Families are super pumped about Monster Jam – as they should be because the show is awesome. Ginormous trucks speed around the arena, smashing cars, flipping over, doing wheelies, and generally living out all our craziest driving fantasies.
But what’s it really like driving those trucks? Even better, what’s it like being a woman and driving Grave Digger? Luckily for our readers, we got to talk to Krysten Anderson ahead of this weekend’s Monster Jam about her experience as a Monster Truck driver and smashing everything from cars to the glass ceiling.
Kidding Around Greenville: What drew you to wanting to drive a Monster Truck? How can a regular person become a Monster Truck driver?
Krysten Anderson: My dad created Grave Digger in 1982 so he’s a pioneer in Monster Trucks and my brothers drive the trucks as well. I’ve always been around Grave Digger so it was a normal thing for me and I didn’t realize how popular it was until I got older. My two older brothers were always into racing and motorsports so it was expected they would drive – but not really for myself. Initially, I was going to go to school for art and wanted to get a job designing the trucks but then Monster Jam called me when I turned 18 and asked me if I wanted to drive Grave Digger – they never had a female drive that truck and to this day, I’m still the only one.
It’s possible that fans can become drivers who have some kind of mechanic inclination. Go to MonsterJam.com and submit a resume with Feld Entertainment. Also, a motorsports degree is being offered at the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) and Monster Jam has been recruiting from that program, so that’s another way to get into it.
KAG: Do you have a hard time driving standard cars on the highway? Do you instinctively want to drive over the cars in front of you?
KA: I’m kind of a fast and aggressive driver who is strictly business, wanting to get from point A to point B. I drive a Jeep Wrangler so it’s one of the bigger trucks. If I could get in my Grave Digger on the highway, I totally would.
KAG: Monster Jam is fairly male-dominated. What’s it like being a woman in that environment?
KA: Growing up with my dad and three brothers, my whole life has been male-dominated so it doesn’t make me uncomfortable being in this environment and I’m not intimidated. I feel like I can definitely bring the competition. My brothers didn’t treat me like a princess and treated me as one of their own, which really helped me be the female competitor I am today.
I’m in the top four competitors on my tour right now and there are plenty of females taking home big wins on Monster Jam. It’s a pretty good year for the girls.
KAG: Do you date much? Guys are probably either really intimidated or really intrigued, right?
KA: My boyfriend, Tyler, is actually another Grave Digger driver who is touring in California. If I had to date again, I have no idea how I’d break the ice with what I do. Tyler was intrigued and we’ve been dating for three years and he hasn’t been scared away yet.
KAG: What’s the biggest thing you’ve smashed with a truck besides the glass ceiling?
KA: Every time we come out, we always have crushed cars from a Toyota Camry, trailers, SUVs, you name it.
KAG: And what’s the most memorable reaction you’ve gotten from a kid when they find out you’re a Monster Truck driver?
KA: Best reactions are from little girls and their moms. People expect men when they come out to Monster Jam and I love seeing little girls coming through the line with their Grave Digger shirts. The moms that come to me after the show or online to thank me for inspiring their little girls are so meaningful. I love that their little girls see me and are inspired to do things they may not have considered before.
See Monster Jam
Monster Jam comes to the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC: April 26-27, 2025.
Most families have to be on some kind of budget, but that definitely doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy all that the Midlands, SC has to offer. We have lots of ideas on how to save money and enjoy time together.
Some months I really cringe at my credit card statement, even though I am a conscious spender and try to be frugal and thrifty with our family’s resources. But, my goodness, those grocery trips, shopping for shoes yet again that my kids have somehow outgrown, planning a family trip, and trying to keep the heat low or the AC not terribly high certainly are all at the top of my mind as a parent.
I’ve got a few ideas on how to handle these daunting tasks as a parent while having fun with your kids.
Emily Douglas Park Splashpad
Save Money on Groceries
At this point, no one is surprised that grocery bills have shot up in the last year due to several factors like supply chain issues and inflation. The USDA estimates that families spend more than 10% of their income on groceries. I’d say it’s more.
The government agency breaks down grocery spending for a family of four into four groups: the thrifty plan, which costs $939/month on groceries, the low-cost plan, which they estimate families will spend about $1,000/month on groceries, the moderate plan, which they estimate costs up to $1,263/month on groceries, and the liberal plan, which costs more than $1,500/month on groceries.
This doesn’t even take into account teenage boys, which they estimate will eat a boatload of pasta daily. I’m only half-joking. How in the world do you manage this?
Meal Planning
You’ve got to plan out your meals or you’ll be reaching for your credit card and buying either a lot of junk food or a lot of take-out meals. I sit down once a month and try to plan out meals for at least a month in advance using less inexpensive ingredients like rice, beans, bulk meat, pasta, vegetables, and things I can freeze or buy on sale.
Shop the Sales
Pay attention to grocery store circulars and compare prices. Be sure to look at the unit cost and not the total cost so you aren’t paying more for less.
Use a Grocery Pickup or Delivery Service
I use Instacart and have for the past several years. Yes, it costs a bit more, and I pay a monthly fee to use the service, but I save way more money in time and impulse buys than I would if I had to take my kids with me in the store and buy whatever I felt like instead of only the items on my list.
Shop Seasonally and Locally
Farmers Markets are a good way to obtain quality ingredients. If you go later in the day, you may be able to score a good deal on food they would rather sell at a lower price than cart home. Here is a great list of Columbia Farmer’s Markets and farm shops where you can find local produce in the Midlands. Seasonal produce and vegetables are also going to be a lot cheaper than when they aren’t in season.
I will usually buy a bunch of strawberries and blueberries over the late spring and summer and freeze them for later on. Same with peaches. Yum! You can also consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to get local food every week from a farm here in the Midlands.
Kids Eat Free
There are several restaurants in the Midlands that offer Kids Eat Free (or cheap) nights where a kids meal is free with an adult purchase. This could be a lifesaver some nights!
Save Money on Travel
I really enjoy traveling. It opens up a whole other world for my kids and me and gives us quality family time together. While traveling isn’t inexpensive, there are definitely ways to save money.
Hilton Head Island
Go During the Off-season
If you and your family can travel during the off-season, prices are always lower. For example, right after leaf-peeping season – so late October through January or February – is the off-season for Western North Carolina so hotels and AirBnBs will typically be a fraction of the cost than during other times of the year. Same goes for the beach. If you travel during the fall through early Spring, you can usually score better deals on lodging.
Stay Someplace Where You Can Cook
Eating out when you travel is often a huge part of your budget, but if you stay at a place where you can cook, that cuts out a big portion of your travel budget and saves a ton of money. Look for hotels with kitchens or kitchenettes or stay in an AirBnB.
If you don’t want to cook while on vacation, make a bunch of meals beforehand and freeze them to take with you (if you’re driving). This is what we do when we travel, and it’s awesome. We also do eat out a couple of times during our trips but definitely not the majority of meals.
If you do decide to eat out, try to plan your restaurant meal at lunchtime. You’ll likely save money as lunch menus tend to be cheaper. Then plan an easy low-key dinner at your hotel or rental house. Try something like sandwiches or a charcuterie-type meal and keep it simple.
Keep an Eye Out for Promotions
I’m on the email lists of several of my favorite resorts and hotels so I can check for promotions. I also watch their social media accounts for special deals and since I homeschool, I’m always on the lookout for homeschool deals like the ones at Dollywood, Wilderness at the Smokies, or Ripley’s Aquarium.
Having Fun in Columbia on a Budget
This is an easy one since there are so many free things to do in Columbia!
Water Access Riverwalk
Do the Free Stuff
We have lists of more than 50 free things to do in Columbia in general plus put out seasonal lists of free things to do. Think parks and playgrounds, splash pads, hiking trails, waterfall chasing, Halloween and Christmas light driving tours, farms, and special events and festivals.
Get Outside
I love, love the outdoors and you’ll find me on a lake or chasing waterfalls in the summer, on a mountaintop in the spring and fall, and probably back on a trail in the winter. There are many lakes, parks, and playgrounds that are all free in our area.
Camping and fishing are also low-cost (or free) activities to do with your family and don’t forget the Riverwalk in West Columbia – totally free to bike, run, or walk on.
Don’t Overlook Memberships/Passes
I calculated one year how much money having a South Carolina Parks Pass ($99) saved me. If I didn’t have the pass, I would have spent something like $330 in park entrance fees so yeah, that was a big savings.
Memberships to EdVenture and the State Museum are money savers in the long run as well. They can be used not only for planetarium shows, summer events, etc., but they also can be used for free entry into other science centers. I’ve gotten in free to places using that reciprocal membership in North Carolina and Florida, saving my family probably more than $100 in entrance fees.
Save Money With Frugal Shopping
Kids grow out of clothes and shoes at lightning speed; plus, we as parents need to update our wardrobes occasionally. So how do you do it while not emptying your wallet?
Consignment shops
There are several great kids consignment stores around our area that have gently used (and even some new stuff with tags) clothing, shoes, outerwear, and toys that you can get for a fraction of the cost of brand-new items in stores. You can also sell your gently used items back to many of these places so you end up with a credit to the store or cash. Win-win.
Some of our favorites are Once Upon A Child for kids and Clothes Mentor for women. And if you love the outdoors, REI has garage sales on used items for members throughout the year and there are some great used gear shops in our region.
Thrift Store Shopping
This takes a bit more effort sorting through clothes, shoes, and toys but the finds could totally be worth the effort, especially if you pay attention to days when a certain color of tags is half off or even 75% off the price.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook isn’t just for posting your photos of family and friends. It’s actually pretty awesome for buying second-hand items or selling them. You can score lots of great deals locally, just be sure to search by “pick up” and not “shipped.” This is especially helpful for appliances since many people will sell appliances that are in great working condition when they are remodeling.
Big Consignment Sales
There are several huge consignment sales during the year in Columbia, usually in the fall and spring. You can shop for clothes, home goods, toys, shoes, books, backpacks, stuffed animals, and baby items. Prices are set by the individuals who consign items so they really vary but you can find really good deals usually.
These are just a few ways that my family and I try to spend wisely while raising kids and having fun together. If you’ve got more ideas, drop them in the comments!
The Christmas season is supposed to be all about joy, peace, and a fleeting holiday spirit that seems to be gone quicker than a wispy trail of smoke once the dishes are done after Thanksgiving dinner. It’s all of a sudden a whirlwind of school holiday parties, making a list of gifts and going all out to fulfill that list, trying to create magic at home with an elf just because everyone else is seemingly doing it, taking a holiday overnight trip, and trying to see all the Christmas lights and displays because your family will be deprived if they don’t do that.
This is for all you parents who are hanging by a thread trying to make this season the most spectacular of all for your kids and just don’t know if you can hang on much longer. To all of you: you don’t need to do all the things.
Your Christmas tree doesn’t need a giant stack of presents under it. Your kids don’t need the latest toys. You don’t need to stretch yourself so thin trying to cram the most you can into this holiday season. You and your kids are not deprived if you don’t do it all, buy it all, and sacrifice your sanity for an experience, toy, or magical experience that will soon be forgotten.
You don’t need to do it all
Last year, parents estimated they would spend about $276 on Christmas gifts for each of their kids and a whopping 41% of Americans were willing to go into debt for gift-giving. Meanwhile, the estimated worth of unwanted gifts hovers around $15 billion. Those aren’t small figures, especially in today’s world where many families are struggling with everyday bills. Kids don’t need the latest toy, the most expensive phone, and all the other material things that they’ll forget in a month’s time. Smaller gifts or experience gifts, like memberships to places you and your family go often (hello, SC Parks Pass!) go a long way towards making great memories together all year long.
I’m not sure why we parents sometimes feel like we need to do all the things during the Christmas season. Maybe social media, maybe endless ads, maybe just talking with friends about all the cool stuff they are doing, or maybe it’s what our parents did with us that we are trying to replicate with our own kids. Whatever the reason, it’s totally fine – more than fine – to back off from the deluge of activities that come with this season.
You aren’t depriving your kids if you don’t do it all
Your kids will be okay if they aren’t doing everything their friends are doing and it’s a good opportunity for them to learn that not doing everything their friends are doing isn’t something to be ashamed about. We all have our own struggles and priorities and I think it’s good to learn early on that kids don’t need to fit in to have fun. I wish I would have learned that a lot earlier than I did in life.
I didn’t grow up doing a ton of activities during the Christmas season. Sometimes our family would take a trip together, which was a blast. We would go during Christmas and experience it in another state or town and have fun together exploring a new city and making dinner together in a small kitchen in our hotel room. It was awesome.
We didn’t do parades but we did go drive around looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods with popcorn that we cooked over the stove and tried not to let explode all over the kitchen. We had fun decorating our Christmas tree together. One year my dad found a tree that legit looked like the poor little tree from Charlie Brown’s Christmas and it turned into the joke that never ended year after year since we couldn’t do worse than that tree.
I don’t remember the gifts I got or gave. I don’t remember sitting for Santa photos. The memories from the Christmas season that remain are those with my family. I do remember one gift: it was tickets to a New Jersey Nets (a professional basketball team) the day after Christmas or so. I had played basketball with a passion as a tween and teenager and that gift was special. That’s really all I remember in terms of gifts.
Choosing sanity
Because of those memories and because I have zero desire to drive myself crazy during these weeks leading up to Christmas, I intentionally try to minimize what we do. While I love writing about new activities for Christmas for Kidding Around, aside from those excursions, I try to take these weeks of Advent to spend quality time together with my kids. We go look at Christmas lights, go ice skating, go to live nativities and remember the real reason for this season, take time to volunteer, and read books together on Christmas. And, I intentionally try to not go overboard on gifts for my kids.
I want to get to Christmas and not be completely worn out or fed up or just plain unhappy. After all, this is indeed a season of joyful expectation. If you’ve got to seriously scale back your calendar to be happier and less stressed, then by all means, do it. You truly don’t need to do it all so your kids can experience the magic of the season. They will remember the special moments with you above all else and that’s what matters.
If you find yourself running ragged all week with zero time for family dinners and feel more like an Uber driver than a parent, maybe overscheduling is the problem. We asked our readers about this topic and for some possible solutions.
I have no middle ground on overscheduling my kids for activities. It’s basically all or nothing with some classes or organized events thrown in. Why? For two reasons: firstly, I played competitive sports from age 12 through high school and still regret that my poor siblings were dragged all over the place to watch me play sports and that it cut into better things my family could be doing together. Secondly, that having very few evenings and weekends free to do what I want with my kids sends my anxiety through the roof.
When we asked our readers if overscheduling your kids is possible, the majority answered with a resounding yes. Scrolling through social media only reinforces this as parents are asking where their two-year-old can play organized sports or dance classes for their 18-month-old. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to ask these questions but experts tell us that overscheduling kids at any age can lead to very little free time and opportunities for relaxation and creativity. It can also lead to burnout – for both kids and parents, which isn’t fun for anyone.
Overscheduled & Overstimulated
The author of a book called Kids Under Pressure, Karen Sullivan, expands on this topic: “Parents put children under enormous pressure with heavily orchestrated schedules of extra activities, all of which are designed to help them succeed in life. However, this leaves little free time for children to be children and to relax. Children are often left feeling they are not good enough because they are not ‘the best’.”
She goes on to say that because of the time suck of these “heavily orchestrated schedules” there is no more room left for fun. And that causes stress. She’s just talking about the kids and not the stress this places on parents.
One of our readers shared that “Many parents are so obsessed to do allll the things society tells them they should. Sometimes less is more. These kids are overscheduled and over-stimulated.”
The Comparison Trap
It’s so, so easy to compare yourself and your kids to other people with the prevalence of social media. I see friends post about all the cool activities their kids are involved in and I will freely admit that I have moments where I wish that was one of my daughters involved in those activities. But I quickly get back to reality and know that I’d lose my mind if that was my life.
Another reader of ours put it this way: “Remind yourself that kids need to be kids. If you find yourself feeling like an Uber driver. Or like your family are like ships passing in the night, and they don’t have time to just be kids (ie play in the neighborhood, use their creativity and imaginations, and learn what boredom is and in turn how to entertain themselves), probably too much…. But you have to feel like you’re comfortable with what they are scheduled for. Not what other people are doing with their kids but what is right for your family. We were not created to be in constant go mode. Not as kids and not as adults.”
If you feel yourself falling into that comparison trap, think about how you would feel if that were your kids and your crazy schedule and your budget. It may not work for your family or your own personality and that’s totally ok. It’s fine not to schedule your kids for every class or activity.
Every family is different
When my daughters did gymnastics, I made sure their class was at the same time on the same night to minimize our weekly disruptions. We ended those classes when covid hit and while I’d like to enroll them again, I need the same kind of schedule where they both can do classes at the same time. My oldest daughter did Cub Scouts for a few years, which was perfect because it was one meeting a week that I could take both my kids to and the activities fit well into our hiking and outdoor-loving schedule.
I did say no to swim team a few years ago when I found out the swim meets were on Saturday mornings. As a working mom who plans the best adventures on weekends, I was not about to give that time up for sitting at a pool during the prime summer months. But that’s me – if you’re the swim team cheering, soccer mom-yelling kind of parent, that’s awesome.
But for myself, I really think I’d lose my mind if I had to work all day, homeschool, and then shuttle both my kids to places all week and on weekends. No way. My time with them is too short and too precious. And it’s not like we don’t do anything. We travel often for my work with Kidding Around and have incredible adventures together, go paddleboarding all summer, camp, hike, and have that quality, uninterrupted time with each other that helps to enrich our relationships.
One other thing I would not be able to handle are dinner times and cooking if my kids needed to shuttled all over the place during the week. I know that healthy eating and homecooked meals would fall by the wayside, which not only means unhealthy food for our family but also more money spent on fast food – and that would put even more stress on our family. Yes, I could plan ahead but with working full-time and homeschooling, it wouldn’t work well for us. But that’s my own family and everyone is different and probably more organized than myself!
Playing & creativity also provide benefits
While sports and creative arts certainly provide multiple benefits to children like physical fitness, muscle coordination, boosting of self-esteem, the ability to focus and problem solve, the benefits of play are also numerous. The Genius of Play points out that play also provides:
Creativity
Social skill development
Cognitive development
Physical development (i.e., balance, coordination)
Communication skills
Emotional development
Play also provides an outlet for stress. Think about it as an adult. We need that downtime from our work to rest and relieve stress. For myself, that’s anything outdoors. Send me on a seven-mile hike up Table Rock and I’m good to go for the week. Kids need that same kind of stress relief and if they are always running from one activity to the next, they aren’t getting it.
So what are the solutions to overscheduling?
My own personal solution is to skip pretty much everything that requires my kids to be in multiple places during the week. But that’s me and while it works for us, other parents likely think this is a little crazy or that their kids absolutely need to be involved in some kind of activity. So back to our readers, who have more solutions than I do.
1 – Each kid gets one sport at a time
This was a common response when asked how to solve the problem of overscheduling.
One mom said, “My kids get 1 extracurricular activity each, that’s it. It’s important to spend time as a family and learn how to entertain yourself.”
2 – Each kid gets one sport at a time and the practices must be limited
Another mom took it a step further and limited practices that the sport required:
“My kids are allowed to have one sport going at a time And it can’t be anything that’s going to require More than two practices a week during the school year.”
3 – Stay out of competitive sports.
Competitive sports often require multiple practices a week plus games on weekends, including traveling to surrounding states several times a year. One mom says no to that: “We have 4 kids and DON’T do competitive sports for this exact reason. Takes away family time and money.”
4 – Choose a couple of lower-key activities and stick to those.
One mom, who I totally identify with, says she’s an introvert so it’s a little harder on her to stick with a taxing schedule so she does more low-key activities with her kids: “We are introverts and I have health issues so we keep it low key on activities with lots of socializing. We do library day once a week or every other week and get together with others once a month or so. Plus, we have Sunday morning & Wednesday evening church. Smaller activities we might do more often, bigger activities less often as they are very taxing on me.
5 – Take a day off.
If you find yourself overscheduled, don’t be afraid to take a day off now and again. You really can just not go to dance class this week, or skip that practice and go hiking with the family instead.
Do you have any other suggestions for parents who feel like they have overscheduled their kids?
Home of the world’s largest zip line, Historic Banning Mills is a gem hidden just outside Atlanta, GA. We stayed for a weekend and have all the details on this location ideal for adventurers.
Thank you to Historic Banning Mills for hosting us!
Banning Mill is only an hour outside of Atlanta but feels a world away. And once you get there, you don’t need to leave for anything. You can have all your meals at the lodge. You can spend your entire time going from adventure to adventure or just relaxing.
It’s so close to that elusive all-inclusive experience that makes time away a true getaway because you don’t need to worry about going anywhere else or meals or entertainment – it can all be booked together ahead of time. And Banning Mills is just that: a true getaway. You get to experience nature in very unique and exciting ways and have that chance to reconnect with your partner or family.
Banning Mills is also well within easy driving distance from Greenville at just over three hours (could be a bit longer depending on Atlanta traffic).
History of Banning Mills
Banning Mills was a originally part of the Creek Indian tribe land, led by Chief William McIntosh, who was half Creek Indian. When the white settlers came in the early 1800s, Chief McIntosh fought alongside Andrew Jackson, dined with President Thomas Jefferson, and eventually became a wealthy businessman who owned a plantation very close to Banning Mills. In 1825, he signed the Treaty of Indian Springs, which infuriated the Upper Creek Native Americans, who came to his home and killed him. He is buried where he died at McIntosh Reserve, now a county park.
In the mid-1800s, a textile mill was developed along the hidden Snake Creek gorge, which operated through the Civil War. It fell into disrepair until 1878 when Arthur Hutchinson bought it and made it into a paper mill, creating the birthplace of the modern paper industry. It thrived and a town was built to accommodate all the families who worked at the mill. By 1895, Banning Mill had ten mills, including two pulp mills, a sawmill, and a grist mill – all of which were within a mile of each other. The town was also the first to produce electricity in Georgia. Historical documents state that people from Atlanta would ride down in their buggies just to see lights turn on and off!
On several trails throughout Banning Mills, you can see the ruins of the old mills and the crumbling chimney of one of the original homes of a family who worked at the mill. Many of the trails you walk on were old roads, now covered in years of dirt, leaves, dust, and roots, that connected the mills and the town. One of the trails, the Creekside Trail, was the trail used by the Creek Indian tribe to traverse Snake Creek. I learned that after my kids and I had walked on the trail and it was just a moment of reflection to think what that must have been like for the tribe. I get to see the same things they saw and I just felt connected to that history and those people, just for a moment.
Conservation Efforts
When Mark and Donna Holder bought the property in 1998, they were focused on conservation and didn’t really know about the history of the place. There are several unique ecosystems within the property plus wildflowers, mushrooms, and wildlife. When they started designing and building the zip lines, they were extremely conscious of working with nature rather than against it. This is entirely obvious when you walk the hiking trails and spot the zip line platforms – they are nearly invisible, which is exactly how they were meant to be when built.
Mark’s extensive military and flight career turned out to be an excellent background for designing and building zip lines and adventure courses. Both Mark and Donna run a high adventure consulting business where they help other adventure companies design and build their zip lines. They’ve helped design adventure parks all around the world with an eye on preserving nature and surrounding ecosystems.
The Birds of Prey exhibit and nature talks are also part of their conservation and education efforts as they seek to help people understand more about these birds and their habitats. In the spring, Banning Mills offers guided hikes to explore the wildflowers and other flora and fauna native to the area.
As the business grew, Mark and Donna’s four kids got involved in running and operating it, making Banning Mills a family-run business, which is actually a nonprofit so they can focus exclusively on conservation and adventure. Banning Mills is 300 acres but it’s right in the middle of more than 1,000 protected acres of wilderness, which I think is part of the allure of the place. As a guest, I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere, completely apart from the world and in my own little slice of paradise.
Adventures
There are endless adventures to be had at Historic Banning Mills. You could probably spend a week here and not get to all of them. All pricing is listed on the website. And the guides will take photos of you during your adventures so you don’t need to worry about documenting all the awesomeness. They are emailed/messaged to you for free afterwards.
Crazy Squirrel Course
There are two Crazy Squirrel rope and zip line courses: tier one can be done by someone as young as four years old and tier two is a lot more advanced and kids must be nine years old for that one. These are great for both kids and adults and are a fantastic introduction to the world of aerial adventure.
Tier 1 consisted of several bridges and obstacles and a few zip lines. After gearing up and going over safety precautions, my kids and I hit the course. Our guide, Jack, was super funny and very chill. He showed us a great time on this course as we navigated the shaky bridges and giant swinging balls. It was a lot of fun and took us about 45 minutes or so to go through the whole thing.
The safety features they have are a continuous belay system which means you are never disconnected from the cable at all. It took a bit to learn how to work them and get into our gear but once we figured it out, it was easy. I was definitely proud of my kids for learning how to do it on their own and saw it as a great confidence builder for them.
Tier 2 of the Crazy Squirrel did indeed look crazy. Jack said you are pretty much guaranteed a good three hours to go through all the obstacles on that course. We saw multiple platforms on the same trees as the level 1 course and many, many more obstacles. It looked like it would be really fun.
Eco Tour Spider ATVs
I knew my kids and I were riding spider ATVs before we went but I really had no idea what we were in for. So these spider ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) were created by a paraplegic engineer. He wanted a way to experience nature and the trails so he created the Swincar – aka spider ATV – which is controlled by your hands and where each wheel is on its own suspension system. This means one wheel could be in a ditch and other on level ground but the driver remains level. Plus, these things are powerful and can go over roots, rocks, dirt, gravel, you name it. The cars are all electric as well.
I drove one car with my youngest daughter in the seat behind me and our guide took my other daughter. After he explained how the cars worked and got us our helmets and made sure our seat belts were properly secured, it was off to the test track to make sure I could safely operate this thing. The test track was a short loop, off-road trail where I could get a feel for the car.
I was awful at driving this thing, which my daughter eagerly pointed out at every turn. Because it’s electric and controlled by just my fingers by pushing a small lever, even a little pressure makes the car go fast, which meant a lot of stopping and starting and jerking. I loved it.
Once I was comfortable driving the car, which took all of five minutes and more backseat driving from my kid, we were off to the woods. Not only did we traverse most of the 300 acres of Banning Mills but we did most of it on the trails, some of which my kids and I had hiked earlier in the day. I haven’t had that much fun in a while! And we got to go over bridges in the woods, see the three lakes that reflected the gorgeous leaves changing colors, and even rode over the 760-foot-long suspension bridge on the cars – twice. I only got stuck once and figured out how reverse worked so I think it was a win overall.
The whole tour lasted about 90 minutes, which included our guide stopping at historical points along the trail to show up the old ruins of the paper mill and town plus check out where the birds of prey are located at the property. Guided tandem spider ATV tours are $199 and single ones are $139.
Some of the spider ATVs are wheelchair accessible and are a wonderful option for those with lesser mobility. You must have a valid drivers license to operate the spider ATV and be at least 16 years old for the single car and 18 years old for the tandem car.
Hiking Trails
Historic Banning Mills is known for its amazing bridges and whoa, we can confirm that these bridges are amazing. The longest one on the property – 760 feet long – spans the Snake River where the original dam at the mill was placed. It’s a swinging bridge and quite the adventure crossing it. It definitely sways and is really high but we never felt unsafe. We really enjoyed the bridges plus they make for amazing photos. There are more than 100 of them on the property although most are on the zip line courses. But the longest ones you can cross without any equipment. On the long swinging bridge closest to the Main Lodge, you can see the Flight of the Falcon zip line, which is the longest zip line. We could see where it started on the big tower way above the gorge but we couldn’t see where it ended!
There are 15 miles of hiking trails and three ponds to visit at Historic Banning Mills. You can hike all over the property as a guest and while the trails are open to the public, it is $7/person to hike them.
We especially enjoyed the Creekside Trail as it was directly next to Snake Creek. We saw some people zip-lining above and had great views of some of the bridges.
World’s Longest Zip Line & World’s Highest Climbing Wall
Banning Mills is home to the world’s longest zip line at nearly 3,400 feet long (that’s about three-quarters of a mile!). It’s called Flight of the Falcon and you are in a horizontal position and can reach speeds up to 55 mph. I so wanted to do this but my youngest was too small so now we have to go back when she grows a bit. It looks so amazing. The zip line was so long when Banning Mills was installing it that they had to use a helicopter.
One of the other zip lines is about a half mile long and is called the Screaming Eagle. Guests go crazy fast on this one, about 75 mph. Again, on my list!
Banning Mills is also home to another record-setter: the world’s highest climbing wall. It’s 140 feet high with nine climbing lanes and two rappel walls. It’s part of the Adventure Wall and where guests will start their Screaming Eagle zip as well. My fearless 8-year-old was really hoping to do this one but she didn’t make the weight requirement (60 pounds). It costs $35/hour to climb this monster.
There are four levels of zip line adventures you can do at Banning Mills and if you decide you want to add on more things, you can do that as well. Each level increases in speed and height so you may not want to the fun to end. There are multiple packages and add-ons for zipline tours, which you can read through on their website. Be sure to take note of the height, age, and weight restrictions before you go so you know what to expect. Given this kind of high adventure experience, safety is the first priority, and the staff and guides are expertly trained. All of the policies are for the safety of the guests and guides.
Other Activities at Banning Mills
Horseback Riding
Banning Mills has stables on their property where they offer horseback riding through their trails. Kids have to be at least 10 years old to do this activity.
Birds of Prey
Banning Mills hosts Birds of Prey talks throughout the year where they have a Master Falconer come and give a talk and demonstration about the falcons, eagles, and owls they have right there on site hidden amongst the trees. I was so hoping we would have been able to see this since I have a fascination with all of those animals. You can see the owls and the bald eagle, whose name is Liberty when they aren’t doing shows. Shows are $7/person and kids 4 and under are free.
Kayaking
Banning Mills is very close to the Chattahoochee River and runs kayak trips over the summer. The trips are great for beginners since they only have Class I and II rapids (smaller rapids).
Night Zip Lining
These tours are only available a few nights a year and they look amazing. The lodge had one of these happening on one of the nights we stayed and it was so cool to see the guides with glow sticks on their helmets and hear the people whooping on the zip lines in the dark. All we could see were lights moving and zip line towers lit up with lights. I definitely want to do this also!
Accommodations
Stay in a Tree House
There are several tree houses at Banning Mills all over the property. Ours was a two-story tree house with a tub, king-size bed, and bathroom on the lower floor and up the spiral staircase was a room with a bunk bed. There was a microwave, a small table, and a balcony as well. It was just beautiful and really, who doesn’t want to stay in a tree house and fulfill that childhood dream?
We loved the gas fire stove and balcony especially. The leaves were putting on quite the show so we felt like we were, well, in the trees, as close as possible to the leaves and glory of nature. It was super cool and relaxing. Our tree house also had an awesome rope bridge as an entrance. My kids thought this was the neatest thing ever. I mean, I did too.
The entire place was well-thought out to provide for that getaway and relaxation that we seek when we go on vacation plus very comfortable to provide for ample rest so you have all the energy you need for your adventures. The tree houses also have a jetted tub, which would probably feel really great after a long day of adventuring.
Banning Mills has brand new tree houses as well that are a bit more spacious than the one we stayed in but just as relaxing and comfortable. There are truly plenty of options for you to enjoy a unique experience at this place.
Cabins & The Lodge
Other accommodations at Banning Mills are lodge rooms, which are more like typical hotel rooms and are usually booked when groups come in for retreats.
There are also pine log cabins and larger family cabins available for rent. Just remember these are not luxury accommodations. It’s not the Ritz. These are modern cabins and tree houses in the woods.
Dining at Banning Mills
All rooms except the family cabins, which can fit up to nine guests, include breakfast in the morning. The breakfasts we had were awesome – bacon, eggs, biscuits, fruit, coffee, oatmeal, waffles, sausage, and orange juice. There is a beautiful terrace room at the Main Lodge that overlooks the creek with some zip lines overhead so the view is perfect. Since we went in late October, the colors of the leaves were incredible. I could have stared out those windows all day.
For lunch and dinner, guests can reserve meals at the lodge but they must do so when they check-in or before.
There is a sit-down gourmet meal served nightly by reservation, which my kids and I did one of the nights we stayed at Banning Mills. We had to make our meal choices when we got there, which included an appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert. They prepare these to be shared by two people but the kitchen can do single dishes. Kids’ meals of chicken fingers, pizza, spaghetti, and other items are also available.
If you’d rather enjoy a meal in your tree house or other accommodations at Banning Mills, you can order a souvenir backpack that you get to keep, two large sandwiches, chefs’ choice salad, cookies, crackers, and bottled water.
If you’d rather eat out, Banning Mills lists several location restaurants in their guidebook in your room that you can choose from that are 15-20 minutes away by car.
Packages
I did say in the beginning of this story that Banning Mills is so close to that elusive all-inclusive experience. And it is. You just have to be sure to add on everything you want when you book or when you arrive for your trip. Once you arrive, you don’t need to leave the property for the entirety of your trip if you choose to book all your meals and adventures there (I recommend you do because they are all amazing).
There are several adventure packages to choose from depending on what you want to do. There are a couple of getaways, adventure, and room packages which include meals, zip lining, eco-tour spider ATV tours, and lots more. Most are for two people but just call Banning Mills and they will help you to put together a package for your family or to fit your needs and desires. They are very accommodating and just a wonderful group of people who want guests to have an amazing stay
Best Ages to Experience Banning Mills
This is always something to consider when planning family getaways, right? You want something that is fantastic for everyone. My kids are 8 and 11 and my youngest could do limited activities because of her age and weight. She wanted to do the Flight of the Falcon but we’ll have to wait a few years. That said, we were able to do the Crazy Squirrel Tier 1, hiking trails, and the Eco Spider ATV Tours, which kept us quite busy. If we had gone in the summer, we would have been able to enjoy the swimming pool as well. So there were definitely enough activities to keep us active but also provide that downtime to just relax.
I think if you have teenagers and are looking for adventure, book this place. If you and your partner are always on the lookout for the next thrill, book this place. I’m already thinking of coming back when my kids are a bit older because wow, the options are endless for the super cool and unique experiences you can have together.
And the memories you could make here with your kids would just be so priceless. This is the opportunity to really connect with your kids/partner, to get away from technology for a bit, and to just be together while doing something super fun.
My Honest Mom Review
For myself, relaxation involves hiking or kayaking, or something outdoors. This was a relaxing weekend for me because I captured that elusive feeling of really getting away from my normal, everyday work, from deadlines I have coming up, and whatever else had been on my mind the previous week. Staying in a tree house, wandering around the hiking trails, learning the history of the property, and enjoying those amazing views from the swinging bridges was very special.
Connecting with my daughters, even while one was telling me how awful of a driver I was for an hour, was fantastic. Our time is short with our kids and intentionally making the most of the time we have together is of utmost importance. This is a truly amazing place to make that happen.
I also want to give a shoutout to the staff at Banning Mills. Everyone was so kind, considerate, and accommodating. I know working in hospitality can be hard but everyone we met was wonderful and friendly.
Looking for things to do when you’re stuck at home? Whether you’re home because of illness in the family, school closings, or because gas is too expensive, you need ideas to help you not lose your sanity and entertain your kids. If you’re looking for things to do at home with kids, we have lots of ideas (because that’s what we do here). This may be the perfect time to cross off some of your bucket list items.
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Things to Do at Home With No Power
The power is out, you’re stuck at home, and the kids are getting difficult to entertain. You’ve pulled out every trick in your hat and you’re coming up empty. Here are a couple more ideas you may not have thought of to keep the kids busy when there’s no electricity.
Indoor Water Play
Lay out a towel and a long container or several small containers with a little bit of water in them. Let the kids play with small animal figures, pebbles, or anything else you can rummage up that’s waterproof. (Aluminum foil makes awesome boats.)
Build a Tower
Gather any and all supplies you can find and see who can build the tallest tower in your living room. Make it a competition. The winner gets to choose dinner.
Break out the coloring books
Grab all the broken crayons and coloring books you have lying around, and have a little art party. Break out your adult coloring books while you’re at it. No coloring books? Plain paper is great, and there’s something magical about a cardboard box. Let your kids go to town coloring all over your leftover Amazon boxes.
Get Crafty with Paper Bags and Macaroni
Pull out any pasta with a hole in the middle (macaroni, tube, ziti) and string it on pipe cleaners or string to make bracelets and necklaces. You can also paint or dye the pasta if you want to make it more colorful. You can also take out lunch bags and let the kids draw or glue funny noddle faces on them. Afterward, hold a puppet show.
Do a puzzle or play a board game
If you’re able to get out, thrift stores often have super cheap puzzles and games. If not, just reuse the ones you may have lying around the house. See if you can set a record for how long you can play Monopoly!
You know all those clothes you’d love to donate or sell, whether it’s yours or your kids’? Now is a great time to do that. Make piles of those clothes to trash, donate, and sell and end up with a much cleaner closet.
Build and Create with Household Items
One of the easiest things to make and mold is homemade playdough. My absolute favorite recipe for homemade playdough is my skin-therapy playdough made of oatmeal, oil, and flour. It’s a great recipe because it only takes under 5 minutes to make, requires no cooking, smells nice, and cleans up easily. Or, create use toothpicks and marshmallows to construct buildings, geometric figures, and more.
Building with marshmallows also doubles as a great engineering lesson! You can also use straws with paper clips stuck at each end of the straw. Attach the straws by interlocking paper clips!
More Things to Do at Home
Write letters or draw pictures for others
Remember those olden days of handwriting a letter, putting it in an envelope with a stamp and physically sending it to someone? How about opening a handwritten letter to you? It’s a nice feeling! We suggest breaking out actual paper and pens and writing a letter – or for the little kids, they can draw or color a picture – for a family member, for someone serving in the military overseas (Operation Gratitude can help with that), for someone in a nursing home here in the Upstate (here’s a list to start with), to local police, or anyone else you think would love to get a sweet letter.
It’s a good opportunity for kids to be creative and thoughtful in their writing and practice while out of school.
Make Paper Dolls
You can find classic and modern versions of paper dolls online. Print some free paper doll patterns out and have fun cutting and dressing the dolls. If you have it, cardstock works best!
Gardening
Starting a garden, whether a little one indoors or something in a larger space outside, is a fun way to get some fresh air and build responsibility for cultivating and caring for plants. So buy some seeds or you can get some from vegetables or fruits you already have handy and start planting. If it’s cold get some potting soil and seeds and keep the pots indoors until the weather warms up, then put them near a sunny spot inside. Then around April, get them in the ground.
If you can’t make it to an in-person escape room, there are plenty of online virtual escape rooms. Put on your thinking caps and see if you can solve the riddles to break free from the virtual escape rooms…without even leaving your house.
Dance party
Kids need to get out energy, it’s a basic fact, right? Either put on music you love, like the 80s (just sayin’) and have a dance party in the kitchen. Or get a fun YouTube dance video, like KidzBop dance instruction videos, on and follow along together.
Family movie night
Put the popcorn on and pick out a movie together for a special night of quality time together. You can use a streaming service or rent one from the library.
Family Game Night
Open up the game closet and pick out a few games to play. You can also check out our list of 50+ games that are excellent family games with tips on establishing a family game night.
Learn a new card game or magic trick
Card games are great because you can play them anywhere and magic tricks are fun to learn because they are great for quick entertainment. You can find some fun magic tutorials online or if someone in your family knows a trick, beg them to teach you. There are also many fun magic trick kits you can buy online that are full of neat tricks with instructions.
Create Your Own Sensory Box
Using things you have in your home, you can make your own busy box. Using rice ( add some food coloring the night before to make it whatever color you want) beans, or crushed Cheerios, you can make an entirely new world for your kids to explore. Add in some kitchen utensils, toys sea creatures, and paper towel tubes and you have an underwater oasis. Sensory boxes are a great way to learn, play, get a little messy, and explore.
Adopt A Cop
You can adopt your own cop right here in Greenville and send encouraging cards or letters through the mail or give a small gift in appreciation for their work. Here’s how to do to adopt a cop!
Bake cookies
I’m terrible at baking cookies because I love cookie dough and rarely get to the actual baking part. Hopefully, you aren’t like that and have willpower. If so, baking cookies together with your kids may be fun. Sugar cookies aren’t just for the holidays, grab some fun cookie cutters and get baking.
Start a journal
If your kids don’t have a journal or diary yet, starting one while stuck at home could give them an opportunity to think of something else, daydream, or write whatever is on their mind and get out some stress or anxiety. You can use almost anything from paper stapled together and decorated with stickers and markers to neat guided journals for kids.
Have an Indoor Snowball Fight
Crumple up old newspapers or discarded papers and throw them at each other in the hallway or anywhere else that you dare. You can also purchase these realistic-looking snowballs made of soft cloth to store away for a sneak attack on a rainy day!
Order a Busy Box
Order a busy box from somewhere like Learning with Kelsey. She has monthly boxes or you can also purchase one without a subscription. The boxes come filled with everything you need to complete a month’s worth of activities.
Do a photoshoot
Grab your camera or phone, get everyone dressed somewhat nicely, use the self-timer and do a family photoshoot. Or just let the kids get totally messy and run around outside and take photos. Some of my favorite photos of my kids are of them jumping around in puddles.
Have a salon day
If you’ve got little girly girls, set up a little salon at home with a place to do hair and nails. Just keep the scissors safely tucked away (speaking from experience….). Need supplies? Grab a Kids Spa Kit for extra fun.
Play with Paint in the Bathtub
Strip your kids down to the bare necessities and stick them in a dry tub with plenty of washable finger paint or you can just make a little bit of your own by mixing tear-free soap with food coloring. Let the kids paint themselves, the tub, whatever they want. When they are finished spray the kids and the tub off, fill up the tub with clean water, and let them have a bath. It may get a little slippery, so add a towel or non-slip mat to the floor to keep them from falling.
P.S. I have never had trouble with these Crayola washable paints staining my tub, but of course, you would want to test the paint first to be sure that it won’t stain!
Have a cooking competition
Give your older kids or teens a few ingredients from the pantry or have them pick some and then do a cooking competition! Bonus points because parents don’t need to make dinner then.
Local Greenville blogger, Sarah, who writes at Pimento & Prose, has a great list of kid-friendly recipes that you can try with your kids.
Take a walk and do a scavenger hunt
Simple enough but fresh air is always a good thing. Just Google “scavenger hunt ideas” and you’ll be presented with thousands of ideas for this. And here is info on geocaching. These are some fantastic scavenger hunts you can do outside or indoors at your home.
What other things would you suggest for having fun while stuck at home?
Do you have an old car seat to trade in?If you’ve got an old car seat around collecting dust, you can participate in the Target car seat trade-in program. All you have to do is trade it in, and the respective store will give you coupons or gift cards. Read on to learn how these programs work. The next Target car-seat trade-in event is September 15th-28th, 2024.
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.
About Jeter Mountain
Jeter Mountain Farms has an upscale, but welcoming, vibe from the signage to the tap bar. Every employee we met was super nice, kind, and helpful. And it’s beautiful. The first time I was there, I didn’t take a wagon ride so I didn’t see the whole farm and appreciate the beauty. This time I did (I’ll tell you more about the wagon ride shortly).
Jeter Mountain is a family-owned farm and is unique in several aspects. In addition to u-pick apples, guests can pick their own sunflowers, zinnias, elderberries, raspberries, peaches, blueberries, and grapes. They have added to the farm in the past couple of years including a massive market, indoor play area, and coffee shop. This place reminded me of Sierra Nevada Brewery and the Biltmore. In other words, it is gorgeous, the most beautiful orchard I’ve ever been to. They offer u-pick but also have a stunning wedding venue.
Scenes from Jeter Mountain Farm
We had a great day at Jeter Mountain Farm. Check out scenes from our day in the video below.
Cider Donuts, Coffee & Hard Cider Flights
Inside their Cider Barn is a hard cider tap room where adults can enjoy several different varieties of the fall beverage. Jeter Mountain offers pints of cider and flights of four flavors. Prices change yearly and are posted inside the barn.
In addition to the five flavors of Jeter Mountain Hard Cider that most are familiar with (Original, Pink Lady, Granny, Blackberry, and Grape), the orchard is also featuring a rotating seasonal small-batch cider.
They also offer cider slushies outside the taproom and cold apple cider in the market barn.
The market has handmade pottery, local apple butter and honey, baking mixes, canned sparkling cider, and t-shirts. I got a half gallon of the cold apple cider and the cashier was very kind and offered me plastic glasses so we could drink it then, which I was thought was quite classy since I was planning to just chug it because I wanted to drink it immediately.
There is a courtyard that is central to the Cider Barn, Market, coffee shop, and cider donut counter. It’s covered and there are picnic benches and live music. The donuts are amazing by the way – perfectly crisp on the outside and oh-so-soft on the inside. I could have eaten a half dozen by myself.
If you’re hungry, you can get a 20-hour smoked pulled pork sandwich at 1813 Smokehouse, which has a brand new location at the orchard as of 2024 with picnic tables and a covered area to wait in line for ordering. They also have two homemade BBQ sauces plus a traditional BBQ menu.
Then there are the bathrooms. These bathrooms are nicer than my house! They are spacious, have gorgeous flower wallpaper and benches. They are located on a hill overlooking the cider barn and courtyard and are huge and beautiful. Usually you don’t notice bathrooms, right? Impossible not to notice them here.
2025 Additions: Amish-Built Barn, Bakery, and Creamery
New in 2025 is a gorgeous Amish-constructed barn with almost 100 rocking chairs overlooking the orchard, covered areas with seating, a delicious creamery, and a large bakery where you can watch the donuts being made. Yum.
Jeter Mountain ice cream
Small batch ice cream is made right there using ingredients from the orchard itself. We tried all four flavors in late August – peach, cookies & cream, chocolate, and vanilla bean – and the peach was my personal favorite but all were delicious. They also offer homemade floats if you want to go the old school route.
In the bakery, there are glass windows so you can see the cider donuts being made, which only made me want them more. They are so, so good – crispy and flavorful on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. I’d eat a half dozen by myself if I didn’t have any self-control.
This is a must-visit when you spend a day at the orchard.
Tractor Ride & U-Pick Flowers and Fruit
Jeter Mountain claims they are the largest apple orchard in Western North Carolina. While we didn’t fact-check that claim, it seems accurate since there are 6,000 apple trees at the farm, which makes for an expansive orchard.
Some of the seasonal berries like the blueberries and blackberries, are within walking distance to the cider barn and are sold by pint or pound. You can pick your own apples or fill smaller bags right at the barn of different varieties of apples. The orchard grows 25 varieties and you can see what’s available here.
Since the farm is more than 400 acres and has so many apple trees, you have to take a wagon ride to get to the apple orchard itself and other areas to pick sunflowers and berries. You can only u-pick from the orchard once you’ve paid for your basket/bag. You pay for this at the new Apple Depot near the bathrooms and then you and your family jump on the wagon.
Once you are helped into the wagon by the very kind staff, you’ll be taken on a beautiful ride through the orchard with various stops at the areas you want to pick. So when we went, guests were able to peaches and zinnias and sunflowers so we stopped first at the flower field and then were dropped off at the peach orchard. We were given instructions on picking peaches and then got to it.
Once we filled our basket, we just waited for the wagon to come back and pick us up. The wagons were running maybe five minutes apart so you won’t be waiting for too long.
This was my first time taking the wagon ride and it was fantastic because I got to see the sweeping views of the orchard and the new plantings of apple trees.. The orchard is perfectly manicured and mowed, with trees all spaced the same distance. It’s very organized, which is kind of an odd way to describe an orchard but that’s how it looks. The wagon was super clean and covered so if you’re allergic to hay, no worries since it’s not in the wagon.
Kids Play Area & Field Trips
The 6,000-square-foot covered play area is perfect for kids. There is a hay mountain, slides, and plenty of things to tire out kids before heading home. The play area is huge. What’re 6,000 square feet, right? Big, like really big. And here’s the best part: it’s entirely covered so kids can play – for free – rain or shine. And there’s a high-top bar with stools that extends the entire length and overlooks the play area so parents can chill out and watch their kids.
There’s a little house with a chalkboard inside. There are tractor tire trampolines, an enormous haystack with a tunnel underneath, a John Deere-inspired climbing structure with a slide, and my favorite – a basketball hoop play area where you can shoot hoops with your kids. Or by yourself, no judgement.
The play area is right next to the coffee shop and market so you can get coffee and watch your kids play until you decide to pick apples or peaches or whatever it is you want to pick. Or you can do that first, get apple cider donuts, and then let the kids burn off energy before the ride home. I’d honestly say this play area is worth the visit to Jeter Mountain Farm alone.
U-Pick Pricing {2025}
U-pick peaches include a wagon ride for up to four people and a basket you can keep. A peck of peaches and apples are $32. They have pre-picked fruit available in the market. Your u-pick includes a wagon ride for up to four people.
For blueberries, u-pick are $10/quart and do not include a wagon ride because you can walk to them from the main barn and parking area.
U-pick flowers are $20/cup and allow up to four people to ride a wagon through the orchard and include a reusable Jeter Mountain Farm cup. You can pick as many flowers as you can fit in your cup.
Additional pickers or just to take a wagon ride is $4/per person.
Tips on Visiting
With lots of space to roam and play, the farm has certainly made it an appealing day trip for families. They also offer field trips every Thursday and Friday from 10 am – 2 pm from in September and October. Field trips fill up usually in March so plan ahead.
Additionally, the farm has a pumpkin patch that opens in the early fall.
One thing to note is that pets are not allowed at the U-pick orchards, inside the market, inside the taproom, coffee shop, and wagons. They also do not allow strollers or wagons in the orchards or on the wagon ride. You can park them before you get on the wagon and go to the orchard. They also request that you do not bring your own picking containers.
Jeter Mountain plans to be open through October. Check their website for updated details and hours.
Inside: A real review of one local mom’s visit with her kids to Tallulah Gorge State Park.
Tallulah Gorge State Park is a natural wonder in Georgie that families will really enjoy. With gorgeous hiking, waterfalls, swimming holes, and more, the park is full of the stuff that amazing and memorable day trips are made of, so get packing. Kristina tells us all about how to enjoy this beautiful Georgia State Park, what to expect, and even where to grab something to eat.
Day Trip to Tallulah Gorge
It’s a day trip! Getting to Tallulah Gorge State Park, approximate driving time from:
Charlotte, NC 3 hours
Greenville, SC 90 minutes
Atlanta, GA 90 minutes
Columbia, SC just under 3 hours
Where to Stay Near Tallulah Gorge
Planning to stay awhile? If you’re planning a family vacation or weekend getaway, here’s where to stay near Tallulah Gorge State Park. Note: Kidding Around earns when you book through this link via an affiliate relationship with STAY22.
Tallulah Gorge State Park is only 90 minutes from Greenville yet seems a world apart when you get to the vast gorge. I had no idea a place like this existed. I was researching some hiking trails and wanted to stay within a certain driving distance and decided to check this place out. I wasn’t disappointed! The park is very unique and I’ve got all the info you need to know before you visit this nearby wonder.
View from the North Rim looking out over Sliding Rock
History of the Tallulah Gorge State Park
The land at Tallulah Falls was originally inhabited by the Cherokee, who called it Ugunyi, and they lived there until white settlers appeared in 1820. The Cherokee typically avoided the falls and did not hunt there but the white settlers flocked there, inspired by the beauty of the waterfalls through the gorge.
The town of Tallulah Falls became a summer destination for wealthier families, especially once the railroads were laid in the region in 1882 from Atlanta. The town became a resort town and by 1897 it had three churches, hotels, post office, and restaurants, all supported via the tourism industry.
At the turn of the century, power companies began competing for the rights to dam the falls for hydroelectricity. Conservation efforts led by Helen Dortch Longstreet, who saw the possible destruction of the beauty of the gorge happening because of the power companies, laid the groundwork for the state park.
The dam was completed in 1913, which created a lake above the gorge and at the time, supplied North Georgia and Atlanta with electricity. It’s still in operation today but is a smaller component to the electricity grid.
The Georgia Power dam
The state park was created in 1992 and on weekends in the spring, summer, and fall, controlled releases from the dam invite brave kayakers to run the falls a handful of weekends out of the year. Hiking on the gorge floor is prohibited during these releases, the dates of which can be found on the Tallulah Gorge website.
The gorge was formed by the strong currents of the Savannah River, which cut through the rock. It’s about 1,000 feet deep and two miles long.
Hiking at Tallulah Gorge State Park
There are 20 miles of hiking trails at the park and they have everything from strenuous and challenging to leisurely and easy. There are maps everywhere at the gorge and inside the Interpretive Center so be sure to grab one and or take a screenshot.
The North and South rim trails are easy (about 3 miles total for both trails) and the overlooks are stunning. You can see straight down into the gorge and check out all the waterfalls. On the summer day we first visited, the clouds were wisping in and out of the canyon and it was beautiful.
There are signs at each overlook that tells you what you’re looking at. I cannot even imagine how stunning this place must look when the leaves change color in the fall.
The suspension bridge is what you may see photos of when you Google the park. I love suspension bridges and was excited to see this one – my first question to the Park Ranger was how to get to it! It swings 80 feet above the gorge floor and is so beautiful.
But here’s the thing: you have to walk down (and then back up) 620 metal steps. These steps are no joke: they are steep and one of the Rangers told me a lot of rescues happen on these stairs because people think they can do it and then find out they cannot make it back up.
Stairs. Stairs. More stairs.
An important thing to note is that dogs are not allowed on this trail or the Sliding Rock Trail on the gorge floor.
We did the hike down into the gorge to see Hurricane Falls and then back up to the South Rim and headed off to the North Rim for a total of a little over two miles. My kids (ages 11 and 7) and I are experienced hikers and while the stairs were pretty brutal, we didn’t have any issues completing the hike.
One thing to note is that the connection of the North and South rim trails is over a busy highway bridge at the dam. You don’t have to cross the road but you do need to keep a close eye on your kids if you choose this route.
Suspension Bridge
One cool thing on the North Rim trail was the old remnants of the tower that 65-year-old tightrope walker Karl Wallenda used when he took 18 minutes to walk across a steel tightrope on July 18, 1970. Inside the Interpretive Center are photos, a portion of the cable he used, and tickets that were distributed that day. So cool!
I made an Instagram Reel about our visit that you may enjoy.
The Sliding Rock (Gorge Floor) Trail
I hiked the Gorge floor on my second trip to Tallulah Gorge and had read so many reviews of the trail and what to expect. I really try to be prepared and my kids and I all had enough water and snacks and the right hiking shoes.
I did have second thoughts when a Ranger asked me directly, “Do you know how dangerous this is?”. I mean, yes, I had an idea. But of course, hiking it is a whole other beast. Let me tell you how it went.
So, you need to know that there are only 100 permits per day that the park gives out. They are free but they are also in demand. To get one, you need to get to the park at least 30 minutes before they open and wait at the gate. Then you’ll be let in, able to park, and wait in line at the Interpretive Center.
The other variable is weather: if it rained the night before or is raining that morning or the Gorge is releasing water from the dam, they won’t issue a permit. So watch the weather and look at the Gorge website to check the dates of the dam release.
We had camped right at the park the night before and ended up hiking the half mile or so from the campground to the Interpretive Center in the morning and were the very first people in line at 7:20 am (the park opens at 8 am).
About 20 minutes later, the gates must have opened because cars just poured in. By 8 am, there was easily 100 people in line. A ranger came out to tell everyone that if you were wearing Crocs or flip-flops, you wouldn’t get a permit no matter if you were one of the first 100 people in line.
Once the doors opened, the ranger led us and about 50 other people to the bottom floor of the Interpretive Center for a safety class. The ranger had photos of the trail, gave us tips on water crossings and making sure to tell us that Oceana Falls, which looks a little like Bridal Veil (aka Sliding Rock) Falls, was definitely not the right one to swim at because it was “bone-breaking.”
That waterfall was hence known as Bone Breaking Falls to us. See how you remember things?! He told us to make sure we had the right shoes and plenty of water and that this was not a hike for inexperienced hikers or little kids. This class lasted about 15 minutes and then we each got a permit and were on our way.
There are water fountains in the Interpretive Center so we filled our water bottles and headed down the stairs to Hurricane Falls where we would open the permit-only gate and head to the unmarked trail down to Sliding Rock, the only place in the Gorge you are allowed to swim.
The very first water crossing was a doozy. We had three kids ages 8-11 with us who were all experienced hikers, as are my friend and myself who went. My friend ended up getting in the water almost up to her waist halfway through the crossing to help the kids across. I was next in the water and slipped on a rock but caught my balance before tumbling in the water. The kids did awesome. It was so fun!
Then the next mile, which felt like forever, was all over boulders, walking over crevasses and drops, and crab crawling over a sloped rock above Bone Breaking Falls. That last one had me wondering what I had gotten myself into. I’m thankful my hiking boots have a really good grip.
Once we got to Sliding Rock, it was even more fun to slide down the nearly 20-ft waterfall into the pool below. I have a slight fear of doing this but figured this was a bucket list item and headed down, nearly turning my whole body around because apparently I’m awful at sliding down waterfalls. My kids tell me everyone looked over to the waterfall when they heard me scream. I was fine. Totally fine. Promise.
Aren’t I graceful?
The absolute coolest part of this hike for me was swimming in the pool below Sliding Rock and looking up at the sheer cliffs of the gorge above me. It was truly an awesome experience. Getting out of the pool was another challenge since the rocks near the edges were really slippery. We ended up swimming all the way over to the right side of the falls to get out. That’s where you need to go anyways to complete the three-mile loop trail.
That last part is a straight-up rock scramble over 0.25 miles where you gain 800 feet in elevation. It’s hard but as long as you take it slow, you’ll be ok. The whole trail was a lot of fun and the kids had such a blast.
This really isn’t a trail for inexperienced hikers though. Consider your own abilities, and those of whoever will be with you, before you go, and make sure you have the proper footwear and water with you. Always carry a first aid kit as well and just take your time. I’m used to hiking a three-mile trail in a hour and a half usually with my kids. The ranger told us to plan for four hours and he was right on the money. We spent maybe an hour at Sliding Rock and the whole trip took us just over four hours. For some people, they are there all day since it’s a slow go.
The Interpretive Center
I’ve found that visitor centers at parks are truly underrated establishments. My kids and I have learned so much about local areas through just checking out the visitors’ centers wherever we travel. The Interpretive Center at Tallulah Gorge State Park is no exception. This place is a museum in and of itself!
It is two stories with a switchback walkway in the center that has animals, both alive and stuffed, to see and learn about, plus exhibits on the many habitats of the gorge, Cherokee legends, and even a mini-theater that plays a 15-minute movie about the history of the town and state park every half hour.
Interpretive Center
There is an awesome exhibit on the top floor that shows a replica of the town in the 1800s plus tells all about the Native peoples who first inhabited the land, the construction of the dam, the introduction of the railroad, and the history of the resort town.
My kids and I really enjoyed this part and spent about 40 minutes after our hike going through the exhibits and learning all about the animals and history.
Camping at Tallulah Gorge State Park
The state park offers 57 RV, tent, and backcountry sites and you can pick up the trails right from the campground. This would be ideal if you especially want to hike the Sliding Rock Trail since you can be one of the first ones in line since you’re camping there!
Backcountry sites start at $20 and campsites start at $37. I thought the campground was pretty great. There are electrical outlets and water at each site and the bathhouse was really nice!
Tallulah Gorge Full Moon Hikes
This is one thing we did not do but it sounds super cool. The park will open at night so guests can hike down (and back up – remember #stairs) to the suspension bridge to see the full moon. You must register in advance and the admission is $10 in addition to the $5 parking pass. 2024 dates and times are below:
Saturday, July 20th, 2024 at 9 pm
Sunday, August 18th, 2024 at 8:15 pm
Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 at 7:45 pm
Thursday, October 17th, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Friday, November 15th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
Sunday, December 15th, 2024 at 5:45 pm
Tallulah Falls Lake
We saw the beautiful lake during our hike but didn’t visit it. Besides Sliding Rock, it’s the only other place you can swim at the gorge. There’s a sandy beach and picnic area for the enjoyment of guests.
The Ranger told me that if you Google “Tallulah Falls Post Office” and if you look to the right of the Post Office, there is a small area to walk down and drop in your kayak or paddleboard. You could also just drop it in at the beach. The $5 parking pass at the state park covers this lake as well. If you camp at the park, you’ll have a day-use pass you can use here.
Visiting Tallulah Gorge State Park
Admission to the park is a $5 parking fee that can be paid in cash or via an app that you scan the QR code with your phone when you get there.
Dogs are not allowed on the hike down to Hurricane Falls, the suspension bridge, Sliding Rock Trail on the gorge floor, or at the lake whatsoever. Dogs are allowed on leash on the rim trails.
Hours are 8 am – dark and the office is open daily 8 am – 5 pm.
Hurricane Falls
Know your limits and health regarding the trails with the stairs. And bring enough water. There are signs everywhere indicating how difficult it is, and to bring water. We passed a couple of water bottle and water fountain filling stations on the stairs, which were much appreciated. One wasn’t working though so be prepared.
During the summer and busy fall leaf-peeping season, the park will close the gates when they reach capacity, usually pretty early, around 8:30/9 am. So if you want to go, get there when the park opens.
Please exercise Leave No Trace and pack out what you pack in and don’t litter. The park is beautiful but we saw so many discarded plastic water bottles along the stairs and it was so sad. Not only does it take away from the natural, stunning environment but it makes it really hard to pick up since it’s very steep terrain.
One of our awesome readers recommended grabbing coffee/tea and small bites at Tallulah 1882, right across the street from the park entrance. We saw it but didn’t stop so now we have to go back! After our gorge floor hike, we did stop at the general store right behind Tallulah 1882 for ice cream and it was so good. The owner was so kind also.
Have you heard about Toccoa Falls? This massive waterfall is located on a beautiful college campus in North Georgia. You can view it with hardly any hiking at all. It’s an easy day trip from several points in the Carolinas and Georgia. Plus, there are a lot of beautiful things to see in the area as well, so you can really make a visit to Toccoa Falls a full-day trip adventure.
Day Trip Travel Times: From the Upstate, SC, Toccoa Falls is only about an hour and 20 minutes away. From Columbia, SC, Toccoa Falls is 2 and a half hours.
