Where can you bring the kids for an educational adventure close to home in Upstate, SC? From historic mill sites and battlefield hikes to nature observations and scientific discoveries, Greenville offers so many opportunities to learn while having fun. So, get out of the books and out for a family learning adventure! Even better, many of these adventures are free or very low cost.

educational adventures near Greenville SC

This article includes:
Educational Things to Do Near Greenville, SC
Educational Venues Near Greenville, SC
Educational Things to Do Outside of Greenville, SC
Battlefield Sites to Explore
Educational Things to Do in North Carolina
Educational Events Near Greenville, SC

Educational Sites and Things to Do In Greenville That You Don’t Want to Miss

See Hundreds of Raptors in the Air at Caesars Head: In the fall Caesars Head State Park is the place to be to see hundreds of raptors as they migrate.

Exploring Flight: Downtown Greenville Airport Park: Watch airplanes take off and learn about the amazing science behind flight.

Butterflies at the Roper Mountain Science Center Butterfly Garden: Enjoy a morning at the butterfly garden at Roper Mountain Science Center. Learn about the butterfly life cycle. Take some photos, count the butterflies, sort them, and make a chart or some artwork!

Historical Textile Mill Sites You Can Visit: Visit these textile sites to learn about the Upstate’s unique local history of textiles mills.

Watch The Trains Inbound From Charleston: Head to the Inland Port and see how cargo is moved across the country.

Explore Space! Inspire your future astronaut or engineer. Find a dark spot of the sky to hunt for the International Space Station.

You can also learn more about the universe at the planetarium during Friday Starry Nights at Roper Mountain Science Center!

Birdwatch at Lake Conestee Nature Preserve: See how many different kinds of birds you can spot along the trails of Lake Conestee Nature Preserve.

Educational Venues in Greenville

Viewing the goats at Greenville Zoo — Greenville Zoo

These facilities and venues in Greenville are wonderful places for families to learn together.

Educational Sites and Things to Do Outside of Greenville

Day Trips to See Dinosaurs! Check out dinosaurs at Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville or plan a trip to one of these fabulous places to see dinos in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Hagood Mill Is A Free Historial Site In Pickens County: Check out an old grist mill, cotton gin, moonshine distillery, petroglyph site, and more at Hagood Mill.

Visit Stumphouse Tunnel for a look at a pre-Civil War tunnel intended to link Charleston, SC with cities in the Midwest by train.

Stumphouse Tunnel sign — Stumphouse Tunnel entrance

Learn about alpaca at Lucky Acres Farm.

SC Botanical Gardens: Check out a huge variety of plants, nature trails, and more at the 300 acres SC Botanical Garden. You’ll also find the Campbell Geology Museum on site. Admission is free to both the garden and the geology museum.

Visiting Columbia? Make your trip fun and educational! Check out EdVenture, the city’s wonder-filled children’s museum. You can also check out the Woodrow Wilson Family Home before making a stop at the Riverbank Zoo or the South Carolina State Museum.

Head to Atlanta to explore black history at these historic sites and museums.

Battlefield Sites Near Upstate, SC

There are several battlefield sites near Greenville for you to explore.

Musgrove Mill State Historic Site: Learn about the Revolutionary War battle at Musgrove Mill State Historic Site.

Kings Mountain State Park: Hike through a Revolutionary War battlefield and living history farm.

Cowpens National Battlefield: Another Revolutionary War battle occurred nearby in Gaffney.

Bonus: If you like battlefield hikes and tours, take a day trip to Greensboro, NC to see where the Battle of Guilford Courthouse occurred. You can drive through the large battlefield and learn via signage at each stop. It was one of my family’s favorite Revolutionary War sites.