Have you heard of Famoda Farm in Tigerville, SC? We just had the most amazing afternoon visiting the farm, enjoying delicious ice cream, and hanging out with baby goats! The cows, donkeys, bunnies, and sheep joined us at the fence to visit, and we even picked up some fresh milk to bring home.
This is a special place, I mean like turn a “grumpy preteen” day into a “sunshine-filled happy day” kind of place. Do you know how rare that is? It’s awesome, which means we’re telling you all about Famoda Farm so you can plan your visit.
Arriving at Famoda Farm
The entrance to Famoda Farms is a gravel driveway with pasture on either side. Just plug the address into your GPS and look for the signs. Even my preteens and teenage kids were stoked to see the cows in the pasture as we drove in. You think it’s cute when little kids love animals. Well, hearing “Aw, there are cows! Hi Cows!” will melt your heart when it comes out of the mouth of a fourteen-year-old boy, too.
If you are looking for a restaurant with delicious food and a place to have some family fun, or enjoy a rare date night – The Farehouse inside of Taylors Mill is where you need to go! This locally owned restaurant tucked away in a repurposed mill in Greenville, is part of what is becoming a one-stop entertainment destination in the Upstate!
Are you looking for a park in Taylors, SC and thinking about visiting Lincoln Park? With spring weather here (finally) and summer on the horizon, it’s time to start planning activities to occupy little minds and bodies. And it doesn’t hurt for mom’s mind to be occupied too! Lincoln Park in Taylors offers a fun playground, paved path, basketbll courts, and more.
Spending some time in northern Taylors and looking for a place to play? David Jackson Park just might fit the bill. This large park features a great playground, plus several baseball fields, a paved walking path, and a nice mountain view. It’s a playground I often take my children to this park when we are in the area with time to spare and it’s one they often request.
Quick Summary: David Jackson Park
Looking for a great park in northern Taylors? 🌳 David Jackson Park is a hidden gem you might easily miss—but you won’t want to!
Here’s why families love it: • Two playgrounds—one for littles and one for big kids • Rope bridges, monkey bars & swings • Shaded picnic shelter + restrooms • Flat, paved walking path (.65 miles!) • Beautiful mountain views
📍25 Fowler Road, Taylors Turn off Highway 101 onto Fowler Road, then look for the entrance on the left—you won’t see the park from the road!
Where is David Jackson Park?
The park is located off of Fowler Road in northern Taylors. If you are heading north along Highway 101, you’ll find Fowler Road on your left, and shortly thereafter you’ll turn into the park entrance, also on the left. You cannot see the park from the road, only the entrance.
It is, in my opinion, quite easy to drive past the entrance. So, make sure you are looking for a double drive and park sign on the left. Once you turn into the driveway, the tree open into a large greenspace that you can’t see from the road.
The Playground
There are
two playgrounds at this park. They are in the same mulched area with a swing
set containing both regular wings and baby swings between them. According to my
children the rope and bouncy bridges on the big kid playground are superior to
other locations in Greenville, as are the circular monkey bars. The playground
for younger kids is significantly smaller but still has some interesting
features. These playgrounds are not in any kind of fence.
There is a shaded shelter right beside the playground, and benches in the sun for mom and dad to watch. The restrooms are at the back of that shelter. Picnic tables are located under the shelter.
Walking Trail and More
Around the
playground are multiple baseball fields, and along those is a long paved path
for walking. It’s .65 miles, quite flat and perfect for strollers. You can see
Paris Mountain through the trees on one side of the park and you can see more
mountains if you look back towards the entrance.
This is not a park where you can walk the trail and clearly see your kids at the playground. Walking this path takes you quite a distance from the playground. When my kids play I like to try to get a little brisk walking in for myself. At this park, I end up walking the straight part of the path near the playground and then circling up by the shelter and back down to the path. It’s a nice, if small, loop around the playground, but that loop is not all paved and wouldn’t work for a mom with a stroller who wanted to exercise a bit while watching the kids play.
Mom Review
David Jackson Park 25 Fowler Road, Taylors
Favorites:
Two playgrounds close to each other
Pretty views
Sunny
Walking Path
Drawbacks:
Much of the walking path is far from the playground
This large park is a great place for families to spend a few minutes or several hours. Pack a lunch, enjoy the sun, a walk, and some time to play. Little ones will love the small climbing structure and the swings, while older children play nearby on the larger structure. This park may be a little out of the way if you don’t live in the area, but if you haven’t visited this park, it’s worth the drive to check it out!
Have you visited David Jackson Park?
More to Explore Nearby
Enjoy the creek, trail, and covered bridge at Campbell’s Covered Bridge. It’s just a short drive from David Jackson Park.
Thrift shops can bring big deals that really help families on a tight budget. But, usually, you don’t find everything on your list at a single thrift shop, which is one of the things that makes the thrift stores in Greer to Taylors, SC corridor of Wade Hampton Boulevard such a day trip for thrifting. You can visit 6 unique thrift shops across this little 8-mile stretch of Wade Hampton Boulevard.
And that’s just what my daughter and I set out to do one Saturday morning. We spent several hours and totally checked every box on her clothing AND shoe wish list. Plus I found several cute items for myself, 3 dress shirts for my husband in a usually hard-to-find size, some shorts and t-shirts for my sons, and bonus: the cutest spring teapot ever.
Thrift Store vs. Consignment
Usually, all of the items in a thrift store are donated to the store, and the profit the stores make benefits a specific cause. This is different than a consignment shop where you’ll still find great deals, but it’s the store and the consigner earning the profits. There’s nothing wrong with a great consignment shop, but in this story we’re focusing on the thrift stores, who they benefit, and what they offer.
At the shops in this article, in addition to good deals that help your family budget, you’ll also be helping fund job programs, fight homelessness, helping children with cancer, animals, and victims of domestic violence.
Thrifting Tips
Before we get to the shops, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Every store has a slightly different way of pricing. Some store price per item, others have blanket prices for different types of items, some work with a color-coded tag system. Pay attention so you know how much you’ll be paying at the register.
Take note of the day’s discounts, often posted on sandwich board-style signs by the door. You may find a specific colored tag is half-off that day, or being sold for just 50 cents. These extra savings really add up and are good to keep in mind.
Going to all 6 of these shops may take you hours. Bring snacks. Consider breaking up your shopping with a coffee at Junto Coffee at the Taylors Mill, or maybe lunch in Downtown Greer at Cartwright Food Hall. Both of these are close to these thrift shops. If you want something right on the route along Wade Hampton there’s everything from Starbucks and Panera to Chick-fil-A.
Miracle Hill Thrift Shop
2419 E Wade Hampton Blvd, Greer Open: 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday
Beginning in Greer near Lyman, is the Miracle Hill Thrift Shop. This is a larger thrift shop with clothing for men, women, and children, plus furniture, housewares, books, and sometimes even big-ticket items like kayaks!
Prices here are marked on the rack so all pants are one price, etc, unless otherwise marked. Don’t forget to check their clearance section where all items are $1.
Clothes and items are well organized by size, but you’ll have to do some digging if you’re looking for housewares, books, etc.
This thrift shop does offer dressing rooms to try on your items before you buy!
Miracle Hill Thrift Shops benefit Miracle Hill Ministries helping homelessness.
109 Middleton Way, Greer Open 10 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm Saturday
Benefitting animals in need, the Carolina Thrift shop offers a cozy and well-organized shop with a homey feel. They have great prices on clothing ($2 per piece), jewelry, and accessories. They have a free coffee bar for shoppers, a media room with many books, DVDs, and vinyl records for sale.
This shop is where I found my cute spring teapot among the pretty spring displays at the front of the shop. This is a great place to shop AND browse.
Think you’ll be a frequent shopper? Don’t forget to pick up a rewards punch card at the register.
1333 W Wade Hampton Blvd, Greer, SC Open: 9 am to 9 pm Monday-Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm on Sundays
The Goodwill Thrift Shop in Greer is another larger thrift shop. It benefits Goodwill programs which provide career services and help for job seekers.
You’ll find clothing, media, housewares, and more at Goodwill. Clothing is organized by small, medium, large, etc. So you’ll spend time here looking for numbered sizes in each section. Don’t forget to take note of the color tags that are on sale. We scored a nice dress shirt for my husband for 50 cents with the sale tags.
5152 Wade Hampton Blvd, Taylors, SC Open: 9 am to 5:30 pm weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays
The Salvation Army Family Store in Taylors is a little more compact than other similar thrift shops, but it has a wide variety of clothing, shoes, and household items at great prices.
This is another shop where you’ll need to spend a little time looking at the sizes on each item within sections to find what works for you. But, it’s worth it! My daughter’s new favorite pair of boots came from this Salvation Army Family Store, and we paid just $5 for them.
3245 Wade Hampton Blvd, Taylors Open: 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday
Carol’s Hope Thrift stores benefit families dealing with childhood cancer. They help with these families’ financial and emotional needs.
They have 4 shops total, another in Spartanburg, Easley, and Boiling Springs. Follow the Carol’s Hope Facebook page for discount days, and stories about the local children they are helping.
At the Taylors store you’ll find lots of clothing, priced via tag color. Check the signs on the end of the racks to help you figure out how much each item is. You might pay just $1 for a cute top, or closer to $8 or $9 depending on the item. I found a couple of very cute spring dresses for myself here and paid $13 total.
There’s also a large space with furniture and housewares that we enjoyed browsing.
Safe Harbor Resale Shop
2830 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greenville Open: 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday
I think this is my new favorite thrift shop. It’s huge and extremely well organized. The displays of housewares and shoes and color-coordinated and look like an interior designer put them together. Someone puts a lot of time into the organization of this place and it makes it feel like you’re shopping in a high-end boutique, with thrift store prices, of course. It’s a fun place just to go browse.
This shop has one of the larger children’s sections with lots of clothing at great prices. We got several pairs of pants and tops for my baby nephew at about $2 per piece and everything was in great condition.
There’s also a large selection of clothing for men and women, and my daughter found several items that will work for her here. Being in that in-between tween size, finding so much for her was quite an accomplishment and we really appreciated the large selection and organized layout. You’ll find fitting rooms at the front of the store.
Don’t miss the beautiful jewelry up by the register. You’ll find unique and gorgeous earrings for just a couple of dollars a pair.
Of course, the Safe Harbor Resale Shop benefits Safe Harbor, serving victims of domestic violence in Greenville.
Does your little one love trains? A great addition to Greenville’s list of indoor kid spaces is the Model Trains Station at Taylors Mill. Our KAG writer Anna Artz was fortunate to get a one-on-one tour with chief Engineer aka Model Train Station Chairman, Bob Rayle.
For a list of even more train related things to do in the Upstate see our list Trains in Greenville.
About the Model Trains Station
Mr. Rayle is the quintessential train hobbyist whose eyes sparkle when talking about the new Model Trains Station, “It’s run by train enthusiasts and made for families to have fun. We enjoy seeing smiling kids and see them getting excited when they see the trains and of course, to promote the hobby.”
The Model Trains Station is run by volunteers. It is a registered 501 (c) 3 and charges a minimal admission fee. They also have a donor program and family membership for avid fans of trains. Bob also talked about phase 2 of their plans for future education programs. The Station plans to “…teach electricity to little kids, all about light bulbs, circuits and switches.” They are also open to hosting birthday parties, corporate events and meetings.
Where Is the Model Trains Station
Housed in Taylors Mill Development, an upcycled old mill building complex, the Model Trains Station occupies about 16,000 square feet of space alongside artist studios. Visiting the Model Trains Station is like going to a giant train workshop. The building itself is fascinating, a former textile bleachery, the space is raw and full of history.
The Model Trains Station joins the rest of the creative Taylors Mill group in making historic buildings an alternative venue for the community. The mill gets busy when the weather gets warmer.
The Model Trains Station opened in December 2017 with their fantastic O-scale Christmas village set-up. Presently, the holiday decor has long been removed but several running train lines continue to be a source of fun especially with a scavenger hunt designed for the kiddies to explore and enjoy the train village. My kids enjoyed running around hunting for the hidden figures. They were also delighted that they could play engineer themselves and operate a Thomas the Train railroad within the village.
Also featured in the exhibition space is a donated model of the city of Baltimore (HO train). Beautiful and professionally done cityscape, children will have fun viewing the trains running thru an urban landscape. On the other side of the room, is an HO scale model of Waynesville. Beautifully done by a master artist, the mountains surrounding the realistic lake are a labor of love. Lots of little scenes to spot in this scene, but you may have to lift your child to get a closer look or bring a step stool.
When you and your tots are tired of looking at trains on the move, MTS has a play corner where toddlers can tinker with wooden toy trains. The play area is located right beside a structure which will house their train repair depot. MTS plans for the office to have glass windows so visitors can see trains being repaired. Currently also in the works is a G scale railroad German Village donated to MTS, in pristine condition. There’s also the really cute railroad set-up by the children’s play area.
Our visit ended with soft rumble of the Norfolk Southern Line in the background. Yes, the mill is situated right next to a train track! Meanwhile, railroad enthusiasts can view the dispatcher ATCS display of train locations along the NS, in real-time. Little details like this combined with the knowledge and enthusiasm of its volunteers is what makes this place truly special. We’re so glad they’re here to stay!
How to enjoy the Model Trains Station
Play the scavenger hunt which can be found at the Lobby. Submit your completed form for a chance to win a raffle.
Play engineer and run Thomas the train track in the Lionel O display.
Talk to the resident volunteer engineer and ask them about how the models were made.
Check out the dispatcher ATCS display.
Learn about the different types of model train scales: G, O, HO, N, while examining the display cases filled with trains and model villages.
For tots, play with toy trains in the children’s area.
A few things to know
If you’ve never been to Taylors Mill, be prepared to drive thru a seemingly group of old buildings. Look for a red sign.
To view some of the exhibits, you will need to carry your child to see some of the details. Our visit lasted about 2 hours.
Inside the development, there is a big parking lot across the former bleachery buildings or Dock 2. Model Trains Station is in the building called Print Works 1, to the right of Southern Bleachery. You’ll have to climb a few steps to get to a glass door entrance. There is no ramp for strollers. Upon entry, the first thing you’ll see is a multipurpose hall, keep on walking till the next set of doors that leads to the artist warehouses and the train museum.
Public restrooms available.
Visit the Model Trains Station
Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm Sunday, 1 pm – 5 pm
Children (2- 12) $6, Children under 2 are FREE Adults $10, Seniors $8, Military $8
Are you looking to go roller skating in Taylors, SC? The minute I pulled into the packed parking lot at Roller Sports in Taylors, SC for their Homeschool Skate I knew I had stumbled upon some true homeschool thing in the area. I had to park on the grass in the back of the building. What was so cool about this event? I was about to find out.
Have you visited the Climb@Blue Ridge gym before? Whether you are a seasoned climber or just starting out, you’ll fit right in at CBR. With classes for kids, homeschool events, parent’s night out events, high school hangouts, and lots more special events it’s a place for families, kids, adults, and everyone! Climb@Blue Ridge is one of the more affordable climbing gyms in the Greenville, SC area and has an extremely supportive, helpful, and personable staff. Here’s everything you need to know about Climb@Blue Ridge to plan your awesome climbing day.
About Climb@Blue Ridge
This article is pretty much not necessary. Yep.
We said we’d tell you what you needed to know to have a great time at CBR. But the bottom line is, you don’t need to know much of anything. Really.
Want to climb? Total 100% complete beginners of all ages can have a great time climbing at CBR, and so can seasoned climbers. The gym has everything you need from harnesses to climbing shoes that you can rent for a small fee when you climb. Just show up.
The staff is awesome, and they’ll help you get the right size shoes and get your harness and point you in the right direction of climbing walls and bouldering spaces. I say this to you as a non-athletic and sometimes painfully introverted mom. (Really, I write so I don’t have to talk to people.) But seriously, at CBR they’ll teach you to belay for your kids and show you how to hook up to the auto-belays. There are no stupid questions. Your kids will be climbing before you know it, and so will you!
But, there are so many cool things happening at CBR, so, we’ll use the rest of this article to tell all about the programs for kids, families, and adults, plus those nitty-gritty details like hours and cost.
Climbing at CBR
Climb@Blue Ridge has climbing spaces for bouldering, top roping, and lead climbing.
There are several places for bouldering at CBR, a cave area, walls, and a room off the main gym. These areas do not require the use of harnesses or ropes as they don’t go high. These areas are about traversing across, up, around, or under obstacles.
Top roping is the style of climbing with ropes. Basically, this is what you’re doing when you are hooked to a harness with a rope up above you and either a human or auto-belayer. The gym has three auto belays so you can climb even if you don’t have a climbing partner.
Last but not least, lead climbing is more like outdoor climbing. You must have your own equipment to lead climb at CBR.
The climbing routes at CBR are changed regularly. This means in all of the climbing areas you’ll find new challenges and problems to solve. You won’t be bored once you’ve mastered a route or two!
For the Kids at CBR
Homeschool Kids
Intro to Climbing Class:My kids have been taking an introduction to climbing class at CBR for homeschoolers since the fall. Each semester is 10 weeks of classes that cover top roping and bouldering, plus safety! The tuition is $200 for the semester and that includes harness and shoe rental plus a gym membership. That means your climber can climb for free anytime the gym is open.
Homeschool Climb: Every second Monday from 2 to 4 pm, homeschoolers can climb at CBR for just $12 which includes the harness. Shoes can be rented for $3 (but you don’t have to if you’d rather just use sneakers).
Parents’ Night Out
Every second Saturday from 6:30 to 9:30 pm bring the kids to CBR for parents’ night out. This parents’ night out is for kids ages 6 and up. They’ll have a blast climbing while you get a night out. The cost is $20 per child. Do sign-up in advance because the program only runs if there are at least 3 kids enrolled.
Preschool Rocks
It’s CBR’s version of tot time. At Preschool Rocks, kids 2-6 get the gym all to themselves with their parent or guardian from 8 to 10 am on Tuesdays. The cost is $20 per parent/child team and that includes harnesses. CBR has full-body harnesses for little ones. And don’t forget, kiddos don’t need to harness up if they are bouldering. So, even if your little one won’t want to put on a harness, there’s still plenty of climbing fun.
Highschool Hang Out
High school kids climb at CBR on Saturday nights for just $10, including harness and shoes. It’s a great deal and a great way to spend a Saturday night.
Climbing Team
Have kids who want to learn more about climbing? The climbing team meets weekly for beginning through advanced students. Kids learn climbing skills and encourage each other to be better. The team even takes outdoor climbing field trips!
Climbing team is $70 a month and also includes a gym membership. That means kids can climb anytime the gym is open for free. Gear rental is another $15 a month, or kids can purchase their own.
CBR also offers summer camps for kids, as well as camps during days off from school, and other special events.
For the Adults at Climb@Blue Ridge
In addition to climbing, CBR also offers weekly Yoga classes. There’s also a ladies’ meet-up on Monday nights, plus special events, competitions, and more throughout the year.
CBR also offers a place for extremely affordable parties, lock-ins, and group events.
Just want to go climb?
Do it!
When you climb at CBR you get full gym access for the entire day. You’re not limited to an hour or two, and you’re not limited to certain areas of the gym or certain routes.
Adult day passes are $24. Kids 10 and under are $10. If you want to rent harnesses and shoes, they are $3 each.
First-time climbers pay $24 and that includes both harness rental, shoes, AND some time with the staff for them to show you how to belay, ensure that you can do it safely, and make sure you don’t have any questions. Don’t worry about this, it’s really easy.
That’s it. You’re ready to go!
If you love climbing, you’ll want to check out the Climb@ Blue Ridge memberships. A family membership is just $85 a month. Individual memberships start at $50. This doesn’t include gear. You can buy your own harness and shoes, plan to spend a couple of dollars each visit to rent a harness and shoes, or add on to your memberships with a monthly fee for gear. ($15 a month for individuals or $25 for families.)
Trying Something New: The adult beginner
This is the section where I admit I am not athletic. I was the kid in gym class who kept sneaking to the back of the kickball line so I didn’t have to actually participate. I was also the kid who couldn’t climb to the top of the ladder in the elementary gym because I was terrified of falling. Yes, I went my entire elementary school career without my name on that PE ladder sticker chart.
So, here I am, with kids who are taking climbing classes and recently joined their climbing team. They’re at the gym a couple of times a week and are really loving it. I have a strong belief in taking an interest in your kids’ hobbies. (You’ll always have something in common and have ways to share quality time when you’re active in your kids’ interests.) So, that’s how I found myself in a harness and climbing shoes one afternoon for a little climbing myself, having never climbed before. This is how I can say with absolute certainty that total skill-less beginners are welcome at CBR!
If you’re worried about being embarrassed. I get it. Me too. Just go do it.
Let me just take this one moment to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try something new with your teens and preteens! The kids and I had a blast. I did get to the top of a couple of routes, if you’re wondering, along with some seriously ungraceful falls and trips down the auto-belay. But, the best part was having my 13 year-old son coach me through my attempts on the wall. It was priceless. And, so was watching him encourage and cheer on his younger sister. I’m looking forward to going again!
How it’s going
Since writing this piece in 2023, I now climb several days a week with friends and still sometimes my kids. It’s such great exercise and we laugh a lot. Good for the body and the mind. We love climbing at CBR.
October means Famoda Farm Festival at the family-owned Famoda Farm, Taylors, SC best farm for family fun! It’s their second season so we went and checked it out so you can have all the details on how to have a wonderful day with your family at the farm.
The address for the Famoda Farm Festival is 3 Camp Creek Road Ext, Taylors. We normally don’t start stories with the address of the place we visited but there are a few different addresses associated with this place so take note. OK, onto the fun!
Famoda Farm is a super cute place that has adorable animals, including calves you can bottle feed, a play area, and amazing ice cream. If you follow us regularly, you know this! What you may not know is that the farm is hosting its annual fall festival from October 11th – November 3rd, 2024 Thursdays-Sundays, which is just perfect for a day of family fun. If you and your kids love hayrides, corn mazes, old-school playgrounds and toys, cute animals, and slides, this is the place for you.
If you are a fan of chains with country-style cooking, Josey’s Chuckwagon is a great locally-owned alternative! They have homestyle breakfast items, soups, salads, sandwiches, and country-style entrée items. Your family can eat out without having to rob a stagecoach, and if you dine out on Monday nights, kids eat for $0.99! Not convinced yet? They have delicious desserts and that alone is reason enough to go pay Josie’s Chuckwagon a visit!
Do you have a kid’s eat free night? Yes – Kid’s night is on Mondays from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm and kid’s meals are .99 cent per paying adult.
What are your contactless delivery options? Curbside pickup, drive-thru, and third-party delivery
Do you offer outdoor dining? No
What makes your spot unique? Josey’s Chuckwagon is a family-owned restaurant located on Wade Hampton Blvd cooking up the best southern food on this side of town! Many people ask where the name “Josey’s” comes from. Our owner Leonard Wells was told that he had the demeanor of “The Outlaw Josey Wales.” Since then his nickname has been “Josey!”
What dish is the most popular? The chuckwagon is one of our most popular dishes. It is a fried boneless pork fillet served with white gravy over it. It comes with your choice of any two sides, a bread choice, and a tea or lemonade.
What dish are you the proudest of? Our shrimp and grits is one of the many dishes we are most proud of. It is available to order breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It’s my first time at your restaurant, what do you suggest we order? The chuckwagon, chicken tenders, grilled pork chops, fried chicken breast, and shrimp & grits are a few of our customer favorites!
