OED Travel Tips:
Outdoor Adventure
Whether you are a thrill-seeker or looking to unplug in nature, the Olde English District offers several outdoor adventure opportunities. Here are a few to help you plan your next getaway:
Parks for Hiking, Paddling, Walking & Biking
Landsford Canal State Park
Paddle through spider lilies at Landsford Canal State Park on the Catawba River. This 448-acre park also has a 1.5-mile canal trail. It is home to the world’s largest population of rocky shoals spider lilies, which bloom out of the water from May through mid-June.
Goodale State Park
Goodale State Park has 763 acres with tall cypress trees towering over the water, making for a scenic kayaking view. Paddle through a 3-mile canoe trail, which some say is the best-undiscovered canoe trail in the state. Take a stroll along the one-and-a-half-mile, sandy nature trail after your float, and relax at one of the two picnic shelters to end your excursion.
Cheraw State Park
Cypress wetlands line the 360-acre Lake Juniper at Cheraw State Park. Explore the flora and fauna by kayak, pedal boat or canoe. You can even fish from the boardwalk or by boat.
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Anne Springs Close Greenway is a vast 2,100-acre nature preserve established in 1995, designed to offer a wide variety of recreational activities while serving as a natural buffer from urban development. The diverse offerings range from hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, to kayaking, picnics, and much more. It also houses significant cultural resources, such as two circa-1800 log cabins.
Chester State Park
Chester State Park showcases a 160-acre lake offering exceptional fishing opportunities which can be enjoyed by land, boat or fishing pier. It features a range of amenities including a public boat ramp, boat rentals, picnic shelters, playgrounds and nature trails. Additionally, attractions like two disc golf courses, 25 campsites equipped with water and electricity, and two camper cabins all contribute to offering an unparalleled outdoor experience.
Thrill-Seeking
For bucket list adventures, visit the Rock Hill BMX Supercross Track, the East Coast’s first Olympic-caliber BMX training facility open to the public, or the Carolina Motorsports Park to reach speeds of up to 50MPH on the karts or test your race car driving skills on the main track. Head to Skydive! Carolina to jump in tandem with a professional instructor from 14,000 feet or Camp Canaan and the Zipline Canopy Tour to zip back and forth through the trees and acorss the Catawba River.
Situated on 2,600 wooded acres of land, this family-focused ATV, UTV and dirt bike riding park is one of the largest in the southeast. Carolina Adventure World has 100 miles of track trails. Carowinds, an amusement park situated on the North and South Carolina line, has world-class rides sure to have you screaming with joy.
Experience the sport of soaring at Bermuda High Soaring; flight training and introductory rides are offered by a certified ride pilot or instructor. See how a plane with no engine, uses a thermal, warm rising air, to climb and stay aloft. Pack a picnic and enjoy the Gazebo on the property.
Golf
Hit the links; the OED is home to several public courses. Just be sure to schedule your tee time. Top-pick: Cheraw State Park, South Carolina’s first state park, features an 18-hole championship golf course that winds its way through piney woodlands.
For more OED outdoor travel tips, check out our Nature Lovers page.