Columbia, South Carolina is known for its sizzling hot summers. Residents and visitors are often looking for ways to beat the heat. Visiting a nearby water park, taking the kids to one of the area's splash pads, or tubing down the Saluda River are fun ways to keep cool. These options are all inexpensive and family friendly.
The Palmetto Falls Water Park is located at 3381 Marion Avenue on the Fort Jackson Army Base, outside Columbia. The water park is primarily for use by military families, but is open to the public Tuesday-Friday, except for season pass holders. The water park is open only to military families on Saturday and Sunday. Palmetto Falls has a 10,000 square foot family pool, a 600 square foot splashdown pool, a kiddie pool, and a Lazy River. The park has three regular water slides and smaller slides for the little kids. The young ones will love the water jet splash area. A snack bar onsite sells refreshments. Civilians should enter Fort Jackson at the Forest Park Drive Gate. Drivers must produce a valid driver's license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance to enter the gate. Palmetto Falls Water Park is open from 11am-7pm. Non-military admission is $9.50 per person, with children age 2 and under admitted free.
Saluda Splash is an interactive water playground located at Saluda Shoals Park. Saluda Splash has misting circles, spray jets, and water cannons shaped like dragons. Large overhead buckets dump water on the splash park. When the kids need a break, they can go to the adjacent playground with its kid size climbing wall. Saluda Shoals Park also has picnic areas, walking and bike trails, and canoe and kayak rentals. Fishing is popular in the Saluda River. There are more than enough activities to provide an entire day of fun. Saluda Shoals Park is located at 5605 Bush Road. The park is open from 7am-8:30pm during the summer months. Saluda Splash is open from 9am-8pm from May-Labor Day. Admission to the park is $4 per car for residents and $5 per car for non-residents. Saluda Splash requires a separate admission of $3 per person.
The City of Columbia operates the Drew Splash Pad at Drew Park. The Splash Pad is designed for children age 14 and under, and admission is free. The splash pad operates Monday-Saturday from noon-8pm. The Drew Wellness Center at the park has an indoor swimming pool that is open year round. The park is located at 2100 Oak Street.
A tubing trip down the Saluda River is a great way to cool off. The water temperature is quite cold, as the water is pulled from the bottom of Lake Murray and released from the dam. Palmetto Outdoors, a Columbia outfitter, rents tubes and provides shuttle transportation. Tubers should park their vehicles near the amphitheater at the West Columbia Riverwalk. Pay for the tube at the outfitter's booth, and then take their shuttle bus to the launch site near Riverbanks Zoo. Tubers will drift down the river for two miles, through some mild Class I and Class II rapids. The take out point is just past the Gervais Street Bridge at the amphitheater landing. A standard tube rents for $15. Deluxe tubes with mesh bottoms are $20. Personal flotation devices are included. Hours are Sunday-Friday from noon-7pm and Saturday from 10am-7pm. Shuttles run hourly on the weekends.
This news article is brought to you by ENHANCEMENT - where latest news are our top priority.
No comments:
Post a Comment