Looking for a fun, easy road trip with kids in the Carolinas? York County, South Carolina, packs a lot into its small-town Americana cities and scenic countryside. You’ll find festivals, pick-your-own fruit, walkable downtowns with public art, and one of the prettiest spring gardens in the state.
It’s a great place to slow down, explore the outdoors, and eat well while you’re at it.
Here’s what to do on a family trip to York County.
Glencairn Garden
Late March to early April is the best time to visit Glencairn Garden. You can see thousands of azaleas in a range of colors absolutely begging for a family portrait. It’s spectacular.
But if you don’t happen to be here in spring, there’s still plenty to see. In winter, admire the camellias; in early spring, daffodils; in summer, crape myrtle and daylilies; in fall, sasanquas and pansies.
The paved paths are stroller friendly, and the many fountains and butterflies will delight children. Admission is free!
Festivals
Every spring, Rock Hill welcomes the season with the Come-See-Me Festival, a 10-day affair inspired by the azalea bloom at Glencairn Garden. There’s a parade, race, movie night, cook-off, fireworks, live performances, and much more, including kids’ activities like storytime and a teddy bear tea.
At the Beach Bash event opening weekend, we grabbed a burger from a food truck and browsed the makers’ market as the band played throwback hits and kids danced on the grass. They even have a free children’s coloring book. Good vibes all around.
The festival is a must if you’re in town in April.
For Independence Day, Rock Hill hosts the Red, White & BOOM downtown, complete with free inflatables and fireworks. When the weather turns — if not cool, at least milder — celebrate autumn at the Fort Mill Fall Festival with music, science, nontraditional scarecrows, face painting, trick-or-treating, hay bale maze, and more.
Bonus: Visiting Rock Hill in December? Read my review of their absolutely massive holiday festival, ChristmasVille.
Landsford Canal State Park
From mid-May to mid-June, Landsford Canal State Park is suffused with beautiful blooms thriving in the fast-moving waters of the Catawba River. This is the rocky shoals spider lily, and the park is home to the largest concentration of this flower in the world. The best way to see it? By kayak.
We signed up for a tour with NC Outdoor Adventures that took us paddling through the lily-covered shoals. You start in the open river, getting your bearings in the inflatable kayak. The helpful guides share navigation tips and can nudge you along if you get stuck on a rock in the shallows. No kayaking experience is required. Kids as young as 5 are welcome, and older kids can paddle their own boat.
The magic happens as you follow your guide through the gentle rapids, and then suddenly, you’re there, surrounded by lilies. You can get out of your boat and walk among them as the guide tells you more about this unusual flower. Then you continue winding your way through the maze of lilies, just soaking up this natural spectacle. It’s a bucket list experience.
NCOA owner Christy Thrift agrees. “Paddling through a maze of lilies as far as the eyes can see is truly a unique, one-of-a-kind adventure!” she says. Of the 20-plus tour options they offer, the spider lily paddle (now in its 13th year) is her favorite.
They run multiple tours daily on the weekends, and I highly recommend booking as soon as possible if you want to go this year. To see how the lilies are faring, check the park’s lily watch webpage.
If you prefer to stay on land, there’s a 1.5-mile Canal Trail that leads to a viewing platform overlooking the lilies. The trail follows the historic canal, with remnants of 19th-century stonework along the way. It’s an easy hike for all ages and beautiful in any season.
Bush-N-Vine
There’s usually one experience on a trip that surprises me by how much fun I have. This time, it was our morning visit to Bush-N-Vine.
The family farm grows around 65 fruits and veggies, which you can find in their store along with souvenirs like jams and recipe books. You can easily spend a couple hours here, letting the kids play in the sandbox and on the swings or grabbing lunch in their cafe to enjoy on one of the many picnic tables. They serve incredible strawberry ice cream that’s easily worth a trip to York County on its own.
Strawberry season really is a great time to go. They harvest these plump red berries from October to early July with u-pick running from April through Mother’s Day, weather dependent. In the summer, you can pick your own blueberries and blackberries (June) and peaches (July). In the fall, it’s pecans.
Old Town Rock Hill
There’s lots to do in Old Town. I recommend a stop at the Center for the Arts, a few family selfies in front of the many murals, and browsing the too cute wares inside The Mercantile.
One must-see is the free “Jail, No Bail” exhibit, which tells the story of the Friendship 9, a group of Black men arrested after a sit-in protest at a segregated Rock Hill five-and-dime. It’s a moving, heart-wrenching, but ultimately uplifting saga.
You can find the indoor exhibit right next to Kounter, a restaurant featuring the original counter where the Friendship 9 sat — read more about Kounter below.
After absorbing the exhibit, wander down Main Street for more shopping or just to admire the historic architecture. Families visiting on Saturdays from May to October should check out the farmers market for local food and artisan creations. Visit for a First Friday as we did and you can stumble into pop-up markets (as pictured above) with unusual, eye-catching art.
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Just outside Fort Mill, the Anne Springs Close Greenway offers families a chance to immerse themselves in nature without venturing far from town. I’ve visited the park twice. In December, it was quiet with skeletal trees and cool temps that turned out to be perfect once we got hiking. In the warmer months, it’s greener, bustling with visitors, and the animals are more active too.
Some 40 miles of trails crisscross this 2,100-acre preserve. You’ll find a swinging bridge, lakes and ponds, historic sites like log cabins and a grist mill, and a natural playground. We focused our visit around the Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm this time, petting the goats, cows, alpacas, and llamas and admiring the horses and adorable rabbits. The farm is included with your greenway admission, and this park is big enough for a half- or even full-day adventure if you’re up for it.
Where To Eat
So many good options in York County! Hopefully, you didn’t miss the strawberry ice cream shoutout above for Bush N Vine. It’s one of the best things I’ve had here.
For an upscale dinner with creative small bites, I recommend FM Eatery. Here are a few more places we love.
Breakfast
Flipside Restaurant deserves a leisurely brunch. Go fancy with a lobster omelet or indulgent with the fried chicken and waffle. Their biscuit board is a great way to sample a few of their popular biscuits and toppings. Get one for the table.
There are also plenty of side options if you want to assemble your own breakfast from sausage, egg, or what have you.
We loved the prime rib, perfectly cooked and moist, and the fruit on the side was super fresh. I also enjoyed my eggs benedict with excellent smoked bacon and asparagus. I splurged on a dessert of orange creamsicle creme brulee with vanilla chantilly cream, somehow decadent but not too sweet. I was tempted by the hummingbird cake, but we’ll have to return!
Lunch
When we finished our kayaking trip on Saturday, we were ravenous. The kind of hungry where only a plate of meat will do. And so we slid into a table at The Improper Pig.
This restaurant in walkable downtown Fort Mill serves smoked meats (chicken, pork, andouille sausage, and brisket) plus burgers, ribs, steak, wings, and more. There are also great options for vegans, including smoked tofu and a portobello sandwich.
I started off with a mocktail mule of raspberry, citrus, and ginger beer that complemented the barbecue nicely. Then we ordered a platter of sausage and pork, experimenting with the half dozen sauces at the table to dip and slather at will. The creamy macaroni and cheese, a premium side, was worth the upgrade, and the token hush puppy that came with our platter was so good, we ordered a side of them.
One of the nice things about The Improper Pig is the menu’s variety. My husband is more the barbecue connoisseur, but I wanted something light, and they have a great salad lineup. I ordered ahi tuna salad, which was plenty filling, and they even have salmon and mahi-mahi.
But there are some restaurants where you finish with a dessert that outshines all that came before. And so it was at The Improper Pig. The banana pudding was huge and delicious, but the cobbler of the month was perfection: stewed strawberries topped with a thick, cookie-like crust under a scoop of ice cream and served warm in a cast iron skillet. It’s big enough to share.
Dinner
Located in the building that made history in 1961 with the Friendship 9 (see above), Kounter Dining preserves its past while getting creative with its culinary future. The cuisine is hard to pin down — I’d say New American with some Southern and international influences.
Think bourbon BBQ nachos, tuna poke, and lobster gnocchi. I enjoyed the seared scallops with candied bacon jam and a side of parmesan creamed corn — both exquisite — and the rather fancy whipped key lime made for a sweet but not too rich finish. They do have ice cream Cheerwine floats, a Carolinas classic, so I recommend that if you haven’t tried it.
The vibe is upscale casual, with a focus on creative dishes and a solid cocktail menu plus beer and wine. Their location downtown is convenient whether you’re visiting for a festival or just window shopping.
Local tip: They also have a newly opened speakeasy.
Where We Stayed
We got the best of both worlds and experienced a hotel in Rock Hill and Fort Mill.
Staybridge Suites in Rock Hill was our home away from home during the Come-See-Me Festival.
With full suites, it really was like home. Having a kitchen was handy so we could wash our strawberries and use the paring knife to skim off the leaves. The room had a sleek, modern bathroom and comfortable beds with plenty of lighting. I would have slightly preferred a bedside table on both sides, but I did appreciate the multiple outlets close at hand for charging all our devices.
Breakfast was complimentary, which we always appreciate. The buffet-style offering had good variety, including healthy options like oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, and fruit as well as the usual cereal, scrambled eggs omelets, sausage, waffles, muffins, and more. It’s a convenient way to feed the whole family before you start your day of sightseeing.
Cambria Hotel Fort Mill felt more upscale with chic room furnishings, hard flooring, an ultra modern bathroom, and a striking exposed brick wall. But, of course, breakfast wasn’t included as is usually the case with higher tier hotels. What you can’t see in the photo above is the microwave and fridge, both of which came in handy.
We also used the gym, which was quite nice with a view onto the pool.
Both hotels were great, and I would stay at either again when I visit York County — which hopefully will be soon!
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About the Author: Cheryl Rodewig is storyteller, marketer, and award-winning feature writer specializing in travel. Her Venn diagram includes minimalism, waterfalls, French, and the em dash. Find her at cherylrodewig.com.
