Beaumont, a city located on the Texas Gulf Coast, is often overlooked because of its close proximity to its bigger and more popular brother, Houston. However, this underrated city has a wealth of free activities and its own charm that's worth discovering.
This newest accessible playground in Boiling Springs, SC, is great for kids of all ages. It’s fully fenced and features some imaginative play elements and adaptive equipment. Each structure cultivate creativity and inclusion. This playground is nestled in a quiet neighborhood, past the hustle and bustle of the main street.
Beech Mountain, NC, is the highest town on the East Coast and is great for winter adventures. The town is popular with nature enthusiasts all year round, but in my book, it's even more impressive when visited in the winter months. This cold spot in the southeast boasts stunning mountain scenery and a free sledding hill for all to enjoy.
Adjacent to the Mauldin Sports Center, City Center Park in Mauldin, SC, underwent an impressive renovation several years ago. Drawing inspiration from the fitness courses, this park brims with a variety of exciting play structures designed to encourage children of all ages to be active.
We love chasing the falls, but today we opted for a hike to the base of the cliffs in Norman Wilder Forest in Western North Carolina, where we were pleasantly surprised with our first “spring” sighting. The first, bright pops of wild daffodils are sprouting up along the trails. Even though the skies are still overcast and the weather will likely catch us off guard with a blizzard or two, new life is already stirring out there. What a beautiful sight to see in January.
This year, we celebrated the first day of the new year with a short hike at Pleasant Ridge Park in Greenville County, SC. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it was originally established in the 1940s for the African-American community. Nowadays this is a well-developed park with a little bit of everything for everyone, including a camp and retreat center, a fishing lake, and tip-top trails for hiking and mountain biking.
The Christmas House in Inman celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and is a real showstopper in the Upstate. You'll want to drive through at least twice to see all the displays. Their sheer number is beyond impressive. You will not be able to keep from getting over the top excited about Christmas!
Lindsey's Christmas House is a magnificent winter wonderland with thousands of twinkling lights, dozens of picture-perfect backdrops for family photos, and even the holiday model train displays. The upside is, it's free and open to the public.
Each year for the holidays, this community garden comes alive with Christmas lights, classic decorations, fairies, garlands, bows and so much more. This year, the garden highlights beloved classic Christmas stories you can walk through to experience a childlike sense of wonder.
The holiday season is in full swing. If you’re looking for a big dose of holiday cheer, visit Downtown Greenville. It's lit and packed with festive activities and holiday backdrops at every turn. The best part? Most activities are free and perfect for the whole family to enjoy.
Each evening, the Billy Graham Library grounds come alive with a festive celebration of Christmas and magical experiences for everyone. A live nativity scene, carolers, story time for kids, The Journey of Faith, Christmas lights, photo ops, horse-drawn carriage rides, handbell concert, and much more!
In December, stroll through Stowe Park in Belmont, NC, to view the forest of elaborately decorated Christmas trees and larger-than-life holiday decorations.
