Are you looking for free or cheap family-friendly things to do in Spartanburg? Do you have an idea in your head that doing something fun with your kids in Spartanburg is going to cost money (and probably a lot of it)? We are setting the record correct today once and for all: Spartanburg has tons of fun free things to do and even more that are really cheap.
Leaves crunching underfoot, the smell of pumpkin spice wafting from a coffee cup, and all things apple-related usher in the fall season. Another thing to look forward to during the close of summer is festivals! Spartanburg has no shortage of celebrations, so let’s get to planning the fun you and your family can have this fall!
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.
For more fall festivals and other events not listed here, check out our Events Calendar.
(more…)The Carolina Panthers Training Camp is a unique opportunity to watch a professional football team up close, and it should be on every Spartanburg family’s bucket list! After a two-year absence from the training facility at Wofford, the Carolina Panthers are back in Spartanburg.
We’ve got all the info you’ll need if you plan on going to watch the Carolina Panthers train at Wofford this year!
(more…)Spartanburg’s annual Spring Fling runs April 22-24, 2022 in the streets of downtown Spartanburg. If you are new in town or have not been to Spring Fling, plan to visit this special outdoor festival with your family. Most local families agree this is an event they look forward to all year.
(more…)Looking for something to do on the upcoming long weekend that includes a day off from school to honor a civil rights leader?
Spartanburg kids and (some) parents have a long weekend coming up, giving families time to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If you are looking for ways to honor his legacy, we have found several family-friendly options. We’ve also included some added special events that can make the long weekend fun for everyone!
Childhood goes by quickly. It’s a fact of life we, as moms, know all too well. It seems like just yesterday when you held your baby in your arms. Now that baby is in 3rd grade. Make the most out of these special years — make some memories! We’ve put together a bucket list for your kid’s childhood; things they must do before they grow up.
Milliken Corporation Headquarters is located in Spartanburg just off Pine Street and Interstate 585. It is a large and beautiful campus, often confused as a park as it features more than 500 different trees and shrubs, 15 decorative fountains and six ponds. The Milliken Arboretum is a nationally recognized greenspaces on 600 acres at the Roger Milliken Center and is now one of the largest corporate arboretums in the Southeast. The campus is open to the public and Spartanburg families have been making memories at these duck ponds and picnic spots for generations.
Note: Some healthy foods to feed ducks include corn, peas, oats, or birdseed.
Our Spartanburg County Library system is awesome. Every child should be a card carrying member, and have the responsibility of checking out and enjoying his or her own library selections. There are also interesting activities and programs offered at each location for kids and families. Having a library card and participating in library activities should be enjoyed by each Spartanburg child.
In late July and early August, the Carolina Panthers move to Wofford College and hold their training camp right here in Spartanburg. All the practices are free and open to the public. It’s a great chance to see the players up close and there are also usually kids activities going on around the field.
No doubt, we could (and may) make a list of 30 places in Spartanburg you should eat, but there are a few restaurants so iconic, that should make every list about Spartanburg. When I asked my family what should be included on this list, they all either said the Beacon or Wades!
Downtown Spartanburg is becoming quite the place to be! There are new restaurants, shops and activities opening all the time. You can find something new to do, eat or buy almost any day of the week, any time of the year. An afternoon or even a whole day can be spent exploring the
downtown area of Spartanburg. Here’s a map of all the great things Downtown Spartanburg has to offer.
Kids have been celebrating birthday parties and Friday nights at Roebuck Skating Center since 1978. The local hangout has recently updated their entire facility and the venue now includes a 3 story, 2500 square foot, indoor playground.Take the family, lace up your old school skates and show the kids how it’s done.
Spartanburg has welcomed spring with a huge street festival, the Spring Fling, for almost 40 years! Admission to Spring Fling is free and it’s a weekend full of food, vendors, music and fun. There are four entertainment stages, exciting new attractions every year, a Family Fun Zone and LOTS of food and market vendors. It will become one of your family’s favorite annual Spartanburg traditions.
Railroad transit shaped the history of Spartanburg and the HubCity Railway Museum is the place to go to learn all about the history of trains in our city, as well as Spartanburg history in general.
There are a ton of summer camps in our area depending on your child’s interests. Summer camps are a great way to make lifelong friends and develop personal knowledge and skills. Summer Camps are also a great way to experience all Spartanburg has to offer families!
Spark kids’ interest in higher education by visiting one of the many colleges in our area. Your family can tour the campuses and attend collegiate sporting events at a variety of beautiful upstate schools. Wofford College, Converse College, University of SC Upstate, Spartanburg Methodist College and Spartanburg Community College are all within Spartanburg County, or you could travel a little further and visit many others like Clemson, Furman, or Bob Jones.
This public botanical garden and woodland preserve is a gem right in the heart of Spartanburg. Its a beautiful escape any time of the year, but
Hatcher Garden in the spring is really something every kid should experience. This 10-acre garden, primarily planted by volunteers, offers a
woodland setting with trees, shrubs, flora, waterfalls, creeks ponds, and both paved and natural paths. The garden is open during daylight hours and is free to the public.
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium has been and institution in Spartanburg since 1951. It has a seating capacity of 3244 and one of the largest stages in the southeast. Here, Spartanburg hosts Broadway shows, comedy acts, celebrity speakers, sporting events, a variety of musical entertainment, family shows and trade shows. Over the years the auditorium has hosted top name acts including Taylor Swift, Harry Connick Jr., Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Matthews, Kenny Chesney, President George Bush and President George W. Bush, Lady Margaret Thatcher, Carol Burnett, Tom Brokaw, Broadway shows of all kinds, and family shows such as Sesame Street Live, Barney Live, Magic of David Copperfield, Peppa Pig and the circus. As a bonus, its right across the street from Krispy Kreme, so you can walk there for a treat after the show.
There’s no denying that the BMW plant is a huge part of Spartanburg’s identity. It is the only BMW manufacturing plant in the US and there is also a very interesting BMW museum here too. You’ve probably passed this cool building facing Interstate 85 at the edge of BMWs campus. The Zentrum is a state of the art facility, with free admission, where you can learn history, see the cars, and even grab a bite in the cafe. Learn as a family, how BMW plays a huge part in our economic culture.
The glory of our state is not contained to Spartanburg and the beauty of it is you can get to any part of our great state in a few hours. Spartanburg kids should explore as much of South Carolina as possible while growing up, from the coast, to the mountains, farmlands to the cities.
There’s a little of everything here. Spartanburg kids are blessed to grow up in such an awesome city and state.
Charles & Mary Moore settled in what is now the Roebuck area in 1767. The home is now part of the Spartanburg Historical Association and open to the public. Spend a day touring the house, outlying buildings, property’s cemetery, and nature trail, to see how some of the first residents of our area lived.
The Spartanburg International Festival began in 1985 and has grown into one of our most anticipated annual events. Its usually held in October and celebrates the many diverse cultures of our residents and businesses. It’s a full day of music, art, dance, food and international fun!
Your family will enjoy celebrating Spartanburg’s rich international culture.
We are fortunate in Spartanburg to have a thriving Parks and Recreation Department. Spartanburg kiddos should visit as many of these parks as possible. The Spartanburg Parks website gives you a list of all our parks, by location and amenity.
There are numerous places in Spartanburg where you can get away from the city lights and urban development so you can really see the stars. Pick a comfortable, clear night, and find a remote corner of Spartanburg where you can look up and experience stargazing in the country.
The Shed at Strawberry Hill USA is a simple, historic peach shed built in 1955 and used as a peach packing shed through 1989. The original packing shed was transformed into a premier roadside market by 1990 and as of 2017, Strawberry Hill U.S.A. is the largest strawberry farm in SC with 115 acres. Peaches are still the primary crop with close to 1,000 acres in production but you will also find summer squash, cucumbers, cantaloupes, runner beans, and pumpkins grown and sold at Strawberry Hill. You will get a taste of farm life as you see the tractors pull around the shed with a load of fresh peaches or strawberries fresh from the field. You can also visit the adjacent family restaurant and ice cream parlor. The Shed is closed
for the season until Spring 2018 but the cafe and ice cream parlor are open year round.
Hub City Farmers’ Market will start their 15th year this April. The primary market, the Saturday Market, offers a variety of produce, meats, eggs, plants, artisan crafts, and prepared foods. It is a great place for families to shop, and a runs from 8 am-noon, April – December.
Upward Star Center is a huge sports complex located just off Interstate 85 in Spartanburg. They offer baseball, basketball, cheerleading, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball, rock climbing, camps and more! Its a great place for Spartanburg kids (and adults) to learn and develop a sport, make friends and memories.
Shipwreck Cove Water Park, in Duncan, SC, is technically part of Spartanburg Park and Recreation but deserves it own spot on the list as Spartanburg’s only water park. This family-friendly water park offers fun for all ages and is open from Memorial Day until Labor Day each year. There is a larger pool for older kids with rustic pirate play ship and multi directional water cannons, two large flume slides on it’s main pool, a kiddie lagoon with misting water features, a lazy river around skull island with inflatable tubes, and certified lifeguards on duty at all times.
There is also a snack bar and a playground area of the neighboring Stone Ledge Park.
A Dickens of a Christmas has become a community tradition that festively celebrates the start of the Christmas season. The “Charles Dickens” period event offers a Christmas Market, carolers dressed in victorian costume, horse-drawn carriage rides, live Christmas music, living window displays, ice skating on Morgan Square, and of course the official lighting of the Denny’s Christmas tree. Your family should experience Spartanburg’s signature yuletide celebration.
The Spartanburg Soup Kitchen has been serving meals to the hungry in our area for more than 35 years. Located in downtown Spartanburg, they are open at lunchtime 365 days a year; and serve between 350 and 500 guests per day. The Spartanburg Soup Kitchen relies solely on the donation of time, money, and goods from individuals, groups, small businesses, and corporations.
Volunteer opportunities are available daily, between 9:30am and 1:30pm. Help is needed with food preparation, organization and unloading of donations, assembling children’s take-home bags, dishwashing, food line servering and after lunch clean up. To volunteer, contact Director, Lou Sartor at 864-585-0022 or visit their website.
Chapman Cultural Center is the hub for the arts in Hub City. Spartanburg Art Museum, Spartanburg Regional History Museum, Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg Gallery, Student Galleries, John F. Green Spartanburg Science Center, The Spartanburg Little Theater, Spartanburg Youth Theater, Spartanburg Philharmonic, and Ballet Spartanburg are all located and/or perform here. The Chapman Cultural Center should be a place every Spartanburg child visits, and often.
What’s on your child’s must do list before they grow up?
Jaime Brown grew up in Spartanburg and Greenville where she met her future husband in the 6th grade. After marriage and a few kids they moved away for a decade and now find themselves back in the Upstate with their four daughters ages 18, 14, 7 and 4. Having a college age child, high schooler, elementary aged fireball, and a special needs preschooler keeps her very busy but she loves each stage and encourages other momsIndependence Day celebrations are a time to celebrate our historical heritage and the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. Traditionally, friends and family gather together for good food and fun, and Spartanburg’s annual Red, White, and Boom provides the perfect entertainment. This local favorite July 4th celebration combines fair foods, family-friendly music, and an impressive fireworks show in a community setting.
RELATED: See our list of fireworks near Spartanburg for even more choices on where to celebrate the 4th of July.
Location and Time
Located at 248 E Saint John Street, Barnet Park is a sprawling seven acre urban park in downtown Spartanburg. The gates for Red,White, and Boom open at 5 p.m. but the festivities officially begin at 6 p.m. and end after the fireworks display at 10 p.m.
Parking
Free parking is available in the Saint John Street Parking garage (adjacent to the park and Chapman Cultural Center) and the surrounding area parking lots are usually open, as well. Parking is on a first come basis. Red, White, and Boom is a popular event, so expect crowds.
Admission
Admission to the event is $5 per person, and children 6 and under are free! Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
Happy 4th of July!!!
RELATED: See our list of fireworks near Spartanburg for even more choices on where to celebrate the 4th of July.
Juliet Autenzio Wright has lived in the Upstate for over 20 years. She is a proud alumna of Converse College and a former high school teacher. Now a stay-at-home mom to three little girls, ages five, two, and six months, Juliet loves exploring Spartanburg through the eyes of her children. Her favorite family-friendly activities include local parks and nature walks, library story times, and the many local festivals Spartanburg has to offer. In her spare time, she privately tutors, ghost writes, and reads as many books as possible. Juliet’s family and friends make her world go round! Are you looking for things to do outdoors in Spartanburg, SC? Spartanburg has some of the most beautiful parks, playgrounds, gardens, waterways, and outdoor spaces to explore in the Upstate. Below you will find a comprehensive list of guides and Kidding Around reviews of places and activities we recommend your family explore while enjoying the natural beauty that Spartanburg County has to offer.
This article includes:
Parks and Playground in Spartanburg, SC
Camping in Spartanburg, SC
Gardens in Spartanburg, SC
Hiking in Spartanburg, SC
Downtown in Spartanburg, SC
Outdoor Activities in Spartanburg, SC
Outdoor Dining in Spartanburg, SC
Festivals in Spartanburg, SC
Looking for other things to do in Spartanburg? Check out our Giant List of Things to do in Spartanburg, SC!
We also have a huge list of Things to do Indoors in Spartanburg if you’re wanting to avoid the heat or rain.
With our diversity of needs and desires, Kidding Around Spartanburg has put together a guide to help you find the park best for your family in Spartanburg County. ~Deborah Pope
You don’t have to venture far from the upstate to enjoy a day outdoors with your children. With these playgrounds offering such a different atmosphere, each one will create a brand-new adventure. ~Erika Morelli
Just off of Ashville Highway and right inside the city limits of Spartanburg is Cleveland Park, a large, beautiful old park with a new playground. It is one of my family’s favorite places to go for outings! Our kids love not only the amazing play structures but also the footpaths around the park where we can walk and enjoy the beautiful scenery together. ~Christina Goshorn
This park is perfect for a long day of fun in the sun, there is just so much to do! A FREE splash pad, two large playgrounds, over 60 ft climbing structure, and so much more.
If you have a plane lover in the family, this is the perfect park for them. Located right beside the airport, your kids can watch planes come and go while playing on the play structures and splashing in the free splash pad.
Located in Boiling Springs, this park has EVERYTHING! Seven sports complexes, soccer and football goal posts, Sholley Creek Disc Golf course, large play structures, and more.
This park it situated right beside Shipwreck Cove in Duncan. It has some nicely shaded areas to rest while watching your kids play on the playground structures.
Wooden dock, clear lake, tiny minnows sparkling in sunny shallow waters, tall trees, horses, hiking trails, and a playground. Sound good? Then you’ll want to check out Croft State Park the next time you’re looking for a family adventure. ~Maria Bassett
Anchor Park offers a fenced-in playground area to enjoy while your family fishes, enjoy the lakeside views, and you may even decide to rent a boat while there.
One of Spartanburg’s lesser-known parks is also one of its best. Tucked away in the historic neighborhood of Converse Heights, Happy Hollow Park spans one block at the corners of S. Fairview and Glendalyn Avenue. Small and secure, Happy Hollow Park provides a safe and shady place for children of all ages to play. ~Juliet Wright
Located near the Beacon Restaurant, this smaller park offers basketball courts, a playground, and a splash pad!
The Vic Bailey Subaru Bike Park is located along Spartanburg’s Mary Black Rail Trail. The park has features for bikers of all skill levels from beginners to advanced including a pump track, easy street, and advanced skill features like table-top jumps, a vertical wooden bridge, and more. ~Maria Bassett
Looking for a place to take the kids where they can grow their skateboard skills? Hot Spot Skate Park is the place! Located at 339 Union Street in Spartanburg, Hot Spot features a variety of street style steps, ramps, ledges, rails, half-pipes, and bowls for kids ages 6 and up. ~Nikki Hulton
No matter what part of North Spartanburg you live in, these parks are all worth the short drive it takes to get your family out of the house. Each park is perfect for playdates with friends, picnics with families or even quiet solo walks. ~Jennifer Curry
Once it gets to be summer (and 90 degrees) in Spartanburg, it’s time to find the nearest or best water park to cool off. That’s why we have created this list of 11 water parks and splash pads that are near Spartanburg. This list includes some free splash pads connected to playgrounds as well as larger water parks that are worth driving to (one even is connected to a hotel). ~Erika Morelli
Park Hop has come to Spartanburg, SC and now you can join the fun with this FREE park scavenger hunt with prizes for the kids! Since 2013 the kids of Greenville county have been discovering the local parks and earning prizes with this annual summertime event. ~Melanie Coblentz
Kids in Parks is a user-friendly website that includes an always-expanding list of nationwide locations that are considered TRACK trails. It allows families to search for locations near their hometown or even for an out-of-town adventure. That includes 160 TRACK Trails in 10 states, Washington DC, and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation with dozens of locations just a short drive away in North Carolina and Congaree National Park in South Carolina. ~Melanie Coblentz
Ready to enjoy some camping in Spartanburg? With all of the natural beauty surrounding us in the Upstate, the best way to enjoy it is by immersing yourself. We have a guide to all the places you’ll want to check out when looking for a place to camp near Spartanburg. ~Melanie Coblentz
Kings Mountain State Park offers both tent camping and RV camping. There are designated tent camping spots, as well as primitive camping spots to reserve.
Croft State Park has primitive camping spots for organized groups of up to 100! They also have RV spots that are packed with gravel with electrical and water hookups.
Just a couple miles off of I-26 in Spartanburg, amongst shopping and restaurants on the busy main thoroughfare of John D. White, Sr. Blvd, is a 10-acre botanical garden and woodland preserve. The beautiful space is full of ponds, waterfalls, wildlife, trees, and gardens with a wide variety of leafy and flowering plants. Hatcher Garden is open free to the public and should definitely be on your list of places to visit in Spartanburg. ~Maria Bassett
We are lucky to live near so many beautiful and diverse gardens. Here is a list of some of the best gardens and arboretums in Spartanburg and around the Upstate. ~Kristen Alcock
The Cottonwood Trail is the perfect space for your children to experience the seasons in the Upstate. Lush and green in the summer, crackling with autumnal colors in the fall, sparse and atmospheric in the winter, and brimming with new life in the spring, your children can observe the seasonal changes while exploring the great outdoors. ~Juliet Wright
Enjoy the South Carolina winter’s cooler temperatures and the great outdoors with a wintertime hike. There are several parks and trails perfect for cool weather hikes for the whole family near Spartanburg. ~Hope Evans
Lake Cooley has so much to offer, including boat and kayak rentals, fishing, a playground, plenty of spaces for picnics, and even the Lake Cooley Outdoor Education Center!
This trail offers 4 miles of perfectly flat ground to get outside and exercise or take a leisure stroll. The trail is perfect for biking, and is actually a converted trail rail!
This list of trails offers the best trails for hiking during the cool winter months in Spartanburg.
If you are looking for a relaxed way to meet up in a natural setting for your kids to explore the wilderness with other kids (for FREE!), then you have to check out Upstate SC Forest School on Facebook and engage in their meet-ups. The parents in this group are warm and welcoming and occasionally have activities set up for a meet-up. There are a handful of meet-ups each week, including at Croft State Park.
We went out on a hot summer day for some visits around Spartanburg, SC. We had a great time each place we went! We spent our day inside the city limits and had an enjoyable family experience in this picturesque, friendly location. ~Christina Johnson
A FREE mini golf course in the heart of downtown! Sparkle City Mini Golf is located near Hub City Scoops. You can borrow a club and ball from several local businesses.
When talking to friends and acquaintances who live in Spartanburg, I’ve noticed that one particular attraction has come up repeatedly in conversation: the Hub City Farmers’ Market. This local market meets on Saturdays from March-December at Northside Harvest Park from 8 a.m.-noon. The market boasts an invigorating, exciting atmosphere with an emphasis on health, all while supporting local businesses and farms. The food and handmade goods sold there are all locally grown and produced. ~Christina Johnson
Looking for a unique and fun way to explore downtown Spartanburg? Look no further than Blue Duck Scooters. You can rent scooters for $1 plus 25 cents per minute, then drop them off once you’re done at multiple places throughout the city.
If you haven’t tried Disc Golf (frisbee golf), now is a perfect time. There are multiple courses throughout Spartanburg, many of them scenic and shaded so you can play throughout the summer months as well! Play as a family, or even on a day date with your loved one.
Whether it is strawberry picking, sunflower galore, or pumpkin patch season, there is always something going on at Stewart Farms in Enoree. They offer a u-pick for both strawberries and pumpkins, along with lots of other goodies and groceries in their store.
The Upstate was one of the country’s hubs for the textile industry, with remnants of those mills being renewed through a transformation into places to explore their ruins, including Glendale Shoals in Spartanburg.
Have a family of swimmers that crave the water when the temperature starts to warm up? Check out this list of pool memberships throughout Spartanburg so you can soak up the sun poolside all season long.
Waterpark! Say no more. Shipwreck Cove in Duncan will have you spending all day by the pool, or getting drenched under the splash pad. This water park has a lazy river, waterslides, and more!
This comprehensive list of places that offer outdoor dining in Spartanburg, SC is loaded! There is something for everyone to enjoy while hanging out on the patio or even under the stars while enjoying your meal!
You can enjoy dinner under the stars at Dray Bar + Grill, who offer an expansive patio as well as seating out amongst the mill area where you will find the location. They occasionally offer movie nights and other events outdoors as well!
Kite Flying is mesmerizing when it is just one kite, now imagine dozens whipping and gliding through the air. You can see that and more at Spartanburg Soaring!
This list of Spring Festivals in Spartanburg has a little something for everyone to enjoy as the weather begins to warm and we are all itching to get outside!
As the crisp, cool air and autumn begins to make its way into the Upstate, these Fall festivals will have you heading outdoors to enjoy the beginning of the season.
What are your favorite things to do outdoors in Spartanburg, SC?