If you are looking for cheap fall activities, Greenville, SC has a couple that can include your entire family without going over budget! Spending time together doesn’t have to mean spending lots of money. To help you out, our Kidding Around Greenville team has come up with some amazingly cheap fall outings that you can enjoy. These outings are all $25 or under in admission fees for a family of 4 and all of these suggestions are outings that are particularly great in the fall. Some of these ideas are even completely free!
Fall is just about here and you’re probably hunting the perfect activity to celebrate the season. Local mom Kristina loves Justus Orchard and is telling us why this is one fall road trip you’re going to make into your new family tradition. After all, Justus Orchard offers tons of fun activities for the kids and tasty treats too!
There are lots of great reasons to visit Justus Orchard in the gorgeous mountains of Hendersonville this fall: the apples are delicious, the scenery is peaceful and picturesque, the family who runs the business is very kind and have been running the orchard for four generations, and the apple cider donuts and slushies are delicious. I don’t even like donuts but put one of those in front of me and I’m not going to say no.
Justus Orchards is open every weekend for U-pick through mid-November. They have their delicious apple slushies, apple fritters, apple donuts, fried apple pies, and fruits and vegetables. They also have something new this year: an Apple Cider Float with Apple Crisp Crumbles on top! Yummy!
Their big playground is also open, plus all the farm activities like the cow train and a jumping pillow.
If you’re looking for something fun to do with your family this fall in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, Strawberry Hill Farm needs to be on your list. In fact, it should probably be on your bucket list every year.
Strawberry Hill and Cooley Farms have been family-owned and operated since 1947, and they truly understand and value families. With a cafe, ice cream shop, and produce stand of fresh pumpkins, jellies, jams, corn, and more, you’ll find plenty to satisfy your cravings. Plus, the hay ride and corn maze provide more than enough entertainment and memory-making for a couple of hours.
We visited one late morning in September and quickly discovered we weren’t the only ones who found this local gem. We wandered around the Shed, took plenty of photos, and went on the hay ride. If you’re thinking of visiting Strawberry Hill Cooley Farms, I’ve compiled lots of info and details for you below, including some extra tips before you go.
The Cafe and Ice Cream Parlor at Strawberry Hill
While we personally didn’t visit the cafe or ice cream parlor during our trip, it was PACKED and had a long line out front. Clearly, it is popular with families around the Upstate. The ice cream parlor has 32 flavors of freshly churned ice cream made with fruit straight from the farm. The cafe serves breakfast and lunch and has a variety of items to choose from. Breakfast is served until 10:30 am.
The Shed at Strawberry Hill
We parked at the Shed, and our toddler was immediately excited about all the pumpkins she could see from the car. Strawberry Hill has a large variety of pumpkins in all shapes, colors, and sizes to choose from. Not to mention their large supply of jellies, jams, boiled peanuts, and other snacks. They even had 3 flavors of slushies while we were there: Apple, Blackberry, and Peach. We grabbed a Peach Slushie to enjoy on our hay ride. It was delicious!
If you wander outside of the Shed covering, you’ll discover more pumpkins and some other fun things to bide your time. You’ll find a couple of tractors, a swing, and stacks of hay bales and pumpkins that are styled for the perfect fall photo op.
The Hay Ride at Strawberry Hill
If you want to go on one of the hay rides, purchase your tickets in the Shed. Each ticket includes a trip to the playground, opportunity to feed the big cows, visit some other farm animals, go down the GIANT slide, and access to the big jumping pillow. We weren’t really sure what to expect, but we’re glad we went on it!
Once you purchase your ticket, you’ll wait until your group is called, and then you’ll board the wagon. Don’t worry about getting itchy by sitting on bales of hay—Strawberry Hill has cleverly covered the hay bales in plastic for your comfort.
The tractor and wagon will take you through Strawberry Hill’s property, giving you fun facts along the way. (Fun fact we learned: they plant their strawberries by hand every single year! This was mind-blowing to me because their strawberry field is massive).
While on the hay ride, you’ll see cows and get the chance to feed them a little treat! Then, the tractor will drop you off at an exclusive area that’s only accessible for those who hop on the hay ride. You’ll find more farm animals to pet (Queen Victoria, the farm’s pig, was a big hit!), a sandbox, seesaws, a variety of games, several large slides, the pumpkin patch, and a giant Jumping Pillow!
Once you and your kids are done playing, you can hop back on a wagon to head back to the Shed.
The Corn Maze at Strawberry Hill
Strawberry Hill has 3 corn mazes: two larger ones and one kiddie maze. The two larger corn mazes take 20-30 minutes to complete, and the kiddie maze takes about 20 minutes. While they have offered the maze during the evening in the past, they are not offering night mazes in 2023.
Admission Cost & Hours for Strawberry Hill
Hayride Only
Cost: $15 per person over 2 years old
September 2023 Hours:(Opens September 30, 2023)
Saturdays 10 am – 5 pm
Sundays 12 pm – 5 pm
*Last wagons load at 5 pm
October 2023 Hours (last day is October 30th):
Fridays 1 pm – 5 pm (October 20th and 27th only)
Saturdays 9 am – 5 pm
Sundays 11 am – 5 pm
*Last wagons load at 5 pm
Corn Maze Only
Cost: $10 per person 8+ years old, $8 for those over 3 years old
Hours: Monday – Sunday 10 am – 6 pm
*Last corn maze entry at 6 pm
Hayride & Corn Maze Combo Ticket
$20 per person over 3 years old (Combo tickets for 2-year-olds will only pay for the hayride)
Tips for Visiting Strawberry Hill
Wear closed-toe shoes if you plan on visiting the Corn Maze and/or go on a hay ride. It’s sandy, dirty, and—well, there are farm animals.
If you plan on going on the hay ride, dress your kids in play clothes and not their Sunday best. Between the large sandbox, slides, and petting zoo, they’re bound to get dirty.
Use the restroom before you go on the hay ride.
Be prepared for lines and a wait at the Cafe and Ice Cream Parlor.
Keep in mind that no pets are allowed on the hay ride or at the corn maze.
Where should you go to see some colorful fall foliage near Greenville, SC? In Greenville, we’re lucky to live close to a variety of hikes and drives that showcase this vibrant seasonal display of colors. Plus, nothing is better than the Western North Carolina leaves changing in the Blue Ridge Mountains. So, grab your camera and hit the road for what promises to be another fantastic year of color! We have compiled everything you need to know for fall leaf peeping, including: 2023 fall foliage timeline 15+ fall hiking trail ideas Packing for your fall foliage search
Did you know you can “snow” tube in the fall at Black Bear Snow Tubing? You can! No snow is required thanks to Black Bear’s super-fast tubing mat, the only one like it in the United States! We got to visit Black Bear and try this “snow” tubing and let us tell you, fall snow tubing is where it’s at. Move over pumpkins, there’s a new fall favorite in town. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit to Black Bear Snow Tubing this fall.
Thanks to Black Bear Snow Tubing for providing tickets so we could bring this review to our readers.
Fall snow tubing opens September 2, 2023, at Black Bear Tubing!
How can you snow tube without snow?
The special green and white mat in use at Black Bear comes all the way from Germany. Purchased for use at Black Bear because this mat outperforms all its competitors when it comes to speed. In the winter the mat is covered in snow, but in the fall, you can tube right on the mat.
This means even in warm winters with little snow, tubing is still an option for family fun. So, what we have learned is, snow is not required for super speedy “snow” tubing runs.
Fall is awesome at Black Bear Snow Tubing
No crowds, fewer lines, fun music, and a pretty view of changing leaves across the valley make fall an awesome time to visit Black Bear Snow Tubing. You’ll get more rides down the hill in your tubing time than in the winter. It’s not cold. It’s not wet.
You can even get yourself some apple cider donuts, coffee, or cocoa and enjoy them on the covered rocking chair back porch, overlooking the tubing hill. We tried it and we are convinced, fall is perfect for snow tubing!
Tickets for Black Bear Snow Tubing
Purchase Black Bear tickets for one hour or two hours of tubing online. Walk-ups are also available in the less busy fall season.
Summer tubing, without snow, runs weekends through October 29th, 2023.
Winter tubing, with snow, runs weekends beginning mid-December. (If the weather is too warm for snow, tubing will still be open using the mat.)
Visiting Black Bear
First off, we love nearby Hendersonville, NC, and the drive up from downtown to Black Bear Tubing through the changing leaves was gorgeous. When you arrive at Black Bear, just follow the signs to park and then head towards the fun!
Visit the video shed first where you’ll watch a very short safety video. It’s just a couple of minutes long and it plays on a loop. While you’re there, sign the waiver for yourself and the kids.
Bring your waiver across to the lodge where you’ll pay, get your stickers, and also where you can purchase treats and beverages like apple cider donuts, coffee drinks, cocoa, and more.
When you’re ready to tube, you’ll head down the stairs, grab your tube and jump in the line for the tube tugging line that will bring you to the top of Black Bear’s 600-foot-long tubing run. Staff will hook you onto the line.
At the top, you’ll be unhooked from the line and then walk your tube to the run. Staff will help you get your tube into position and push you off down the 80ft vertical drop.
Up to 4 people can go down the run at a time, and you can hang onto other tubes if you want to all go together. Want extra fun? Just ask the staff at the top to spin you going down.
Once you’re at the bottom, pull your tube back over to the tube tugging line and you’ll be off on another run before you know it.
Clean portapotties are available beside the video shed, as well as an outdoor handwashing station.
Who can tube at Black Bear?
First, kids under 4, and under 35 lbs, cannot be on the slope. They can use the slope-side playground for some fun while bigger kids tube.
Second, kids ages 4 to 6 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Third, there is a maximum weight of 300 lbs.
My kids, ages 11 and 14, had a blast. Initially, my 14-year-old was a little not sure he wanted to come, thinking it was not going to be very exciting and that he was too old for such things. He was so glad he came. And, in fact, we saw lots of adults taking runs down the slope, too. I had planned to go down once or twice, just to be thorough in my review, and ended up going down a lot more because it was really fun!
It’s one of those life things that are just plain fun for anyone. Escape from whatever is bugging you to the fresh air and whip down that hill on a tube. Laugh with the kids. Enjoy them, even as teens and preteens, asking you to go down the run with them. There are not enough moments like that in the world, if you ask me.
Our Review
We really loved the family atmosphere at Black Bear. They do not allow alcohol or any open profanity. All the staff were super friendly and helpful. When I wasn’t tubing myself, I could clearly see where my kids were at all times from the covered porch. It was really brilliantly arranged for a couple of hours of low-stress family fun.
Tubing on the mat was really fun. No heavy coats, no wet gloves. It was all the fun of snow tubing without the cold, with the added benefit of short lines and no crowds. We had a great time and think you’ll enjoy it, too!
Plan Your Trip to Black Bear Tubing
1-hour tickets are $30 each, and 2-hour tickets are $40 each. (2023 prices)
Open until October 29th for summer tubing, and then opening mid-December for winter snow tubing.
Saturday: Open at 10 am, last ticket is for 7 pm. Sunday: Open at 12 pm, last ticket is for 5 pm.
Ever have an Asian Pear? They are incredibly delicious, juicy, and a must-try fruit. Pilot Mountain Pears has acres and acres of them available for u-pick this fall in Hendersonville, NC.
I have been obsessed with Asian pears for years and get ridiculously excited whenever I see them in grocery stores or farmers’ markets. They are generally light brown in color with the texture of an apple and a crunchy but juicy center- like the kind of juicy where you bite in and the juice runs down your arm – that kind of tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear.
If you’re also a fan of Asian Pears, you might be wondering, “Is there any place with u-pick Asian Pears? Or any Asian Pear picking near me?”
Yep!
At Pilot Mountain Pears in Hendersonville, NC, and only an hour from Greenville, SC, not only can you buy these wonderful fruits but also pick them yourself. You’ll definitely want to add this orchard to your fall adventures!
About Pilot Mountain Pears
The orchard is owned and run by the Laughter (pronounced LAW-DER) family. I met Beth and her husband David and they showed me around the orchard, the little shop, and the packing barn. David really loves Asian pears and he planted about 1,000 of the trees more than a decade ago and just kept replacing the apple trees with Asian pear trees until that’s pretty much all they grow now.
The couple are both locals and have been married for 27 years. They have two grown children who help out on the farm when they are home but mostly, it’s Beth and David who are the driving force behind the orchard. They’ve done a lot on the farm in terms of making a fun u-pick experience for guests since they first opened to the public three years ago and word has spread almost solely through word of mouth about how amazing their Asian pears are.Â
Why Asian Pears Are So Amazing
I love apples just as much as the next person but Asian pears are on a whole other level. The Asian pears come from a tree native to East Asia and were originally eaten by the rich, noble people of China. Around 1850, the exotic fruit was brought to America by Chinese laborers. There are hundreds of varieties and you may hear them called apple pears, sand pears, Japanese pears, or Korean pears.
The pears aren’t like regular pears that are literally ripe for ten minutes and then turn to mush. Asian pears last a lot longer, especially if you refrigerate them. They are juicy and sweet and delicious and crunchy. They are usually ripe when they turn a little past light brown but can also be eaten when they have a green color to them or light brown.
U-Pick at Pilot Mountain
With 5,000 Asian pear trees at Pilot Mountain Pears, you’ll have plenty of fruit to choose from. The farm grows mostly Olympic Asian pears, which are huge.
When you arrive at the farm, you’ll see the orchard store. Park there and you can go get a wagon or bag and if you’re really brave, you can grab a pick stick (a very long stick with a metal cage at the top to pick the highest fruit on the trees – also known as long swords for kids).
Asian pears ripen on the tree
You’ll be directed where to start your picking. Once you’re done, you go back to the store, where your amazing Asian pears will be weighed and you will pay for your goodies.
They also sell fried apple pies like apple turnovers, apple slushies, and pear juice. I tried the Asian pear juice and whoa. Like, major whoa. This was the sweetest, but not too sweet, tangy, but not too tangy, most refreshing drink. You’ll want to drink it straight from the container.
The store also has really cute tumblers, hats, pottery, shirts, and other fun stuff that you’ll probably want to take home to remember your awesome experience at Pilot Mountain Pears.
Visiting Pilot Mountain Pears
The orchard opens to the public Friday, August 25th and will be open likely through the beginning of October. Hours are Fridays-Sundays from 10 am – 5 pm. Follow Pilot Mountain Pears on Facebook and check before you go to make sure they are sticking to their regular hours.
Prices for u-pick Asian pears are $1/pound. You can also purchase pre-picked pears.
Farm store
No pets are allowed in the orchard. There are porta-potties on the property.
And if you want to hang out and eat all your Asian pears, fried apple pies, or drink your slushies, there are picnic tables behind the farm store that overlook the orchard with mountains on the horizon. It’s gorgeous.
Nearby Things to Do
Making a day trip to Hendersonville is one of our most favorite activities, so we have plenty of options for a fun day trip there:
Black Bear Fall Tubing
Go tubing down a giant hill at Black Bear Snow Tubing – but without the snow (that’ll come in the winter). The tubing place is open starting September 2, 2023. Read our full review for all the details.
Hike Bearwallow Mountain
Bearwallow Mountain is easily one of our favorite family hikes because it’s not that hard and the views are unbeatable. It’s a 2-mile roundtrip hike and you get 360-degree views of the mountains. Bring up some Asian pears for a snack.
Bearwallow Mountain Summit
Play with Llamas
Ellaberry Llama Farm is super close to Pilot Mountain Pears and you can take a llama through an obstacle course or go on a hike with them. We love this farm!
No story on Hendersonville is complete without me telling you that you can play with the goats at the Carl Sandburg Home for free. It’s a beautiful place for a hike as well.
Eat at the Village Bakery
This small eatery in nearby Flat Rock has some pretty fantastic brick oven pizza and salads. They close at 5 pm so be sure to get there before closing. If they have any bread left over on their Day Old Bread shelf, grab it because it’s 50% off.
Are you looking for Labor Day events? Greenville, SC, and the surrounding area have a few special events to enjoy for the weekend. Labor Day is usually seen as the unofficial end of the summer, so make it count!
This weekend is the last chance to relax for many families before the busy school year gets underway in earnest. Check out these Labor Day events near Greenville, SC, including special events, festivals, and day trip ideas!
When is just one apple cider donut enough? Never is the right answer. So we made the Apple Cider Donut Tour to help you taste test the best of apple cider donuts near Upstate, SC.
L-R donuts: Jeter Mountain, Grandad’s Apples N Such, Justus Orchard
Have you visited Grandad’s Apples? Fall is just around the corner and your family might be hunting for the perfect apple orchard! We checked out Grandad’s Apples ‘N Such and had so much fun. You’ll find activities for kids at Grandad’s Apples ‘N Such, with beautiful views, and, of course, apples.
U-PICK: U-pick is TBD. Grandad’s asked that you follow their Facebook page for the latest updates.
Hendersonville, North Carolina is known for its delicious apples and it’s easy to see why on the drive up to Grandad’s Apples ‘N Such. There are a handful of orchards within a few-mile radius and several farm stands all selling the delicious fruit. On my quest to find the perfect apple orchard experience, I headed on over to Grandad’s, which I heard was pretty awesome.
If you are looking for the best fall festivals, Greenville, SC and the surrounding area has 30+ festivals to enjoy! Pumpkin spice, cornfields, fields full of sunflowers; all of these things are synonymous with fall. The greatest thing that the fall season ushers in is the festival season!
Family-friendly festivals celebrating apples, pumpkins, harvests, and all the other wonderful things that the fall months have to offer can be found at these gatherings. The wonderful thing about fall festivals in and around Greenville is that they are outdoors (for the most part) so you can enjoy the beauty of the changing seasons!
This list is provided for informational purposes, and events may change or be canceled at the last minute. Therefore, please be sure to confirm the status of an event before heading out.
2023 Fall Festivals: Greenville, SC, and the Upstate
What: As one of the earliest fall festivals, Greenville, SC offers Indie Craft parade, a place for Arts and Makers, Pop-Up Shops, and Mini-Markets
Admission: $8 general admission (ages 16 and under free) First Dibs Party on Friday is an additional fee
This event sells out quickly for particular demonstrations, and most of the events for 2023 are sold out.There are still several events available, but we recommend booking soon!
What: Large selection of flowers, plants, and home decor for purchase. There will be educational demonstrations and gardening tips available. Food trucks will be available to purchase food.
Where: St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, Simpsonville When: Saturday, September 23, 2023from Noon-9 pm What: Celebration of all cultures and food + live music Admission: Free – tickets required for food and kids activities
What: If you are looking for cultural fall festivals, Greenville, SC offers the Hispanic Heritage Festival. There will be cultural entertainment, food, dancing, children’s activities, crafts, and more!
What: One of the area’s most popular fall festivals, Greenville, SC offers Fall for Greenville in October. There will be excellent food, live music, rides, wine, and competitions
What: One of only two chances to visit! Only open to the public twice a year. Enjoy fall activities among a variety of animals. There will be games, raffles, food, and more!
Admission: $5 wristband to pet animals; proceeds go to the facility’s animal rescue mission.
What: Celebration of the Monarch Butterfly. There will be music, keynote speakers, local vendors, food, and more! The event will be held rain or shine.
Where: Stanton Road, Cedar Mountain, North Carolina
When:September 30, 2023
What: Family-friendly celebration of the beauty of Dupont State Recreational Forest. There will be tons of activities related to hiking, outdoor recreation, and more!
Where: Oak & Grist Distilling Company, Black Mountain, NC (about 90 minutes from Greenville)
When: October 8th, 2023
What: Cheese! The Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest is an annual festival that benefits the WNC Cheese Trail, which is a nonprofit whose entire existence revolves around spreading the word about the cheese made in Western NC.
Admission: Starts at $20 and tastings, classes, and tours are additional costs; ages 10+ require a ticket
