Ready to visit Unity Park in Greenville, SC?
This gorgeous park has everything families will love, with wide-open spaces, playgrounds, shelters, paved trails, and of course, the splash pad. There is even a wetland preserve you can explore. Find out why we love this park, and make a plan for your park day to visit Unity Park.
Are you new to South Carolina and want to explore the state’s many parks? Are you a local who wants to branch out and try a new park state park near Greenville, SC for camping or hiking? We’ve put this guide together to help with your adventures! From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, we have the details for all South Carolina state parks.
This article includes:
South Carolina State Parks in the Upstate
South Carolina State Parks in the Midlands
Coastal South Carolina State Parks
SC State Park Passports, Annual Admission Membership Program
SC State Park’s Ultimate Outsider Incentive Program
Junior Ranger’s Kids Program
Kids in Parks SC State Park Program
South Carolina State Parks: Events for Families
Looking for the best places to hike near Greenville, SC?
Inside: Lots of options for swimming and splashing in the Upstate area. Use the orange buttons below to jump to the activities you are more interested in.
Where can families swim near Greenville, SC? With creeks, lakes, pools, and waterparks, Greenville, SC has a lot of places to swim and splash! The best way to beat the humid, summer heat is at a splash pad in Greenville, SC, or by finding somewhere to go swimming! [Updated for summer 2026!]
This guide is your one-stop shop to find all the best local pools, splash pads, creek stomping places, and swimming holes. We have all the details when it comes to places to swim in Greenville, SC! If we missed any places to swim, let us know in the comments!
The KABOOM Awards are Kidding Around’s annual best of contest. Readers say these are the TOP 5 Places to Swim & Splash in Greenville, SC
Also, if you plan to visit a park for swimming, check with the location before you head out as some places may close for various reasons throughout the summer. We also advocate following the Leave No Trace principles and recreating responsibly.
The ocean is a bit of a drive, but there are many places where you can find a sandy beach within a significantly shorter drive. These Sandy Beaches near Upstate, SC are open for swimming and are all located in the mountains and foothills.
Looking for an old-fashioned swimming hole? To see more lakes and waterfall basins where you can take a dip, see this list of Swimming Holes Near Greenville!
It’s hard not to love lake swimming. Greenville, SC and the Upstate area offer a number of lakes that have recreational swimming and other watersports. We have gathered a list of the best recreational lakes near Greenville, SC!
If you’re looking for fishing, boating, kayaking, and places for other water adventures, check out this list of recreational lakes near Greenville.
Creek stomping is a great way to make hiking fun even in the summer heat. These 8 places are some of our favorite spots for playing in creeks.
This list of waterfall hikes includes several waterfalls that you can swim near.
One great way to enjoy the water in the summer is by tubing down a river. This list includes some of our favorite places to tube and also has tips for how to enjoy your adventure. Due to Hurricane Helene damage, there are no tubing outfitters opening this summer on the Green River. Our story linked above has all the details on places that are open.
Opening May 23rd, 2026: Greenville County Waterparks: Swim classes for older toddlers on up – be aware, many summer day camps visit these parks midweek so those times can be busier, call ahead if this is a concern for you. Pets are not allowed.
Opening May 23, 2026: Shipwreck Cove – This waterpark is in Duncan for those a bit east of Greenville. There is a lazy river, two water play areas – one for younger kids and one for older kids, slides, and more! Pets are not allowed.
119 S Spencer Street, Duncan
Pricing: Adult admission $11-$14.50, season passes ~$100/person
Pets are not allowed at these places unless stated otherwise.
Dollywood Splash Country, Pigeon Forge, TN: This waterpark is only open during the summer and is a lot of fun for families.
Soaky Mountain, Sevierville, TN: This waterpark is a blast and is close to Gatlinburg.
Wilderness at the Smokies, Sevierville, TN: This houses the largest indoor waterpark in Tennessee, plus has two other outdoor waterparks open in the summer. It is directly across the street from Soaky Mountain and they offer discounted passes there.
Fins Up Water Park, Lanier Islands, GA: This awesome water park has lots of water slides, a water coaster, beach, aqua course, splash pad, and wave pool.
The Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC: Our families really enjoy this indoor waterpark option in nearby Charlotte.
Wild Bear Falls Water Park at the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg, TN: This is an indoor water park at a fantastic resort in Gatlinburg, about three hours from Greenville. It’s open year-round.
SouthTown Wake Park, Rock Hill, SC: This wake park offers wakeboarding and a floating obstacle course.
Charleston Aqua Park, Charleston, SC: This obstacle course at Trophy Lakes is just one of the fun water activities at the lake.
Check out this guide to 6 floating obstacle courses at aqua parks in SC and Georgia!
Splash pads in our area are usually open by Memorial Day weekend unless otherwise noted. Pets are not allowed inside splash pads.
The Fountain Inn Splash Pad – This splash pad is open on Main Street in Fountain Inn. There is plenty of shade and they are open 8 am – 11 pm daily. 104 N Main Street, Fountain Inn
Opens May 1, 2026: The huge Unity Park in Greenville includes a large playground and splash pad that is open on Monday from 1 pm – sunset and Tuesdays – Sundays from 9 am – sunset. 320 S Hudson Street, Greenville.
There are some seriously awesome places to splash and play around Spartanburg, SC. For your convenience, we’ve put together this list of Spartanburg splash pads and when they open!
Open May 16, 2026 – Labor Day (9 am – 8 pm) Tyger River Park Splash Pad – This public splash pad is located in Duncan at the large Tyger River Park. The park has fields, green space, walking trails, and a two large playgrounds for big kids and littles. There’s not much shade, so wear sunscreen and hats and check the temperature of play equipment.
179 Dillard Road, Duncan, SC
Open May 16, 2026 – Labor Day (9 am – 8 pm) Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park – The park includes a newer playground and splash pad.
591 McMillin Blvd, Boiling Springs, SC
Open Memorial Day – Labor Day (9 am – 7 pm) Airport Park – This playground features an aviation-themed splash pad.
500 Ammons Road, Spartanburg, SC
Open Memorial Day – Labor Day (9 am – 7 pm) Barnet Park Splash Pad – This beautiful green space in downtown Spartanburg features an interactive water fountain that children can play in. It’s also within walking distance of the free Sparkle City mini putt.
248 E St John Street, Spartanburg, SC
Open Memorial Day – Labor Day (9 am – 7 pm) Stewart Park – This park not only includes a splash pad, but also has two outdoor basketball courts, a walking trail, a covered picnic area, a walking trail, and a playground.
453 Beacon Street, Spartanburg, SC
Open Memorial Day – Labor Day (8 am – 8 pm) McKinney Park – This is another great park to check out that has a splash pad. Covered picnic areas, a playground, and ball fields make for a fun day out in the sun, with the benefit of water play
E Pine Street, Woodruff, SC
2026 Opening Date May 23, 2026: Carolina Wren Park in Anderson – Situated right in downtown Anderson.
111 E Whitner Street, Anderson
Opens May 23, 2026 (follow them Facebook since their hours change): Kid Venture 2.0 – splash pad + playground.
7 Jim Ed, Rice Circle, Anderson
Sesquicentennial State Park in Columbia, SC has an amazing splash pad, as well as a playground, a lake for paddling, and lots more. The splash pad is free with park admission. It’s fenced, has attached restrooms and changing areas, vending machines, and is conveniently located beside the parking lot.
Greenville has a number of pools that offer public access either through a day pass or through membership. And if you need to sign your kid(s) up for swim lessons, we’ve got a round-up of some of our readers’ favorite swim lessons near Greenville, SC.
A gym membership can be a great way to have pool access all summer.
YMCA of Greenville Pool – The Caine Halter Family Y, the Eastside Family Y, and the Prisma Health Family Y all offer pools with certified lifeguards and cool water to keep you and the kids happy during the hot summer months. Learn more about Y locations and amenities.
The Caine Halter YMCA features an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and a splash pad.
Greenville County Aquatic Complex – The Greenville County Aquatic Complex is an indoor pool at Westside Park that has both a competition pool and a therapy pool. You can purchase day passes, monthly, or yearly memberships.
2700 W Blue Ridge Drive, Greenville
Kroc Center – Our readers love this zero-entry indoor pool due to its fun pool playground/splash zone. Day passes are available for $12 per person in addition to memberships. You will need to make a reservation by phone or online beforehand under the Aquatics tab on the Kroc Center Greenville website.
424 Westfield Street, Greenville
Many neighborhood pools in the area offer memberships for non-residents. This list is specifically pools that offer non-resident memberships or day passes. Or, if you’re shopping for a new house, here’s a list of neighborhoods that have pools.
Buncombe County, North Carolina, is not a far drive, and the county offers several pools to choose from for public swimming. Passes are $4/per person per day. Information for opening day for 2026 is typically released before Memorial Day Weekend. Pools will be open 7 days a week starting June 7th.
Driving to the ocean can be only around 3.5-5 hours from Greenville. We have a complete list of our favorite southeast beaches to travel to.
You’ve been reading our list of places to splash and swim near Greenville, SC.
We have lots more summer fun and things to check out for your family.
Keep reading!
Fun in the Sun!
Discover more amazing places to Swim and Splash Near Charlotte, NC
Heading towards Columbia? We have another list of places to cool off, swim and splash near Columbia, SC!
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Want to go tubing down a river really close to Greenville, SC?
The Saluda Outdoor River Company is about a 15-minute drivefrom downtown Greenville, and is the spot closest to Greenville for a day of tubing with your family. Kristina took her kids and told us what to expect. Thank you to the Saluda Outdoor Center for inviting us to review the tubing experience!
Once they were old enough, my kids and I have gone tubing every summer and have attempted as many rivers as possible. Most locations are at least an hour and fifteen minutes from Greenville, but not the Saluda Outdoor River Company. This outfitter on the river is 15-20 minutes outside Greenville. They rent tubes and host SUP State for paddle board tours and rentals. They even have tiny houses and camping cabins for overnight stays through their sister company, Saluda Outdoor Center.
The Saluda Outdoor Center and Saluda Outdoor River Company opened in 2020 and haven’t stopped growing since. They’ve relocated their check-in area to a beautiful new building up the street from their tiny house village. The address is 1001 Old Easley Highway, Greenville. Use this address and not the one that pulls up on Google.
You’ll check in at the main building and can pick up any essentials you may have forgotten like a hat, sunscreen, water, or dry bag. They have a lot of other cool things for sale like cute t-shirts and snacks. After you check-in, leave your keys at the desk (always a good idea) and head to the back for a life jacket. Everyone must wear one.
If you need to use the restroom or change, you can do that in the hallway behind the check-in building. The changing rooms are really nice and useful! Once you’re ready to get rolling, you’ll get on the bus and head to the river.
After tubing, you’ll get out at the tiny house village, where you can play cornhole or just relax.
Once you’re ready to head back, another bus will return you to your car at the check-in spot. If you need some nourishment, there’s a Snack Shack with nachos, ice cream, and hot dogs. You can also change into dry clothes if you want.
Check out Saluda Tiny the next time you’re looking for an escape but want to stay close to home.
I’ve gone tubing on the Saluda River twice, and my kids’ ages ranged between 6-12. We loved it both times! The length is generally two hours but totally dependent on the water level. If the water is higher and running fast, the trip will take less time, and vice versa if the water is lower and running slow. Either way, the river is pretty relaxing, wide, and calm for the the majority of the float.
The Saluda River is a good option for many reasons. The river is calm for nearly the entire ride. There are rapids at the end that may bump you around, but we never fell off. And the river is so close to Greenville that you don’t need to plan an entire day trip if you want to go tubing.
Once we checked in and signed the waiver (you can do it online or when you check in), we picked up our life jackets and listened to the crew give a safety talk. It’s pretty standard. They advised us to watch out for wildlife like snakes, fish, and turtles. They gave tips on how to not flip or what to do if we did flip. They told us when to get out of the river, not to bring valuables on the water, and to stay off the riverbanks as they’re on private property. They then loaded our tubes onto a cute little school bus and shuttled us to the drop-in.
A couple of things to note about the drop-in point which is right below the Saluda Dam (I thought this was pretty cool): the path is a bit steep in some places, so watch your footing. You should wear shoes that will stay on your feet. Watch out for glass. It’s a popular fishing spot, and some people don’t clean up after themselves. Once you get in the water and go under the bridges, try to push yourself off so you don’t float and go nowhere like we did. We got a stick, and I pushed us into the current, so it was all good.
Once on the river, just chill. It’s a relaxing journey. My kids compared it to a lazy river at a water park. Try to stay in the middle of the river with the current and not get swept under branches. There are a few small rapids and a slightly larger one near the end. I held onto my kids, who were tethered to my tube, and we bounced around a bit. I’ve tubed on several rivers in our area, and the Green River was probably the wildest one (but it was really exciting and fun!). The Saluda River is nowhere near that experience.
We saw more than 40 turtles when we tubed. They were really cute! My daughter saw a snake, and I think we may have seen a beaver, but I’m not sure. We’ve tubed in May and July, and the water was pretty warm both times.
To make the most of your time, here are a few tips.
You must book online to secure your spot on Saturdays and Sundays. No walk-ins accepted. Be prepared for busy days, especially on weekends when the outdoors feels like an oven and tubing is one of the best ways to cool off.
The 2026 season kicks off Memorial Day weekend. Tickets are $29 per person and $24 per person for groups of 10 or more. Price includes a life jacket, shuttle service, one tube run (additional runs are $10 per person), and any tethers. They also offer cooler tubes if you have drinks and food you want to take.
Children must be 42″ tall to tube. Life jacket sizes start at 50 pounds, so if your kid is 42″ tall but under 50 pounds, you need to supply the life jacket. Everyone must wear one.
Are you ready to float the Saluda River?
Saluda Outdoor River Company
1001 Old Easley Highway, Greenville
864-777-3053
Love River Tubing?
Check out our huge list of places to go river tubing near Greenville, SC. Adventure awaits!
City of Spartanburg, SC has a 13-acre botanical garden with paved, stroller-friendly trails just a couple miles off I-26 and 5 minutes from downtown! Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve is one of Spartanburg’s top nature spots for its gorgeous flowers and waterfalls, and you can enjoy free things to do like going on a nature walk, taking some family photos, or exploring the growing Children’s Garden.
🌸 Gardens: 13 acres of native plants, conifers, azaleas, and more
🌊 Water Features: Abundant ponds, streams, and small waterfalls
📸 Scenic Spots: Stone and wooden bridges, gazebos, and overlooks
👟 Trails: 1-mile interconnected loop of paved, gently sloping trails
♿️ Accessibility: Fully accessible for strollers and wheelchairs
🎟️ Admission: FREE but donations are appreciated
⏰ Hours: Dawn – dusk, 365 days of the year
📍 Address: 820 John B. White Sr. Blvd, Spartanburg, SC 29306
🚻 Amenities: Restrooms, water fountains, covered picnic shelter, gift shop
Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve is one of my family’s absolute favorite places to get outdoors in Spartanburg, SC. It’s completely free, centrally located, and family-friendly. This beautiful space is full of ponds, waterfalls, wildlife, mature trees, and a wide variety of leafy and flowering plants. Whether you’re local to the Upstate or just visiting the area, this is one of the best places to visit at any time of year.
In 1969, Harold and Josephine Hatcher made the decision to retire in Spartanburg, South Carolina to be closer to family. They immediately set to work reviving the land around their home, converting eroded cotton fields slowly but surely into thriving gardens.
Over time, the couple started opening their gardens to the public, allowing volunteers from community organizations, and expanding the property. In the 1980s, the Hatchers donated the property to Spartanburg County Foundation, ensuring its preservation for public enjoyment for years to come.
Josephine and Harold passed away near the turn of the 21st century, but their legacy lives on through every seasonal bloom, smiling visitor, and committed volunteer at the gardens.
Hatcher Garden is truly a fully immersive nature experience, and we are so thankful that they have built up the garden with both beauty and accessibility in mind. Wide, paved paths wind through the entire garden with gentle slopes, perfect for wheelchairs and parents pushing strollers.
Visitors can wander over 1 mile of interconnected trail loops, and you can easily spend anywhere from just 15 minutes to several hours here. The trails are almost entirely shaded, meaning they’re perfect for any time of year and make one of Spartanburg’s best summer hikes to avoid the heat.
If you’re planning to hike, park in the main parking lot and just enter through the main garden entrance. You’ll find no-barrier entry to the trails and a smooth descent into the rest of the gardens there!
As you explore, you’ll discover a stunning range of themed gardens with different plants in bloom throughout the year. My children are particularly fond of the Butterfly Garden with larger-than-life bug statues, while I personally love the Water Wise Demonstration Garden, which shows off drought-resistant varieties that are pretty all year round.
Before your visit, you can check out Hatcher Garden’s Bloom Guide for details on which flowers may be in bloom at any time of year and where to find them on the property.
Please remind children not to pick any flowers at Hatcher Garden, as they are carefully maintained for everyone to be able to enjoy. If you want to bring the gardens home with you, then keep an eye out for their annual Spring Plant Sale!
There are multiple scenic bridges, including the large Children’s Garden Bridge, also known as Stone Bridge, connecting the main parking area to the Children’s Garden. This one is the perfect photo spot when the flowers overhead are blooming! There are a few large wooden bridges, too, like the one crossing between Cypress Pond and Duck Pond.
A well loved local favorite is known as Corrie’s Bridge. Named for former Board Member Corrie Miller Whitlock, this short, covered bridge overlooks Hatcher Garden’s largest waterfall, a lovely 10-foot cascade. You can also view the waterfall from the Stone Patio at Corrie’s Garden Room near the waterfall’s base.
Another popular spot to stop is the Garden of Hope and Healing, where you can find covered benches around a sand garden and small pavilion. As a homeschool family, we also appreciate the John A. Nevison Amphitheater, where my kids can work on their schoolwork, make presentations, and balance and leap across the stone levels.
Preview even more spaces you’ll have the chance to see and explore with Hatcher Garden’s online list of Event Spaces. And yes, these places are all available to rent for private events!
Every parent in Spartanburg County needs to know about the incredible growing Children’s Garden at Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve. While the entire gardens are family-friendly, the Children’s Garden has rapidly expanded into an attraction all its own.
The large open sand garden in front of the maintenance shed is one of the main draws to the Children’ Garden. This large open area is complete with a sand toy library, covered picnic tables, and even a changing table. A short paved path connects the sand garden to the restrooms and water fountains, ensuring maximum convenience for visiting families.
Just past the sand garden, you’ll discover a Little Free Library, fully accessible gazebo, and a small fish pond. This water feature is for fish, not splashing, and parents should keep a very close watch on children around the water. The Sensory Loop connects these spaces, inviting children to use their senses to look, listen, smell, and feel their way through play.
My kids adore the trail of leapfrog rocks, complete with a rock sculpture of a frog, which kicks off the Altrusa Adventure Trail. This trail was made possible by Altrusa International of Spartanburg, SC, a non-profit focused on community improvement which has a long history of supporting Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve.
The Adventure Trail is designed to engage balance, movement, and spatial awareness: “Learning through Fun and a Little Risk!” It now includes a crawl-through tunnel, rope ladder, and hanging rope swings in a fantastic shaded naturescape right by the water.
While Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve is steadily growing in popularity, it remains a generally uncrowded and quiet place for families to enjoy during the week. This has made it one of our favorite spots to homeschool outdoors in the Spartanburg area.
With accessible trails, abundant seating options where you can read or do workbooks, and plenty of nature to explore, you can easily fill a homeschool day in the gardens.
Need ideas? We’ve got some for you!
Every visitor to Hatcher Garden—whether you come to learn, to work, or just to enjoy—is a steward of its continued beauty. Visiting as a family is one of the greatest opportunities we have had to teach our children how to appreciate and engage with nature with a strong sense of responsibility for it.
The Children’s Garden is the best place for kids to really set their imaginations loose and play on all the structures provided, but they are welcome to explore other areas of the larger gardens as well. We’ve seen some fantastic forts built with sticks and stones in the woodland areas, but just help kids remember not to pick the flowers or disturb wildlife.
Outside food and drink are allowed in the gardens, so packing a picnic can be a great way to stretch your visit and enjoy some extra time in the great outdoors. Be sure to clean up after yourselves and take any trash to the provided cans near the garden entrances.
Interested in volunteering? Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve is one of the greatest places in all of Spartanburg County for kids and adults to volunteer. You can be a Horticulture Helper, Garden Guide, Office Assistant, Special Events Helper, and more! Individuals and groups are welcome, including church groups and scouting troops, with regular volunteer opportunities every Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm.
You can also make a financial gift or visit the gift shop in person or online to buy a souvenir. Many of the items in the gift shop are created by local artists, such as watercolors, walking sticks, jewelry, and more. This is also a great place to shop for unique and meaningful gifts for your local friends and family.
Note: A dog named Major, lovingly considered the mascot of the gardens, can often be found in the gift shop. He is generally friendly, but those with pet allergies or small children may want to be aware of his potential presence before visiting the store.
Looking for more local businesses where you can buy unique gifts? Don’t miss our Local Shopping Guide to Spartanburg, SC!
What are you waiting for? With free admission, free parking, year-round operations, and new nature finds on every visit, Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve is one of City of Spartanburg’s greatest local treasures.
Admission: FREE but donations welcome
Open Hours: Dawn till dusk, 365 days a year
Location Address: 820 John B. White Sr. Blvd, Spartanburg, SC 29306
Hatcher Garden Website
Hatcher Garden on Facebook
Hatcher Garden on Instagram
Phone Number: 864.574.7724
Email: info@hatchergarden.org
At Your Own Risk: Visitors to Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve enter and participate in any and all activities at your own risk. This is a nature space with all the risks inherent to spending time in nature, such as encounters with wildlife, falling limbs, and water-related risks. Parents are responsible for their children’s safety and behavior at all times.
Have you visited Calhoun Falls State Park? My family and I work through the South Carolina State Parks Ultimate Outsider Challenge. We’ve quickly made our way through most of the parks in the Upstate and wanted to start branching out to some of the ones further away. When I saw a friend’s pictures of her family’s camping trip to Calhoun Falls State Park, I knew I had to go see it for myself. And, it’s only an hour away from Greenville.
🏕️Thinking about camping at Calhoun Falls State Park? It offers:
See our Ultimate Guide to All 48 South Carolina State Parks to find your next adventure!
Situated on the shores of the beautiful Lake Russell, these Calhoun Falls campground sites are some of the most desired in the SC state park system.
There are 86 standard (RV or tent sites with water and electricity) and 14 walk-in tent sites. We stayed at one of the walk-in sites, which are scattered along one of the points jutting out into the lake.
The tent sites do not have electric hook-ups, but they do have shared water pumps. I chose T8 because it has one of the largest tent pads. We just bought a new tent, and I was nervous about it being too big for the other sites. After being there, though, I think it would have been fine at any of them.
Our site was the closest to the parking area and had a trail down to the water. The shore was grassy where we were, but some of the other sites had little rocky beach areas that would be great spots for kids to splash.
Tent camp sites cost $29 and up per night, depending on the site size and location. If you choose to purchase an RV site, they start at $52 per night. The park does have a double site, if you want extra space.
The tent-only campground has an outdoor shower area and single bathrooms. The standard campground nearby has two full-bathroom buildings with showers.
There are two playgrounds at Calhoun Falls, plus a basketball court and tennis courts. RV campers will have to contact the park directly to ensure golf carts are allowed.
Calhoun Fall State Park camping is highly recommended for families with children, but with close water access, be mindful of younger children who can not swim.
During our stay, we checked out the Cedar Bluff Nature Trail. It is the only hiking trail at the park and is a 1.75-mile easy-to-moderate loop hike through the forest. The signage is not great, so be careful as you go. We took a wrong turn at one point and ended up at one of the campground playgrounds instead of finishing the loop as we had planned. But it’s a pretty trail with multiple wooden bridges and steps, and we didn’t mind getting lost in nature for a while.
We stuck to camping and hiking during our visit, but Calhoun Falls offers many other activities, especially on the lake. It’s the perfect spot for boating, paddling, and fishing. There is also a marina with rental boat slips available.
If you forget anything at home, the gift shop has you covered. It is definitely the nicest state park store I’ve been to! We stopped in on our first morning to register and to get some cold treats for the kids, and I was impressed at how much it had to offer, from bundles of wood and s’mores ingredients to souvenirs and clothing items.
How far is Calhoun Falls from Greenville?
Calhoun Falls is about 60–62 miles from Greenville, SC, and the drive typically takes around 1 hour and 15–20 minutes, depending on traffic and the route you take. It’s located in Abbeville County, so just southwest of Greenville County.
Can you swim at Calhoun Falls State Park?
Yes! Calhoun Falls State Park offers swimming in Lake Russell, including a designated sandy swimming beach area. You can only swim at the designated spots, so ask the rangers at the station at check-in.
Do you need reservations to camp at Calhoun Falls?
Reservations are basically required for camping, but you can contact the SC State Park reservations if you need to make one the same day. Campsites can be reserved online or by phone, and some stays may require a minimum (such as a two-night stay).
46 Maintenance Shop Road
Calhoun Falls, SC
864.447.8267
The park is open from 6 am – 6 pm (extended to 9 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time), and the Park Office is open from 9 am – 5 pm, daily.
Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children aged 6-15. Children 5 and under are free. Admission is free for Park Passport holders.
Inside: A list of local parks and playgrounds in the Easley and Pickens, SC areas, with details and tips from local parents.
Looking for parks in Easley? My favorite time of year has arrived, and I am so excited! Spring is working hard to break its way into the Southern summer. Recently my kids and I decided to leave the “big city” to check out the suburbs. We set out on a mission to explore some of the Easley parks and were pleasantly surprised with what we discovered!
For a fantastic summer experience that’s great for the whole family, check out Lake Lanier Waterpark, Fins Up. It’s at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands, Georgia and just two hours from the Upstate. We checked it out and have all the details!
Thanks to Discover Lanier Islands for providing media tickets for this review.
If there’s anything that will get me packing up the car and kids and hitting the road during the summer, it’s a good water park, preferably one with heart-pounding slides, a big wave pool, and places to hang out and relax. Fins Up Water Park in Lanier Islands, Georgia hits all those marks and went above and beyond my expectations!
This place is a lot of fun, and it’s the perfect place to spend a weekend or summer trip with your family. It has something for everyone, including little kids, teens, and parents.
Fins Up is part of Margaritaville at Lanier Islands. If you’ve read any of the stories about our trips to Margaritaville properties, you know we love to visit. The atmosphere at Margaritaville encourages you to relax and enjoy your family. It’s chill and easygoing and all the things that your regular life at home isn’t (for the most part).
I really didn’t know what to expect with the water park because it wasn’t on my radar. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised.
The wave pool is huge, and the waves are exactly like the ocean, except way better because there are no sharks.
There is plenty of seating if you want to hang out and watch your kids. We saw people reading books and looking happy. They had good reason to be. It was a beautiful day at a beautiful spot.
The wave pool stops producing waves every few minutes and then starts up again. It’s a blast.
The park has 13 thrilling waterslides and four exhilarating attractions.
Apocalypso, Georgia’s first adrenaline-fueled waterslide coaster, has two big drops. Your stomach goes up into your heart as you fly up a giant wall and then slide back down. It’s 418 feet of fantastic fun. We did it a couple of times and absolutely loved it.
There are several other waterslides, including Serpentine Storm, Dreamsicle Dive, and Mango Mania. They’re in the same area as Apocalypso. You can choose which one to go down when you get to the top of the platform.
The Apocalypso is definitely one of the more heart-pounding slides, but there are a couple others I dared not try like Racing Waters and Intimidator & Triple Threat. These slides involve some kind of free fall water slide action that would probably give me a new fear of heights and falling. I did all of the other ones though!
My oldest daughter and I loved the waterslide, Splash Down. We rode headfirst down the slide on a mat. It was awesome.
Both my daughters and I loved Raging River, an old-school water slide with lots of twists and turns and some smaller drops. You end by getting dunked in a small pool.
I had to hold my daughters back from sprinting towards the aqua park, Aquatic Adventure, as soon as they saw it. We absolutely love these floating obstacle courses and have done all the ones we can find in South Carolina and North Georgia. We were more than happy to add this one to the list. It was by far the largest aqua course we have ever done in terms of how many pieces of equipment there are.
I was completely exhausted after 15 minutes or so because these things, while fun, are tricky. It’s hard not to slip around as you climb on the obstacles. It’s such a blast though, and we loved every minute. You can go as many times as you like.
Kids have to be 48″ for the floating obstacle course. Children under 10 must be accompanied by a guardian and be at least 48″ tall. Life jackets are provided and required.
Little kids will certainly enjoy the wave pool, even if they stay near the entrance and play in the water. But if they want a little more action, there’s Parakeet Springs. This section has mini-waterslides, splash fountains, and Wiggles Waves (a mini wave pool).
Fin Dunker Bucket is a cute area next to the LandShark Bar & Grill. Here, kids wait for a huge bucket of water to dump over them. It’s hilarious to watch.
Kids will also love the sandy beach. There are small areas of the lake to splash around in, but the beach is enormous with plenty of space to run around. You can also hang out and relax in beach chairs.
There are plenty of food and drink options at the water park. You can get everything from burgers to chicken tenders to nachos to a famous margarita at the Tiki Bar on the beach.
Ice cream is also easy to come across! You don’t really need to leave the water park since there is a lot to do and eat.
Even though I’ve only gone one time, I have a few tips to share on how to enjoy this awesome park.
Look at the height requirements beforehand for the rides you or your kids want to try. You can then plan where to go, and no one will be surprised.
Look at a map of the water park before and during your visit. I’m embarrassed to say this, but my daughters and I completely missed like five water slides because we thought the water park ended at the beach at Aquatic Adventure. It didn’t. It kept going, and we didn’t find out until went to dinner at the LandShark Grill.
Locker rentals are available. We didn’t rent any this time, but we usually do when we go to water parks. There weren’t a lot of people around during our visit so I figured I’d take my chances with a towel and beach chair. If it was more crowded, I would have rented a locker. Prices range from $12-20 depending on locker size
Be prepared to walk. While the park isn’t as big as a theme park, it does require a lot of walking, especially when you’re carrying tubes up hills to get to launch points. Some of these hills are steep so take breaks if you need.
Parking is $20. Guests entering Margaritaville at Lanier Islands are required to pay to park. That fee is waived for season pass holders.
Be sure you have a credit card or some other cashless way to pay at the park. They don’t accept cash there.
Try to go during the week or early/late in the season. We went on the second day of the season and were able to ride as many rides as we wanted with barely any wait times. I imagine this place is a lot busier in the height of summer and on weekends and holidays.
You can reenter on the same day. If you want to leave the park for any reason and return, you can as long as you keep your wristband on.
I just love water parks, and Fins Up was no different. I really enjoyed the water slides and aqua course, and having fun with my daughters was a memory we’ll share for years. Some of the slides were kinds I hadn’t seen before. They were made before the more modern ones of steel and plastic, and while I never felt unsafe, it was a new and fun experience.
All the staff was really nice, and it was easy to see they were well-trained on safety protocols. They always made sure the slides were clear before sending down the next person or group. And the lifeguards on the Aquatic Adventure were paying attention to everyone to ensure safety.
My daughters (ages 13 and 9) had a blast here. It wasn’t as big as some of the other water parks we’ve been to, but that made it all the more charming and fun honestly. We didn’t feel rushed and knew we could hang out at the beach or wave pool if we wanted downtime. Because the water park is part of Lanier Islands, it was a great place to enjoy as a family as part of our short visit there. We only had to drive a few minutes to the lake house where we were staying for a couple nights.
You can get tickets online, and if you purchase more than 24 hours ahead of time, you’ll receive $10 off adult admission. Regular day-of admission is $59.99+ tax ages 7+ and $44.99+ tax ages 4-7. If you purchase ahead of time, adult tickets are $49.99+ tax.
Season passes are available for $99.99, but they offer discounted passes for $79.99 in late April and early May.
Once Memorial Day weekend hits, the park is open daily from 11 am – 7 pm until Labor Day weekend. Check the park site before you go as some days they have later hours.
Use the map below to find places to stay nearby!
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Fins Up Water Park
7650 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford, GA
Fins Up Water Park Website | Fins Up Facebook
There’s lots more to love about Lake Lanier! Check out our Kidding Around Travel Guide to Lake Lanier.
Traveling to Georgia? Don’t miss our Kidding Around Travel Guide to Georgia, full of guides to popular cities, things to do, places to stay, restaurants, and more!
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Lansford Canal State Park’s Rocky Shoals Spider lilies bloom by the thousands for just a few weeks. It’s the largest stand of these lilies found anywhere. While this spectacle of mother nature isn’t the only reason to visit Lansford Canal State Park, it is one of the most popular. The Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies only bloom for a few weeks a year. Plus, the state park is home to the largest population of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies in the world, so it’s a bucket list item for nature lovers. So, we have all the info you’ll need to get a peek at them.
2026 Lily Fest at Lansford Canal State Park: May 16th and 17th, 2026
Enjoy a Weekend Away While You Explore Landsford Canal State Park With Our Guide To York County, SC
Catching a glimpse of these beautiful flowers isn’t impossible, but it will take a little bit of planning and spontaneity. High water levels thwarted my attempts at seeing the lilies in 2020 at the Catawba and bad weather. Lily season is so short, I just had to make it happen. In 2021, I was determined to share this with our readers! With a little help from the SC State Park Lily Watch Updates page and better weather these past few years, and we finally made it during peak bloom!
I believe the Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies are best viewed up close. For that to happen, you will need to paddle to the middle of the river. The Catawba Riverkeeper group offers a lily eco tour for $75 per person including kayak and gear rental.
If you are going to paddle the river without a tour, be warned that it is not for novice paddlers. This isn’t a “Break in the new paddler” type experience. The Catawba River within the park includes a canal system with Class I and borderline Class II rapids (with sufficient rain, class III is possible). If you are used to navigating the flat water of Upstate lakes, you could find yourself in a bind. For experienced paddlers, the put-in is located at the top of the second parking area after you drive past the playground and take a right.
The Landsford Canal State Park offers some wonderful trails that have visibility of the lilies. The lilies are viewable from a viewing platform on the shore after a short hike. There are two trail options to choose from. The shorter trail through the woods, or the longer more scenic riverside trail. To access the trailhead, you’ll park in front of the playground area and take the path past the cabin and to the right.
The lilies bloom from mid-May to mid-June, depending on the rainfall and the river. To monitor the blooms, head to the Lily Watch Updates page.
Kids in Parks recently expanded to several South Carolina State Parks. The program is definitely something your family should sign up for this summer. The program offers a user-friendly website that includes an always-expanding list of nationwide locations considered TRACK trails. It allows families to search for locations near their hometown or even for an out-of-town adventure.
The program includes over 280 TRACK Trails in 12+ states, Washington DC, and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, with dozens of locations just a short drive away in North Carolina and several new locations in South Carolina. There are even activities for you to do in your own backyard!
Let your kid earn prizes while they hike!
Landsford State Park is a great place to explore year-round. The state park doesn’t offer camping facilities. However, there are picnic shelters, and picnic tables on the river banks. Each have their own charcoal grills. There are restrooms, a playground, and if you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of a Bald Eagle.
Lansford Canal State Parl, is only a 30 minute drive from Downtown Rock Hill, so you can make an epic day trip. If you have little ones, plan to stop at the Main Street Children’s Museum in Rock Hill. We LOVE IT there.
Landsford Canal State Park
2051 Park Drive, Catawba SC | 803.789.5800
Park Admission:
Free for kids 5 and under | $3.50 for kids age 6-15 | $6 for Adults age 16+
Shark teeth and fossils are plentiful on Morris Island outside of Charleston, SC and Coastal Expeditions will make it the highlight of your trip!
Thank you to Coastal Expeditions for inviting us to go on the Morris Island adventure with them.
The South Carolina coastline is incredibly diverse with wildlife and ecosystems and because of ancient history (think Ice Age), there are some pretty amazing fossils to be found along the coastline. And you get the chance to do just that with the adventure out to Morris Island with Coastal Expeditions.
If you’ve read some of our Charleston content or bucket list adventures, you’ve read about Coastal Expeditions. They took us out to Bulls Island where we got to experience an otherworldly place with lots of gators. It was amazing and we haven’t stopped recommending it ever since.
Coastal Expeditions was started in 1992 to help people experience the beauty of the Lowcountry, not just see it. Their knowledge of the environment here is completely unmatched. Our naturalists on both trips blew me away with their extensive knowledge of the lands, people, history, and wildlife. More than that, their deep love of the area is evident and it’s because of that love that they want to share their knowledge in hopes that others will come to love and respect the amazing land that is the Lowcountry.
Coastal Expeditions has a wide range of offerings to help visitors explore Charleston’s wild side from kayak rentals in Shem Creek to the excursion to Bulls Island to guided kayak tours to fossil hunting on Morris Island. You can choose adventures that are more kid-friendly or more adventurous, depending on what you and your family would like to explore. They also offer summer camps and other kid-focused activities. This tour – and any of them -are perfect for homeschoolers.
Both excursions – Bulls Island and Morris Island were kid-friendly but Morris Island was a lot less walking!
Our big adventure to Morris Island began at the flagship of Coastal Expeditions at Shem Creek, which is a beautiful area full of restaurants and a park that borders the creek. It’s best known for its amazing sunsets and its local population of dolphins.
There is parking at Coastal Expeditions but be sure to get there at least 15-20 minutes early if you need extra time to find parking during busier times and use the restroom as there is no bathroom on the boat or at Morris Island.
The boat we had was nice and spacious and Captain Dolph did an excellent job getting us to and from the island. As we were leaving the dock and slowly making our way out of the creek and into the harbor, we got to see some dolphins. I love dolphins and always get super excited to see them.
We also learned a crazy cool fact: these dolphins that live in the estuaries and creeks along the South Carolina coast are actually smaller than Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins and genetically different, so much so that they have been declared a new species. True story. It happened during the summer of 2023 after a decade of research led by Ana Costa, Ph.D. Their name is Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin.
Our excellent naturalist, Jackie, told us that this is just incredible because dolphins are so well-studied and to have discovered a new species is essentially unheard of. Then she said some other names in Latin of wildlife that sounded really smart. Jackie was actually amazing, which I’ll get to in a bit when we explore Morris Island.
One other thing that we learned when heading out to Morris Island was that The Coastal Expeditions Foundation was instrumental in renourishing Crab Bank, a seabird sanctuary for resting and nesting birds, that was washed away in 2017 by Hurricane Irma. Coastal Expeditions raised funds for this effort of conservation and you can only go to this island in wintertime when the birds aren’t nesting – and search for fossils!
I have come to really appreciate the mission of Coastal Expeditions because they practice what they preach. They are so enthralled and amazed by the beauty in the Lowcountry and use that love and knowledge to share with others in hopes of continuing to preserve it for future generations.
On your way out to Morris Island, we passed right by Fort Sumter where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. We also got incredible views of the Harbor and Ravenel Bridge. And we saw more dolphins – it was a great trip before we even got to the island. For you history buffs, you can read about the history of Morris Island on the Coastal Expeditions website.
Once we made it over to Morris Island, about a 30-minute boat ride from Shem Creek, we descended onto the sand and Jackie drew a map right on the sand of the island. She gave us her expert opinions of where to search for shark teeth and fossils. But the best part of her short presentation was when she showed us what she had found in the past on the island so we knew what to look for.
She showed us a ton of cool stuff: shark teeth obviously but also vertebrae of sharks, fossilized clams, stingray teeth, and fossilized mammal bones. The tides and waves naturally erode the beach, dredging up fossils and teeth from thousands and thousands of years ago that are buried beneath the island. That’s how you can find some really neat things and why this place is so special.
Once we got our instructions and tips from Jackie, we were off to find some treasures. You have three hours on the island, which may seem like a lot of time but it’s not a small island and you’ll want to walk slowly as you search for treasures.
Within a few minutes, my kids had already found a couple of shark teeth, their very first ever. It took me um, a little longer. But I eventually found some and started looking more closely at anything that resembled a shiny triangle, which, it turns out, there are many of along this beach and they are not shark teeth. But I persevered!
The island is very peaceful, clean, and beautiful. It is uninhabited and even if there are lots of other people, it won’t feel crowded. People just do their thing and look around or hang out on the beach and get some sun.
We ran into Jackie a little over halfway through the time we had on the island and showed her some of our finds. We walked together for a little ways and she so kindly would draw circles in the sand where she saw shark teeth so my daughters could find more. Really, I should have looked in those circles because I was terrible at finding them but I thought it was really nice she did that to help them out.
My kids found shark teeth a lot faster than I did. They had a good eye for them. But about 30 minutes into our walk along the shoreline, I hit the jackpot. I found a huge shark tooth and nearly jumped up and down at my find. It was just the coolest thing. Jackie, in all her knowledge, said it was from the predecessor to the Megalodon shark. That’s super old.
Jackie has a cool book she carries around with her where you can match your shark tooth to a picture and it will tell you where it came from. She is a great naturalist though and was easily able to identify where most of our shark teeth came from, which mostly included bull sharks and reef sharks. My one daughter found a really old one that was older than the big one I found.
One of the things I was really hoping to find was a vertebrae. I knew it looked like a really small version of a cut up tree trunk and to my great surprise, I found two. Jackie said they likely came from a shark.
We also found a couple larger vertebrae and a fossilized clamshell plus some really gorgeous shells. I’m not sure exactly what we are supposed to do with all these shark teeth (I will tell you that we are heading to the Nature Exchange with some of them at the Roper Mountain Science Center!) but to have them is pretty neat and a wonderful reminder of the beauty of the Charleston area.
One other neat thing about Morris Island is the lighthouse on the island. It’s very pretty but also too far to walk to and from in order to make it back to the boat. It’s no longer in operation but it was shown in the Netflix series, The Outer Banks. So if you’re a fan of show and love fossil hunting, you will love this tour.
I really enjoyed the time we spent awaiting our boat to come back and get us since that’s when a bunch of us in our group got to compare finds and Jackie could help us identify things we didn’t know, which was pretty much everything.
Some people in our group really brought in the haul and had lots of cool shark teeth, some of which were pretty big. One lady found a piece of post-colonial pottery, which she was legally able to keep. If it had been dated before that, she would have had to surrender it as it would have been considered an artifact. We were legit living our Indiana Jones dreams right here.
Jackie also had what she thought was a bone of a Leatherback Sea Turtle. She needed to consult her “bone guy” to get it properly identified though. Even so, it was neat. If the bone was from a Leatherback Sea Turtle, she guessed it came from the one that had washed up deceased on Morris Island a little over a month ago. She had shown it to us while we were walking along and it was enormous. It’s the largest kind of sea turtle in the world and was easily longer than myself. As sad as it was to see the turtle being delivered back to the Earth, from a scientific perspective, it was fascinating.
We learned a few things on our trip that may help you when you go:
The Morris Island excursion runs from March 16 – October 15 and in total is about four hours. You can book your tickets online.
Tickets are $65/adults and $45/kids. Gratuity is not included but very much appreciated if you really enjoyed your trip. The trip begins and ends at their Shem Creek flagship location.
For other excursions and adventures run by Coastal Expeditions, check out the Coastal Expeditions website.
If your family loves adventures, trying new things off the beaten path, and making amazing memories, this is the trip for you. My daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and we learned so much in the process. This is the best kind of learning! And going with Coastal Expeditions – an established company with an impeccable reputation – you know you are going to have the best experience possible.
Coastal Expeditions
514 Mill Street, Mount Pleasant, SC
843.884.7684
Coastal Expeditions Website | Facebook
Looking to make a longer trip? Here’s our Charleston, SC Visitor Guide… things to do, where to eat, and where to stay.
