North and South Carolina Family Travel Guide

The following are updates to both North and South Carolina:

NORTH CAROLINA

CLOSED

CE – Snow Camp, SNOW CAMP HISTORICAL DRAMA

CE – Raleigh, LEGENDS OF HARLEY DRAG RACING MUSEUM

CW – Winston-Salem, SCI WORKS

SC – Kannapolis, CANNON VILLAGE TEXTILE MUSEUM

SC – Charlotte, CAROLINAS AVIATION MUSEUM

SC – Charlotte (Harrisburg), 600 RACING INC

SE – Wilmington, CAPE FEAR SERPENTARIUM

SE – Wilmington, WOODEN BOAT SHOW

NORTH CAROLINA NEW

ASHEVILLE, N.C.Families riding the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer can find an adrenaline rush of a different kind at NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES, a high-adventure zipline canopy tour in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. Located just minutes off the Parkway and from downtown Asheville, NAVITAT combines the exhilaration of a zipline adventure with the educational and environmental elements of the original Central American canopy tours. Tours run daily through the end of November. Reservations are required. Tour price is $89 per person on weekdays and $99 on weekends. Visit www.navitat.com or call 1-855-NAVITAT (855-628-4828) to book your tour.

CENTRAL EAST – ODOM FARMING CO., GOLDSBORO. The mission of the third-generation farmers at Odom Farming Company goal is to bring people back to the farm, get them excited about agriculture, and help kids see where food comes from. Among its events are Fall on the Farm, open late September thru early November, on Fridays and Saturdays. Two corn mazes, wagon rides, a playground with a hay jump, punkin’ chunkin’ and meeting the farm animals are just some of the entertainment, along with U-pick pumpkins and sunflowers. Check their social media pages for pricing and the latest updates. Friendly pets on leashes are allowed.

SOUTH CAROLINA – CLOSED
CENTRAL – Timmonsville, OVIS HILL FARM
EASTERN – Myrtle Beach (Murrells Inlet), SALTWATER MARSH EXPLORER ADVENTURE, CAPTAIN DICKS
EASTERN – Myrtle Beach North, GREAT AMERICAN RIVERBOAT CO

SOUTH CAROLINA – NEW

EASTERN – Aiken. Hopelands Gardens

Website:  www.visitaikensc.com/whattodo/detail/hopelands_gardens
Description:  This 14-acre park was the former estate of Mr. and Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin. Features a wetlands area, an arboretum trail with cell phone tour, a labyrinth and a performing arts stage. Events include Story Time in the Gardens, the Summer Concert Series and Christmas in Hopelands. Hopelands is open year round, 10 am-sunset. The Dollhouse, also located on the property, is open Sun 2-5 pm. 135 Dupree Place. Free Admission.

EASTERN – Beaufort (Okatie) – Sea Life Maritime Center – 310 Okatie Highway. 843-645-7774 or portroyalsoundfoundation.org. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm. FREE. The Maritime Center on the shores of the Chechessee River, has exhibits with fish, crabs, turtles and other animals of the Lowcountry. Kids especially love the 3,000 gallon aquarium. Eco boat tours, kayak trips, classes, etc are offered too.

CENTRAL – Columbia (Irmo) – 7971 North Woodrow St. 29063. Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-8:00pm, Sunday-11:00am-6:00pm. Monday- CLOSED.  803.359.0994. roysgrillsc.com. The usual pork offerings but the loaded nachos are a fan favorite. They’re a combo of fried, bbq-spiced tortilla chips with pulled pork (or blackened chicken), queso blanco and your choice of sauce.

Mike’s Farm

Mike’s Farm in Beulaville is a popular agritourism entertainment venue. Every year, Mike’s Farm is selected as the best pumpkin patch in North Carolina and is in the running this year for the top ten pumpkin patches in the U.S. with USA Today 10 Best. Ride on a hayride and then pick your very own pumpkin. Afterwards enjoy a meal from their highly rated family farm to table restaurant, a dessert from the bakery or shop at the barn showcasing North Carolina products. In October, pumpkin patch hayrides will run continuously from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., along with the petting zoo, barn, gift shop and bakery. Restaurant and our Food Truck (weather permitting) will be open from 12-8. Visitors bring lawn chairs to enjoy free magic shows, live music and free tastings of North Carolina wines and wine slushies. An annual Haunted Hayride is put on as a fundraiser by and for local volunteer fire departments. Open Thursdays-Saturdays.

EASTERN – CHARLESTON. Just wanted to send you a quick update on the progression of Charleston, SC’s newest adventure park, Wild Blue Ropes! Now you can finally see the course coming to life on James Island with the 23 poles and multiple features including platforms and ropes up in the air! Address: 1595 Highland Avenue, right off Folly Road. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wild-Blue-Ropes/232476963593232 https://twitter.com/wildblueropes http://instagram.com/wildblueropes

Eastern – Charleston – Family Tours at the Aiken-Rhett House and Nathaniel Russell House Summers, Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Families are invited to the Nathaniel Russell House on Tuesdays and the Aiken-Rhett House on Thursdays for special family-focused tours and activities. Docent-led family tours start on the half-hour between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will be followed by time for play with historic games and toys. For more information, visit www.historiccharleston.org/museums. $12/adults, $5/children 6-16 and free for children under six.

Eastern – Charleston (Mount Pleasant) – Swig & Swine. 2379 Highway 41 29466. 843.416.7368. swigandswinebbq.com. The $68 family platter here is a serious sampler: a tray loaded with thick slices of pork belly, beef brisket, smoked turkey, pulled pork, sausages, ribs, chicken wings and a choice of three sides, including bechamel mac n cheese and pickled vegetables. Smoked with wood a la carte items are available, too. Folks love the warm pork rinds topped with hot sauce and crumbled blue cheese.

NorthWest – Greenville – The Pickwick Soda Shop. 3219 Augusta Street, 29605. Phone: 864-277-4180. thepickwick.net. Hours: Monday-Friday 10:30am-4:30pm. At this institution, which dates back to 1933, locals can enjoy lunch, milkshakes, and sodas while they wait for prescriptions or just to hang out. The soda shop seats approximately 50 people at counter seating and booths, and the menu is typical of the lunch menu from 1940s – simple sandwiches heated on a griddle, shakes and malts, root beer floats, fresh-squeezed orangeade and lemonade, hotdogs and chilidogs, 30 flavors of ice cream, and cherry and vanilla cokes served from a 1949 soda fountain.

NorthWest – Greenville – Henry’s Smokehouse – 240 Wade Hampton Blvd. 864.232.7774 https://henryssmokehouse.com/. The heady smell of hickory hits you as soon as you open the door of this cozy wood-paneled joint, a local go-to since 1991. The menu is not on paper but on a chalkboard hung behind the counter. Most come for the ribs with a garlicky pepper crust that you can douse with house spicy mustard sauce or regular bbq sauce. Favorite sides are the barbecue hash, hand-cut fries or the sweet potato casserole. Serving lunch and dinner weekdays, just lunch weekends.

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