Greenville area activities can end winter hibernation
Posted by The Skyliner on February 18th, 2009Rachel Ham
Staff Writer
Now that warmer weather seems to be on its way to the Upstate, what is there to do to beat what is left of the winter blues?
Most of us have been cooped up inside for the past couple of months without even a proper snow day. But the temperatures have finally risen and it is time to get outside and enjoy it.
Of course there are the usual options like walking around Falls Park. But what else does the Greenville area have to offer?
If you have an afternoon to spend outside, visiting the Greenville Zoo is a fun choice. The zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with gates closing at 5:00 p.m. One adult ticket is only $6, which is really a bargain for a full day of sightseeing. The zoo is home to several endangered species and is one of the top small zoos in the country.
If you and your friends want to plan a more adventurous trip, take a drive up to Chimney Rock, N.C., and visit Chimney Rock Park. This is a full day trip to just southeast of Asheville, but it is well worth the drive.
The scenery you will see as you climb up the mountain will make you forget about the stress of school. You may even recognize some of the scenery from the movie The Last of the Mohicans which was partly filmed at the park.
The beautiful Hickory Nut Falls will greet you on the way up. There are five different hiking trails to explore and they range in difficulty. Rock climbing, as part of an affiliation with Fox Mountain Guides, is also offered at Chimney Rock.
The current rate per adult is $14, but now until the end of February a weekday-only special is being offered. If you buy one adult ticket, you receive another ticket free. Just simply go onto the park’s website, www.chimneyrockpark.com, and enter in your email address to receive the coupon.
If you do not want to venture too far from campus, taking a walk around downtown Greenville is always entertaining. The website directory for Greenville, www.greenvillesc.gov, offers a suggested map to make sure visitors do not miss anything. It highlights and gives information on anything and everything there is to see downtown.
Most of the downtown restaurants also have outdoor seating so that patrons can enjoy the weather.
These are all great ways to spend some time outdoors while the weather is warmer. But if the temperature changes once again, there are still several indoor attractions nearby.
The Channel, a popular music venue on Orchard Park Drive in Greenville, was founded in 1997 as part of the Carpenter’s Cellar Ministries. The Channel describes itself on its MySpace page as a “non-profit, multi-disciplinary arts center dedicated to providing exceptional opportunities for community participation in music, film, visual arts and performing arts.”
The Channel features such bands as Jacob Johnson Group, Street Lights, Serenade Band, The Wedding and Eleventyseven. The prices are affordable with most shows costing $15 or less.
The Encounter Bible studies are also held at The Channel each Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
Starting March 13, The Warehouse Theater will be performing The Diary of Anne Frank. The student price for this show will be $15.
North Greenville’s own music department will be featured at the Peace Center on March 3 in a production titled A Grand Night for Singing. This will be a great way to support the university and be able to receive cultural event credit.
The Upstate has many activities to offer, indoors and out.
Whether you want to take a drive, find something free to do, or just get off campus, there are always interesting events going on around us.