Are you searching for daytrips from Spartanburg, SC where you can have a fun time exploring somewhere new? You can drive to all these locations in 8 hours or less saving the price of airline tickets. Keep reading to find out which places are less than a day’s drive from Spartanburg.
Are you planning a trip to Greenville and need pet-friendly hotels? Greenville, SC is super dog friendly, so of course there are some wonderful hotels that allow pets. We asked readers for places they recommend in the Upstate where Fido will feel welcome too! Some of these places even have special services and pet menus, so your pet can live a life of luxury during your vacation.
Pets are a member of the family, but sometimes traveling with them can be a logistics issue. There are plenty of Greenville hotels that accommodate dogs, and other pets. So pack your bags and get ready to enjoy an adventure with your four-legged bestie.
(more…)Did you know you can vacation in a fantasy world with a themed vacation rental? If you are looking for a way to escape to another place, away from reality, these rentals will let you do just that. There’s a place for you to lay your head whether you dream of hanging with wizards, jumping to light speed in space, or joining some Hobbits for a second breakfast.
Leave behind your cares while living in a fantasy world at one of these amazingly themed vacation rentals; you won’t ever want to leave.
If the idea of touring the Biltmore Estate in Asheville with your kids sounds daunting, have no fear. We lay out all kinds of things you can do at the estate – most of them don’t even involve visiting the house itself. I’ve been several times and had so many questions initially, but every time I’ve gone, I learn more and explore more of the 8,000+ acres – and fall in love with the Biltmore just a bit more.
Have you ever daydreamed of visiting a real-life castle? Touring the halls and stately rooms, being transported to a different time and place, experiencing the luxurious life? How about touring the castle vineyard, visiting the stables, exploring the renowned gardens? Well, you don’t have to hop on a plane for Europe to set your eyes upon gargoyles and ball gowns, just head to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, a picturesque castle with over 8,000 acres, 250 rooms, and a hundred years of history.
Regardless of whether you are a pass holder or visiting for the day, if you want to tour the house, you need to reserve a time online. Be sure to print out your confirmation email, since you’ll need to show the staff before they let you in. And get there at least 45 minutes before your scheduled tour time to allow for parking and either taking a shuttle to the house or walking over via the trails.
Many parents ask if taking the kids through the house is worth it, which is a valid question. If you don’t reserve a guided tour (an extra cost), you’ll automatically be doing the self-guided tour, which you can go at your own pace but will be following a crowd. Even though the house is just stunning and seeing the grandeur of the rooms is amazing, some kids will be bored. And if you have little kids, you need to keep them with you and not let them run behind the roped-off sections.
I first took my kids to the house when they were 7 and 3 and we didn’t make it through the whole tour because one of them needed to use the restroom – which you must do before you enter the house as there are no bathrooms inside for guests. Bathrooms are located near the Stable Cafe to the right of the house outdoors.
The second time we went was a couple of years later and we got through most of the house, maybe because it was Christmastime and the decorations were mesmerizing. Now, my kids are 9 and 13 and we go every Christmas and they truly enjoy it.
The Biltmore offers an audio tour ($15) for kids, narrated by the Vanderbilt’s dog, Cedric, which they may find entertaining.
Either way, be prepared to bail if you need to. There’s a lot to do on the estate besides the house, no matter how gorgeous it is. The Biltmore ticket system requires you to choose a House ticket or a Grounds & Gardens ticket. The House ticket includes the Grounds but a Grounds & Gardens ticket does not include the House tour.
I’ve taken so many walks through the Biltmore Gardens and just can’t get enough. They were designed by the father of modern-day landscaping, Frederick Law Olmstead, and are breathtaking.
I thought Spring was my favorite season there as the tulips and daffodils light up the pathways. Then I thought early summer was my favorite because of the beautiful rose garden and azalea garden. Then I decided Fall was my favorite because of the colorful mums that were planted in mesmerizing patterns.
But after I took walks and bike rides along the sunflower fields near Antler Hill Village in the late summer and early Fall, I just figured I’d get a season pass so I could visit whenever I wanted.
I can’t decide on when all the flowers are the most gorgeous so you’ll just have to go for yourself to see them.
Your House and Grounds & Gardens tickets both include access to the gardens, the walking trails, and the Conservatory. You don’t need a reserved time to walk through the gardens, you just go when you want.
Antler Hill Village is my favorite place at the Biltmore Estate because it’s filled with lots of kid-friendly things to do and it’s all included with admission.
The Farmyard is a small farm area where kids are welcome to pet the animals. They have goats (baby goats come March of every year!), chickens, horses, and pigs. On some occasions, they have had border collie sheep herding demonstrations, which are fun to watch.
Next to the farm is the Pisgah Playground, a big play area with swings, slides, and climbing structures. It’s a great place to let the kids enjoy a beautiful day outside.
And up the hill a little ways from the playground is the Antler Hill Barn where craft demonstrations take place every Thursday-Sunday. I love this area as the staff are so kind and engaging with the kids. There is also a little cafe with beer and wine so I’ve had a beer while watching my kids do crafts or play there. It’s a perfect place to relax. There are also restrooms at the barn.
You can also pick up several hiking trails at Antler Hill Village right behind the barn and wander past the fields with cows and pens with goats. Grab a map at the Outdoor Center near the barn.
Also in Antler Hill Village is the Winery. We’ve actually done grape-stomping there before, which was a blast. From the village, you enter the winery in the main square and get to walk through an underground tunnel to get to the tasting room and shopping area. Adults are welcome to do a complimentary wine tasting and kids can tag along and have grape juice. The servers are generous with the wine samples so take that into consideration when figuring out the best time to go!
The French Broad River runs right through the estate, which makes for great rafting trips. It’s a wide river with few rapids, which makes it perfect for families. The rafting trip is about two hours long and costs $50/person.
If horseback riding is on your to-do list, the Biltmore also offers guided tours of 1-10 people with a two-day advance registration. Ages 8 and up are welcome to do this activity and it costs $135/person for an hour ride through the estate.
You probably won’t be surprised the Biltmore offers carriage rides through the estate. A 60-minute carriage ride is offered Friday through Sunday and takes guests around the beautiful estate and house. Cost is $95/person and one child 5 years and younger is free per paying adult.
There are more than 20 miles of biking trails at the Biltmore Estate, which run all throughout Antler Village and up to the house. You can either rent bikes ($20/bike for two hours) at the Bike Barn, which is open daily dependent on weather, or bring your own bikes and ride them at your leisure. I’ve brought my kids’ scooters and bikes and we rode the trails from Antler Hill up to the house, to the Gardens, and to the pond, and had so much fun.
The two-hour kids fly fishing lesson is at the top of my list at the Biltmore. I really want to learn how to do this and would love for my kids to have instruction (since I know nothing about it). For a private lesson at the Biltmore, it will cost you $125 per kid.
There are several dining options at the Biltmore. The Stable Cafe right at the main house has a selection of comfort food that’s easy to grab and eat. Families also love Cedric’s Tavern in Antler Hill Village, which has typical pub fare. Consider making reservations at the sit-down places to get your preferred time.
If you’re feeling extra fancy, the Inn has Afternoon Tea, where they serve a delightful mix of sweet and savory treats, tea, and fine cheese. Prices currently are $75/person.
Antler Hill Village also has a confectionery and creamery, where you can’t possibly make a bad decision. My kids and I try to make a stop here just for their ice cream.
Also feel free to bring your own lunch or picnic and eat at the covered tables in Antler Hill Village or at any number of the beautiful open spaces around the estate.
I’ve gotten to see some pretty neat exhibits at the Biltmore like the Titanic exhibit with so many of Kate Winslet’s dresses [insert completely excited face here], a fantastic train exhibit, Christmas at the Biltmore, and Chihuly at Biltmore. These special events and exhibits are incredibly well done and worth a visit.
I have started taking my daughters every year to tour the House during Christmastime because it is so beautiful. We really love checking out the 50+ Christmas trees in the House and seeing the decorations.
They are decorated in the most delicate of glass ornaments, and most likely not shatter-proof. We admired the gorgeous velvet ribbons carefully wrinkled at the right places seemingly mimicking the damask finery found in the guest rooms.
My personal favorite was a tree on the second floor, close to the Louis XV suite. Beneath the tree, a vignette of vintage toys were carefully assembled to stir any child’s imagination of toy soldiers and sugar plum fairies. Perhaps its proximity to the room where Cornelia Vanderbilt was born, was the reason for the child-friendly tree. It was a good reminder that a family once lived in this beautiful home.
The spots for the Christmas House tours usually go fast so you’ll need to reserve your preferred time and date online. They also have wildly popular candlelight tours, which I have yet to do, but would love to take in that experience sometime. Christmas at the Biltmore runs from November 2, 2024 through January 5, 2025.
Chihuly at Biltmore is an incredible collection of blown glass art from Dale Chihuly. The Biltmore has collaborated with him in the past, placing several of his gorgeous pieces around the estate in 2018. This time, his work is featured in seven galleries at Amherst in Deerpark near Antler Hill Village. The exhibit runs March 25, 2024 through January 5, 2025.
We got to go through it and take a tour with representatives from the Biltmore and Dale Chihuly’s studio, which was completely fascinating as we learned how the exhibit came about and the unbelievable preparations for it to be held in that location. The exhibit is extraordinarily unique with 33 pieces that include thousands of smaller pieces of blown glass. The creations don’t even seem real.
Chihuly has a background in weaving, which he somehow used in several of his pieces that were inspired by Native American art, which you’ll see in the second gallery. Be sure to watch the short movie about Chihuly before you head to the galleries and read the plaques because they are fascinating.
Chihuly’s knowledge of how how light interacts with glass is on display throughout the exhibit but especially in the room with the Parisian ceiling. The art is above you and the light is reflected through all of those pieces to create art on the surrounding white walls. You’ll feel transported to another world.
I kept staring at the chandelier pieces in the room next to the one with the Parisian ceiling trying to figure out how Chihuly put them together and created the nuances in color in the glass. I can’t even wrap my head around it.
The next gallery features a garden of glass flowers that looks like it is floating on water. It’s called the Millie Fiori, thousand flowers, and I advise just taking your time in here, walking around the piece and looking at every detail. Chihuly was inspired by his mother’s garden and this specific composition was designed and created specifically for the Biltmore.
The last gallery is a neon glass gallery that was inspired by tumbleweeds. It’s so unexpected because it’s not as colorful as his other pieces yet somehow flows well in the entire exhibit. The pieces are anchored in sycamore trees.
By the time we exited the gallery, I think my head was spinning (in a good way). I love art and especially glass blowing but Chihuly at Biltmore was a whole other level. His art almost cleared my head and became therapeutic because all I could consider was the beauty and awe of it. I’m grateful for the partnership the Biltmore and Dale Chihuly forged in order to bring the exhibit here. I wish I could afford even a small piece of Chihuly’s art, which you can absolutely buy in the gift shop if you’ve got the funds!
One thing to mention if you plan to bring your kids is that Chihuly designs his pieces to be see up close and enjoyed by all, which means there are no barriers around any of his art. So, parents, watch your kids closely.
Your entry ticket or annual pass does not include entry to Chihuly at Biltmore. Ticket prices are:
The entire exhibit is wheelchair and stroller-accessible. Plan to spend about an hour inside the exhibit galleries.
There is plenty to see (or cut short if need be), but it would be awful to feel rushed. Many of the kid attractions close at 5 pm.
You can drive to the Biltmore House and park in one of the several lots. Lot A is about an eight-minute walk to the house while the other lots are further away. There are shuttles to take you to the house and to Antler Hill Village. You can also take shuttles – which come about every 20 minutes – from the house to Antler Hill Village.
The Deerpark Trail from Antler Hill to the house is around three miles. You can also drive to Antler Hill and walk to the house or take the shuttle. There is a parking lot near the lagoon and trail as well if you want to park there and walk the 1.5 miles to Antler Hill or up the hill to the house and come out on the side near the gardens.
While you need a ticket to get into the Biltmore, there are lots of free things to do once there: bring your bikes and bike the trails, take a walk amongst the gardens and sunflowers, visit the Conservatory, visit the Farmyard, play on the Pisgah Playground, do a wine tasting, make a craft at the Antler Hill Barn.
Less lines mean happy kids. (Kids 16 and under are free during the summer. The rest of the year, kids 9 and younger are free.) Ticket prices start at $95 and vary depending on season. Read on to learn about the annual pass and saving money.
Strollers and backpack carriers are welcome. You will want to stick with a carrier in the house as some of the areas are difficult to navigate with a stroller.
As part of the Biltmore bag policy no backpacks are allowed on any guided tour.
Put everyone in comfy walking shoes and put on sunscreen as exploring the grounds is one of the best parts of the trip.
An annual pass is usually $249/person and kids ages 16 and younger get in free with a passholder. They usually offer discounts on their annual pass in November (that’s when I got mine for a lot less than $249). Stay tuned to their social media and website to score a deal.
Passholder benefits are awesome, too – discounts on tickets for guests, discounts on tours, shopping, dining, and lodging, and discounts at other attractions like Chimney Rock State Park, Dollywood, Tweetsie Railroad, Mast General Store, and Grandfather Mountain.
Need more info? Visit the Biltmore Estate website.
Have you taken your kids to visit the Biltmore Estate yet?
One Lodge Street
Asheville, NC 28803
800.411.3812
The Biltmore Website
Looking to have your vacation near Greenville? Vacation in the Upstate or WNC instead! Need a change of scenery but want to stay under an hour and a half drive from Greenville, SC? With the increase in gas prices and other financial stresses, staying closer to home seems like a better idea every day so we’ve pulled together some great options for you right here. Plan your spring or summer vacation near Upstate, SC.
Greenville, South Carolina has got to be one of the most perfectly situated towns in the country. You can drive two hours in any direction and be in the rolling hills, on a sandy mountain beach, or in some cute, little town eating ice cream and waxing nostalgic about cream soda. Now with rise in gas prices, it has become a non-negotiable for many families in the Upstate to stay closer to home when considering a getaway.
We can help you out. Every place we list is no further than two hours’ drive from Greenville. We’ll give you as many budget-friendly things to do as possible whether you want to stay for a week or a few days to help you stretch your dollar further and still have a great time.
(more…)With spring break around the corner, Kidding Around Greenville gives you a list of fun day trips not too far from home. To make room for some unpredictable weather, we have separated the list of spring day trips near Greenville, SC into two main categories: indoor and outdoor.
To help in your trip planning, we have also listed a summary of driving times in the end. Before going, just be mindful of operation hours. Lastly, don’t forget to take photos and tag us on social media!
For more Day Trip ideas see our Day Trips Near Greenville page.
Are you searching for a great vacation rental in the Southeast? We gathered Blue Ridge Treehouse Rentals, awesome dome homes, and the best cabins throughout the Southeast, from the mountains to the sea! KAG’s Kristina Hernandez compiled this list to help you out. Here you’ll find the coolest vacation homes situated in the mountains, by lakes and even near the beach.
Think a day trip escape would be a welcome change for your family? These cities and small towns near Greenville, SC will do the trick! It’s time to take a fabulous relaxing stroll down a small-town sidewalk with a coffee in hand, browse shops, get some lunch, or check out an amazing park. We love visiting new places near Upstate, SC and we love making day trip adventures for our family and readers.
If you’re looking for a fabulous town where you can spend the day, check out this list of towns that are an easy day trip from the Upstate. We have ideas for things to do, places to eat, and even places to stay if you decide to make a weekend of it.
(more…)Buffalo still roam in this country and while most of them are out West, there are herds that roam at Buffalo Creek Vacations in Clyde, NC. Less than two hours from Greenville, SC, this vacation destination is close to so much fun, and the property is pretty awesome all by itself. We stayed in a caboose on this beautiful property and have all the details!
Thank you to Buffalo Creek Vacations for inviting us to stay on their property.
Buffalo Creek Vacations is located in Clyde, North Carolina, about an hour and 45 minutes from the Upstate and right in the middle of so many fantastic places in Western North Carolina like the Biltmore in Asheville, the adorable town of Waynesville, and some of the best hiking trails in the state. But Buffalo Creek has its own claim to fame because they have an entire buffalo herd roaming on their property.
These are the very same American Bison that roam out West and were once nearly extinct. As guests of Buffalo Creek, you can watch them get fed and just enjoy them doing their buffalo thing while roaming around the private farm. And you can do it all while staying in a decommissioned caboose or a luxury log cabin. We stayed in the caboose and it was super cool and something that a kid (or grownup) who loves trains will go nuts over if they get the chance to stay here.
Harold Clackett was a UPS driver on Long Island, New York when he decided he wanted to get out of the rat race and find someplace beautiful to retire with his wife, Harriet. He had a love of all things America so decided he would do something about it and raise bison. So he built a log cabin in Clyde, NC, with views of the Great Smoky Mountains, and worked on that big dream of his in 1994.
A decade later, the 40 acres behind Harold and Harriet’s log cabin and bison ranch went up for sale. The Clackett kids – five boys and one girl – and their spouses decided they wanted to expand their dad’s dream and create a vacation rental business, along with the bison ranch. So they bought the land and built beautiful cabins on it.
Harold is also a train enthusiast. He had lots of model trains in his basement and just loved tinkering with them. So in 2016, the Clackett family bought a decommissioned caboose and had it shipped all the way to the mountains, renovated it, and started renting it out. Then came another caboose and Buffalo Creek Vacations made a national list of the Top 10 coolest places to stay in the country. High-five!
They have two cabooses for rent and are currently renovating four more.
I love staying in unique rentals and the decommissioned caboose was no exception. This was a really cool experience.
The caboose rental we stayed in, the Gray Caboose, was part of the Seaboard Coast Line, which operated all along the Eastern Seaboard starting in 1967. I’m fascinated with all things history and loved the story behind the cabooses on the property.
The caboose is quite large and Buffalo Creek did a pretty amazing job renovating it. It has a full kitchen, bathroom, living room, two televisions, a bedroom with a queen bed, and a loft with another queen bed. The couch folds out to a twin sleeper so in all, the caboose can sleep five people. There is also free wi-fi.
Also, the windows look out on the pasture where the buffalo roam so you can see them right from the caboose! All of the accommodations at Buffalo Creek are pet-friendly.
The BC Depot is right next to the cabooses and houses the game room, the huge model train room, the little shop, and laundry area.
My kids absolutely loved the game room and one didn’t want to leave. Ever.
Buffalo Creek has a ping pong table, foosball, a mostly enclosed area with lots of toys for smaller kids, a chess/checker table, and air hockey. You can also hang out there and play a DVD or take one back to your caboose to watch later. They’ve also got a pet turtle in there plus coffee and all kinds of books to read and information about the area to peruse.
The little shop has all kinds of buffalo-themed goodies like aprons, stuffed animals, socks, shirts, and keychains. Cheryl, one of the owners and the only daughter of Harriet and Harold, will likely be in here and is so friendly and helpful. If you have any questions at all, she will know the answer!
So Buffalo Creek Vacations is really unique and fun because they are situated on a buffalo ranch and I find these creatures pretty fascinating. They literally roam the property (with fences) and you can see them hanging out and chilling and do whatever it is that buffalos enjoy doing.
At 9:30 am every morning, they are fed and guests are invited to watch. Let me tell you – this was entertaining. Feeding the buffalo herd, which consists of more than 35 heads of them, is quite the task. They get fed special pellets once a day and graze the rest of the day in the pastures. To feed the buffalo, Harold, 78, drives the tractor while his wife, Harriet, also 78 years old, and a cousin of the family, Dennis, sits on the front end with the buckets of pellets and dumps them into the troughs.
Buffalo, which is the nickname of bison, are not typically nice creatures. They are part of the Bovidae family, which consists of cattle and antelope. While they seem like fluffy cows, they can run up to 30 miles per hour and jump straight up six feet, plus they can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and have horns. They can easily run you over and cause serious damage, which is why warnings about staying away from these buffalo are all over national parks where they roam out in Yellowstone. These are the same animals at Buffalo Creek so definitely follow all the signs and don’t think you can go cuddle with these wild mammals.
Now, back to the feeding of the buffalo by the coolest grandparents I think I’ve met, aside from my own. These two septuagenarians on the tractor feed the buffalo every morning and do it fast and efficiently. If I manage to live to be 78 years old, I hope I can be as fearless and adventurous as these two grandparents.
Jeff, Cheryl’s husband, told me all kinds of cool buffalo facts while we watched Harold and Harriet feed the herd and hold a new baby goat (best day ever honestly). Buffalo are pregnant for about nine months and they rut for a couple months in the late summer and give birth in late spring/early summer. Baby buffalo weigh around 60-70 pounds and put on weight quickly. Their hides are a tan color and then turn brown as they grow older. The hides feel rough and are fuller during the winter. When summer rolls around, the buffalo will rub against trees to shed some of that course fur to stay cooler.
There are also mini-horses, llamas, alpacas, goats, rabbits, donkeys, and horses at Buffalo Creek Vacations. The alpacas and llamas are sheared once a year for their fluffy fur and the goats make baby goats, which make a lot of people happy. The donkey is one of the guard animals and we got to hear him hee-haw a bunch of times. They are louder than you think!
Harold Clackett is a train enthusiast and over his lifetime had collected a significant number of model trains, which he kept in his basement. When the BC Depot was built, a special room was added for the Smoky Mountain Model Railroaders Club, which is like walking into another world of tiny people, landscapes, and trains.
The model train room is part of the ranch but a separate fee is charged to enter and explore the room ($10/adults, and $8/kids and seniors). Guests get a reduced rate.
The room, called Agapeland, currently has nine working trains and I’m guessing about eight or nine separate little worlds – a carnival, a 50s diner, a little town, a mining village, a castle, and several others. I lost count. I was so overwhelmed walking into that room and was amazed at what this model train world consisted of. I’d definitely recommend a stop at Agapeland while you visit. Plus, this is a great stop if you’re in the area. Totally worth it plus you can see the buffalo.
If you want to host a birthday party at Buffalo Creek Vacations, that’s an option. They have a lot of space in the BC Depot and offer opportunities for kids to interact with the animals and see the buffalo.
In addition, field trips are also offered at the ranch. There’s a lot to see and learn about farming and animals.
If you’re in the area or want to make a day trip to Buffalo Creek Vacations, they offer a Day-Cation Pass. The pass allows you to watch the daily bison feeding, check out the model trains, do a mini-horse ride, visit the playground and game room, and see all the animals. You also get a free souvenir cup of animal feed to give the goats some treats. The day pass is good from 9 am – Noon and costs $45/adult and $38/child ages 3-17. Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.
The BC Coral is the big playground at Buffalo Creek. It’s an old-school one with wooden bridges, monkey bars, a climbing ball, see-saw, and little zip line. My kids loved it.
To get to it, you actually have to hike one of the trails, which was definitely fun. It’s uphill on the way there and only takes about 10 minutes to get there from the cabooses and BC Depot. We went before the bison feeding so didn’t have a lot of time. My kids would have definitely stayed longer if I had let them!
As we didn’t stay in one of the luxury cabins at Buffalo Creek Vacations, I can’t speak directly to those log cabins but we did walk by a couple of them and they look beautiful. All cabins were built almost solely by the family and every luxury cabin is pet-friendly and have pool tables, wi-fi, a private fire ring, and hot tub.
Cabins sleep anywhere from 2 to 14 people so this is an awesome place for a family trip, couples retreat, or even a family reunion or wedding party.
And if you want a massage, they actually have a masseuse that will come to the property and give you a massage right in the cabin. Heaven.
Buffalo Creek Vacations is in such an ideal location that it’s hard to pick one or two things nearby to focus on if you want to do some day tripping. So I’m just going to tell you a bunch of things and you can choose!
Max Patch
This is one of the best spots I’ve ever been to with its 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. It’s about 45 minutes from Buffalo Creek and the road is really bumpy up there but it’s only about 1.5 miles round trip to get to the bald and…wow. Go for sunrise.
Waterrock Knob
About 35 minutes away, you can get to the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Waterrock Knob. Again, sweeping views of the mountains. There are the remnants of an old Cessna plane that crashed there many years ago that you can hike to. Look at a map before you go as it’s a little tricky. But the hike to the Waterrock Knob summit is short but steep. Be sure to visit the Visitors Center there as it has some cool information about the area.
Midnight Hole
This beautiful emerald lagoon is such a nice spot to visit during the summer when you can take a dip in the cold water. Hike a little further up to Mouse Creek Falls for even more beauty. Get there early as the trail is super popular. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Buffalo Creek.
Cataloochee Ski Area
Located only 20 minutes from Buffalo Creek in Maggie Valley, you can go skiing, snowboarding, and tubing here during the winter.
Lake Junaluska
I have yet to explore this lake but it’s on my list. Lake Junaluska is really close to Buffalo Creek, less than 15 minutes away and you can rent kayaks or paddleboards, take a boat tour, walk the trail around the lake or visit the gardens.
Whitewater Rafting
A short 40-minute drive over the summer will get you to Smoky Mountain Outdoors where you can choose one of two whitewater rafting routes, a less intense ride for younger kids or a more wild one for older kids.
Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge
These two towns are only about an hour and 15 minutes away, which is so perfect because you can enjoy all the cool things to do there and then go back to Buffalo Creek for some rest & relaxation.
Waynesville
This town has a quaint little downtown where you can shop, eat, and explore.
Cherokee
Under an hour away, Cherokee has all kinds of neat things to do with your family from the Museum of the Cherokee Indian to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to see the elk and tour the village.
The Biltmore in AshevilleÂ
The Biltmore is a half hour away and is easily a day trip. There are the gardens to explore, trails to walk, the House to tour, wine to taste, and the ice cream to eat at the creamery.Â
If you need more to do, don’t miss our huge guide Kidding Around WNC.
I thought the caboose rental was super cool and my kids loved the loft, game room, and playground. Learning about the buffalo was certainly a highlight and having that unique experience was pretty amazing.
We also got to cuddle with a baby goat and anyone who reads my stories knows that baby goats make me ridiculously happy, so that’s a plus.
I thought the family who runs Buffalo Creek Vacations was just so down-to-earth, welcoming, and happy to answer all my questions. They have been in the hospitality business for about 19 years and have worked extremely hard to make the farm and the experience of the guests all top-notch.
And really, you cannot beat the location. There are so many things to do not only on the property but within an hour that you cannot be bored.
Also, the communication from Buffalo Creek Vacation was excellent. I got emails before I was set to go with relevant information. The phone numbers of Cheryl and the other family members on the property are displayed in the caboose and on the front of the shop window so if you need anything at all, the family is easily accessible.
While I’m not a train enthusiast myself, I still really enjoyed the stay, especially the model trains at Agapeland. If you are a train enthusiast, oh my gosh, you won’t want to leave this place!
You can find Buffalo Creek Vacations on AirBnB and VRBO but you can also book direct, saving you a lot on fees.
Rates depend upon season and weekend/weekdays and are available to view on their website.
For Kidding Around readers, Buffalo Creek Vacation is offering 5% off their rate when you enter promo code KIDGVL.
Buffalo Creek Vacations
13 Caboose Way, Clyde, NC
828.550.0960
Have you visited the Carl Sandburg home in North Carolina? We love the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site for many reasons – great hikes, gorgeous views, and adorable goats you can pet and play with – but there is so much more to do at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site in Flat Rock, NC. The Carl Sandburg home, Connemara, is less than an hour away from Greenville, so visiting makes for a perfect day trip. Tours of the historic home and access to the pasture, barn, and trails are currently free!
Looking for more day trip ideas? Check out our guide to Ultimate Guide to Daytrips Near Greenville, SC to plan your next adventure with your family!
Connemara, home of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and writer Carl Sandburg, is located in the charming town of Flat Rock, North Carolina. It’s an easy drive across a beautiful mountain, just below Hendersonville, NC. Once you arrive, you will find several trails branching from the National Park Service parking lot, including the contact station, Front Lake (restrooms and brochures), Front Lake Loop, and the wide main road that heads up towards Connemara.
One of the wonderful things about being so close to Connemara is that you can read Sandburg’s children’s book The Huckabuck Family one morning and then get in the car that afternoon to see where the book’s author wrote and explored and ate and laughed and walked.
Poet Carl Sandburg and his family lived at Connemara from 1945 until his death in 1967. Currently visits to the farm, grounds, and House tours are available Wednesday-Sunday. Tour tickets for adults are $10 each and tickets for kids 15 and younger are $1. House tours are free in 2024 on January 6th, March 23rd, June 15th, and October 19th-20th. It is highly recommended to make reservations for house tours, as tour capacity is 10 people and fill up quickly.
The house has been left exactly as it was when Sandburg passed away in 1967. The rooms of the home are teeming with books that Sandburg touched, read and studied. The view from this house elicits a smile just thinking about the poet sitting in his chair on the rocks being inspired by the same image. The Sandburg’s had over 17,000 volumes of books. The man liked to read. Inside the basement of Sandburg’s home is a sweet little gift shop and a room for viewing a video about the writer’s life. During the year there are several events scheduled that are engaging, educational, and fun!
As you head past the lake, up towards the house on the gravel road, and past some of the older historic structures, you’ll eventually end up at the dairy barn. This is where the goats live. The property continues to be a working goat farm to this day. Gentle, adorable, loving goats. Goats that love kids petting and touching and hugging them. The goats are actually descendants of Mrs. Sandburg’s own prize-winning goat herd.
The barnyard is also home to chickens and giant shady trees and rock walls and green fields. Excellent for a picnic. During April and May the barnyard is full of babies, so when visiting in Spring be ready to hear lots of awes from your kids.
The goat farm is unique in that visitors can walk in the pasture with the goats (and in the enclosure with the kids!) as well as explore the barn, not only meeting the goats, but petting them and watching them feed and interact. The hours of access to the barn and goat pasture will be daily from 10 am – 3 pm and is free. The entire park is open from sunrise to sunset.
September is National Literacy Month and March is National Reading Month. Both fit nicely with the theme of the entire park given Sandburg’s choice of career. So to honor the heritage of the park and give guests a pretty good reason to come there, the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site invites visitors to grab a book and read to a goat (or several).
You can bring your own book, although I don’t recommend it for one very important reason, which I will get to in a second. They also have books in a red wagon right outside the gates to the barn that you can borrow and bring into the pasture to read to the goats. We found a couple of great books that both my kids really enjoyed. The goats did, too.
Once you pick out your book, you can go see the goats. All the goats you’ll interact with are females and they are really sweet and curious and have no idea about personal space. The very first time I ever went to see the goats was when my kids were super little, they were terrified because the goats are pretty big if you’re a little kid. Now my kids, ages 10 and 7, love the goats and enjoy petting them and this time, reading to them.
So reading to goats is not an easy task. We really tried. One of the goats ripped out a page and started eating it, which we grabbed back because you know, they have special diets, which don’t include books. This is why you may not want to bring your own book. We ended up sitting with a few goats who may or may not have been sleeping and reading the books. I had a book of Sandburg’s poetry, which was wonderful to read while at his home.
My oldest daughter found a nice, docile goat with a white coat who seemed to be totally enthralled with being read to. It was very cute to watch.
We spent about an hour with the goats and our attempts at reading books. We had a blast and reading was such a bonus because books are pretty popular at my house and we all enjoy it.
But reading to goats? A whole level of awesomeness.
In addition to the home and the barns, which are plenty to fill an afternoon, there are hiking trails on the property that are family-friendly and quite rewarding. You can also take the rambling walk back to your car and trek around the beautiful fishpond. It’s a great path to wear your children out with good, honest exercise so they can nap on your drive back across the mountain to Greenville.
If you are up for a challenge, you can take the Memminger Trail Loop and the big Glassy Mountain Trail up to the Glassy Mountain overlook. It is 1.25 miles, but the 523-foot increase in elevation makes this a more challenging hike. Although there are several other options for reaching Glassy Mountain from the parking lot, they are all about the same length with the same workout.
The exposed rock makes for interesting plant communities in the various seeps, and the overlook is the only spot in the park with a view of the mountains. Round trip, this strenuous hike takes around 4.5 miles.
You might notice a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail kiosk at the entrance. The Kids in Parks network is a family-friendly collection of outdoor adventures called TRACK Trails. Each TRACK Trail features self-guided brochures and signs that can enhance your outdoor experience, and you can earn prizes for tracking your adventures.
Get more info on the Kids in Parks program from our Kids In Parks Review on Kidding Around
A couple of things to note when planning your visit:
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
81 Carl Sandburg Lane
Flat Rock, NC 28731
828.693.4178
Get Directions for Carl Sandburg’s Home.
Other Western NC Travel Ideas:
There’s so much to see in WNC!
Find more fun in our Kidding Around Guide to WNC.
After visiting Carl Sandburg’s home, spend the day in nearby Hendersonville, NC!
Has your family ever visited the Carl Sandburg home?