Are you thinking about a visit to Saluda Shoals Park? If you’re looking for ways to enjoy the great outdoors, have some fun on the Saluda River or explore awesome play areas with your kids, Saluda Shoals is the place for you! Saluda makes for the perfect day trip activity or even a wonderful place to spend a few extra hours out of the house. We’ve got all you need to know about things to do, our favorite places to go within the park, and events you won’t want to miss out on!
Do you need a shady outdoor space to beat the spring and summer heat in Columbia? Citadel Park is sure to be a treat! This quaint, family-friendly playground has so many unique and cozy features including a “Little Free Library,” beautiful landscape and large green space, a designated toddler area, and plenty of sitting space.
Do you have any baseball fans in your family? Have you ever been to a Columbia Fireflies baseball game at Segra Park? In this mom review of a Fireflies game with kids, we’ll tell you all about this Certified Sensory Inclusive ballpark where your family can enjoy a lively baseball game, engage in fun, family-friendly promotions, and have the chance to get free Fireflies gear.
Columbia Fireflies games are an excellent way to spend quality time with your family and friends and we’ve got all you need to know to plan the perfect night out at the ballfield!
Purchase individual game tickets now for the 2024 home games at Segra Park! The 2024 season will kick off with a home game on April 9th. The last regular season home game is scheduled for September 8, 2024 – giving you plenty of time to enjoy a day out at the ballfield.
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, plus lots of NEW activities for the 2024 season!
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.
The Strawberry Farm
Cottle Strawberry Farm is run by Ms. Joy Cottle, and the family has been farming the land for about 50 years. They have two strawberry picking locations, one in Hopkins, SC, and the other in Florence, SC. We went to the one in Hopkins, right outside Columbia.
They host field trips and, of course, families and others who want to get outside and pick their own berries. Only school groups need to make reservations, and like we always suggest, it’s good to call ahead before you go since the weather is a constant variable for u-pick farms.
Besides picking your own strawberries, the farm offers locally made strawberry bread, local honey, tomatoes, jams, and salsas. The farm has multiple roadside stands (addresses are listed below) and sells their berries and local goods at farmers’ markets in the area.
Like some other farms, they have cute, painted boards to measure how tall your kids are every year and take photos with cut-out heads in painted scenes on boards. They have lots of new things that they have added for this coming 2024 season as well.
Strawberry Picking at Cottle Strawberry Farm
The farm offers two sizes for upick strawberry picking – a quart ($5) and a gallon ($17). They will give you directions on parts of the strawberry patch that are good for picking. Then head out and get those berries. It’s always a good idea to wear closed-toed shoes when strawberry picking due to ants, other insects, and mud. And a hat, sunscreen, and water are also great things to have with you, especially as the weather heats up.
It only took us about 30 minutes to fill up two gallons, so the berries are plentiful, to say the least. There is a lot of space to spread out so even if you are there when a field trip or two are present, you won’t feel crowded.
Hours
Check back soon for Cottle Strawberry Farm u-pick opening date for the 2024 season. They are usually open Monday – Saturday 8 am – 7 pm and Sunday 10 am – 6 pm, but remember this can change due to conditions in the field. We will update further as
You pick berries are $5/quart and $17/gallon. Berries picked by the farm are $6/quart, $14/half gallon, and $20/gallon. We pick berries are available at select stands beginning in mid-March.
3712 W. Palmetto St Florence, SC 29501 | 843.317.0031
They post regularly on the Cottle Strawberry Farm Facebook with the latest updates regarding hours and berries available. Also, be sure to get the stamp from the farm if you are working your way through the SC Agritourism Passport!
Roadside stands are located at:
1249 Alice Drive Sumter SC 29150
Bower Parkway and Harbison Blvd (across from PetSmart)
5143 Forest Drive, Columbia SC 29206
714 Clemson Road, Columbia SC 29229 (in the parking lot of Rodney’s Rockets and Fireworks)
1839 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, SC 29169
582 Highway 1 South Lugoff, SC 29078 (beside River Crossing Shopping Center)
Are you thinking about a visit to Frankie’s Fun Park in Columbia, SC? We got a chance to visit and had so much fun with family. Come along on our visit and find out all the things Frankie’s Columbia, SC offers, plus some local parent tips to help you make the most of your family’s visit.
Watch: Come Along On Our Visit
Things to Do at Frankie’s Fun Park: Columbia, SC
Inside at Frankie’s in Columbia
Laser Tag
Arcade
XD Dark Ride
VR system
Snack bar
Large dining area, with space for birthday parties
Outside at Frankie’s in Columbia
The outside space at Frankie’s feels very open, pleasant, and not crowded. When you’re on one of the mini-golf courses, you really wouldn’t know you are so close to 2 other courses. They’ve done a beautiful job with the space and it feels very private and tropical.
There are 3 mini-golf courses outdoors at Frankie’s all with an island, tropical theme. We played course number 2 because we were told it was the most lush of the three courses. It was beautiful and tropical with bright blue fountains throughout, and all the courses are sprinkled with South Carolina charm from the “Sullivan’s Island Watchtower” to the Shem Creek Seafood Co. and Isle of Palms Boat Shop. How many South Carolina gems you can find on your trip?
Go Karts
There are 3 Go-Kart tracks outside at Frankie’s: Road Course, Drifter & Rookie Track. Each track has different specifications that are based on age and size, providing karts of different sizes and speeds.
Tips for Parents: Bringing Kids to Frankies
The Arcade: Inside can get crowded and there are lots of flashing lights and noises. Some parents might find trying to keep track of the kids and supervise them a little stressful. 1 on 1 supervision for little ones might be best.
Plan ahead for your activities to maximize your time and make sure you get to do the things most important to your family, in case you find lines at the activities.
Budget before you go. There is no admission fee to enter Frankie’s but rather you pay per activity. Having a plan will help you stick to a budget and avoid overspending.
Have you ever been to Woodland Park in Columbia, SC? With the warmer weather rolling in, Woodland Park is a great place to get some fresh air, enjoy the sunshine, and let your kiddos burn off some energy. Woodland Park features a huge playground, large open green spaces, a walking trail, pickleball and tennis courts, and is even dog-friendly. My family and I recently took a trip here, and I think we found a new staple to add into our playground rotation – it’s THAT good!
Enjoy Nature at Woodland Park
Just off of Garners Ferry Road, tucked away in the Old Woodlands subdivision, you will find a FANTASTIC park for you and your family to enjoy! Even though we’d consider it a quiet area, you can almost always find a decent amount of kiddos for your children to play with here. Woodland Park is surrounded by trees, making it feel a little less like the hustle and bustle of city-life and a bit more relaxing as you enjoy nature all around.
Reasons to Love Woodland Park
There are so many things to love about Woodland Park, but my family’s absolute favorite thing about going here is the variety of playground equipment. For my 1-year-old, there were small slides, bucket swings, a rocking car, and even some climbing features that she could enjoy.
There were tons of things for my older son to enjoy as well – big slides, a variety of monkey bars, traditional swings, balancing equipment, and a large climbing structure. There is truly something for ALL ages at Woodland Park!
Open Ended Green Spaces
Along with the playground itself, my kids enjoyed playing hide-and-seek in the open green spaces. One part of the green space is filled with trees while the other is more open. Both of these areas would be perfect for sprawling out on a blanket and having a nice picnic! You could also toss a football, blow bubbles, catch a frisbee, or even fly a kite on a breezy day.
Walking Loop
Under the shade of the trees you will also find a walking trail that makes a large loop. My family and I took a quick stroll along the path and couldn’t help but notice all of the neat signs of nature. Several of the tree trunks were hollowed out which my son loved to carefully peak inside. We even saw and heard an owl flying around and “hoot-ing” up in the trees!
Pickleball and Tennis Courts
Have you given pickleball a try yet? With its new popularity, you might be searching for a nice place to play! At Woodland Park you will find 2 pickleball courts and 5 tennis courts. The courts are all open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A Few More Reasons to Go to Woodland Park
I know we’ve already given you so many great reasons to give Woodland Park a try, but if you’re still not sold, here are a few more:
Several benches
Picnic tables
Dog-friendly
Shade
Free little library
Large paved parking lot
More Things to do Near Woodland Park
Woodland Park is centrally located to several popular Columbia spots! In just under 15-minutes you can be in Five Points where you can find restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping. Maybe even make your way to the University of South Carolina and stroll through the beautiful, well-known “horseshoe.”
Have you ever been to Doko Meadows Park in Blythewood, SC? Is your family in need of a park that has a variety of options for fun? With plenty of space to exercise, play, enjoy nature and wildlife or even attend an event or two, Doko Meadows Park has it all! We know Doko Meadows will be a place your family will keep coming back to – keep reading to find out why!
So Much to Enjoy at Doko Park
Doko Meadows Park is a large 22-acre multipurpose park found in the heart of downtown Blythewood. Complete with clean restrooms, a fenced-in playground, walking trails, a fishing dock, an event space, an amphitheater, and a huge open field. Doko Meadows is the perfect place for families to go to have fun, make memories and spend as much or as little time as they need.
Are you thinking about snow tubing at Black Bear Snow Tubing in Hendersonville, NC? Western North Carolina has great snow tubing and Black Bear Snow Tubing is a stellar option for families! They have a huge mountain to get your winter in high gear with a fun snow tubing trip for the whole family! We took a trip up to try out that snow-tubing mountain and it was so much fun! Now we have all the details to share so you can plan your trip!
Media tickets were provided for this review and the opinions are solely those of the author.
While there aren’t any places to snow tube in the Upstate, SC, there are definitely options nearby and one of them is Black Bear Snow Tubing in nearby Hendersonville, NC, just over an hour from Greenville, SC. The snow tubing family-owned operation has been in business for over seven years and they really have a good thing going there, which I’m going to tell you all about in this story.
Scenes From the Slope
Take a sneak peek at this video at Black Bear Snow Tubing.
Snow Tubing at Black Bear
The slope at Black Bear Snow Tubing is 600 feet long with an 80-foot drop and it’s pretty fast. They make their own snow (unless they get a big snowstorm, which doesn’t happen too often) and the hill is well-maintained by their attentive staff.
How it works is that when you get to Black Bear, you go to a little shed to watch a short safety video, where you learn how to get out of your tube on the run and not to start snowball fights, sign a waiver, and head inside the cozy lodge to pay. Then you get your tubes and head to the hill.
They have a pulley system to get you to the top of the hill, which works by slipping the handle of your tube on a cable that takes you, while sitting inside your tube, right up the hill to the top. Once at the top, you’ll wait for a few minutes before being situated into your group by the staff and then sliding down the hill.
Black Bear Snow Tubing Pulley System
Why Black Bear is Different
I’ve snow tubed at many places in our area and I think Black Bear Snow Tubing is pretty fantastic. Here’s why:
You can (and should) make a reservation ahead of time, which is crucial for us in Greenville who need to travel out of state to go snow tubing. It’s quite a bummer to get to our snow tubing place and either find out that they are sold out or having to wait hours for an open slot.
The staff is attentive and efficient. They were always around watching the hill to make sure things were running smoothly and safely. When there was a slight backup at the top of the hill, they figured out how to manage to get us all down the hill and back up to keep snow tubing without interruption.
The lodge is super cozy and warm and has reasonable concessions. I got a $2 hot chocolate and it was amazing. Plus, they have food, including apple cider donuts, that is affordable and you can get warm by the wood-burning stove inside or watch on the deck if you don’t want to go tubing.
The setup takes into account smaller kids. There is playground next to the place where you wait in line to go up the hill so smaller kids can get out their energy and there is a big fire pit also near the waiting area where you can warm up.
If you forgot a hat or gloves, they have them for sale inside the lodge. I feel like us parents can relate when our kid gets out of the car to go snow tubing and forgot his or her winter hat.
The check-in is fast. This is important because you want to get on the hill and start having fun as soon as possible!
Black Bear has excellent communication. They post daily on their Facebook page about current snow conditions, which is super helpful when you’re unsure about the weather.
The snow is real. They don’t have any synthetic chemicals in the snow – it’s the real deal.
My kids, ages 11 and 8, and I had such a blast snow tubing at Black Bear Snow Tubing. We went down the hill about 10 times (maybe more, I lost count honestly) and had so much fun together. I really love places where adults can carelessly be kids again. My kids are already asking to go back. The hill was super fast and seeing my kids faces light up with joy was special. I love those moments.
Tips on How to Enjoy Snow Tubing at Black Bear
Winter being winter, it’s usually cold when you go snow tubing. I’ve found that bringing hand and foot warmers is a really good trick to keeping everyone warm and comfortable. You can get them at Wal-Mart, Amazon, or most drug stores and they stay warm for hours.
It’s also really important to make a reservation when you know you want to go snow tubing. This is especially true during school breaks and holidays. Snow tubing is an awesome family activity on a day off but a lot of people also have the same thought. Don’t forget to make a reservation.
You don’t need to wear snow bibs or snow pants. I had on fleece leggings, hiking boots, and a couple layers of tops with a heavy coat (it was really cold when we went!) and I was fine. I saw people wearing all kinds of clothes that worked for them like pants, leggings, jeans, and sweatpants. The snow wasn’t wet at all when we went but if you go on a warmer day, you may want to bring a change of pants in case they get wet.
There are port-a-potties outside the lodge to use and no bathrooms indoors.
Double-check Black Bear’s Facebook page before heading out. Snow tubing is very dependent on weather, which changes often in the mountains. They will post current conditions and if they are open or closed most days.
Ticket Prices and Policies at Black Bear Snow Tubing
Tickets are $30/hour or $40/two hours for snow tubing. Kids must be 4 years old in order to go snow tubing. You can either sign a waiver when you get to Black Bear Snow Tubing or print one out online ahead of time. Either is fine.
While Black Bear Snow Tubing does take walk-ups, it is much better to make a reservation ahead of time instead of getting there and finding out they are full. Online reservations are fantastic for this very reason so definitely make use of them.
And be sure to check Black Bear Snow Tubing’s Facebook page before heading out to double check they are open and running. Winter tubing runs mid-December through February usually depending on the weather, of course.
And if you want to tube during other times of the year, you totally can! They have warm-weather tubing in the fall.
Have you visited the drive-thru safari park at Eudora Farms? Get the family ready for a thrilling animal adventure, right from the car! Just south of Columbia, SC, this drive-thru safari is waiting for you with over 200 exotic animals. You’ll see exotic birds, camels, zebra, water buffalo, ostriches, and so much more!
We hopped in the car to check it out and this attraction was a hit for everyone! Here’s everything you need to know about Eudora Farms Wildlife Safari near Columbia, South Carolina, in Salley, SC.
Visiting South Carolina’s Eudora Farms Wildlife Safari
My family loved our recent adventure to Eudora Farms! I’m not totally sure what we were expecting, but our experience went above and beyond anything we had in mind! We shared plenty of giggles, unsure shrieks, and big smiles all around.
Before you head out to Eudora Farms, be sure to check the Eudora Farms social media account for any weather/closure updates. It’s far enough away that driving there and not being able to get in would make for a lot of tears (and the kids would be upset, too).
Planning Your Trip
After leaving Columbia, there aren’t many places to stop for gas, food, or potty breaks. The majority of the trip is very rural and there is often a line to get into the farm, so a quick pit stop before getting out of town wouldn’t be the worst idea.
Arriving at Eudora Farms
You will have to drive down a long dirt road before making it to the entrance of the farm. Upon arrival there will be a shelter where you can purchase (or show pre-purchased) tickets, buy buckets of food, and be given important rules and information.
Eudora Farms Tickets
Admission prices are as follows:
1 – 2 people in the vehicle: $18/person
3 – 6 people in the vehicle: $45/vehicle
Animal Food Buckets for Purchase
We recommend purchasing several bowls of food. Each bowl costs $5 or you can do a bundle of 5 bowls and save a few bucks. That is what my family chose to do and while it felt like too much at first, I promise, it goes fast! Be sure to keep the food not being used WELL HIDDEN! We will talk more about this later.
What Animals Can You See at Eudora Farms?
Overall, there are a couple of hundred animals that live on Eudora Farms!
The safari driving trail will wind through several fields where you will see animals such as ostriches, zebras, camels, African Watusi, water buffalo, goats, llamas, and so much more! Some of these animals will gleefully approach your vehicle while others might need a little coaxing.
My son’s favorite animal was “the guy with the big horns”, better known as the African Watusi. Several of them greeted us right at the entrance and I think my son was in awe of how massive their horns were! My personal favorite was the highland cattle for no other reason than I think they’re cute and surprisingly rather gentle!
Beware of Ostriches & Camels
If you don’t remember anything else from this article, remember this: The ostriches will nip you! It doesn’t hurt (I got bitten); just scares the living snot out of you. You will usually be able to see the ostriches coming, so when/if it’s safe to do so, just roll your window up and they will move right along.
A second animal I MUST warn you about are the camels! They like food, A LOT, and are not afraid of sticking their enormous necks in and stealing whatever is in their eyesight.
During our adventure, we had two separate camels steal a total of 3 food bowls from us. One of which I swore was going to end up sitting in my lap – he stretched through the front window, into the floorboard of the back seat, and snatched up 2 bowls like it was nothing. He was definitely well-trained on the act! (lol!)
Tips and Tricks for Eudora Farms
1. Bring Towels
Seriously, you’re going to need them! After getting 3 full bowls of food snatched out of the backseat of my van we used a towel to cover the rest of them on the floorboard. Out of sight, out of…danger of being robbed by camels!
Another great use for towels is draping them over the side of your car so that some is covering both the outside and inside of your door. We saw a few cars doing this and thought it was BRILLIANT. The animals will undoubtedly bring in a lot of mud, dirt, and, well…slobber, so having an extra barrier there will be helpful!
2. Pack Hand Sanitizer or Wipes
While there are handwashing stations in the walkthrough safari areas, there is no way to wash your hands while in the drive-thru portion. Remember how I said you’re going to encounter lots of animal dirt and slobber?! Hand sanitizer and/or wet wipes are necessary, for sure!
3. Demonstrate How to Properly Feed Animals
I know they probably don’t do it on purpose, however, some of the animals are more aggressive than others at getting their food. It would be wise to have a quick teaching moment and/or demonstration with younger kiddos about holding their hands flat to feed, staying calm when animals approach, etc.
4. Bring More Containers
While you CANNOT bring your own food to feed the animals, you can bring smaller containers to divide the food into. This helps a ton with not only rationing food out to your kids but it also gives them a place to hold it besides just their hands or laps. Think along the lines of a few small, plastic bowls or Tupperware containers.
5. Have No Fear, More Food is Available
We thought we were running out of food and started getting nervous, but about ¾ of the way through your trip there will be another shelter to purchase food buckets at!
6. No Petting or Feeding the Zebras
They will also tell you this when you’re checking-in, but you are not allowed to pet or feed the zebras! Make sure your children are also aware of this rule because the zebras will still stick their heads into the car and say hello. Just ignore them and they’ll leave quickly!
7. Only Honk if you Need Help
Honking your horn means you need assistance so you should only do this if you’re in need of a staff member.
More Things To Do at Eudora Wildlife Safari Park
Now that the farm is 100% complete, in addition to the drive-thru safari, there is a petting zoo, giraffe visit, walk-thru safari, and food trucks.
Walk-through safari at Eudora Farms
Along the walk-thru safari, you can get up close to lemurs, tropical birds, bearcats, kangaroos, and have a chance to feed parakeets.
Petting Zoo at Eudora Farms
At the petting zoo, you can feed baby animals such as goats, camels, and cows.
Has your family visited Eudora Farms? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Eudora Farms Wildlife Safari Drive-thru is reader-recommended
We had a fun adventure last week down in Salley at Eudora Farm. Kidding around Greenville has been such a fabulous resource and totally saved me multiple times. I wanted to share with the group. Eudora Farm is a drive through safari that’s only $36 a car. Takes about an hour to drive through depending on how long you choose to interact with the animals. There’s camels, exotic cattle, zebras, large birds, llamas, alpacas, a GIRAFFE, etc. etc. A wide variety came up to the car to be fed or pet. Buckets of grain are $5. After the drive there’s a small area where you can pet young animals and Elliot the giraffe. There’s a bird enclosure with about 60 parakeets that you can feed for $2 a stick. We spent ages in there. There’s some concessions, but we packed in food and ate at the picnic tables. Portapotties are available and handwashing stations. It’s a bit of a drive, but well worth it!!
Caitlin Cobb
Eudora Farms 219 Salem Lane, Salley, SC 803.606.6325
Hours: Monday – Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm Sunday from 12 pm to 4 pm Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
Admission is $18-$45 per car depending on the number of people.
Food for the animals is $5 a bucket (Prices subject to change)
Have you visited Irmo Community Park yet? This hidden park is tucked away, but it’s still very popular with locals. Beautifully landscaped and full of things to do, including trails and playgrounds, Irmo Community Park is also home to many community events including the famous Okra Strut Festival!
About Irmo Community Park
Irmo Community Park is gorgeous. The park is well landscaped and full of mature trees with a pretty pond, walking trails, picnic shelters, multiple playgrounds, and an amphitheater.
Stop by to let the kids burn off some energy, get in some extra steps on the shady trails, or catch an upcoming event in the amphitheater!
The Playgrounds
Shaded and unique, the playgrounds at Irmo Community Park offer space for both the little ones and the big kids to climb, slide, and have some fun. The ground cover under the climbers is solid rubber, but there’s still mulch and sandy dirt between each area. There are several climbing walls and climbing structures, a saucer swing, plus spinning features that will get the kids dizzy. The smaller play area is covered with a sun canopy and nearby there is a large log mounted for kids to practice their balancing skills!
The spaces are open and not fenced.
What to Know Before You Go
Spring and Summer are beautiful times of year to visit Irmo Community Park as the landscaping is very colorful and hosts a variety of photo-worthy backdrops! The tall mature trees and stream line a portion of the walking path adding to the natural beauty of this park.
There are restrooms on-site located near the pond and only a short walk from the playground and amphitheater.
There are 2 picnic shelters with BBQ grills which can be reserved for parties and special events. The park is free for public use and is open from 7 am to 10 pm daily.
Irmo Community Park 7507 Eastview Drive
What is your favorite community event to attend at Irmo Community Park?
