Hardy Berry Farm in Anderson, SC

If you like fresh strawberries, peaches, or raspberries, Hardy Berry Farm in Anderson is the place to be in spring and summer.

Whether you like to pick your own strawberries, or if you prefer to grab a bucket already picked, Hardy Berry Farm has you covered. Strawberries are $12 per gallon pre-picked and $1.80 per pound if you pick them. Hardy Berry Farm is a small family-owned and operated farm. Hardy Berry Farm grows several varieties of strawberries so everyone can find that unique berry that really turns their taste buds on. The farm also grows four varieties of delicious red raspberries, blueberries, and peaches.

Strawberry season runs through May; blackberries from early June to early August; blueberries from late June through July, and raspberries from June through August; and peaches from early June to mid-July.

You may purchase jams, local honey, freshly ground wheat, fresh baked bread, raw milk, free range eggs, homemade ice cream, cold drinks and many other items from the farm’s country store. Located at 232 Strawberry Road in Anderson, call 864-224-5441 or visit hardyberryfarm.com. Call for operating hours.

SUMMERTIME GUIDE 2013 - Your Guide to FUN Summer Activities in the Carolinas!

Asheville Urban Trail

Take a self-guided walking tour along downtown Asheville’s Urban Trail, and you’ll learn all kinds of interesting tidbits about this eclectic mountain town.

The Urban Trail is Asheville’s “museum without walls” and consists of 30 different bronze sculptures around downtown, shedding light on the city’s unique history. The “Energy Loop”; the Deco Gecko in Pritchard Park; the murals in the City Hall chambers; the bronze life-size sculpture of Martin Luther King, Jr. at MLK Park; the diverse sculptures and plaques along the Urban Trail are all part of Asheville’s public art collection.

The 1.7 mile walk begins and ends at Pack Place; maps are available at the Asheville Visitor Center and Pack Place. The tour will take approximately 2 hours, unless you decide to shop or eat along the way!

Asheville’s Urban Trail is a great, free thing to do during the summer when the weather is warm, and the people watching is at its prime! For more details, visit ashevillenc.gov or call 828.259.5815.

SUMMERTIME GUIDE 2013 - Your Guide to FUN Summer Activities in the Carolinas!

Hot Air Balloon Rides!

 Looking for a different way to take in the lush WNC views? Try one of the area’s hot air balloon companies!

Photo courtesy of ashevillehotairballoons.com

Watch the sunrise over the mountains in a one hour early morning balloon ride with Asheville Hot Air Balloons (ashevillehotairballoons.com). Float over downtown, the Biltmore Estate, the plaid fields of farms, undulating hills and hollows and enjoy a champagne toast afterwards with R.O. Franks Hot Air Balloon Company (ashevillehotairballoonrides.com). Take in beautiful and serene views of the Pisgah National Forest with Adrenaline 365 (adrenaline365.com) or become a Certified Hot Air Balloon Pilot with Asheville Hot Air Balloons (hotairballoonsoverasheville.com)!

SUMMERTIME GUIDE 2013 - Your Guide to FUN Summer Activities in the Carolinas! 

Moonlight Movies

The Greer, SC Moonlight Movies series continues on June 6 with Happy Feet 2 and will show new movies every Thursday night through August in the City Park Amphitheater, with selected films at the Cannon Centre Cinema, for guests ages 17 and over.

All films begin at dusk and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Concessions are available for purchase from on-site vendors. For more information, visit cityofgreer.org. The complete schedule is as follows:

June 6: Happy Feet 2
June 13: Dolphin Tale
June 20: The Lorax
June 27: The Smurfs
July 11: Madagascar 3
July 18: Rise of the Guardians
July 25: Brave
August 15: Leatherheads (Cannon Centre)
August 22: Casablanca (Cannon Centre)


SUMMERTIME GUIDE 2013 - Your Guide to FUN Summer Activities in the Carolinas!

Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve

If you’re looking for one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the Upstate, look no further than the Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve in Spartanburg, a community supported urban garden. The garden has grown to become a beautiful woodland preserve that provides a home for wildlife and a display for nature’s beauty. The Garden is open every day of the year during daylight hours and there is no charge for admission. Displays include the Butterfly Garden, Thomas W. Bartram Trail, Conifer Collection (with 200 species), and the Garden of Hope and Healing.

The Garden has incredible history dating back to 1969, when Josephine and Harold Hatcher decided to retire to Spartanburg. From their small backyard they saw the wooded area behind their house was covered with tall pines, mature hardwoods, even a stream. The land itself was badly eroded, and had become a dumping ground for local trash, but even so, the Hatchers saw its potential. The Hatchers started filling in the eroded gullies, amending the soil, building paths and ponds, and planting over 10,000 trees, shrubs, and flowers.

The community continues to keep the Garden booming, and the location has become a tourist attraction. Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve is located at 820 John B. White Sr. Blvd. For more info, visit hatchergarden.org.

SUMMERTIME GUIDE 2013 - Your Guide to FUN Summer Activities in the Carolinas!