By Daniel Higgins, Intern, Ten at the Top
Have you ever wondered where you can find one source where you can search for fun outdoor activities without having to open a new page every time you search for something? Ten at the Top and Duke Energy bring you a quick and easy way to find outdoor resources in the ten counties of the Upstate using a virtual map with icons that you can easily sort by county or resource type. Each icon provides a description and address of the corresponding outdoor resource as well as multiple pictures so you can see what it looks like and get a feel for it before you go.
Five to Try
- The Nantahala Outdoor Center Chattooga Outpost is located in Oconee County and is a great outdoor activity for families. The Nantahala Outdoor Center has amazing whitewater rafting deals and hiking in great scenery on the western edge of the Upstate, near Walhalla. Southern Living called rafting the Chattooga River “the #1 thing every southerner ought to do.” Click here for scenic pictures captured from previous whitewater rafting events at the Chattooga River.
- The Walker Course is a prestigious golf course on the campus of Clemson University and is located on the borders of Oconee, Pickens, and Anderson Counties, but mostly in Oconee County. The Walker Course the home of the Clemson University 2003 NCAA national champion golf team and is a great way for friends and family to play golf in Clemson, South Carolina. The scenery is some of the best in South Carolina, whether you are teeing it up through the woods or on the water on the back nine. Click here to book your next tee time and tee it up where the former NCAA and PGA Tour Champions have before.
- The Spartanburg Science Center is a great center for school programs, children’s camps, birthday parties, and support sciences located in the center of the Spartanburg County. The Spartanburg Science Center offers hands-on learning for guests of all ages with live animal rooms, a museum room, and more than twenty-three exhibits. The live animal rooms feature all different kinds of reptiles, amphibians, and fish, while the museum room features fossils, bones, skulls, and rocks and minerals. The center is not technically an outdoor resource, but on a rainy day, you can head here to learn about nature in an indoor setting.
- The Diamond Hill Mine is a local mine located in Abbeville, South Carolina. The Diamond Hill Mine features many different kinds of crystals and minerals such as iron, amethyst, garnets, and several kinds of quartz, among others. This mine is very accommodating and is pet friendly—everyone loves a place where they can bring their pets! An added perk is that the mine allows guests to camp there for free. Click here to learn more about the crystals and minerals or to arrange for free camping with your pets.
- The Cherokee County Family YMCA Waterpark is a fun outdoor experience for the family located in Gaffney, South Carolina. Like most YMCAs, this YMCA offers many fun activities to get your body in shape for the summer: basketball courts, dance floors, T-Ball, summer camp, swimming, and many more fun activities for young children and adults. One thing this YMCA has that most YMCA’s don’t have is a waterpark. They also offer a summer volleyball camp at the end of July each year, which is taught by the head volleyball coach at Blacksburg High School. You can click here to see the membership offers, hours, and rates for the waterpark and entire YMCA.