For those of you still needing to pencil it in to your planners – Greenville County schools are out Nov. 27-29 for Thanksgiving and Dec. 23-Jan. 3 for winter break.

So, to get the most out of your coveted time off, we created a list of 20 outdoor activities – both near + far – that will let you feel the freedom of the world around you (before you have to go back to the confines of your educational institutions).

For those with a shorter time to explore (under an hour away):

Go geocaching

Geocaching on the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail | Photo by the GVLtoday team

Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail

View the trail map to find the nearest access point
Cost: Free

Geocaching is a “real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices.” Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location. The 22-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail is one of the best local spots to give it a try, with 60+ active geocaches located within ~0.2 miles from the trail. I feel like Ben Gates in National Treasure…

Slip on some ice skates

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5SpKs4JgUO/

Ice on Main, Village Green in front of Courtyard Marriott

1 min. away/Downtown Greenville
Cost: $10/adult, $8 children ages 4-12, children 3 and under free

Now’s your chance to practice that triple axel. The open-air ice skating rink is open now through January. If you’re a regular, you can buy a season pass for $50 (allowing up to 10 visits). There’s also a Bring Your Own Skates discount + group discounts for parties of 15+. Walk over to Spill the Beans for a hot chocolate or coffee after you’re done.

Spend the day with some exotic animals

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4cnXZajzPX/

The Greenville Zoo, 150 Cleveland Park Dr.

5 min. away
Cost: $9.75/adult, $6.50 children ages 3-12, children 2 and under free (Military and Senior discounts available)

If you’ve never been to The Greenville Zoo, you’re missing out. We’re lucky to have an impressive range of animals like African lions, Masai giraffes (including baby Kellan), a farm exhibit + reptile house – right in our backyard. A typical visit will last you ~1-2 hours, so if you’re looking to make it a full day trip – you can take advantage of neighboring Cleveland Park.

Picnic in Paris… Mountain State Park

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5IUWylDK_0/

Paris Mountain State Park, 2401 State Park Rd.

~15 min. away
Cost: $5/adult, $3.25/senior, $3/children ages 6-15

Pack a picnic to take along 15 miles of hiking + biking trails – we recommend the Lake Placid Loop. You can also rent a picnic shelter for a group gathering.

Try the fastest zip line in the country

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByDjeHUh0rX/

The Gorge Zipline, 166 Honey Bee Dr., Saluda, N.C.

~50 min. away
Cost: $97

Fastest, yep – but also America’s steepest zipline tour. Participants will ride down 11 zip lines that stretch through the tree canopy + travel down 1,100 vertical ft. This is a family friendly activity, but the suggested minimum age is 10 years old (kids must meet the minimum weight requirement).

Explore a park with history

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0wEGvThPrJ/

Croft State Park, 450 Croft State Park Rd., Spartanburg

~1 hour away
Cost: $95/person (minimum of 3 people)

The 7,054 acres of parkland make this one of the largest in the S.C. State Park Service. You can bike, go horseback riding, or go fishing. The Croft State Park land was once several homesteads + was later a WWII Army training camp.

Hike a waterfall trail featured in The Hunger Games

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Q1hhAjZyF/

DuPont State Recreational Forest, 89 Buck Forest Rd., Cedar Mountain, N.C.

~1 hour away
Cost: Free

See Triple Falls, High Falls + Hooker Falls, all within a 3-mile hike (and there are ~90 more miles of trails to explore).

Take a scenic drive

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5LpSjFjs6Z/

Pretty Place, 100 YMCA Camp Rd., Cleveland

~1 hour away
Cost: Free

Roll the windows down, bring your camera, and soak in the mountain views (just make sure to check the calendar to see if there’s an event scheduled that day). DYK Pretty Place has been around since 1912 + covers 1,400 acres?

For those who are in it for the long haul (~1+ hours away):

Learn how to fly fish

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvJ-cqTgEgZ/

Hunter Banks, 29 Montford Ave., Asheville, N.C.

~1 hour and 10 min. away
Cost: $200-$450 to wade, $350-$450 to float

Wade or float WNC’s streams and fly fish for anglers on a half- or full-day guided trip.

Ice climb

https://www.instagram.com/p/B48cu_tjq8D/

Fox Mountain Guides & Climbing School, 234-A S. Broad St., Brevard, N.C.

~1 hour and 15 min. Away
Cost: $400/person, $295/each for two people

This one requires the perfect timing, so check the Ice Climbing Facebook page to see when the snow hits + give Fox Mountain a call for a half- or full-day trip.

See amazing views at Chimney Rock

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3W_iv4AH0o/

Chimney Rock State Park, 742 Chimney Rock Park Rd, Chimney Rock, N.C.

~1 hour and 15 min. Away
Cost: $17/adults, $8/children

The scenic spot every hiking (and photography) enthusiast needs to visit. We’d recommend seeing a 404-ft. high waterfall (which was in The Last of the Mohicans) on the Hickory Nut Falls Trail – an easy 1.5-mile round-trip hike is perfect for beginners.

Forage for your own food in the AVL wilderness

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5AzszEBAeY/

No Taste Like Home, 20-45 min. from Asheville, N.C.

~1 hour and 15 min. away
Cost: $75/adult, $35/child

A three-hour tour will take you into nature with guided foraging + cooking demos. You’ll find and gather over a dozen wild edibles, then create snacks made with what you’ve collected.

Two mountain trails for experienced hikers

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5NunE7pEKL/

Crowders Mountain State Park, 522 Park Office Ln., Kings Mountain, N.C.

~1 hour and 20 min. away
Cost: Free

Crowders Mountain (2.8 miles one way) and King’s Pinnacle (2 miles one way) are both strenuous hikes, but worth it for both views from the summits.

Take an RTV tour through the mountains

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw7Rae-B_Ex/

Navitat, 242 Poverty Branch Rd., Asheville, N.C.

~1 hour and 30 min. away
Cost: $49.95

See the Blue Ridge Mountains’ best vantage points from a high-speed RTV on a 1.5-hour guided tour. The trip will take you 1,250 ft. up to the highest point of Moody Cove. (Minimum age for this activity is five.)

Ride horses through the water like a cowboy

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4568u8DBu5/

Riverside Riding Stables, 1325 Freeman Town Rd, Lake Lure, N.C.

~1 hour and 30 min. away
Cost: Call for rates + reservations

Try a two-hour river ride on horseback (14 and up) with a scenic ride up to Bald Mountain.

Climb through the trees like a monkey during a canopy tour

https://www.instagram.com/p/B47uJmilbyR/

U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, N.C.

~1 hour and 40 min. away
Cost: $89

A 3-4 hour guided trip through the forest canopies with zip lines, sky bridges, net climbs + rappels.

A perfect hike for the whole family

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4lKPH3F4RJ/

Tom’s Creek Falls, 1250 Huskins Branch Rd., Marion, N.C.

~1 hour and 45 min. away
Cost: Free

Waterfall views, streams to explore, and pools to wade in – all in less than a mile, so the kids won’t be exhausted and cranky afterward.

Explore 1,460 acres of wildlife and nature

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4vP9O3Hg_s/

Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, 6211 Sample Rd., Huntersville, N.C.

~1 hour and 50 min. away
Cost: Free

A preserve for heritage + endangered species – bring your camera to snap shots of bald eagles, wild turkeys + red foxes (and birds at the Carolina Raptor Center), or spend the day hiking and horseback riding by Mountain Island Lake.

Learn how to outdoor rock climb

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaHg99OnrxE/

Thrifty Adventures, 1173 Whitson Branch Rd., Bakersville N.C.

~2 hours away
Cost: $225/adult, $85/child ages 5-14

A ~6 hour full introduction to rock climbing outdoors for anyone aged 5+, with tutorials in knot-tying, climbing techniques, lingo, and safety.

Hike the trails at Anne Springs Close Greenway

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4DLA3zJGHI/

Anne Springs Close Greenway, 2573 Lake Haigler Dr., Fort Mill S.C.

~2 hours away
Cost: $5

40+ miles of hiking, mountain biking + horseback riding trails in a nature preserve open 7 days a week, from 7 a.m. to sunset.

Save it for a sunny day:

These activities might not be great for this season, but bookmark them so you’re prepared once summer break rolls around.

Jet ski on lake Keowee

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqp9hErBoGT/

Endless Adventures, Sunset, S.C.

~50 min. away
Cost: $2/adult, $1.25/senior, free/kids 15 and under

Rent a few jet skis and spend a day feeling the wind through your hair.

Stand up paddleboard through AVL’s River Arts District

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2KHArEBKGf/

Wai Mauna Asheville SUP Tours, 159 Riverside Dr., Asheville, N.C.

~1 hour away
Cost: $80

A 4-mile paddle through the hub of breweries, art galleries, and top-notch restaurants Pro tip: Try it at sunset for extra ambiance. Looking for something new to do with your friends? Try their 6-person paddleboard ($170 for self-guided, $300 for guided tour).

Tandem kayak the French Broad River

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzUPxuKFZfC/

Asheville Outdoor Center, 521 Amboy Rd, Asheville, N.C.

~1 hour away
Cost: $85/tandem kayak, $43/single kayak

A 7-mile kayak trip (that you can also float or paddleboard), with views of the Biltmore, plenty of wildlife, and a perfect picnic stop at Hominy Creek Park.

Go to the beach (while being in the mountains)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1z4QCtnugy/

Lake Lure Beach, 2724 Memorial Hwy, Lake Lure, N.C.

~1 hour and 15 min. away
Cost: $9/adults, $8/seniors, $7/kids

Take a day of fun under the sun (and under the mountain peaks) on the beach or cool off at the water park.

Whitewater rafting on the World’s Largest Man-Made Whitewater River

https://www.instagram.com/p/B32be7NFgxb/

U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, N.C.

~1 hour and 40 min. away
Cost: $59/adult day pass (access to all land + water activities)

Choose between the more intense adventure rafting (for ages 11+) or family rafting for a more

chill experience (ages 8+).

Outdoor rock wall climbing without ropes (but there’s a pool to catch you)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3BCxXLF32h/

U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, N.C.

~1 hour and 40 min. away
Cost: $59/adult day pass

Made for every level of climber, with walls ranging from 25 to 45-ft. tall – who needs a harness or ropes when a 20-foot deep pool is waiting to catch you?

Visit the butterflies at Butterfly Bungalow

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkQEF9YgfU0/

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, 6500 South New Hope Rd., Belmont, N.C.

~1 hour and 40 min. away
Cost: $14.95/adult, $12.95/senior, $7.95/child ages 2-12

Visit the 380-acre garden’s butterfly exhibit, learn about their journey from caterpillars + see which butterflies are native to our area.

Swim in a natural spring-fed rock quarry

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1uI60CJ_y1/

Carrigan Farms, 1213 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy., Mooresville, N.C.

~2 hours away
Cost: $15 (cash or check only)

Cool down with a day of open swimming at the granite quarry or test your adventurous side and cliff jump into the water.

Sunset kayaking or paddleboarding on Lake Norman

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwaysL1pqlj/

Aloha Paddle Sports, 17505 W. Catawba Ave. Cornelius, N.C.

~2 hours away
Cost: $35 for a 90 min. guided tour (and they’ll take pics of you at sunset for the ‘gram)

They also offer paddle board yoga on Wed.-Sat. at Lake Norman for $15 with your own board, $25 to rent.

Tube the Catawba River

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5L4poHpS9q/

Catawba River Outdoors, Dolphin Fish Camp, 2334 US-221 Business, Marion, N.C.

~2 hours away
Cost: $20+

A scenic float down the Catawba River takes about 2 hours but you can spend as long as you like on the river. Pro tip: Rent a cooler float for $10.

Spider lily kayaking on the Catawba River

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxm3kqRpLUn/

Thrifty Adventures, 1173 Whitson Branch Rd., Bakersville N.C.

~2 hours away
Cost: $58

Kayak through the largest concentration of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies in the world. Spider lily season runs May-June.