Guide to Getting Away from the Sunnyside Traveler

2019 Hiking Week 19 Many of you may have already heard about the Swamp Rabbit Trail in the Greenville area. The trail is said to be 22 miles long, with other side trails and extensions either completed or planned. The Swamp Rabbit was one of the first "rails-to-trails" I had been on but I now like to use it as much as possible. Currently, the trail runs from the south end of Greenville all the way to Travelers Rest. There is another small section of the trail south of I-85 around Lake Conestee. I like the Swamp Rabbit Trail because it is mostly flat and you can bike, walk, or run quite a few miles. I have used it in the past when training for half marathons. It's so helpful that they have mile markers along the way. Also, there are usually other people on the trail, even in the middle of winter. It can get pretty busy during the warmer months with families and groups out biking and walking. I recommend getting an early start if you want to avoid the crowds. Yea...

Fall! Time for cooler weather, Oktoberfests, Fall festivals, and other great outdoor and free activities. This list just covers October and November, I'll be working on another one just for all the holiday events (though some are mentioned in here). Go enjoy the great weather and fun events! Events in bold indicate Columbia-area events. Late September/Early October  - MOJA Arts Festival -  http://www.mojafestival.com/home/ Charleston area a festival for African-American and Caribbean art some events are free, some have a charge October  Early October - Congaree Bluegrass Festival -  http://www.cityofcayce-sc.gov/cbf/  free admission, free parking Saturday, 11 am - 6 pm bluegrass music, historical tours, food vendors, games for kids bring lawn chairs, but no outside food or coolers. Also, bring a canned good to donate to a local food pantry. - Carolina Foothills Heritage Fair -  http://www.carolinafoothillsheritagefair.org/ $5 adul...

I wanted to share with you my list of free events coming up in South Carolina. This isn't an exhaustive list and I'm mostly focusing on the midlands area but I wanted to have a central place to list all these. It's a great time to be outside and there are lots of festivals going on. Feel free to share your own! Thursday, April 18 - Sunday, April 21 - Spring Plant and Flower Festival at the State Farmers Market 8 am - 6 pm Thursday thru Saturday, 12 - 5 pm Sunday Lexington County you can stock up on your plants for spring and Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer any questions there's also a restaurant on the premises if you want a bite to eat There's an Upstate one as well, May 2-5 in Greenville  Friday, April 19 - Sunday, April 28 - ArtFields -  http://www.artfieldssc.org/ Lake City, near Florence various free events, live music, dancing, food, art Friday, April 19 - Saturday, April 20 - South Carolina BBQ and Shag Festival -  h...