17+ Things to do Over Thanksgiving Break in Greenville, SC

Are you looking for things to do during Thanksgiving in Greenville, SC? Local mom Kristina Hernandez shares her list of things you can do as a family over Thanksgiving break, including volunteer opportunities, events, and even local hiking spots. Whether you are on your own or have family visiting for Thanksgiving, this is the list you need for a great holiday weekend.

That week of Thanksgiving is often very busy for families as they get ready for the big day, doing the necessary shopping, and trying to stay sane.  Then they have the added pressure/task of finding entertaining things to do with the kids and extended family and friends who may be visiting. We usually have family as well that come here to Greenville for the holidays so it’s necessary to find things to do that appeal to everyone.

Luckily, there is no shortage of things to do during the break! Make sure to call ahead to places to make sure they are open. Places like the Greenville Zoo are closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Fun ways to spend your Thanksgiving break

Volunteer In The Community

I feel like volunteering during Thanksgiving is a good way to physically show children how to be compassionate, caring, and grateful. There are many people in our area who have no one to celebrate the holidays with or who need a little extra help to get that Thanksgiving meal on the table. I want to be the one to make that happen.

We volunteer through our church on Thanksgiving morning to deliver meals to area residents but there are other opportunities as well:

• Harvest Hope Food Bank regularly accepts donations to provide holiday meals
  more info about donating to Harvest Of Hope.

• Greer Soup Kitchen 521 E. Poinsett Street, Greer
  Take volunteers all week. Call 864-968-0323 to volunteer and for specific times.

• Check out this list for more Volunteer Opportunities Near Greenville, SC

Go see Disney on Ice

This is easily one of my favorite things to do over Thanksgiving Break. Disney on Ice always comes to Greenville and my daughters and I have the best date night. Disney on Ice runs November 22, 24, 25, and 26, 2023 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Get tickets at the box office to save on all the fees.

Go Hiking

November is a beautiful time to get outside and hike around the area. It’s good for the kids to get out energy and fun to show visitors our beautiful state.

On November 24, 2023 (Black Friday), admission to ALL South Carolina State Parks is free. Some of the most popular parks are located right here in the Upstate: Paris Mountain, Devils Fork, Table Rock, and Jones Gap.

Here are just a sample of trails in the Upstate and Western North Carolina to explore, just be sure to check them out so they are appropriate for members of your family who are going hiking: Hiking Guide for Families, Big Kids, & Little Kids

Shop the Book Warehouse Outlet

The massive Book Warehouse Outlet is having an epic sale November 24, 25, and 26, 2023. If you haven’t been, well – it’s heaven. There are more than a million books, games, puzzles, journals, small toys, thank-you notes, you name it. And everything is 70% off.

Run a Turkey Day Race

This is a brilliant idea – run a race in the morning of Thanksgiving and eat whatever you want at Thanksgiving dinner. You can choose to run the TreesUpstate Turkey Day 5K in Greenville or the Electric City 5K in Anderson. Both races start Thanksgiving morning.

Runners can also take to the streets of downtown Spartanburg for the Annual United Community Bank Turkey Day 8K.

Most of these races benefit local charities. Runners and walkers also earn cool swag like race t-shirts, finisher medals, and giveaways. In most cases, strollers are welcome.

Enjoy The Children’s Museum of the Upstate

If you have extended family with kids staying at your place, send them over to The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, a gem in the city with hours’ worth of fun and entertainment for children. They typically have Thanksgiving-themed crafts that week. They are closed Mondays and on Thanksgiving.

Enjoy Night of Lights at Heritage Park

Head to Night of Lights in Simpsonville, the only walk-through light display in the Upstate! They are open daily – even Thanksgiving Day and Christmas – and have lots of daily specials.

Try an Escape Room

Escape Artist Greenville offers a Christmas-themed escape room called “Yuletide Magic.” And it’s for the whole family, which is unusual since most escape rooms are for adults and older kids/teens.

Trapped in the Upstate offers a year-round Christmas-themed escape room called “Saving Santa”. Guests are part of the Elf SEAL team, hired to find Santa before Christmas is ruined. This experience is great for all ages.

Go to a Zoo

The Greenville Zoo is perfect for a trip with family if you want to stay local. And the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia is awesome for a day-long trip.  The Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville is also worth the drive.

If you have a Roper Mountain Science Center membership, you get into the WNC Nature Center for free and pay half price at the Riverbanks Zoo if you have a Greenville Zoo membership.

Do a Jocassee Lake Tour

Jocassee Lake Tours kicks off their cooler weather lake tours in November. Seeing the lake by boat with one of their guides is always such a treat. And no need to paddle to all the waterfalls as you get to see them on the boat!

Go Sock Skating

Sock skating opens at the Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia on Friday, November 24th. What is sock skating you ask? Here you go.

Go get your Christmas Tree

Some families get their Christmas tree and start decorating them right after Thanksgiving. It’s a fun thing for kids to do as well to search for the tree and decorate it together. Here are several Christmas tree farms in the area that open at Thanksgiving where you can find your perfect tree.

Go Ice Skating

The ice rink in downtown Greenville is open not only the week of Thanksgiving but also from 9:30 am – 5:30 pm on Thanksgiving Day. This is a fun way to enjoy family time and also a great way to bring visitors to downtown Greenville and show them the sights! $10/adult, $8/kid, which includes skate rental. Tickets for specific dates & time slots are available for advance purchase online. Walk-up tickets will only be available when space allows. Everything you need to know about Greenville’s Ice On Main.

Kick off the Christmas Season at Christmas on the Farm

Christmas at the Farm is more than just a Christmas tree lot. It is an experience for the whole family full of fun holiday activities, all centered around picking a Christmas tree. Trees are imported from the mountains of North Carolina and are brought to Arran Farm, for a two weekend only Christmas tree festival. They will have a hot chocolate bar, food trucks, crafts, trivia, yard games, a bonfire with s’mores, a photo booth, and much more. Additionally, your favorite local vendors will be selling their amazing festive products, perfect for gift-giving and stocking stuffers. Tickets are $15/adults and $10/children.

• November 24 from 10 am – 3 pm
• November 25 from 10 am – 3 pm
• November 26 from Noon – 5 pm
• December 2 from 10 am – 3 pm
• December 3 from Noon – 5 pm

Play Inside

It can be chilly that week of Thanksgiving and there are a ton of things to do indoors: trampoline parks, bounce houses, libraries, museums, arcades, paint-your-own-pottery, roller skating, and ice skating rinks. While many are closed on Thanksgiving Day, they are open the other days of the week (just be sure to call in advance before bundling everyone up and heading out to one of them).

Hop on a Train

The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in Bryson City, NC is running both their super popular Polar Express train and the Winter Nantahala Gorge Excursion all during the week of Thanksgiving (except Thanksgiving Day). This is a great trip to create wonderful memories for your family.

Enjoy the A Festival of Trees

The free Festival of Trees in downtown Greenville at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown, the Embassy Suites by Hilton – Riverplace, and the Hyatt Regency kick off on Friday, November 17th. You can stroll through the hotels and check out all the different decorated Christmas trees.

Support Small Businesses

Check out the local Holiday Markets and shop local artisans, crafters, food vendors, and more. You can also skip the crowds on Black Friday and head out on Saturday to one of these local businesses that offer unique gifts for your family.

Shop a Flea Market

Feel like wandering through eBay or Craigslist in real life? Check out the Barnyard Flea Market in Greer, only open on the weekends. It has everything you could possibly need in one place and is just plain fun to walk through. In Anderson, the Jockey Lot, open Saturdays & Sundays, is a huge flea market as well.

Enjoy Christmas Lights

The Upstate Holiday Light Show, the Christmas House in Inman, the Anderson Christmas Lights, and several others are all operating Thanksgiving weekend. Check out our list of Places to See Christmas Lights in the Upstate to schedule your trip. Some of these are free while others require an admission fee.

Spend the weekend driving to see all of the best-decorated homes in the Upstate with 2023 Kidding Around Christmas Driving Routes. They will be published after Thanksgiving.

Our Driving Routes of Upstate, SC Christmas Light Displays is a great way to finish off the week!

Check Out The Things on The Kidding Around Event Calendar

For more fun things to do the week of Thanksgiving, and every day, head to the Kidding Around Event Calendar!

Visit Columbia, SC!

Our sister site has a list of things to do over Thanksgiving break in Columbia, SC. Get a change of scenery and check out what Columbia has to offer this Thanksgiving! They have some new events this year like Fireflies Holiday Lights that you won’t want to miss!