and updated the park and equipment.
There are eight snow tubing lanes. At least there were when we went. Because of weather and snow-making abilities, this can definitely change each season or each week or month even as the park is able to create the snow needed for the hill. Or if they just get a ton of snow through Mother Nature, then it’s even more fun. It is always a good idea to check the social media pages or website of any seasonal activity before you head out to ascertain the conditions of the park.
There are heated bathrooms at Zip ‘N Slip as well as hot chocolate and a fire pit. They sell hot dogs, nachos, and mac & cheese as well. We were promised free marshmallows to roast after our tubing run but headed out too fast. We saw some people with sticky fingers though so we know they enjoyed the treats.
And if you forget your winter gear like hats, gloves, or even socks, you can purchase them at the park.
Tubing at Zip ‘N Slip
Tubing at Zip ‘N Slip was unlike most places I’ve been because the guests, once they got their safety briefing and tickets, were pretty much on their own. It was definitely fun but like the Wild West of tubing.
Once you get your tube, you’ll head over to the Magic Carpet ride, an escalator-type contraption that you stand on while holding onto your tube. Pro tip: lean forward on it so you don’t fall backwards. Once you get to the top of the hill, you’ll step off ever-so-gracefully and be able to choose which lane you want to go down.
Tubing at Zip ‘N Slip
There aren’t any staff members at the top of the hill so you just choose your lane and go down or wait until the person in front of you goes down. We didn’t have any issues with waiting or choosing our lanes. Because there are eight lanes, we got in a lot of runs and rarely had to wait for a spot.
But it does get a little tricky at the top pulling a tube amongst other people while navigating snow. I slipped twice but in my defense, it was a little icy. And I’m clumsy. I was fine.
Once you choose your lane, you put your tube leash inside the tube and then get in your tube and shimmy to the edge of the great abyss, uh, lane. Ideally, you’ll want to check to make sure no one is at the bottom of the lane you are planning to slide down. If they are, wait until they are gone and then go. Also watch out for people who may be walking in front of your lane. Wait for them to get out of the way and then shimmy your tube closer – or get someone to push you- to the edge and go down. Wheeee!
Once you get down to the bottom, get out of your tube, grab the leash and get out of the way. Fast. I cannot emphasize how fast you need to move once you are at the bottom. There are no staff to tell you to get out of the way or signal anyone at top that it’s ok to send down the next people. You’re responsible for getting out of the way so do it.
And pay attention. People are going to come down those lanes whether you’re paying attention to someone in a giant tube heading in your direction or not.
And have fun! Depending on how many people are there, you may get through a lot of runs during your time on the hill. I can’t even count how many times my kids and I went down. It was probably at least 30 times. We had the first slot of the day when we went at 10 am and it wasn’t sold out. The slot at Noon was sold out and there were definitely more people. So when you go, maybe choose the earlier time slot.
Tips on Visiting Zip ‘N Slip
We’ve been snow tubing to several places and some of these tips follow our previous advice but read on because a few are very specific to Zip ‘N Slip:
Bring a change of clothes: depending on the weather, snow will melt and you’ll get wet. If you don’t want to drive home in wet clothes, bring a change of clothes, socks, and shoes.
Wear layers: we were hot after the first 15 minutes and ending up shedding our hats, gloves, and jacket. It’s best to wear layers, especially if the temperatures will rise while you’re there.
You don’t need snow gear: it’s just snow tubing and you’re not skiing. Pants and boots, even hiking boots, hats, gloves, and a jacket are fine.
Get out of the way at the bottom of the hill: when you finish your tubing run, move and move fast. The way the lanes are designed, unless you’re in the furthest half of the lanes, you’ll have to walk in front of most of the lanes to get back to the magic carpet. If you don’t move fast, you may be in the way of another tuber coming down the run.
Pay attention: for reasons mentioned above, pay attention to your surroundings and make sure your kids are watching for fast tubers coming down the lane when they are making their way back to get in line to go back up.
Watch the weather: if you’re going up on an unseasonably warm day, check with Zip ‘N Slip to make sure they are operating normally and secondly, get the first available time slot of the day. You’ll go way faster on colder snow than when it starts to melt a little when the weather warms up.
Keep an eye on your kids: this is standard advice but here, kids need to be watched as they go up the magic carpet and make their way down the lanes and then grabbing their tubes and doing it again. They just need to be aware of their surroundings.
It can get muddy: at the bottom of the tubing hill, there’s a lot of straw and snow, which is great for stopping your tubing run. But when the weather is warm, the snow will melt and it will get muddy. This didn’t bother myself, my kids, and really anyone I saw there but just be aware that you may get dirty and refer to tip #1 about bringing a change of clothes.
Be kind and respectful: we had a blast while tubing and everyone was great. But during busier times, there may be some jostling of uncontrollable giant tubes at the top or people not paying attention at the bottom or on . Have patience and be kind.
Fire pit at Zip ‘N Slip
Tickets to Zip ‘N Slip
You can get tickets for an hour or two hours. One hour is $30/person and two hours is $45/person. Kids must be at least 3-years-old to go tubing and kids ages 3-5 are free and must ride in the lap of an adult.
You can – and should, especially on busy holiday weekends – make reservations online. Save time by filling out your waiver and bringing it with you.
Zip ‘N Slip also offers discounted rates for school and homeschool groups of 15 or more. Keep an eye out for Homeschool Day as well since tickets are heavily discounted. We scored $15/person tickets for two hours of tubing during a recent Homeschool Day!
Hours
The snow tubing park is usually open from mid-December through mid-January Monday-Saturday from 9 am – 9 pm and Sundays from 9 am – 6 pm. From mid-January through early March, the park is open Friday-Sunday and holidays like President’s Day and MLK Jr. Day. They also have special events like Homeschool Day. Follow their Facebook page for details.
Stay in Mars Hill, NC
If you want to make your stay a little longer, here’s where to stay in Mars Hill, NC near Zip ‘N Slip.
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Bonus Day Trip Fun
Because the snow tubing park was a bit of a drive, my kids and I wanted to extend our adventure a bit. So we went to explore nearby Burnsville, NC and had such a great time! The little town has a beautiful downtown and town square. They have several shops that sell homemade items like scarves, clothing, and hats plus an adorable toy store, a huge general store, a specialty tea shop, a beautiful shoe store, and lots more.
Scenes from Burnsville, NC
While we didn’t eat in Burnsville, there are a couple restaurants plus a coffee shop right along the main street area of the town. We spent about two hours wandering around the shops till our hearts content and could not have been more smitten with the town. I certainly plan to go back and explore it more when we are up in that area again!
Additionally, the Biltmore is on your way back from Greenville if you want to add that to your day trip itinerary.
