A canopy tour is fun for the whole family.
Fun is never far away in the Upcountry. Whether your idea of a good time is catching a Broadway show or a foul ball, the region has got you covered.
“It never ceases to amaze me how many things there are to do within an hour of anywhere in the Upcountry,” says Diane Wilson, director of information services for the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Biking up a mountainside, browsing Italian Renaissance paintings, taking in an off-Broadway play—it’s all easily accessible. And thanks to mild winter temperatures that average in the 50-degree range, year round fun is a sure thing.
Arts aficionados will discover 35 canvasses by American painter Andrew Wyeth at the Greenville County Museum of Art, and a phenomenal collection of European religious art at the Museum and Gallery at Bob Jones University (one of Greenville’s little-known treasures).
Just a few miles south is the Upcountry History Museum which has a wonderful permanent collection and always interesting rotating exhibits. Kids love scrambling up the multi-story climbing sculpture that forms the centerpiece of the Children’s Museum of the Upstate, as much as they enjoy the interactive exhibits at the Spartanburg Science Center.
And all the Upcountry’s a stage when it comes to the theater. In downtown Greenville, The Peace Center for the Performing Arts hosts shows like Peter Pan and The Lion King. For an edgier experience, check out regional playwrights at the Warehouse Theatre in Greenville’s West End district.
Big box-office draws like Kenny Chesney appear at the 15,000-seat Bi-Lo Center, and more intimate performances share the stage at Spartanburg’s David Reid Theatre at the Chapman Cultural Center, which hosts year-round programs by touring and local companies. Nearby, Hub-Bub, a former car dealership turned- gallery/performance space, is the nexus of downtown Spartanburg’s avant-garde arts scene. And the culturious will appreciate the abundance of offerings at regional colleges and universities such as Furman, Bob Jones, Clemson, Wofford, Converse, and Anderson.
Among its musical native sons, the Upstate notes Edwin McCain from Greenville and the Marshall Tucker Band from Spartanburg. The new Music Trail audio/ walking tour in downtown Spartanburg honors local musicians including Johnny Blowers (drummer for Frank Sinatra) and Elvis guitarist Hank Garland.
A thriving indie music scene, nourished by clubs such as The Handlebar in Greenville and Blues Boulevard Jazz Club in Spartanburg, provides a counterpoint to classical offerings from the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium, Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and Greenville Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Edvard Tchivzhel. In many Upstate cities, free music events sound the arrival of warm weather. Must-fests include: Downtown Alive and Main Street Fridays in Greenville, Music on Main and Jazz on the Square in Spartanburg, the Thursday evening Block Party in Anderson, and Greer’s Tunes on Trade, to name a few.
If it’s spectator sports (and not the symphony) that get your blood pumping, come cheer for the Clemson Tigers and the Furman Paladins. Or root for the Greenville Drive Class-A baseball team at downtown’s Fluor Field, modeled after Fenway Park. Hockey fans cheer on the new ECHL team, the Road Warriors, who hit the ice at the Bi-Lo Center. In July and August, the Carolina Panthers hold their training camp at Spartanburg’s Wofford College, where the public can watch for free. And in an area rich with golf courses, one stands out: Each of the 18 holes at Greenville’s Cross Winds Golf Course was designed by a different architect, including Tom Fazio and Arnold Palmer.
The Upstate boasts a virtual alphabet of outdoor activities, from angling for trout in Lake Jocassee to zip-lining over the treetops in Long Creek.“People tend to think of the
coast when they think of South Carolina,” says Ken Sloan, executive director of the Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau. “They’re always surprised to learn that we have an idyllic mountain playground in the northwest corner of the state.”
Sixteen state parks, six major lakes, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails are contained within the Upcountry. This means ample opportunities for hiking, cycling, boating, fishing, whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor sport you can imagine.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rafter, the Chattooga River, which flows between the South Carolina and Georgia border, offers Class II to Class V rapids. Local outfitters include Chattooga Whitewater Outfitters, Southeastern Expeditions, Nantahala Outdoor Center, and Wildwater Chattooga Ridge Adventure Center, which even offers a zip-line that glides riders between trees and over water.
Between the Long Cane, Andrew Pickens, and Enoree ranger districts of Sumter National Forest, tens of thousands of acres of pristine land touch five of the Upcountry’s 10 counties. The 11,000-acre Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area encompasses Jones Gap and Caesars Head state parks. At Caesars Head, take a two-mile hike to the 420-foot Raven Cliff Falls. A suspension bridge above the waterfall gives a great vantage point.
Put your pedal to the metal on the Performance Center test track at BMW Performance Driving School in Spartanburg County. For a tamer experience, take a $7 factory tour for a behind-the-scenes peek at cars rolling off the production line. (New car not included!)
Exhausted yet? You should be. There’s no way to be bored in the Upcountry. The real dilemma is finding time to do it all!
adapted from an article in Spirit Magazine, May 2011
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