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10 Tips & Tricks For the Best Zoo Day at Riverbanks Zoo: Columbia, SC

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Are you planning a trip to Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC? Some call it the Riverbank Zoo, some call it the Columbia Zoo, no matter what you call it, we know you’ll enjoy a trip to this popular zoo in South Carolina. With over 2,000 animals spread across 170-acres there is so much to explore, learn and do! We will share all of our tips, what to expect, and how to prepare for your day of wild, memorable fun at this awesome zoo in Columbia.

Riverbanks Zoo
Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC

The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is made up of two large sections. You have the zoo side and then you have the botanical gardens side. This is where Waterfall Junction, the popular splash pad and play space, is located. It’s so cool, that we have a whole other article focused just on the Riverbanks Botanical Gardens and Waterfall Junction.

This article includes:
How Much Time Do I Need to Visit Riverbanks Zoo?
Tips and Tricks: Visiting the zoo in Columbia, SC
When is the best time to visit Riverbanks Zoo?
Riverbanks Zoo Map: Getting around
What should I bring to the Riverbanks Zoo?
Can you feed animals at the zoo in Columbia?
What other rides and attractions are at Riverbanks Zoo?
Can I bring food and snacks to the Riverbanks Zoo?
Special Events at Columbia’s Zoo
What is Bridge to the Wild?
The New Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center

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Visit Bryson City, NC for the Holidays

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Are you searching for a family-friendly place to have a small getaway this winter? Have you ever been to Bryson City, NC? Most known for the Polar Express, there is so much more than just the train ride to do and explore in this friendly mountain town. They’ve got a drive-thru light show, outdoor ice skating, delicious food, and much more! 

Bryson City: A Real-Life Christmas Wonderland 

Bryson City is a quaint, peaceful mountain town along the Great Smoky Mountains. Just a quick 3 to 4 hour drive from Columbia, SC, this makes for the perfect weekend getaway. During winter each year, Bryson City transforms into a real-life Christmas wonderland with beautiful decor, twinkling lights, and Christmas magic all around. My family recently took a quick 1-night trip to the mountains and we spent one of our evenings exploring Bryson City. I left wishing we would have had more time to spend and know we will definitely be returning! 

Tree farms in Bryson City, NC

Things to do in Bryson City, NC for the Holidays

Take a Ride on the Polar Express 

One of the most popular things to do in Bryson City over the holidays is the Polar Express Train Ride! My family recently got to experience this magical event and both of my kids (ages 4 and 1) absolutely loved it. Be sure to check out the Kidding Around Pplar Express review for more tips and info! 

Bryson City Polar Express

Explore the Smoky Mountain Train Museum 

The train museum sits right next to the railroad tracks and is a great place to pass the time while waiting to board a train ride! Inside the museum, there is a huge display of model trains that are so fascinating to watch! My son loved pointing out all of the detailed features he saw. With a train ticket, entrance into the museum is free! 

Along with the model train display, the museum also offers a large gift shop area with plenty of trinkets and souvenirs. 

Smoky Mountain Train Museum

Smoky Mountain Rail

Go Outdoor Ice Skating

Outdoor ice skating is such a fun, classic winter activity! Unfortunately, on the evening we were there, the ice rink was not open, but now that I know it’s there we will be sure to plan accordingly for future visits. Along with ice skating, there is also a food truck and full-time bar. For $20 per person you will get 1 hour of skating time, skate rentals (smallest size is youth size 9), and 1 hot chocolate! Hours are as follows:

  • Thursdays and Fridays from 4 pm to 8 pm
  • Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 8 pm

The Yard Ice Skating

Drive-Thru the Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Show

If you’re looking to do something fun with the kids in the evenings, this drive-thru light show would be perfect for you! There will be several wintery, magical scenes to drive-thru and you’ll be able to listen to festive music along your route. A great way to get the whole family into the Christmas spirit! 

They will be open from 6 pm to 10 pm, daily throughout December with the exception of being closed on Christmas Day. 

Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Show

Bryson City shops

Visit the Local Shops 

With so many locally-owned shops and businesses to choose from, picking a favorite would be hard! We popped into a few and really enjoyed all of the Christmas shops. We purchased an ornament from Uncle Bunky’s Christmas Cottage where they also had tons of holiday decor, small toys, sweet treats, etc. Loose Moose is another great gift store with lots of unique items to choose from. 

Madison’s on Main and Humanite Boutique are both great options for trendy women’s clothing! There are also several antique stores around that are always fun to browse through – you never know what you might find! 

Enjoy a Tasty Sweet Treat 

If you’re anything like me, the sweet tooth is at an all-time high throughout the holidays. The good news is, Bryson City has so many opportunities for delicious treats! After our ride on the Polar Express we stopped into the Heavenly Fudge Depot and let me just say, it lived up to its name! The peanut butter fudge from here was divine. They also had several festive sweet treats for kids – chocolate “believe” tickets and trains, cookies, bite-sized sweets, and more! 

The Chocolate Shoppe, Soda Pop’s Ice Cream, and Pop-N-Jacks Gourmet Popcorn are also great options to cure the sweet tooth! The popcorn from Pop-N-Jacks can even be brought onto the Polar Express with you and smells so good. I’m a little upset we didn’t stop in and give them a try, too! 

Take Festive Pictures 

Still need a family pic for this year’s Christmas card? There are tons of great holiday photo-ops everywhere you look in Bryson City! From the large, lit-up Christmas tree in the middle of the plaza to stationary train carts, a tractor, and more, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for family photos. 

Get Your Live Christmas Tree 

While there are no Christmas tree farms in Bryson City, there are several to choose from nearby. During our trip, we chose to get our tree at Smoky Mountain Tree Farm. They had a large variety of trees to choose from and even some that you could cut down yourself. The big red barn and beautiful Smoky Mountain scenery made for great pictures as well! 

There are two other tree farms within a few minutes of Smoky Mountain Tree Farm: Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm and Mehaffey Tree Farm. Boyd Mountain Farm has several log cabins available for families to stay in as well as stocked fishing ponds, 4 miles of hiking trails, biking, and more!  

Christmas Tree Farm

Have you ever been to Bryson City during the holidays? What is your favorite thing to do?

Clinton Sease Farm Offers Incredible Fall Fun in Lexington, SC

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Are you thinking about a trip to Clinton Sease Farm this fall? If you’re looking for a family-friendly place to enjoy the season and all the festivities it has to offer, Clinton Sease is the place for you! At this farm, you will find a huge corn maze, pumpkin patch, two awesome kid zones FULL of activities, tractor rides, and more. We recently went and have all you need to know in order to make your trip a memorable one! 

This article includes:
About Clinton Sease Farm
Clinton Sease Farm Hours
Tickets for Clinton Sease Farm
Things to Do for Kids at Clinton Sease Farm
Corn Maze at Clinton Sease Farm
Pumpkin Patch: Pick your pumpkin off the vine
Tractor Rides
Birthday Parties at Clinton Sease Farm

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Take Your Family to the 2022 South Carolina State Fair

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Have you ever been to the South Carolina State Fair in Columbia, SC? This year, the fair will be in town from October 12th to October 23rd, 2022. The SC State Fair is an exciting fall tradition that dates back over 150 years ago!

Each year, the fair brings in thousands of people from all around the state who enjoy all of the great things it has to offer – games, prizes, rides, food, and animals just to name a few! Whether this is your first year attending or if you’ve been to the State Fair in the past, keep reading as we will walk you through how to save money on tickets, what to expect inside, where to park, what to bring with you, and more! 

SC State Fair rides

This article includes:
About the SC State Fair
When Should I Go to the SC State Fair?

Tickets & Parking at the Fair:
Save Money: Discounted SC State Fair Tickets
What is the State Fair Lunch Bunch Deal?
Where Do I Buy Ride Tickets or Wristbands for the SC State Fair?
SC State Fair Parking

What to Expect at the SC State Fair:
Layout of the Fairgrounds
What to Bring to the SC State Fair
Rent Strollers, Wheelchairs & More
When is Sensory Friendly Morning at the Fair?

State Fair Favorites:
State Fair Rides
State Fair Food
State Fair Concert Schedule
The Circus at the State Fair

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Charlotte Guides