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!
This article includes:
Admission to Saluda Shoals
Leo’s Landing Playground at Saluda Shoals
Saluda Shoals Splash Pad
Swim in the Saluda River
Trails at Saluda Shoals
Kayak and Canoe at Saluda Shoals: Rentals available
River Tubing at Saluda Shoals
More Things to Do at Saluda Shoals
Summer Camps at Saluda Shoals
Interested in other wonderful parks in the Columbia, SC area? Check out Citadel Park, where your kid can finally fulfill their dream of riding a T-Rex!
Scoot on Over to Saluda
Saluda Shoals is a large 480-acre park that can be found along the banks of the Saluda River. This park encourages play within nature and does a wonderful job at keeping amenities clean, the landscape well-manicured, and the park itself inviting! Catching a glimpse of wildlife is not unheard of here. Take a break from the hustle of the city and enjoy the fresh air, nature, and all the fun Saluda has to offer!
Arriving at Saluda Shoals Park
Saluda Shoals has two entrances into the park. The main entrance, also considered the West Entrance, can be found off of Bush River Road. It is best to enter here if you are planning on going to the splash pad and smaller playground, kayak/tube rental shed, or dog park.
The East Entrance is located off St. Andrews Rd. and we recommend entering through this gate if you’re looking for Leo’s Landing, the Drone Zone, disc golf course, or tennis courts. Either entrance can get you to where you need to be, but for convenience, this is what we’d recommend.
Saluda Admission and Annual Passes
Entry into the park is $5/car. If you plan to visit the park frequently, an annual pass for $55 could be the best option for your family. A few of the amenities such as the dog park and splash pad cost additional fees which will be discussed below.
Top Things to do With Young Kids at Saluda Shoals Park
Leo’s Landing
Leo’s Landing is the perfect all-inclusive playground that you never knew you were missing! It is a very unique and well-designed play space featuring large ziplines, countless climbing structures, a musical area, a variety of inclusive swings, and so much more! Be sure to check out our review of Leo’s Landing for more details and tips!
Saluda Splash
Need a place to cool off while enjoying Saluda Shoals? Head over to this large splash pad and let your kiddos run free.
We’ve got some exciting news to share! For the 2023 season, there will be a new and improved splash pad to enjoy! Several pieces of the existing equipment will be refurbished, but there will also be SEVEN new water features. Word on the street is that one of these new features will be a large dumping bucket.
We’ll update with all the NEW Saluda Splash info as it becomes available. And of course, we’ll stop by to try it out and report back as soon as the new splash pad is open!
To enter the splash pad, you will need a wristband which costs an additional $4/person at the gate. If you think you’ll use this feature a lot, you may want to look into purchasing a 15-visit pass for $55. The pass can be used at both Saluda Splash and the Melvin Park splash pad in Chapin.
The splash pad hours change frequently throughout the summer so be sure to double-check that they will be open before you go!
Saluda Shoals Splashpad Hours (2023)
Saluda Splash hours for the 2023 season are:
- April 29 – May 28
- Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 6 pm
- May 29 (Memorial Day) 10 am – 6 pm
- June 2 – August 14
- Monday – Friday 9 am -2 pm
- Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 6 pm
- August 19 – September 17
- Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 6 pm
Shaded Playground
Right next to the splash pad sits a completely covered and shady playground with a rock wall, slides, and monkey bars. There is also a large picnic shelter and restrooms next to the playground and splash pad. For a full day of play, we recommend bringing a dry change of clothes, packing a lunch, and then heading over to either the shaded playground or Leo’s Landing after the splash pad.
Our Favorite Outdoor Adventures at Saluda Shoals
The outdoor fun is endless at Saluda Shoals Park! Load up your family and enjoy nature, make memories along the river, and observe the wildlife all around you. Here are just a few of our favorite outdoor activities available at Saluda. Keep in mind that children must be at least 5 years old to take part in rental activities!
Swim in the Saluda River
We found the perfect place at Saluda Shoals to splash around and swim in the river! That being said, swimming at Saluda is allowed, however, there are no lifeguards or roped-off swim areas so, swim at your own risk!
To get to the “swimming hole” we recommend either parking at the Splash Pad or the lot near the upper boat ramp and kayak rental shed. If coming from the splash pad, follow the sidewalk to the far back of the parking area. When you see the picnic shelter, continue along the trail which will lead you into the parking lot of the boat ramp. Here you will have a great view of the river! Continue walking towards the left and you will come to the set of stairs that leads you down to the swimming area. While the beach landing isn’t large, it is decent-sized and gives the perfect entry into the river.
My family was not aware of this little swimming hole before our trip, but we still walked down and let our son dip his toes in. There was another family taking advantage of the cool water that had small tubes and toys for their kids to play with. I also loved that this area was very shady and surrounded by some of the trails.
Pro tip: don’t forget the water shoes if you plan on going for a swim!
Trails at Saluda Shores
Load up the bicycles and lace up the walking shoes because throughout Saluda Shoals Park you will find more than 10 miles of trails! These trails are both paved and unpaved, have a variety of different lengths, and are welcoming to many different fitness levels. Several miles of the trails even run along the river…talk about a beautiful view!
Heads up! From now until November 2022, portions of the Greenway Trail will be closed due to construction within the park.
You can view the Saluda Shoals
Kayaking and Canoeing
What better way to enjoy the Saluda River than by kayak or canoe! The park has canoes and both single and tandem kayaks available for rent from 9 am – 4 pm, daily. You can rent these for 1 hour for $25, 2 hours for $35, or for the entire day for $50. If you have a group of 5 or more people you can even book a 3-hour private guided tour.
This is a popular attraction during the spring and summer months so be prepared to potentially wait in line as always, we recommend getting there early, especially during the weekend!
River Tubing
Rent a tube for just $15 and have a relaxing two-hour float down the Saluda River! Rentals take place daily from 9 am – 3 pm and must be returned no later than 5 pm. Don’t forget to bring a small waterproof bag or cooler along with you for snacks and water.
Other Things To Enjoy At Saluda
Some additional amenities that can be found within Saluda Shoals Park are a disc golf course, two boat ramps, 8 picnic shelters, a river observation deck, team building programs, bird observation, and a large tennis court complex. Be aware that some holes of the disc golf course may be closed from February – November 2022 due to construction within the park.
Barking Lot Dog Park
Have a 4-legged furry child… I mean pet at home? Allow them to tag along on your family adventure and take them over to this 2-acre, fenced-in green space to run and play. Not only does this dog park have an agility course, but it also includes 3 shallow pools for your dog to cool off in, a fire hydrant sprayer, and a large gazebo. In order to use this feature, however, you must purchase a $40 annual pass which is good for up to 2 dogs per family. Leashed dogs are also permitted along the trails for no extra fees or passes required.
Drone Zone
Calling all drone lovers! Head over to the fairly new “drone zone” located next to Leo’s Landing and practice your flying in a large, open green space. I’ve personally never seen this offered in other parks and thought it was a neat attraction!
Event Spaces at Saluda Shoals
If you need a unique space to host a meeting, wedding, birthday party or any other social gathering look no further! Saluda Shoals is home to three event spaces that can be rented out all throughout the year: Meech House, River Center, and Environmental Center. To book your next event you can go online for more information or contact Lori at 803.213.2015.
Events You Don’t Want to Miss at Saluda Shoals
Saluda Shoals has a calendar FULL of events year-round. One of the most noteworthy events is the Christmas light display, “Lights on the River”. The route goes on for 2.5 miles with a place about halfway through to stop and roast s’mores, purchase hot chocolate and enjoy several other holiday favorites.
The lights themselves are truly amazing. Cars packed with families and eager children filled with the holiday spirit go on for MILES. Our best tip is to get to the park before the start time and prepare to wait. As in, pack lots of snacks and car-friendly activities for the kiddos. Even if you don’t get there early, you’ll be in a looooooong line of cars waiting to enter. It’s worth it though, we promise!
Some of the other events you can find at Saluda Shoals are wine tastings, beer tastings, cook-offs, family days, a 4th of July celebration, and more! Be sure to check out their calendar.
Summer Camps at Saluda Shoals
Saluda offers several summer camps for ages 4 – 16 year olds. The majority of the camps begin at 9 am and end around noon, however, there are a few that end later in the afternoon. Camps vary on dates and price and include:
- Critter Camp – learn about plants, animals and habitats
- Kayak Camp – spend 3 days at a time learning about the river and how to properly paddle
- Outdoor Adventure Camp – learn useful outdoor skills
- Spanish & Nature Immersion Camp – explore nature through play using both Spanish and English
- Tennis Camp – offered for several different skill levels
- Minecraft Game Design – create games and learn about computer programing
For more Columbia area summer camps, don’t miss the 70+ summer camps in our Columbia, SC guide.
See You at Saluda!
Saluda Shoals Park
5605 Bush River Rd.
Columbia, SC 29212
Hours:
March – October: 7 am – sunset
November – February: 7 am – 5:30 pm
Have you visited Saluda Shoals yet? What did your family enjoy the most? We would love to know!
