Think a day trip escape would be a welcome change for your family? We know the feeling. 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.
Hendersonville, NC
Hendersonville, NC is known for apple orchards and brisk fall adventures, but it also has a fabulous walkable downtown full of shops, museums, parks and more. It just about an hour from the Upstate, making it a perfect place to spend a day away with your family.
Asheville, NC
A popular place to spend the day, Asheville, NC is full of things to do and fabulous food. Asheville offers a lot for families including the WNC Nature Center and the NC Arboretum. We love Asheville for a day trip, and we also love to combine it with other WNC towns like Hendersonville, NC for a mini road trip feel.
Cashiers, NC
If you haven’t visited the little town of Cashiers, NC and discovered all the amazing waterfalls in Sapphire Valley, you’re missing out. Enjoy fabulous hiking, and even waterfalls you can see without any hiking at all.
York County, SC
In York County SC you’ll find farms and orchards to explore, plus nature parks and more fun things to do. We also recommendations for some tasty treats you won’t want to skip!
Landrum, SC
Landrum, SC is a South Carolina border town with fabulous food and a walkable downtown area with interesting shops and antiques. There’s hiking nearby and Landrum parks to explore.
Greer, SC
The Upstate’s own Greer, SC is a great place to spend the day or an afternoon. With great shops and dining, plus a renovated downtown area and gorgeous Greer City Park, Greer should definitely be on your list of places to visit for the day.
Travelers Rest, SC
You’ll find a wide variety of restaurants in Travelers Rest, SC plus fun coffee shops, a driving range, and more all set beside the popular Swamp Rabbit Trail. Travelers Rest is one of my family’s favorite places to go for the afternoon.
Simpsonville, SC
Check out several local parks in Simpsonville, SC, plus an adorable downtown area with lots of shops and restaurants. Don’t miss the train at Heritage Park.
Pickens, SC
Want to explore the outdoors? Pickens, SC is the place to spend your day. Hike, bike, swim and boat through the many parks and lakes in Pickens, SC.
Camden, SC
Explore Revolutionary War history, eat delicious food, hike, shop and more all in Camden, SC.
Newberry, SC
Historic Newberry, SC has been named one of the “most charming small towns in America.” Find out why with a visit to the historic town, with an urban hike, museums, a Japanese Garden, and even an opera house.
Glenn Springs, SC
Glenn Springs is a historic town known for it’s mineral springs with healing properties. You can take a driving tour of the town, hike the Glenn Springs Passage of the Palmetto Trail, visit the Old Stone Church built in 1908 and take in the history.
Columbia, SC
Spend some time in the South Carolina state capital, Columbia, SC. Enjoy the Riverbanks Zoo and don’t miss their splash pad at Waterfall Junction, or head indoors to EdVenture Children’s Museum or the Columbia Museum of Art.
Blairsville, GA
Blairsville, GA is a fantastic mountain town. You’ll find many places to hike and enjoy the outdoors, plus a great little downtown area, restaurants, and even a petroglyph site.
Dunwoody, GA
Dunwoody, GA is full of great things to do, like a visit to the Atlanta Zoo. You’ll also find great restaurants and tons more to do in this Atlanta suburb.
Looking for more day-trip ideas? Here’s our Day Trip Guide packed full of ideas for every season.
Where is your family’s favorite place to spend the day?
We tried visiting the “Japanese Garden” in Newberry several months ago. You may want to visit places before recommending them to readers. The “garden” was an old lot, about the size of a couple of houses. It was overgrown with weeds. Nothing was blooming. There was one structure of a Japanese style. Seeing the whole thing took about 5 minutes and we were quite disappointed. Try Gibbs Gardens, in Ball Ground, GA, for a real Japanese Garden: 43 acres of waterlily ponds, trees, a bridge that looks like the one in Monet’s painting, “Waterlillies,” many plantings and beautiful scenery within… Read more »
Thanks. We will certainly look into Gibbs Garden. I’m sorry that the Japanese Garden in Newberry was a disappointment. As stated in the article, it was closed when our reviewer was in the area but was mentioned since it is a landmark. While we do our best to personally review the places we mention, sometimes spots are temporarily closed, not on our itinerary, or have seasonal or changes in experience outside of our visit but are still interesting spots that deserve a mention in our article.