Stepp’s Apple Orchard is a family-owned orchard in Hendersonville, NC. They have u-pick apples, lots of fun family activities on weekends, and pretty amazing cider and pumpkin donuts.
Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard is the very first u-pick apple orchard in Henderson County and has been in operation for more than 50 years. They know what they’re doing, and we had to go check it out for ourselves. Honestly, I went for the pumpkin donuts. I love apple cider donuts, but pumpkin? Yes, please!
One thing that stood out to me immediately was just how super nice and helpful everyone at the orchard was. They have u-pick apples, pre-picked apples, a big store that sells homemade soap, t-shirts, and honey, a bakery, corn maze, pumpkin patch, jumping pillow, apple canon, and wagon ride. Some of these activities are only available on weekends, which I’ll tell you about in this review.
Are you curious about Aqua Parks?Need something different but also super fun to cool off during the summer and get out all your kids’ energy? Here are six floating obstacle courses in South Carolina and Georgia to do just that!
Floating obstacle courses are one of my new favorite summer activities. Here’s why:
I get to make my Wipeout and ninja warrior dreams come true
I get in an awesome workout
My kids are obsessed with and so happy to enjoy these aqua parks
My kids are completely wiped out afterward because it’s super exhausting
They are excellent for both kids and adults!
If you haven’t tried one of these, I’ve compiled a list for you so you can try them all too! I’ve noted the differences between the places to help you out in choosing your adventure. I’ve been to all of the places listed below so these are firsthand reviews and comments. Most are open all summer through September, depending on the weather.
Splash Island at Big Water Marina
Who says you need a lazy river and wave pool to have a water park, just head to one of these aqua parks on a lake! So, if you have been wondering “Where are the water obstacle courses near me?”, don’t worry. We have all the information you need!
Water Obstacle Courses Near Me: Upstate, South Carolina
Splash Island at Big Water Marina
This huge floating obstacle course opened in the summer of 2022 on Lake Hartwell. It is like a theme park on the water! The Splash Island floating water park is situated at Big Water Marina and Campground, which has a sandy beach, hammocks, chairs, shaded spots, tiny cabins, TV pads, and a delicious restaurant, J.R. Cash’s on-site (it has a pirate ship playground!).
Cost: $15/hour; $25/two hours; kids must be 42″ tall (under 46″ are allowed with an adult) Hours: Thursday-Sunday from 10 am – 6 pm and the two-hour sessions are 10 am – Noon, 1-3 pm, and 4-6 pm. Distance from Greenville: One hour Highlights: Sandy beach, restaurant, hydrobike/SUP/kayak rentals, tiny cabins for rent, restaurant with a playground Address: 320 Big Water Road, Starr, SC Kidding Around Review of Big Water
Splash Island at Big Water Marina
Aqua Zone at The Shores at Asbury
The Shores at Asbury has their giant Aqua Zone floating obstacle course on Lake Hartwell also. It’s situated on a huge sandy beach, with sand imported from Florida, kayak and SUP rentals, and a restaurant on site. They also have a kids obstacle course for kids who are under 47″.
Cost: $18/hour or $25/two hours if bought online; $20/hour on-site; $35/all-day pass, $120/family four pass for all-day access; follow on Facebook for deals on tickets Hours: 11 am – 7 pm daily, closed Noon-1 pm, and 3 – 4 pm for safety checks and lifeguard breaks Distance from Greenville: One hour Highlights: White sandy beach with tents and lounge chairs, kids floating obstacle course, lawn games, a restaurant Address: 1600 Asbury Park Road, Anderson, SC Kidding Around Review of the Shores at Asbury
Aqua Zone Shores at Asbury
SouthTown Wake Park
Located in Rock Hill, SC, SouthTown Wake Park has wake boarding plus a big floating obstacle course. This is a great activity to tire those kids (and adults) out, as it takes a ton of energy to climb and jump over the obstacles. Kids have to be 7 years old to participate on the aqua course.
Cost: $18 for 45 minutes Hours: Open daily Noon-6 pm Distance from Greenville: 1.5 hours Highlights: Big aqua park, wakeboarding, disc golf, cornhole Address: 255 E Rambo Rd Rock Hill, SC 29730 Kidding Around Review of SouthTown Wake Park
Aqua Parks in Charleston, SC
Charleston Aqua Park
The Charleston Aqua Park is super cool because it not only has an aqua park but also the only ropes course over water in the country. It is also one of the area’s only floating water parks. The owner assured us there aren’t gators at Trophy Lake, too. We had such a blast at this park and the water felt so good on a hot, summer day. Plus, it’s really close to the beautiful Angel Oak Tree!
Cost: $19/hour; discounts available during the week and/or if you book both the aqua park and ropes course Hours: Open daily 10 am – 6 pm Distance from Greenville: 3 hours and 20 minutes Highlights: Big aqua park, a little beach, and swimming area for smaller kids, only over-water ropes course in the country, kids summer camps (you can send a kid there for a day while you’re on vacation), covered picnic areas, other water activity rentals Address: 3050 Marlin Road, Johns Island SC Kidding Around Review of Charleston Aqua Park
Charleston Aqua Park
Aqua Parks in Georgia
Marina Station Water Park
This is one of the most family-friendly aqua parks in Georgia. The park is located on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, GA, and also has a sandy beach with chairs and umbrellas for rent. They just upgraded their equipment and life jackets for 2023 and it’s so much better than previous years. They also have a smaller kids course for ages 4-7 years old, making for a great floating playground. We really enjoyed our time at Marina Station Water Park.
Cost: $18/hour or $42/all day; kids have to be 45″ tall or 7 years old for the big course; $150/family of four all-day pass Hours: Open daily 10 am – 7 pm (last ticket sold at 6:30 pm) Distance from Greenville: 2 hours and 20 minutes Highlights: Huge splash island, kids floating obstacle course, sandy beach, chair, and tent rentals, offers season passes Address: 3379 US Highway 76, Hiawassee, GA Marina Station Water Park
Splash Island at The Ridges Resort in GA
Terminus Wake Park
We loved the aqua course at this outdoor adventure park near Cartersville, Georgia. You can also go wakeboarding here but I’m not coordinated enough for that. There’s also a lot to do in the Cartersville-Bartow area to make your trip here an overnight adventure.
Terminus Wake Park
Cost: $24-$28 a person depending on if it’s a weekday or weekend/holiday Hours: Open daily usually from Noon-8 pm but check the website for updated hours. Distance from Greenville: 3 hours and 15 minutes Highlights: Huge aqua course with body slides, climbing wall, cabanas with beanbag chairs for parents/spectators, wakeboarding, big bathroom for changing Address: 171 LakePoint Pkwy, Cartersville, GA Kidding Around Review of Cartersville-Bartow (includes Terminus Wake Park)
Would you try out one of these aqua parks? Did we miss your favorite place? Let us know in the comments
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.
Make back-to-school time easy this year! Our readers are really smart, which is why we asked them about their very best back-to-school hacks.
Getting back into the swing of things for a new school year is no joke. It is hard. The early mornings, the bus schedule, the lunch packing, the homework, the extracurricular sports, the chalkboard first day or school photos. It can be overwhelming, which is why we turned to the most knowledgeable group of people we know to ask for tips: our readers. Here’s what they said.
#1 Start the bedtime/wake-up time school schedule a couple of weeks before school starts
This was one of the top pieces of advice from our readers. Getting up early on day 1 is zero fun in and of itself. If your kid(s) has been doing it for at least a week or so, it’s a tad bit easier.
Consider planning a couple fun outings the week prior to school starting such as going out for donuts to make the earlier rising time an adventure.
Practice lunch by packing the lunch box and setting a timer for the amount of time that your child has for lunch at school.
#2 Pick out the clothes for school for the entire week.
Multiple readers said they help their kids to lay out clothes for the whole week on Sunday or tell their teens to do so themselves. One reader even had a brilliant idea to use hanging cubbies to put clothes for each day. And this is why we ask our readers these questions.
#3 Don’t buy a brand new “back to school” wardrobe
The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans with school-age kids are spending upwards of $867 per kid on back to school supplies and clothing. That number is enormous but can be cut back without going all out for a new wardrobe for your kids. There are tons of consignment shops and sales to make use of to help get your kids a new-to-them wardrobe.
Also, consider purchasing just a couple outfits at the beginning of the school year versus an entire new wardrobe. Your kids might change their mind on what they want to wear after seeing what other kids are wearing and the colder weather is just a couple months away.
#4 Meal prep
Many of our readers noted that prepping meals ahead of time for during the week is a lifesaver when getting back into the swing of things. One mom even prepares one big meal at the beginning of the week that can feed everyone for several nights and just switches up the sides to add variety.
Anything you can prepare the night before such as packing lunches will also make leaving the house on time in the morning much easier.
Setting up a breakfast station the week before with breakfast foods ready to go can also make the morning move smoother.
#5 Take the “first day of ____ grade” pictures the day before!
As yes, the First Day of __ Grade Back to School photos. You know, the ones where you’re desperately trying to get your kid to school but then remember you want to memorialize the occasion but need a chalkboard and pen and paper and nothing else that you have right then but are already late? Yeah, those. Do them the day before school starts. Reader Kerry says, “Just chill. The chalkboard thing doesn’t have to happen; neither does posting to social media. Let them dress for comfort instead of trying to dress to impress.” Another mom said she just has her kids hold up the number of fingers to correspond to the grade they are going into.
#6 Don’t schedule any appointments that first week of school
No doctor appointments. No dentist appointments. Nothing that will give you even more stress than you’re already handling. Schedule them for a few weeks out from the first day of school if you can.
#7 Use Alexa to help you remember things you/your kids need to do
One reader said she programs her Alexa device to set reminders about things her or her kids would likely forget like when the library book is due, what day of the week her kid(s) needs to wear gym shoes or a reminder to plug in the Chromebook.
#8 Plug in that Chromebook
Be sure to plug in the Chromebook on Sunday night because going to school with a dead laptop is no fun.
#9 Keep the social life to a minimum
One mom said she has found that restricting weekend plans for the first few weeks into the school years has helped her kids to get the relaxation they need and helps them to focus on the new school year.
#10 Use your calendar to keep up with events
One mom said she plugs all of the school events into your calendar on her phone before the school years so she knows what to expect and can plan for events.
#11 Keep all school-related things in one place
Mom Stacy has this amazing idea: “I have a back-to-school binder. It has the school calendar and sections for each child for their supply lists and forms teachers send home for platforms the kids use, passwords, usernames, etc and contact lists.
Anything important that’s sent home, especially those early weeks, goes straight in the binder. The supply list stays so I can touch base with the teacher through the year on possible extra needs or send in extras that are consumed quickly.”
Planning a trip for apple picking at Jeter Mountain Farm? This gorgeous farm hosts weddings, has seasonal u-pick flowers, fruits, and more plus an enormous indoor play area.
The views from the parking lot of Jeter Mountain Farm are sweeping shots of the nearby mountains, open space, and a beautiful building that seems to fit right into the landscape with its earthy hues of brown and green. The farm is a welcoming spot for families that has nearly two dozen varieties of apples, cider, live music, a wagon ride, and lots of other activities to enjoy.
If a unique getaway or staycation is on your radar, Kristina stayed at a tiny house with Saluda Tiny on the Saluda River in Easley. It’s the perfect little overnight glamping trip to take a break from the world and she tells us all about it. Thank you to the Saluda Outdoor Center and Saluda Tiny for hosting us.
Kidding Around Earns through an affiliate relationship with Stay22 when you book through links on this page.
Are you interested in learning about Congaree National Park events? Many people don’t know that our national and state parks have pretty cool events all throughout the year. One of them – the Owl Prowl – is quite the adventure at Congaree National Park in Columbia, SC and Kristina has all the details.
The more I’ve visited local, state, and national parks, the more I’ve learned about the Ranger programs offered, and wow, every single one I’ve been to or done with my kids has been awesome. When I saw an event for the Ranger-guided Owl Prowl in Congaree National Park in Columbia, SC, I immediately signed up.
The SC State Museum is not only huge but so entertaining, educational, and fun. Here’s why you should consider a trip to Columbia, SC to explore it.
The South Carolina State Museum has been on my list as a homeschooling parent (actually, before that since my daughter was supposed to go as a third-grader and then the pandemic hit). I had heard it was cool but did not know the extent of exactly how amazing it would be. So I hauled my kids out there for a truly fun day trip. And if you’re a homeschooling parent, read all the way through for a special admission tip.
Have you visited Cottle Strawberry Farm for strawberry picking? Columbia, SC has one of the largest strawberry patches located on a beautiful, huge farm where strawberries are plentiful. Plus, it is such a memorable springtime experience to visit a strawberry farm. Columbia, SC’s Cottle Strawberry Farm offers both u-pick and prepicked strawberries, so you’ll never go without those sweet juicy berries.
The first thing I noticed when pulling into Cottle Strawberry Farm outside Columbia, SC was the rows upon rows upon rows of strawberries. The place is huge and the berries are juicy, sweet, and delicious.
Do you want to take your family somewhere to see dinosaurs? Have you been searching for “places to see dinosaurs near me”? If you have a dino-loving kid, you probably have been. And, you’re in luck. Because, we have a list of all the places to see dinosaurs near Columbia, SC. Our list includes some fabulous places to learn about dinosaurs right in Columbia, SC, and also in North Carolina and South Carolina. All of them make a great dinosaur day trip or even a weekend adventure from the Midlands.
