There are many things you can do to get away for the weekend or knock something off your bucket list this season. But if scouring downtown Greenville’s restaurants, watching a movie, or lying by the pool is not your idea of a good time, and active and adventure is what you’re looking for – Greenville has so much to offer.
Whether you’re looking for activities like nature treks, fishing and kayaking or if you want to challenge yourself with activities that require mind control and concentration, there are places that will suit your needs.
Here are some of the best places to be for people seeking active and adventurous happenings in Greenville and near the Greenville area.
10 Greenville Destinations for the Active and Adventurous
Give axe throwing a go
Craft Axe Throwing brings the thrill of a traditional backcountry activity. Channel your inner lumberjack or just try out a fun and competitive game with your friends, families, or significant other. Axe throwing is a fun and unique sport. You’ll be slinging axes, hitting bullseyes and cheering on mates.
Craft Axe Throwing is an indoor axe-throwing venue located in Hampton Station. It is the first axe throwing facility in Greenville and they provide an exceptional and completely safe environment for their guests with or without axe throwing experience. They allow guests to book lanes for games or simply just walk in and give it a try.
Explore the best waterfalls
South Carolina is a great destination with wonderful trails, mountains, and breathtaking waterfalls. Waterfalls in the Upstate are beautiful and impressive natural features, and they’re a great reward at the end of a hike. Rainbow Falls is relatively close to downtown Greenville (just 26 miles away) and offers stunning beauty thanks to a series of cascades that, together, are 100 feet tall over a black- and tan-streaked granite cliff. It is a strenuous 5-mile round-trip trek through Jones Gap State Park.
After taking your fill of the spectacular view of Rainbow Falls, your walk takes you through amazing vistas of the Jones Gap valley that open up as you descend.
Up in the air
Why spend hours by foot when you can kiss the sky and skim the beautiful landscape of Greenville aboard a chopper with Upstate Helicopter Tours? See all that Greenville has to offer from a vantage point high above the city and the beautiful mountains. You can choose any tour or you can create a custom experience.
Experience an exhilarating helicopter tour as you fly over Paris Mountain, spectacular views of Saluda lake, golf courses, Furman University, see downtown Greenville landmarks—Falls Park on the Reedy, Liberty Bridge, Fluor Field and the Peace Center—from an eye-popping perspective, or catch a dramatic sunset at the Table Rock/Caesar’s Head.
Fly high over jumps
If flying over bumpy terrain and slamming whoops are your idea of fun then this is for you. The Lakeside Motorcross Track’s 1.2 miles prepped and watered motocross track will give you the buzz of adrenaline you wanted. The track usually contains a big variety of jumps: doubles and triples, whoops, and deep rutted corners which makes things even harder.
They are open weekdays only and you need a reservation at least 24-hrs in advance. Motocross is one of the most popular motorcycling sports. If you haven’t started at a very young age and got your mind and body grow into motocross riding, it will be tough in the beginning. It is one of the extreme sports that are physically demanding. Flying above those bumps while the bike is raving beneath you, surely tests both rider and the machine.
Cast a line
The Upstate has several beautiful lakes and waterways that provide many opportunities for water-based activities like kayaking, swimming, boating, and of course, fishing. The Upstate lakes hold many types of fish, they are also well stocked so anyone can go fishing any time of the year.
One of the best places to cast a line is Lake Hartwell, just 60 miles from Greenville. It is a 56,000-acre lake and is a fisherman’s paradise with lots of crappie, bass, rock fish, trout, and walleye. Lake Hartwell has plenty of bream, so it’s the ideal place for turning any member of the family into enthusiastic anglers.
Unleash your inner Sherlock Holmes
If you’re a fan of mysteries or want a different kind of adventure, then it’s about time you tried your hand at escape rooms. Escape games are interactive scenarios where you and your team get locked in a room and have to find clues to solve puzzles, crack codes, and brainteasers and escape under time pressure. Sounds fun? Then give Escape Artist Greenville a go. There are 5 adventures to choose from each with varying degrees of difficulty. Each room is elaborately designed with props, hidden puzzles, and clues that will have you and your friends racking your brains.
Jump high
Does flying through the air sound like your kind of fun? Get your adrenaline up and enjoy Gravitopia. With more than 10,000 square feet of trampolines, aerial ninja obstacle courses, trampoline dodgeball, foam pits, trampoline aerobics, there are many areas to jump, fly, and bounce.
This Greenville trampoline park is suitable for all ages, fitness and skill levels, offering a wide variety of physical activities including jumping, running, and flipping. It’s the perfect place to practice if you are a parkour enthusiast or if you are just looking for fun with your friends and family. They also entertain events including birthday parties or corporate events.
On target
Controversy aside, there are many people who enjoy recreational shooting and if you are one of them, you don’t want to miss a shooting experience at Sharpshooters Indoor Range. This Greenville indoor shooting range is climate controlled and offers a safe, friendly, and comfortable shooting experience for you.
You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy the shooting sports, the knowledgeable staff at the range is there to support your needs. As the most innovative shooting sports facility in the Upstate, they offer new and used arms, a state-of-the-art indoor shooting range, classes, and more.
A more satisfying workout
Rather than slogging it out on the treadmill why not go out and munch your miles on footpaths and bridleways in the open countryside like Swamp Rabbit Trail? Considered as one of Greenville’s unique attractions, Swamp Rabbit Trail stretches a total of 19.9 miles. The current trail begins at Greenville Technical College, crosses the city of Greenville, proceeds through Falls Park and Furman University, and ends about a mile north of Travelers Rest. Adventurers can enjoy biking, running, and walking on the trail. People can take a respite and enjoy a bottle of refreshment from many shops along the trail. Parking and bike rental stores are also available in various areas.
Getting a drink, food, or even making use of the bathroom makes it more than a casual experience. These kinds of amenities are not usually found on trails in other places. That’s what makes GHS Swamp Rabbit unique.
Glide with the Gorge Zipline
Less than an hour’s drive from Greenville, in Saluda, NC, the adrenaline rush of this zipline experience will be well worth the day trip. As the Gorge Zipline’s tagline says: Get ready for the ride of your life. Prepare for takeoff from the rim of the Green River Gorge before plunging 1,100 vertical feet through the treetops of the forest and mountainside.
The aerial adventure, led by two guides, includes 11 zip lines that cover over a mile of the Green River Gorge, a gravity-cheating sky bridge, three long rappels, and comes with experts that will prepare the newbies for an aerial glide.
