We heard Jeter Mountain Farm, Justus Orchard, Grandad's Apples N' Such, and Sky Top Orchard all have HONEYCRISP apples this weekend 🍎
You're welcome.
🤠From bull riding to barrel racing to pole bending and kids events, the Summer Stampede Series at Latigo Farm - Landrum has it all!
The rodeo kicks off at 7:30pm and runs to about 11pm. The kids events are for the first hour or so and then the tempo picks up a but with cowgirls roping calves and bull riding. Concessions are affordable and the arena is almost all covered. You can sit in the bleachers or bring chairs.
Admission is $10 cash for ages 5+. The next rodeo is this Saturday, August 3rd. The rest of the 2024 Summer Stampede dates are:
August 3
August 17
August 31
September 14
October 12
October 19
October 26
📍3472 Highway 414, Landrum, SC
E.A. Livestock Company
Ready for some peach pickin? Here's where to go near Greenville! Tip: always call or check social media pages before heading out as things change quickly.
Here's where to go for upick peaches:
🍑 Fisher's Orchard - weekends only: 650 Fisher Rd, Greer, SC
🍑 Jeter Mountain - weekends only: 1126 Jeter Mountain Rd, Hendersonville, NC
🍑 Chattooga Belle Farm - daily: 454 Damascus Church Road, Long Creek, SC
🍑 Sky Top Orchard - daily: 1193 Pinnacle Mountain Rd, Flat Rock, NC
🍑 Peach Country - by appointment only: 13891 Highway 11, Campobello, SC
🍑 Black's Peaches - hours and availability vary: 1800 Black Hwy, York, SC
🍑 The Peach Tree Orchard - hours and availability vary: 2077 Filbert Hwy, York, SC
Let us know if we missed any and tag who you're taking peach picking in the comments!
💦 What a wild and fun ride we had at Soaky Mountain Waterpark in Sevierville, TN, less than three hours from the Upstate!
We tried out their new Edge ride, a dueling water coaster with several drops (if we didn't edit our reel, you would have heard us screaming 😂). It was a blast!
The waterpark has dozens of rides for kids of all ages, an awesome wave pool with waves up to 6' in height, a lazy river, plenty of lounge chairs, and an entire area for smaller tots, complete with their own cute little water slides.
We went on a mega hot summer day but really didn't have to wait in line for too long. You can get tickets online or at the gate, and there are lockers to rent for towels and shoes. Season passes are available if you know you'll be coming back here often, and tickets to Soaky Mountain are heavily discounted if you stay across the street at Wilderness at the Smokies.
Have you been to Soaky Mountain?
⛱️ We do have beaches in the Upstate - they are beautiful, mountain beaches on pretty lakes with no sharks, gators, stingrays, or eels! 🚫🦈
This hot weather is making us want to pack our mountain beach bag and toys for some sandy fun. If you want the list (because ya know we've got a list), check the comments.
Beach pictured is at Table Rock State Park.
🫐 It's blueberry season!
We went blueberry picking at Mixon Farm in Gray Court and wow, those bushes are full with yummy goodness.
The upick field is currently open Monday through Saturday 7am- 7pm and Sunday from 1- 7pm. Check their social media channels to confirm hours before you go.
Upick price is $12 per gallon. Pre-picked gallons are $20. You can pay by cash, Paypal, Venmo, Cash app, or check.
📍12104 Hwy. 101 South, Gray Court, SC
🥾 We don't hike a lot over the summer, but when we do, it needs to involve either cooler temps or water!
Rough Ridge has the former - it's usually 15-20 degrees cooler than Greenville - and off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's one of our most favorite hikes for its unmatched beauty and views!
Here's what you need to know:
🥾Overall, it's an easy hike and less than a mile roundtrip to get to the lookout rock with that amazing view. There is some uphill on the way there.
👦The hike is kid-friendly but watch them closely, especially around ledges.
🐕 Dogs on leash are welcome.
⚠️ Follow all signs. The area is home to several fragile flowers and plants and oftentimes there's a Ranger out there making sure people follow the rules and stay on the trail.
🚗 The parking area is at mile marker 302.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
🗑 Leave No Trace and pack out what you pack in.
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Part 5 of our swimming holes series takes us to Schoolhouse Falls in Panthertown Valley in Jackson County, NC. Here are the details and please remember to Leave No Trace.
🥾 2.6 miles roundtrip easy/moderate hike
🐕 Dogs on leash allowed
🗑 Pack out what you pack in and leave no trace
🚗 Follow all posted signs on parking
🚫 Never stand on top of this or any waterfall
🌏 Bring a map and use a good app (we suggest Gaia) as there are a lot of intersecting trails in Panthertown Valley and it's easy to get lost
🌞Steal our summer itinerary, day 2!
For this (nearly free) summer day of fun, we head up to Hendersonville, NC.
First, go to the Fairy Trail at Bullington Gardens. It's free and completely whimsical and fun: Monday-Saturday 9am-4pm; 📍95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville, NC.
Then, head to the Village Bakery at Flat Rock for lunch. Their wood-fired pizza and salads are fantastic. 📍2710 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock
Hit up the Park at Flat Rock for a great playground experience. They have a big playground, a toddler playground, miles of trails, and nice bathrooms. 📍55 Highland Golf Dr, Flat Rock, NC
Head home and stop at Wildcat Wayside to cool off. It's a beautiful roadside waterfall on Highway 11, perfect for smaller kids. 📍5500 Geer Hwy, Cleveland, SC
🌞There is no reason to be bored this summer. And if you are, we are going to help you out with our summer itineraries! Here's Day 1:
MORNING: Free splash pad at Tyger River Park
LUNCH: Free lunch for kids 18 and under at the food truck at Roper Mountain Science Center (10:30am-1pm)
AFTER LUNCH: Summer Adventure at the Roper Mountain Science Center - you could choose lunch inside instead, which is also free for kids. Tickets are free for members or $15/adults, $14/ages 3-12; 10am-4pm
LATER AFTERNOON: Pick lavender at Elf Leaf Farm in Landrum. $5/parking + cost of lavender; 10am-4pm
Stay tuned for more summer itineraries!
All free, yay! More info in link in comments.
Part 4 of our amazing swimming holes series! This one is at Table Rock State Park.
You can swim in waterfalls OR on a sandy beach.
👨👩👧👦 No hikes needed for these, family-friendly swimming holes
🗑 Leave No Trace
💰 There's a small fee per person to enter unless you have an SC State Parks Pass (then it's free)
🐈🚫 Dogs on leash are allowed on trails, not on the beach
Have you been to Table Rock?
@elfleaffarm in beautiful Landrum, SC is open for their 2024 season! The lavender fields are just gorgeous and smells amazing 💜
They are hosting special events during the season - think flower crown making and lavender cookie decorating - plus have NEW lavender ice cream and small batch soda for sale in the shop. Their lavender simple syrup is one of favorites (we love adding it to our coffee)!
Parking is $5/car and hours are 9 am - 4 pm Tuesdays-Sundays through the end of June.
📍141 N Campbell Rd, Landrum, SC
Have you been to The Children's Museum of the Upstate (partner) newest exhibit yet?! Fasten your seatbelts, prepare for takeoff—it’s going to be a WONDERful flight into the brand new Wings in the Air exhibit!
✈️ Explore aeronautics in steamWORKS
🗺️ Read “Flight School” by Lita Judge in StoryTime
🚁 Play helicopter jump rope in Healthy Hustle and much, much more!
➡️ https://tcmupstate.org/greenville/wings-in-the-air/
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This exhibit is generously sponsored by the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission. Additional support is provided by Duke Energy, First Lieutenant P.F. Cureton, Jr. Foundation, the Spinks Family Foundation, Lockheed Martin and F.W. Symmes Foundation.
DAY TRIP:
🤸♀️Park Circle Playground in North Charleston, SC has the honor of being the world’s largest inclusive and accessible playground because any kid, no matter their ability, can enjoy the park. It's more than 55,000 square feet.
This is our second reel on the playground, and this time we are showing you a lot of the equipment that makes it more inclusive for kids of all abilities. They have accessible swings with harnesses, stainless steel slides that won't interfere with cochlear implants, a rubber surface easier for walking devices, and wheelchair transfer stations. They also have a full size changing table in a couple of the bathrooms.
Anyone of any ability is welcome to play - including parents and caregivers!
We think the designers did a great job because:
👏There's plenty of shade
👏Lots of benches
👏Bathrooms
👏The playground is totally fenced in.
It's open daily 7am-5:30pm and free!
📍4800 Park Circle, North Charleston, SC
🎈For a totally unique experience of art (and fun), you've got to go to the Balloon Museum Let's Fly in Atlanta! This is a pop-up art exhibit that will end on June 9, 2024. It is AWESOME.
The exhibit is wonderful for kids of all ages and adults. We had just as much fun as our kids! There are several exhibits, many of which are interactive, including the biggest ball pit we have ever seen in our lives.
It took us a little over an hour to go through it all and we'd 100% do it again. Tickets are timed and can be purchased on the Balloon Museum's website. Tickets are $39/adults and $29/ages 4-12; free for kids under 3. No strollers or large bags allowed. A paid parking lot is next door.
📍Pullman Yards – 225 Rogers St NE, Atlanta, GA 30317
⛱️ We do have beaches in the Upstate - they are beautiful, mountain beaches on pretty lakes with no sharks, stingrays, or eels! 🚫🦈
This hot weather is making us want to pack our mountain beach bag and toys for some sandy fun.
We have more than 26 beaches on our list- linked in the comments.
💐 Step into a fairy tale at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge where you can find all kinds of hidden treasures!
The garden is free to visit and run by volunteers. There are an incredible array of flowers and secret gardens with inviting benches and spots to enjoy the view.
The Rainbow Bridge is a special place for pet owners to memorialize their pets who have passed on by attaching their collar to the bridge. It's very sweet. ❤️
The bridge is close to Chimney Rock Village and the Lake Lure Beach.
📍3070 Memorial Hwy, Lake Lure, NC 28746
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It's strawberry season! Link in comments for all the places to go in and near the Upstate. 🍓🍓🍓
The mountaintop chapel at Pretty Place in Greenville County, way in the Upstate, is a bucket list place to go. The views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and sunrises are stunning.
Here's what you need to know:
-Check the public schedule before you go. The chapel is on the property of Camp Greenville and it's not always open to the public.
-Follow all signs and directions and leave no trace - don't leave trash there.
-Don't go on any ledges. An officer will call you out in front of all the people there.
-Get there earlier than you think - we got there 15 minutes before sunrise and had to walk a half mile down the road.
-There is a parking area right next to the chapel but it fills up quickly.
-Be respectful - this is a beautiful place of prayer.
-There are port-a-potties on site.
-Pretty Place is free to visit but donations are encouraged.
📍100 YMCA Camp Rd, Cleveland, SC
