Your Guide to Field Trips & Enrichment Experiences Near Greenville & Spartanburg SC

Every Challenge Island® Field Trip is a HIGH ENERGY, HANDS-ON, Cross-Curricular STEAM Adventure featuring Project-Based Learning and 21st Century Skills. Our Award-Winning Curriculum is aligned with multiple Common Core, State, and Next Generation Science Standards, as well as Social Emotional Learning Standards. We have over 100 Challenge Destinations for you to choose from, and equates to a 1-1.5 hour In-School Field trip option for your students!

Our Field Trip Specialist will help you identify the Island experience that best fits your curricular goals. Your students will enjoy a spectacular STEAM vacation without ever leaving school grounds!

While M&G is closed to the public pursuing a new museum building in an accessible location in downtown Greenville, there are still ways to engage with the European Old Master collection and our arts integration programming for traditional, non-traditional, and homeschool classrooms. Tours are available for K-12 classes of selected collections on display on the campus of Bob Jones University including: a closer look at American artist Benjamin West during the Revolutionary War and experiencing ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Hebrew cultures as far back as 3200 BC! Learn more about tours!

Museum on the Move brings museum learning to your K-12 classroom by integrating art with the core subject areas and meeting SC state and national standards. Our educators are available to come to your classroom to teach and bring all the related materials for each lesson and arts-based STEAM units. OR you can choose to use digital Museum on the Move lessons in your classroom or remotely. Choose from a variety of lessons covering ancient civilizations, the medieval era, Leonardo da Vinci, Catawba Indians, careers in art, and propaganda used in the world wars. Learn more about Museum on the Move!

Since 2001, Eden Farms has offered educational field trips for all ages and sizes including church groups, Scout troops, and schools. Your group will rotate through our 40 stall barn to different hands on horse stations to learn about grooming, saddling, healthcare, horse breeds, feeding, healthcare, and more! Horseback riding, playground, and time for a picnic are included as well.

Eden Farms is taking Covid precautions by staying outdoors as much as possible, frequently washing hands, sanitizing all equipment between riders, and making sure there is plenty of space between participants.

Eden Farms is handicapped accessible and special needs individuals are always welcome. Visit Eden Farms for more information!

During a field trip to the Pavilion Recreation Center students can tour the facilities and learn about the refrigeration systems that maintain the ice. Students will also be able to enjoy an ice skating or hockey lesson.

• Age: Elementary and middle school students
• Subjects: PE and science
• Meal packages are also available

The library offers several virtual and in-person programs, some of which include take-home kits that can be requested online. Topics include history, art, and science.

The Greenville Library offers field trips including story times, a look-and-find tour, reference tours and more.

• Age: Programs available for multiple age groups
• Subject: English, Reading, Literature
• The library can also bring programs to your location for groups.

In addition to an exciting field trip to the theme park, Carowinds also offers opportunities for students to perform in the park.

• Age: All ages
• Subject: Music performance
• Carowinds also offers a variety of lunch packages

With Lowes Foods’ From the Field Trips, learn about healthy food, local food, exercising and healthy living.

• Age: Programs available for Pre-K through 6th Grade
• Subject: Science, Health/PE
• These field trips are free!

RMSC offers onsite and virtual field trips. Groups must have at least 12 students participating.

Greenville’s 62-acre science center includes labs, a living history farm, a planetarium and more.

• Age: Programs available for a variety of ages
• Offers ELearning, Science on Wheels, and Afternoon Explorations
• Subject: Science

The Biltmore offers group tours for homeschool and school groups, as well as educational programming in their barn.

• Age: A wide variety of programming is available for different ages
• Subject: Program can include: Social Studies, Science, Math, English Language Arts, Information Skills, Healthy Living, Visual Arts

The Spartanburg Youth Theatre offers school time shows of their current productions for teachers and students.

• Age: all ages
• Subject: theatre, music, and language arts
• Student tickets are $7 and teachers are free. Teachers will also receive an educational enrichment guide to go along with the show.

Big Air Trampoline Park is the ultimate destination for your next big event. Our parks are full of fun and unique attractions that won’t be found anywhere else in the Upstate.

Book a multi-day field trip through their Adventure Guides program, Family Camp program, and other programs that allow children to learn about nature while learning how to work together as a group.

• Ages: Depends on programming
• Subject: Nature, PE, problem-solving

Ballet Spartanburg offers various school performances for students in Spartanburg County.

• Age: K4 – 8th
• Subject: Dance
• Offers a STEM-based program for students in 3rd- 8th grade as well as a free performance of Peter and the Wolf for preschool and elementary students

Want an event your students or group won’t stop talking about? Plan it with Sky Zone! Our fundraisers operate on a sliding scale. The higher your attendance, the more money we give back to your school or group. We put the Fun in FUNdraiser!

Pump It Up, an indoor bounce arena offers field trips which include 90 minutes of jump time.

• Age: All ages
• Subject: PE
• Weekdays only before 5 pm

Looking for a unique field trip experience for your students? Kroc Greenville is proud to offer an experience that focuses on the health and wellness of students and staff.

Lake Conestee Nature Preserve offers a wide variety of science and nature field trips and programs.

• Age: Preschool through high school
• Subject: Science and Nature
• Programs include a variety of topics depending on age. Topics include: plants, bees, ecology, water quality and more!

We offer the perfect farm field trip package for schools, homeschool groups, and churches with 20 or more participants. Our field trip aligns to the South Carolina state standards for preschool through 2nd grade levels.

A field trip to the Greenville County Museum of Art provides an exciting way to enhance your curriculum and expand student learning.

Engaging students has never been more fun! From interactive exhibits to enriching STEM programs, the Schiele Museum is your educational resource. Visit the Schiele Museum to see how it can be a resource for you!

WNC Nature Center currently offers self-guided tours for school groups (registration required), as well as virtual small group programs, virtual auditorium programs, and recorded programs on various topics that include a live animal guest.

View 60 species of native animals at the WNC Nature Center! Programs are available for groups as small as 10.

• Age: all ages
• Subject: science
• Guided as well as self-guided and in-school programs are available.

Denver Downs Farm, in Anderson (just off exit 19B), hosts weekday fall field trips full of fun and memorable experience on a real working farm.

Book a tour with a docent or just explore the museum by yourself! Tours generally last an hour and are best for K-2 or homeschool groups.

Learn the history of Greenville’s own “Shoeless Joe Jackson” You will find artifacts of all sorts including photos, videos, and sports memorabilia that tell this baseball star’s story.

• Age: All ages
• Subjects: PE, history
• Private tours can be arranged, open to the public only on Saturdays during construction

Learn about agriculture at Stewart Farms. Enjoy the pumpkin patch and the corn maze. Offers field trips and occasional special events for homeschoolers.

With five MainStage performances each year, SCCT offers many opportunities for daytime performance field trips.

Visit the Downtown Greenville Airport and/or Runway Park! Learn about aviation, meet a pilot, see aircraft up close, and more!

• Age: 6th grade and up can meet a pilot, visit the control tower, see an aircraft, and more. All ages can participate in a field trip hosted by Runway Park which includes climbing inside a real plane.
• Subjects: social studies, science, careers
• Groups can add on lunch at Runway Cafe with special group pricing.

Learn about amazing raptors at the Carolina Raptor Center. They offer variety of field trip options with educational programming for groups, as well as homeschool days. See our review of one program here.

• Age: All grade levels, and programs vary to suit each age group
• Subject: Science
• See these amazing birds up close!

Homeschool Days are offered. Please contact Carolina Raptor Center for specific dates and times.

Offers standard-based, hands-on science education for groups

• Age: kindergarten – 8th grade
• Subject: science
• Programs can be held at the Science Center, they can come to you, and you can arrange field trips to natural habitats

Curated for all students, our arts programs invite young learners to become global citizens in an active exploration of world music, dance, and theater.

Students will learn about electricty and how it is produced safely. The programs utilize hands on activites as well as movies and brain teaser games, depending on age group.

• Age: Programs are available for elementary and middle school students.
• Subject: Science
• Nature trail and picnic shelter is also on the property

Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park offers a variety of field trip opportunities for students of any age. Check out Chimney Rock for more details.

Visit the Zentrum Museum and learn about the history of BMW and view examples of BMW’s vehicles throughout their history.  Guided plant tours are available and students will have the chance to see how the cars are built.

• Age: Plant Tours are limited to age 12 and up
• Subject: Science and Engineering, History
• Closed toe shoes must be worn on the plant tour

If you are looking for a fun, physical outing for your students, consider Climb Upstate, an indoor rock climbing facility in Spartanburg.

• Age: recommended for kids 5 and older
• Subject: PE
• In addition to climbing, group events include games and other activities

Critter Keeper classroom presentations are a great way to introduce students to the amazing world of arthropods, amphibians, and reptiles.

Paris Mountain offers group hikes and educational programs about nature and the history of Paris Mountain State Park. Find our review of one guided hike here.

• Ages: School Age, plus family programming
• Subjects: Science, History
• Families can enjoy Creek Ranger Hikes in addition to other educational events.

The Greenville Zoo is the community’s choice for field trips. A day at the zoo is a day of discovery, offering fun and memorable learning experiences for students PreK-12.

Greyrock Farms and Green Acres Produce provide students with educational dairy tours where students not only learn about dairy farming, but also experience it firsthand.

Upcountry History Museum offers a variety of time travel programs that consist of a visit to the History Lab and exploring the Exhibit.

• Age: K5 – 12th grade
• Subject: History
• Also offers homeschool programming monthly

Spartanburg Philharmonic offers several learning opportunities, including discounted tickets to their Classic Concert series.

• Age: 3rd – 12th (see site for grade level recommendations)
• Subject: Music
• Also offers the Link Up music program and Music Sandwiched In at the public library

Lucky Acres Farm is a small family farm in Townville, SC featuring alpacas. Learn about alpacas and how the farm is run, including what products the alpaca fibers are used to create.

• Age: All ages
• Science, agriculture
• The farm is also home to goats, horses and chickens.

Annually, the series presents nearly 20 interactive morning performances by world-renowned musicians, singers, theater companies and Clemson University student ensembles. Students from public, private and homes schools experience both entertaining and inspiring performances.

Spartanburg County Historical Association offers tours and living history activities at several historic sites one Friday per month.

• Age: Programs are modified to serve the age group
• Subject: Social Studies/History and English Language Arts
• Sites include Walnut Grove Plantation, Regional History Museum and Seay House

Tours and group reservations are currently limited in number, so please contact the farm before submitting a form to visit.
Carl Sandburg Home also offer online virtual lessons. These are not live presentations, but rather virtual lesson plans. Students can learn about the Sandburg family and the significance of Carl Sandburg’s writing. Here are the virtual lesson plans.

This historic estate of poet Carl Sandburg in nearby Flat Rock, NC offers a 1-2 hour educational tour for groups that include writing activities, house tour, and farm visits.

• Age: Kindergarten through high school
• Subject: Writing, poetry, language arts, history, social studies, science
• Homeschool trips are also available.