Inside: Local mom visits The Shores of Asbury on Lake Hartwell and shares all the fun things to do there!
There may not be a traditional water park in Anderson, SC, but there is an amazing aqua park and sandy white beach at the Shores of Asbury on Lake Hartwell! It’s the only one of its kind in the Upstate and less than an hour from Greenville, SC. We checked it out and have all the information for you and your family to have a blast on this floating obstacle course.
Media tickets were provided for this review, and all opinions are those of the author.
This article includes:
About the Shores of Asbury
White Sand Beach at Shores of Asbury
Aqua Zone Floating Obstacle Course
Waterfront Grill
Tips for Visiting Shores of Asbury
Tickets and Admission
Karen McCullough used to camp at Lake Hartwell at Asbury Park when she was a child. Then the campground closed and remained that way for many years. But that special place was always on her heart, and she often thought about it as she made her way to Nashville as a professional musician. She managed dozens of campgrounds and RV resorts and traveled to every state except Hawaii through her music career.
When the opportunity arose to turn her old stomping ground into a legit resort and entertainment mecca on the shores of Lake Hartwell, she jumped right in and moved back home to Anderson.
Millions of investment dollars later, The Shores of Asbury opened up on Lake Hartwell as a campground with spots for RVs and the floating aqua park. And it’s less than an hour from Greenville.
About the Shores of Asbury
If you live near Anderson, water park isn’t something you hear very often. The creation of The Shores of Asbury combines the lake with fun, creating a truly amazing aqua park and RV campground. It opened in the summer of 2022, but the planning went on long before that. Once you see this beautiful spot, you’ll appreciate all the thought that went into creating it. This water park in Anderson is unique, and has so much more to offer!
There’s the RV campground, an arcade, individual bathrooms, the waterfront grill, a white sandy beach, and the big aqua zone floating obstacle course, all at the Shores of Asbury.
There are also outdoor games like cornhole, and you can rent kayaks and paddleboards as well. There are some big plans in the works at the Shores of Asbury for yurts and treehouses! RV and tent sites are currently available. Karen is laser-focused on her vision for the resort and believes it will continue to be a fantastic addition to Anderson.
The Sandy Beach
Anyone who has been to an Upstate lake knows about all the red clay that infiltrates shoes, bathing suits, kayaks, you name it. Karen isn’t a fan of the red clay and wanted something really unique and special for the beach at the Shores of Asbury, so she decided to bring the sands of Florida beaches to Anderson.
She literally ordered sugar white sand from Pensacola, Florida, and had it shipped to Lake Hartwell. It is glorious. There are two sections of the beach, one on each side of the dock walkway. One side has a sandbox and volleyball sand course that overlooks the kid’s aqua zone, and the other side has a beautiful view of the bridge that goes over the lake. There are cabanas and beach chairs for guests to rent, and that sand does feel pretty good under your feet, just like the sand at the ocean. You can also bring your own beach chairs.
Because of the red clay under the sugar-white sand, you’re not allowed to dig like you would at the beach. There are actually big piles of white sand under a shade sail for kids to play and dig in set a little further back from the lake. No dogs are allowed on the sandy beach either.
The Aqua Zone Water Park in Anderson, SC
The aqua park is huge and is from a company called Wibit out of Germany. Karen told me they went with Wibit because they have better safety measures than other floating obstacle courses.
There’s a giant trampoline, rope climbing wall, trapeze, and obstacles reminiscent of one of my favorite shows, Wipeout. Admittedly, when we first got on the course and people started slipping and sliding off and into the water, I cracked up. I thought this is like the show except I was on the course and laughing at people right in front of me. Then, I slipped and fell into the water and heard other people laughing at my clumsiness so I figured I deserved it. It was a lot of fun!
The Aqua Zone is more than 167 feet across, and the park caps each hour session. The course is big enough that even if there a lot of people, there will be obstacles free to run around on. You must be 47” tall to do the big Aqua Zone course.
For smaller kids, they have an entirely separate Kids Zone aqua course, and kids have to be 37” tall to play on that. It’s really close to the shore, which is perfect for parents to watch their kids slip and slide all over the place.
Everyone has to wear life jackets, which are provided by the park and included with your admission. Aqua Zone is open daily for the 2026 season from 11 am – 7 pm. Sessions start on the hour.
Onsite Restaurant
The Shores of Asbury has an onsite Mexican restaurant with all-outdoor seating. Most of it is covered, and the menu is fantastic with traditional Mexican dishes plus some American ones like chicken sandwiches and burgers thrown in.
We had shredded chicken nachos and chicken quesadillas. Both were delicious and the perfect thing to eat after being out on the aqua course for a couple hours. It’s a workout!
The views from the restaurant are really pretty, and the vibe is laid back and easy-going. Most people were in their bathing suits, which was nice since we wanted to go back onto the aqua course after eating and didn’t want to change.
Lakeside Festivals and Music
The Shores of Asbury will host live music and events during the summer. They had a big July 4th celebration and plan to have more fun things to do with your family.
The best way to stay up-to-date is to follow them on their Facebook page.
Tips on Visiting the Shores of Asbury
Reserve your tickets online because you can sign the required waiver and save a couple of dollars off your admission ticket versus if you buy it at the resort.
You don’t need to be camping or staying in the RV park to enjoy the Aqua Zone.
Check the Shores of Asbury Facebook page because they typically offer deals on admission tickets during the week at this Anderson water park.
When you and your kids are playing on the Aqua Zone, be sure to keep an eye on them, especially if it’s crowded. There are lifeguards stationed on the course and dock, but with many kids playing, a smaller kid could accidentally get pushed in the water unexpectedly. And if you have big kids, tell them to watch out for the smaller ones.
Plan to stay awhile. You can hang out at the beach before or after your time on the Aqua Zone and swim in the lake or just chill and play games. It’s a beautiful spot.
Bring water (a lot of it), sunscreen, a change of clothes, a hat, and towels, and be sure to drink a lot of water and reapply that sunscreen.
Before you go, take a look at the rules. I always try to read up on the regulations of places before I go so I’m not surprised by anything once I get there with my kids, who just want to play.
No dogs are allowed on the beach or sod area at the restaurant.
The beach is not free. You can either purchase a beach pass or buy an Aqua Zone ticket to enjoy it.
Tickets and Admission to The Shores of Asbury Water Park in Anderson, SC
There are a few different ticket options per person (all of these are based on online ticket purchases): a one-hour time slot is $19.98, a two-hour time slot is $26.98, and an all day session is $36.98. Wet & Wild Wednesday tickets are $15.98 for a one-hour time slot. A family four-pack all-day pass is $130.
If you just want to enjoy the sugar-white sandy beach, you can! A day pass is $10/person, and that allows you to play and relax all day. A parking pass for beach use is $9.33.
The Shores of Asbury does offer birthday parties and corporate events. Birthday parties are for two hours, including cupcakes, a kid’s meal, and reserved covered tables, and costs $389.
Hours are 11 am – 7 pm daily. The onsite restaurant hours vary. The Aqua Zone will likely be open until the end of September, weather permitting.
The resort hosts all kinds of events, so stay tuned to their Facebook page for the latest updates and to see their daily specials at the Aqua Zone.
The Shores of Asbury website
1600 Asbury Park Road, Anderson, SC
864.844.9002
Facebook page
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This Anderson water park has a floating obstacle course on Lake Hartwell in SC!
