Planning your summer in Greenville? As the weather heats up our thoughts turn to summer. Summertime in Greenville, SC is full of swimming holes to discover, day trips to enjoy, ice cream cones, waterslides, and outdoor events.
In this summer guide, you’ll find places where you can swim, wade, and creek stomp in Greenville, SC! We also have our best frozen treat recommendations so you can find that perfect ice cream cone and stellar milkshake. You’ll also find free and cheap things to do, plus movies, summer camps, and date nights.
We’ll be updating all summer long, so bookmark this page and check back for more summertime fun opportunities.
Have you used drop-in childcare before? Giggles Greenville, SC location is an excellent option for your childcare needs. If you’ve stopped in Earth Fare recently – or anywhere in that big shopping plaza on Pelham Road – you may have noticed a giant sign on the end of the building reading “Giggles.” Let’s check it out!
The 4,700 square feet unit features an outdoor play area, their signature indoor tree house, and rooms for different age groups to enjoy activities. Parents are able to drop their children off for childcare, date night, and more, so there is always a safe childcare team when you need them.
Giggles Drop-In Childcare Center previously sponsored this article.
A little about Giggles: Greenville, SC
Giggles in Greenville was opened by Brandon Kimball and his wife, Caroline, after they experienced the convenience and professional childcare during a vacation in Wilmington, NC. They wondered why Greenville did not offer the same services.
“One of the things we liked most about the Giggles model when we first used the service in North Carolina was the flexibility in the pricing options,” said Caroline Kimball. “We loved the fact that we could buy hours in bulk and get our cost of childcare down to as low as $5 per hour. The low prices coupled with the amazing experience for our kids was the main reason we decided to franchise the model and open up the two Greenville locations.”
The Giggles Greenville SC location has been open for a couple of years now and has significantly helped many families. They’ve been open during teacher holidays, holidays where parents needed to work, and late nights when a parent needed childcare.
“This place is fantastic. I’m new to the area and needed part-time help with my twin toddlers at random times for school events and doctor’s appointments. The staff is phenomenal and my kids love going,” raved one mom in a review on the Giggles Facebook page.
The Pelham Road location is perfect for families coming out of the Five Forks or Eastside area, as it’s about 15 minutes from both places. It is located right off of the Pelham Road exit on 85 and in the same plaza as Earth Fare, several other restaurants, Massage Envy, nail salons, and Pet Supply Plus. Sidewall Pizza is a two-minute drive away. Built-in date night right there.
While you can register your child at the childcare center, it is much easier to do it online. Also, be sure to ask the family pediatrician for a copy of immunization records, as they are needed for registration.
Summer Camps
Giggles is already registering for their field-trip based summer camps.
For summer camps, Giggles offers themed weeks, eight hours a day, where kids go to different places daily. The camps are offered for rising kindergarteners through 5th grade and cost $240/week for one child, $430/week for two children. Prices are also available for more than two kids a week. If parents sign their kids up before May 31st, they receive a $25 per week discount.
Additionally, parents can opt for day trips only for $85/day/child. All snacks, lunches, and drinks are provided.
Check out their cool schedule of summer camp field trips. Kids will get to go to Kangaroo Jax and climb on the inflatables, visit unicorns at Hidden Pasture Farms, play putt putt golf, explore the Roper Mountain Science Center, visit with real firefighters at a fire department, get wet at Shipwreck Cove’s waterpark, and so much more! This is only a small sampling of the adventures for summer camps at Giggles.
Pricing and Hours for Giggles Greenville, SC location
Giggles will be open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 am to 9 pm; Friday from 7:30 am to 10 pm, and Saturday from 10 am to 10 pm. Giggles is closed on Sunday.
The centers will accept kids from 12 months old through 12 years old.
Rates are below and listed on the Giggles website. Giggles offers several packages for one, two, or three children, as well as memberships and date night packages.
Hourly Drop-In Care
$13/hour for 1 child $22/hour for 2 children $28/hour for 3 children $32/hour for 4 children
They also offer pricing in 10-hour blocks up to 150-hour blocks. These are affordable and competitive pricing for the professional childcare services offered. Be sure to follow Giggles of Palham on Facebook as they will be offering specials, coupons, and promo packages throughout the year.
If you have visited Gatlinburg, Tennessee, you have probably walked by with curiosity about what may be inside the Ripley’s Moving Theater. Reviews of this 5D theater, including our own mom review, find that the ride is a great experience for big kids and tweens looking to have fun while exploring downtown Gatlinburg.
What is the Ripley’s Moving Theater anyway?
Ripley’s 5D Moving Theater is exactly what you think it is – one of those moving roller coaster-esque experiences where you are seated in one chair the entire time, but through the magic of 3D and moving chairs and giant screens, you feel exactly as if you have been on a roller coaster or a jet plane or a parachute or a log flume or a helicopter or a sinking ship or all of the above.
Find a place to stay in Gatlinburg, TN. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
Our Ripley’s attendee was rather enthusiastic and very kind and quite chatty as we prepped ourselves for the “ride”. For my kids, this was their first moving theatre experience to their recollection. (Seems to me I have vague memories of riding one at some museum with them, but as not one of them said they could remember that and my memory is rather hazy on it, we’re calling it the first.) The theatre was small, but more than adequate for a large number of guests. During our ride, there was only our family and two other couples.
London and Mosely decided rapidly and emphatically that they were not interested in the seats that moved a lot and anxiously sat together in the first row – a row of seats that were completely stationary. Provided for those guests who were pregnant, suffering from heart conditions, suffering from back pain, prone to motion sickness, or otherwise unable to actually enjoy the experience for which they had just forked over some cash.
I knew the girls would be missing the real gist of the ride, but I wasn’t willing to force the motion on them if they truly were not interested. They still both received their 3D glasses and they seemed content with their choice.
What Happens During the Ride?
During our ride – where we faced landslides and avalanches and swept through both the jungle and the tundra, also the Arctic and the ocean (we were really time and space traveling) – we were jolted and raised and shaken in our seats. The kids (the ones in moving seats with me) laughed and sighed and screamed at all the appropriate places. I felt a lot like I was just in a car accident and suffering through some serious whiplash, but I wanted to be a team player and not an old person prone to motion sickness (which is what I actually am, in fact) so I endured the shifting and the shaking and the jolting and the jarring. I endured. They enjoyed. (That seems par for the parenting course sometimes, does it not?)
We never did count all the “Ds” but there was the movement of the chairs of course and the 3D glasses and screen and another was also water that sprayed on us as we went down the waterfall and snow that fell from the “sky” as we hung out with the penguins.
London and Mosely, as one might expect, did not report their enjoyment levels to be as high as say, Otto and Piper, and Bergen did. However, Mosely also did not suffer from an upset stomach, to which she is prone, so – that’s a win.
It was fun to see the younger kids, especially Otto and Piper, really get a kick out of the moving seats and the snow coming down (I actually really liked the snow effect too). I can’t say the movies are high quality – they are definitely more about falling coasters and moving fast than any semblance of a plot or characters. But – hey, that’s not why we were there. We were there for 3D glasses, falling snow inside a building, and jumping off virtual waterfalls in a virtual boat!
Table Rock State Park is one of our area’s premier hiking destinations and not a far drive from Greenville, SC. Offering beautiful waterfalls, swimming holes, and trails from the leisure to the strenuous, all nestled in an incredible mountain forest setting. At just 30 miles from downtown Greenville, this park would make a great day trip for your next family adventure.
What to expect at Table Rock
There are many wonderful trails at Table Rock State Park in Pickens, SC. Located right off Highway 11, if you’re coming from Greenville, you’ll likely spot the giant rock looming as you approach the park that the park derives its name from. From trails to swimming holes, this park is rightly one of the most popular in the state.
Especially during peak seasons of late spring, summer, and early fall, you’ll need to plan to get to the park early in the morning to get a parking spot. If you’ve got a SC State Park All Park Passport, your entire carload gets in free but it doesn’t mean you’ll get into the park if it’s full so plan accordingly.
The trails at the park range from easy to strenuous. There are two lakes, a Visitors Center, a Nature Center, a playground, lakeside beach, camping, and cabins.
Of the many offerings, the park boasts, my favorite trail for hiking with little ones is the Carrick Creek Trail. This was the first trail I hiked when I first moved here to South Carolina and it’s been a favorite ever since. Beginning at the Nature Center, this trail starts out paved and immediately opens up to the beautiful Carrick Creek Falls where your kiddos can wade around in a cool, shallow lagoon fed by a cascading waterfall. There is a wooden platform where people can sit or leave their shoes before they wade into the water.
Beyond the waterfalls, the pavement ends and the trail becomes a bit more moderate as it follows the creek for a while and then loops around back to the falls for a grand total of two miles. It’s generally an easy trail but some parts are hilly. If the water is high, you may get your feet wet during the water crossings.
The lakeside trail is the easiest one at the park as is meanders around the lake for just under two miles. The Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) started this trail in the 1930s but it wasn’t finished till many years later in 2011. Table Rock is one of several Upstate parks created by the CCC.
There are a few other trails in the park you can venture off on but be sure to always carry enough water and food with you, especially during the hotter months. It gets very hot and humid there.
Table Rock Trail to the Summit
If easy or moderate trails aren’t enough of an adventure for your crew, there are plenty of other longer and more difficult trails to choose from with overlooks and waterfalls to seek. Namely, the Pinnacle Mountain Trail which leads to Mill Creek Falls and Bald Rock Overlook. I have not done those, although they are on my list. However, I have completed the Table Rock Trail to the summit of the large granite dome multiple times (and each time I wonder why I wanted to do it….joking, kind of).
The park does ask visitors to fill out a little card at the Nature Center or kiosk at the start of the trail with their name, how many people are in their party, an emergency contact, what trail(s) they are doing, and what their car looks like. I always do this for safety reasons and I advise not skipping it.
The Table Rock Trail is one of the most strenuous trails in the Upstate. It’s a little over seven miles round trip and involves a lot of stairs and steep treks up rock hewn steps. Think going on a stair stepper for a few hours. The trail splits from Carrick Creek about a mile in and you start really ascending the mountain. You’ll climb through boulders and up steep inclines and then more steep inclines. About halfway up, you will reach a little shelter where you can grab some water before really getting into the toughest part of the trail. When you reach Governor’s Rock, you can rest again and enjoy the sweeping views.
Then you’ll need to huff and puff up to the summit. The parts of the trail right before Governor’s Rock and then right before the summit are the toughest spots. Once you reach the summit, you’ll see a sign that literally says “Table Rock Mountain Summit” but don’t stop there (sorry). Keep going for another quarter mile to reach the truly awesome views you just worked so hard for. You’ll be looking out over the Table Rock reservoir and directly at Caesars Head State Park. Wave to them since they’ve got binoculars over there.
The park says to allow at least 5-6 hours to do this trail. I’ve completed it anywhere between 4-5 hours with some time spent at the top to enjoy the view and eat lunch.
Taking Kids up to the Summit
First of all, the Table Rock Trail is not a beginner trail. It is very, very difficult. I make it a point to hike hard trails and this is easily one of the hardest I’ve ever done. One big thing is that you absolutely need to do is to carry enough water and make sure you have enough time to complete it before the park closes.
That said, if you have kids that hike often, they will likely be fine. Just carry enough snacks and water and stop when you need to. I’ve hiked this with my kids, ages 11 and 8, and they did great. I know families who have hiked this with their kids who were much, much younger, and they also did really well. This really depends on your kids but if you all are up for a challenge, this is it.
As with any trails and time spent outdoors, leave no trace and pack out what you pack in.
The Beach and Playground
Table Rock SP also has a small beach with plenty of sand. You can also rent boats to paddle around the lake for a fee. Entrance to the lake is included in your entrance fee and no dogs are allowed on the beach.
There is an admission charge to enter the park, which you can find updated on the park’s website. If you have an All Park Passport, there is no admission charge.
There are bathrooms and changing rooms near the beach and picnic area but don’t expect a five star resort experience. Especially during the summer, there are bugs and spiders but you’re outdoors so it’s expected.
The playground is across from the beach and consists of monkey bars, swings, and slides. You can also camp at the park and there are cabins to rent for those of you who need something softer than a blowup pad on the ground.
Beach at Table Rock State Park
Things to do Near Table Rock
Table Rock is located in one of the prettiest areas of South Carolina with lots of lakes and hiking trails nearby.
Caesars Head State Park
Right across the valley from Table Rock is Caesars Head State Park, where you can enjoy miles and miles of hiking trails and waterfalls. You can also check out the view from the summit at Caesars Head without any hiking at all and look directly at Table Rock. During the fall, falcons are often seen from here as they migrate.
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
Just minutes from Caesars Head is Bald Rock Heritage Preserve, a huge outcrop where you can hang out and enjoy the views. On a clear day, you can see the Greenville skyline. My kids and I love to take our hammocks up here on a nice day, string them up, and read and relax.
Wildcat Wayside
Located right on Highway 11 about 15 minutes from Table Rock is Wildcat Wayside, a mile long loop trail that also has a roadside waterfall. This spot is hugely popular in the summer as parents bring their kids to wade in the shallow pool at the bottom of the falls.
Table Rock Tea
The Upstate’s only tea farm is quite literally in the shadow of Table Rock. It’s a really neat place where you can tour the farm (by appointment) and learn all about how tea is grown and made and, of course, purchase your own tea right from the farm.
Pretty Place
This famous open air chapel is located on the property of YMCA Camp Greenville and is just stunning. If you go, be sure you check the schedule beforehand since it may be closed for private events.
Where to Eat Nearby
There are not a lot of restaurants in the area but here are a few places to grab a bite near Table Rock.
Pumpkintown Mountain Opry
The Pumpkintown Mountain Opry serves a deli style lunch Thursday – Monday from 11 am – 5 pm. They also have coffee and a market on Saturday mornings. They are a seasonal business and not open in the winter.
3414 Hwy 11, Pickens, SC
Mountain House
Mountain House is only open Saturdays and Sundays (definitely check their social media pages before going) and serve fudge, ice cream, and some breakfast and lunch fare. They are only a minute down the road from Caesars Head State Park.
8101 Geer Highway , Cleveland, SC
Tropical Burger
Tropical Burger is about 25 minutes from Table Rock and if you hiked the summit trail, this will be your reward, I promise. They have some of the very best burgers I’ve ever had and the owner is the kindest guy. I love, love, love eating here.
207 NE Main Street, Easley, SC
See our guide to Pickens County for more fun things to do!
Searching for ‘things to do with preschoolers inside near me’? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up some of the best things to do with preschoolers inside in Greenville, SC. Let the indoor fun begin!
I love kids. I especially love my kid. Want to know what I don’t love? I do not love sitting at home for hours trying to come up with a variety of activities that both entertain and accommodate his non-existent attention span.
Enter Kidding Around Greenville.
We have compiled a list of 25 things to inside to keep you and your preschooler busy! This list focuses on indoor and cold weather activities so stay tuned for a future sequel that focuses on the summer months. Of course, regardless of the weather outside unless the activity requires cold weather most of these activities are a fun choice any time of year!
Want to go camping near Greenville, SC with kids? When it comes to hitting the Great Outdoors with your kiddos for an unforgettable camping adventure, there are lots of wonderful options for you to consider! Our area abounds with family-friendly campgrounds from the primitive to the RV type. Travel a little further for more wilderness or sandy beaches. Read on to learn more about some of our readers’ favorite spots!
Does your family love to visit botanical gardens in Greenville, SC, or are you looking for an opportunity to introduce your child to the wonders of a magical garden? There are several beautiful gardens in Greenville. Peruse our list and find the perfect botanical garden in Greenville to visit on a sunny afternoon.
Need something to do inside with a toddler or baby in Greenville, SC? Well, the big kids are back in school again, and, let’s face it, the little ones need to be entertained (and sometimes just worn out). How about an indoor play area perfect for the toddler crowd?
We’re lucky to live in a great city where there are plenty of places to head to when you have to get out of the house but a park isn’t an option.
Here’s a list of some great indoor play places for babies and toddlers in Greenville, SC.
Are you heading to the movies in Greenville, SC? Fun for the family, fun with friends, or a great date night, whatever the reason, a movie at the theater is great entertainment. For the next time you are wanting to head to the theater, we have a list of the movie theaters in Greenville to help you find the best place to watch a movie.
Trying to plan a date night that will allow you to bring the baby along without any fuss? Date nights might seem like a thing of the past once you have a baby, so we are coming to the rescue with this list by Lindy Wilson. We have some great date ideas with a baby for parents in Greenville, SC that are perfect for when you need your tiny human to tag along.
