Looking for an affordable place to ski with the family? KAG Contributor Lacey Keigley took her daughter to Appalachian Ski Mountain. While this review was written a few years ago, the post has been updated for the 2024-25 season.
(more…)Looking for an affordable place to ski with the family? KAG Contributor Lacey Keigley took her daughter to Appalachian Ski Mountain. While this review was written a few years ago, the post has been updated for the 2024-25 season.
(more…)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 eight years and they really have a good thing going there, which I’m going to tell you all about in this story.
Black Bear Snow Tubing opens on December 21, 2024 for their 2024-25 season. This is a great way to support local Western NC businesses still struggling after Hurricane Helene.
Take a sneak peek at this video at Black Bear Snow Tubing.
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.
I’ve snow tubed at many places in our area and I think Black Bear Snow Tubing is pretty fantastic. Here’s why:
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.
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.
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.
Black Bear Snow Tubing
373 Kerr Road, Hendersonville, NC
828.685.1155
Want to spend the day in Hendersonville? We’ve got lots of ideas on what to do in this fun town!
Did you know you can “snow” tube in the fall at Black Bear Snow Tubing? You can! No snow is required thanks to Black Bear’s super-fast tubing mat, the only one like it in the United States! We got to visit Black Bear and try this “snow” tubing and let us tell you, fall snow tubing is where it’s at. Move over pumpkins, there’s a new fall favorite in town. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit to Black Bear Snow Tubing this fall.
Thanks to Black Bear Snow Tubing for providing tickets so we could bring this review to our readers.
Due to damage from Hurricane Helene there will be no fall snow tubing at Black Bear in 2024.
The special green and white mat in use at Black Bear comes all the way from Germany. Purchased for use at Black Bear because this mat outperforms all its competitors when it comes to speed. In the winter the mat is covered in snow, but in the fall, you can tube right on the mat.
This means even in warm winters with little snow, tubing is still an option for family fun. So, what we have learned is, snow is not required for super speedy “snow” tubing runs.
No crowds, fewer lines, fun music, and a pretty view of changing leaves across the valley make fall an awesome time to visit Black Bear Snow Tubing. You’ll get more rides down the hill in your tubing time than in the winter. It’s not cold. It’s not wet.
You can even get yourself some apple cider donuts, coffee, or cocoa and enjoy them on the covered rocking chair back porch, overlooking the tubing hill. We tried it and we are convinced, fall is perfect for snow tubing!
Purchase Black Bear tickets for one hour or two hours of tubing online. Walk-ups are also available in the less busy fall season.
First off, we love nearby Hendersonville, NC, and the drive up from downtown to Black Bear Tubing through the changing leaves was gorgeous. When you arrive at Black Bear, just follow the signs to park and then head towards the fun!
Visit the video shed first where you’ll watch a very short safety video. It’s just a couple of minutes long and it plays on a loop. While you’re there, sign the waiver for yourself and the kids.
Bring your waiver across to the lodge where you’ll pay, get your stickers, and also where you can purchase treats and beverages like apple cider donuts, coffee drinks, cocoa, and more.
When you’re ready to tube, you’ll head down the stairs, grab your tube and jump in the line for the tube tugging line that will bring you to the top of Black Bear’s 600-foot-long tubing run. Staff will hook you onto the line.
At the top, you’ll be unhooked from the line and then walk your tube to the run. Staff will help you get your tube into position and push you off down the 80ft vertical drop.
Up to 4 people can go down the run at a time, and you can hang onto other tubes if you want to all go together. Want extra fun? Just ask the staff at the top to spin you going down.
Once you’re at the bottom, pull your tube back over to the tube tugging line and you’ll be off on another run before you know it.
Clean portapotties are available beside the video shed, as well as an outdoor handwashing station.
My kids, ages 11 and 14, had a blast. Initially, my 14-year-old was a little not sure he wanted to come, thinking it was not going to be very exciting and that he was too old for such things. He was so glad he came. And, in fact, we saw lots of adults taking runs down the slope, too. I had planned to go down once or twice, just to be thorough in my review, and ended up going down a lot more because it was really fun!
It’s one of those life things that are just plain fun for anyone. Escape from whatever is bugging you to the fresh air and whip down that hill on a tube. Laugh with the kids. Enjoy them, even as teens and preteens, asking you to go down the run with them. There are not enough moments like that in the world, if you ask me.
We really loved the family atmosphere at Black Bear. They do not allow alcohol or any open profanity. All the staff were super friendly and helpful. When I wasn’t tubing myself, I could clearly see where my kids were at all times from the covered porch. It was really brilliantly arranged for a couple of hours of low-stress family fun.
Tubing on the mat was really fun. No heavy coats, no wet gloves. It was all the fun of snow tubing without the cold, with the added benefit of short lines and no crowds. We had a great time and think you’ll enjoy it, too!
Black Bear Snow Tubing
373 Kerr Road, Hendersonville, NC
Black Bear Snow Tubing Facebook
Discover Hendersonville!
Check out all the things you don’t want to miss in our Hendersonville, NC Guide.
Are you curious about Aqua Parks or need something different but also super fun to cool off during the summer and get out all your kids’ energy? Here are six floating obstacle courses in South Carolina and Georgia to do just that!
Floating obstacle courses are one of my new favorite summer activities. Here’s why:
If you haven’t tried one of these, I’ve compiled a list for you so you can try them all too! I’ve noted the differences between the places to help you out in choosing your adventure. I’ve been to all of the places listed below so these are firsthand reviews and comments. Most are open all summer through September, depending on the weather.
Who says you need a lazy river and wave pool to have a water park, just head to one of these aqua parks on a lake! So, if you have been wondering “Where are the water obstacle courses near me?”, don’t worry. We have all the information you need!
This huge floating obstacle course opened in the summer of 2022 on Lake Hartwell. It is like a theme park on the water! The Splash Island floating water park is situated at Big Water Marina and Campground, which has a sandy beach, hammocks, chairs, shaded spots, tiny cabins, TV pads, and a delicious restaurant, J.R. Cash’s on-site (it has a pirate ship playground!).
Cost: $15/hour; $25/two hours; $35/all day. Kids must be 42″ tall (under 46″ are allowed with an adult)
Hours: Friday-Sunday (May 11-Memorial Day weekend) and Thursday-Sunday (post-Memorial Day weekend) from 10 am – 8 pm
Distance from Greenville: One hour
Highlights: Sandy beach, restaurant, hydrobike/SUP/kayak rentals, tiny cabins for rent, restaurant with a playground
Address: 320 Big Water Road, Starr, SC
Kidding Around Review of Big Water
The Shores at Asbury has their giant Aqua Zone floating obstacle course on Lake Hartwell also. It’s situated on a huge sandy beach, with sand imported from Florida, kayak and SUP rentals, and a restaurant on site. They also have a kids obstacle course for kids who are under 47″.
Cost: $19.98/hour or $26.98/two hours if bought online; $36.98/all-day pass, $130/family four pass for all-day access; follow on Facebook for deals on tickets
Hours: 11 am – 7 pm daily
Distance from Greenville: One hour
Highlights: White sandy beach with tents and lounge chairs, kids floating obstacle course, lawn games, a restaurant
Address: 1600 Asbury Park Road, Anderson, SC
Kidding Around Review of the Shores at Asbury
Located in Rock Hill, SC, SouthTown Wake Park has wake boarding plus a big floating obstacle course. This is a great activity to tire those kids (and adults) out, as it takes a ton of energy to climb and jump over the obstacles. Kids have to be 7 years old to participate on the aqua course.
Cost: $18 for 45 minutes during the weekdays and $20 for 45 minutes on the weekends.
Hours: Open daily Noon-6 pm on Saturdays & Sundays in May; daily in June
Distance from Greenville: 1.5 hours
Highlights: Big aqua park, wakeboarding, disc golf, cornhole
Address: 255 E Rambo Rd Rock Hill, SC 29730
Kidding Around Review of SouthTown Wake Park
Are you looking for more fun things to do in Charleston, SC? Check out our Kidding Around Travel Guide to Charleston, SC!
The Charleston Aqua Park is super cool because it not only has an aqua park but also the only ropes course over water in the country. It is also one of the area’s only floating water parks. The owner assured us there aren’t gators at Trophy Lake, too. We had such a blast at this park and the water felt so good on a hot, summer day. Plus, it’s really close to the beautiful Angel Oak Tree!
Cost: $18/45 minutes; discounts available during the week and/or if you book both the aqua park and ropes course
Hours: Open daily 10 am – 6 pm
Distance from Greenville: 3 hours and 20 minutes
Highlights: Big aqua park, a little beach, and swimming area for smaller kids, only over-water ropes course in the country, kids summer camps (you can send a kid there for a day while you’re on vacation), covered picnic areas, other water activity rentals
Address: 3050 Marlin Road, Johns Island SC
Kidding Around Review of Charleston Aqua Park
Looking for more fun things to do in Georgia? Check out our Kidding Around Guide to Travel Georgia!
This is one of the most family-friendly aqua parks in Georgia. The park is located on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, GA, and also has a sandy beach with chairs and umbrellas for rent. They just upgraded their equipment and life jackets for 2023 and it’s so much better than previous years. They also have a smaller kids course for ages 4-7 years old, making for a great floating playground. We really enjoyed our time at Marina Station Water Park.
Cost: $18/hour or $42/all day; kids have to be 45″ tall or 7 years old for the big course.
Hours: Open daily 10 am – 7 pm (last ticket sold at 6:30 pm)
Distance from Greenville: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Highlights: Huge splash island, kids floating obstacle course, sandy beach, chair, and tent rentals, offers season passes
Address: 3379 US Highway 76, Hiawassee, GA
Marina Station Water Park Website
We loved the aqua course at this outdoor adventure park near Cartersville, Georgia. You can also go wakeboarding here but I’m not coordinated enough for that. There’s also a lot to do in the Cartersville-Bartow area to make your trip here an overnight adventure.
Cost: $24-$28 a person depending on if it’s a weekday or weekend/holiday
Hours: Open daily usually from 1 pm-8 pm but check the website for updated hours.
Distance from Greenville: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Highlights: Huge aqua course with body slides, climbing wall, cabanas with beanbag chairs for parents/spectators, wakeboarding, big bathroom for changing
Address: 171 LakePoint Pkwy, Cartersville, GA
Kidding Around Review of Cartersville-Bartow (includes Terminus Wake Park)
This aqua course is part of Fins Up Water Park at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands in North Georgia, about two hours from Greenville. It’s by far the largest one we have been to and since it’s part of the water park, you can go on as many times as you want. You do need to purchase a water park ticket to use it.
Cost: Fins Up Water Park tickets are $59.99/adult online and $44.99 for kids ages 4-7 and seniors if you buy more than 24 hours in advance
Hours: Open daily after Memorial Day Weekend; see website for current schedule
Distance from Greenville: 2 hours
Address: 7650 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford, GA
Read our full review of Fins Up Water Park.
Would you try out one of these aqua parks? Did we miss your favorite place? Let us know in the comments
If you are looking for more places to swim, check out our Guide to Where to Swim and Splash This Summer!
Visit these 7 fun obstacle courses at aqua parks in Georgia and South Carolina!
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 30, 2024: Due to Hurricane Helene, Lake Lure and Chimney Rock have been wiped out and destroyed. Nothing of them are left. We will update this story if it is rebuilt. Here are ways you can help.
Have you visited the Lake Lure beach and water park? The combination of a mountain lake with a sandy beach along with waterslides that run right into the cool mountain water is spectacular! Plus, you only have to pay one admission fee at this famous lake in North Carolina.
A local mom visited Lake Lure with her family. They had a blast! Read about their trip and catch all the tips so you’ll know just what to expect when you visit.
Find a place to stay in Lake Lure, NC. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
After reading all about Lake Lure and its nostalgic filming of the movie “Dirty Dancing”, I was intrigued to make a day visit. From Greenville, Lake Lure is a little over an hour but well worth the beautiful scenic drive up into Chimney Rock State Park. From Greenville, you will use 25 North to I26 West to 2724 Memorial Hwy, Lake Lure, NC 28746 (I also recommend using Google Maps for directions).
Also, don’t forget to bring a packed lunch as well as buckets and shovels for the kids, as the sand beach is ideal for sandcastle building. Once you get close to the Chimney Rock area, you will drive through a quaint little town and see an array of restaurants, shops, and gem mine stores for the kids. It has an old Western-type feel with the picturesque backdrop of Chimney Rock in the background.
Having arrived at the lake around noon, we noticed that parking was filling up quickly but luckily there seemed to be several spots across the street in front of the historic Lake Lure Inn. Once we parked and gathered our beach gear, we headed through the main entrance where we were banded after paying the daily fee.
The admission for adults is $10 and kids 4 to 12 was $8, with under 4 free. You can find pricing and information on the Lake Lure website. The price of admission includes the water park and beach access.
The kids spotted the water slides right as we entered and sped off. I noticed a lifeguard at the bottom of the slides in the water as well as a lifeguard standing by the swimming area in the lake. In addition to the slides and swimming is a splash pad, as well as a water balloon zone. You can purchase water balloons for an additional cost at the ticket counter. There are also restroom facilities and showers.
The water is roped for designated swimming and there were many people with rafts and water toys. You can easily spend all day at the beach with plenty to do for kids and adults. And of course, no trip to Lake Lure is complete without doing “the lift” from the movie Dirty Dancing, which was filmed here.
If you’d like to cruise around the lake in a kayak, paddleboard, or hydro bike, you can rent one on site. Stand-up paddleboards, canoes, and two-person kayaks are $20/hour or $85/all day while single kayaks are $18/hour or $70/all day. Hydro bikes are $12/hour. Rentals are available at the beach from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
If you want to bring your own non-motorized watercraft, you will have to pay a daily fee of $25, a weekly fee of $50, or a yearly fee of $100.
Having swam, slid, and sunned our day away, it was time to head back, but not before uncovering an enchanting (and free) roadside attraction.
On the way out from the resort area, there was a nice little surprise awaiting us, called The Flowering Bridge. It is free to walk the bridge and is filled with gardens of all types of flowers, plants, and scenery. We all enjoyed reading about the bridge’s history and learning about the various flowers.
There were little cutouts of secret gardens and sitting areas. Each section of the garden has cute facts pertaining to plant life with a list of every type of plant and flower. You may even spot a few butterflies! It was the perfect ending to a perfect day trip from Greenville.
Have you ever been to Lake Lure?
Love a great mountain beach? Check out our list of Upstate mountain beaches for an excellent time with your family!
There’s more to love in WNC.
Find it all in our Kidding Around Guide to Western North Carolina.
Have you been to SouthTown Wake Park? Summer adventures are calling us, and new and exciting things become harder to find towards the end of the season. We made a discovery in Rock Hill, SC, that will have you hopping in the car and making the trip to York County! SouthTown Wake Park has something to keep everyone entertained, no matter how adventurous you are!
For more fun things to do in the Charlotte Area, Check out our Guide To Fun With Kids In Charlotte, NC.
Just about 90 minutes from here is one of my favorite day trip destinations. York County, South Carolina, has so many fun adventures to enjoy. My children and I have made countless trips and have yet to scrape the surface of possibilities. However, SouthTown Wake Park is worth the trip all on its own! This Aquapark has something for all adventure levels, so don’t worry if you don’t share the same enthusiasm for watersports with the rest of your family.
Traditionally wakeboarding consists of a boat pulling a rider around a body of water from a two rope, while they stand on a single ski. At SouthTown Wakepark riders are pulled around one of two lakes by a cable system. This activity is fun and in no time you can be zipping across the lake. SouthTown also offers wakeboarding if you have never done anything like this and want to ease into it.
The instructor will start you out on the straight cable, where there aren’t any features to complicate things. Here you will learn the basics and what to do if you let go of the cable system. Once you feel at ease, it’s on to the lake with the ramps and a cable system that loops the lake. Don’t worry, you won’t be jumping any features just yet, you’ll just work on holding on as that cable rounds the corner.
Wakeboarding is one of the fastest-growing extreme sports, and my son loved his time on the lake. He took to it and if we lived closer, he would be there every week.
SouthTown also has a floating obstacle course for families to enjoy. This is a great activity to tire those kids out, as it takes a ton of energy to climb and jump over the obstacles. While you don’t need to be straight off the set of “American Ninja Warrior” to enjoy the course, I do caution you against participating if you have any back issues. While falling off the platform requires little effort, pulling yourself back up onto the platform requires a bit more muscle.
If you enjoyed this course, you can Tackle the Floating Obstacle Course at Charleston Aqua Park
For younger kids, and parents that aren’t into the excitement involved in the previously mentioned activities, SouthTown offers kayaking and paddleboarding. Parents can paddle across the lake with the younger kids, over to the floating obstacle course to wave hi! That way everyone gets some time out on the water. This is a great way to practice in a controlled environment if you are considering investing in paddlesports for your family (which we encourage!)
In addition to all of the fun on the water that is offered at SouthTown, they also have things that don’t require you to get wet. Land-lovers can enjoy a game of disc golf or cornhole. There are picnic tables to sit at and the pro-shop offers soft drinks and ice cream for sale.
The $64 First Time All Access Pass is the best deal for those new to wakeboarding and gets you everything you need for an entire day at SouthTown Wakepark!
SouthTown Wake Park
255 E Rambo Rd Rock Hill, SC 29730 | 803.324.3020
Our complimentary fun at SouthTown Wake Park was arranged by Visit York County, all words and opinions of the writer are honest and genuine. All the info you need to make the most of a trip to York County, South Carolina can be found on Kidding Around!