Located in Pisgah National Forest near the town of Marion, NC, Toms Creek Falls offers a close up splendid view of a 60 foot three drop waterfall that requires little to no effort of hiking. The trail is perfect for a beginner hikers, if you are looking to get back into hiking after a break, for small kids and for dogs.

Getting there is easy and the trail has mobile signal which is not typical for most of the hikes in this neck of the woods.

To reach Toms Creek Falls head north on US 221 for 5.6 miles after the junction of US 221 and US 70 in Marion and then turn left on Huskins Branch Rd. From there continue for 1.2 miles before arriving at the small parking lot near the entrance of the trail. There are not many parking spots available so plan accordingly and avoid busy travel days and weekends. There are no restrooms facilities near by so make sure to take this in consideration before arriving here too.

The little under half a mile mostly flat trek to the falls begins right off the parking lot. An information board is located right at the entrance of the trail which will give you details on the hike, the flora and fauna you’ll find along the way, possible wildlife encounters and finally a description on the falls awaiting you at the end.

Hitting this trail after a good rain gives you the chance of seeing Toms Creek Falls at their best and fully flowing. If you come during the summer months and after a week or so of dry weather, water would not be flowing as hard and falls would look pretty dry. The trail is very well maintained and does not get really muddy even in the winter months. Several options for camping are available near the trail.

The best part about Toms Creek Falls is that you can literally get within an arms reach to it. A little path leads to the bottom of the falls which are very flat and pretty safe for kids to wade in and if you feel brave enough it is not hard to hop on the rocks and get even closer. Few large boulders are located right at the bottom of the waterfall and offer a great spot for a picnic or for catching the sunrays picking through the trees. In the summer you can splash under the water and cool off.

If you are unsure about visiting the falls because it is not challenging enough for you we suggest you still give it a try but add the little trail to the right of the waterfall that leads to the top of them. The trail goes straight up with a pretty good incline and leads to a little swimming hole which would be sure to delight you especially on a steamy summer day. Not many people venture this way so you’ll be pretty much have it all to yourself. If you choose to head that way please keep kids and dogs within your sight and reach at all times. This trail begins pass the old stone foundation and would add about 0.3 miles each way to your whole trip.

Toms Creek Falls is the perfect stop over if you are coming from Raleigh and are on the way to Asheville as are the Catawba Falls which you can read more about here. If you need more ideas on other things to do near this area or anywhere in NC check out our Instagram and Facebook page.

And if by the end of your hike you.ve  worked out a good appetite we highly recommend a stop at the Boondocks Sports Bar & Grill of Marion. Located at 4201 US-221 S Marion, NC 28752 The Boondocks is a locally owned bar and grill restaurant. It offers buffet bars, burgers, wings, barbecues and specialties for lunch and dinner. Traditional Southern cuisine is served. Guests can also enjoy entertainment and full bar service, including locally made beer. There is a crane for the kids to pull stuffed animals from and a room with arcade games. The Restaurant is open  Sunday – Wednesday: 11am – 12am and Thursday-Saturday: 11am – 2am.

If you are looking  to spend the night near by and head on to a dinner or a brewery check out the town of Morganton NC. There is a good amount of hotels and Airbnb’s to choose from. There are handful of breweries you can visit in town and all of them are a spectacular choice. Many restaurants for every and any taste can also be found in town. From pizza spots, barbeque diners to sport bars and one of the best burrito restaurants in the area you will not be disappointed. The Human Bean is a great choice if you need a pick me up coffee for your ride back and the Scoopers Shaved Ice and  Creamery is sure to delight your sweat tooth. 

Located just over an hour’s drive north of Charlotte, lies this magical vineyard with a deep and storied history.  The dairy farm that was formerly known as Klondike Farms is surrounded by lush greenery, nestled by the side of a pond overlooking the grape vines and welcomes you at the end of a winding gravel road. The tasting room that was once a stable is now meticulously transformed into a welcoming and beautifully decorated space.  The current owners and family treat each customer as if they are part of the family and are eager to share the property history and a welcoming glass (or bottle) of  red, white, sweet or dry wine.

The Vineyard offers many events list of which you can find here. Our absolute favorite way to spend a Sunday is listening to live music here while sitting outdoors sipping on delicious wine and sharing stories with friends.  

If you’re looking to make a day out of it, there are several options for extending your stay or adding a hike to or from the Vineyard.  The Grassy Creek Trail begins right outside the tasting room’s entrance and winds for a half a mile until it connects with the famous mountains to sea trail.

You can then take a right to head to Byrd’s Branch Campground.  Just before the campground you will enter a section of the trail called the Enchanted Forest, which has interactive creatures that will intrigue adults and children alike. During the month of October the Enchanted Forest becomes Haunted with spooky ghosts and spiders hanging from the trees. It’s a great place to take the kids for a short and spooky Halloween walk. 

Be sure to stop for an ice cream at Byrd’s General Store before continuing on to scenic Carter Falls.  Continuing on the trail behind the store, you’ll reach the Carter Falls trail-head.  From the campground to the falls is about a 1.5 mile hike.  From Grassy Creek Vineyard to the campground is about three miles round-trip, making the total hike from the vineyard to the falls and back about 4.5 miles.  There are several other parking options if you’re looking to shorten or lengthen the hike on the trail system.  The full trail map can be found here.

Check out our full post with pictures on Carter Falls Trail here.

Bring the Kids

If a several mile hike isn’t your cup of tea, bring the whole family and head a short 5 minute walk down the Grassy Creek Trail to the creek from the winery.  There is a small sandy area with benches and a picnic table.  The creek is safe for splashing around on a summer’s day while adults can enjoy a bottle of award winning wine.

We rate Grassy Creek Vineyard as the most kid-friendly vineyard in Elkin based on the open spaces, welcoming staff and trails and creek to keep them entertained.

Cross the creek and take a slow walk through the first forest bathing trail in North Carolina. Follow the wooded path that leads to the Klondike Lake and rejuvenate in the peace and quiet of the forest surrounding you. Take a sit on one of the benches along the way and just listen to the chirping birds. Close your eyes and bask in the sunrays picking through the leaves. Turn off your phone and forget your worries for a bit before returning to your everyday with a lighter heart. 

If you are spending longer than a day in the area check out Stone Mountain State Park for a longer hike to the falls or the summit, the homestead or for rock climbing if that is something that interest you.

We’ve gone here several times now and would love to share with you the best way to keep the kids happy and busy while exploring a new city and managing to see more than you would’ve ever though you would in a day.

Our day starts at the Greenville Zoo located at the largest park in Greenville. Cleveland Park consist of 120 acres of greenway along Richland Creek and the Reedy River. The Zoo has a huge parking lot and is the place where you park your car and forget about it until many hours later when you have done all you can do here and are ready to head back home.

The zoo that opened in 1960 and is still functioning today is located on 150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenvile, SC on a 14-acre site within Cleveland Park near interstate 385. From March 1st- September 30th the Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. daily. From October 1st – February 28th the hours of the Zoo are from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. daily. The zoo closes daily at 5:00 p.m. The costs to enter is about $10 for adults and $6.50 for children. Kids 2 and under are free of charge. If you think that you would come back and visit the Zoo more than once we highly recommend looking into the annual membership which gives you great benefits and makes up the price for membership after only 2 visits. You can find their prices and description of what you get as a member here.

The tour around the Zoo takes anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. It is really easy to navigate and perfect for all ages. There is usually a Zookeeper kind of walking around and giving details and history on the animals, which is extremely informative and super cool for the kids to hear.

Here at the Zoo you would find Giant Anteaters, Rheas, Ruppells Griffon Vulture, Aldabran Tortoises, all kind of Monkeys and Birds, Red Panda, Orangutan, Ocelot, Ektopia, African Lions, Amur Leopard, Black and white ruffed Lemurs, Schmidt’s Red-Tailed Guenon, Goats you can feed, Giraffes, Siamang, Lagoon, White-Nosed Coatimundi and Alligators just to name the few.

There is a special room for reptiles you can walk through with snakes, frogs, lizards and other cold blooded creatures.

There are several very interactive playgrounds where kids can play in between visiting with the animals. Benches are located all along the paved walkway of the Zoo where parents can have a sit and rest while the kids are enjoying the wildlife in front of them taking their time. There are signs in front of all the enclosures with information of what animal you are looking at, where did it come from and fun facts about it. Picnic pavilion with snacks and quick lunch items and drinks, water fountains and changing stations are located right in the center of the Zoo by the bathrooms.

Greenville Zoo offers all kind of programs, summer camps, zookeeper camps and can be reserved for birthday parties and unique experiences. You can find a list and details on all of the happenings here.

Once you are done with touring the Zoo head down to the playground outside. This massive contraption is perfect for kids of any age as there is something for everyone here. There are several structures with slides of all sizes, swings, a little train kids can pretend that they are driving, climbing walls, rope courses and a huge spider web climbing contraption right by the big playground which seemed to be a favorite among all kids.

Once our kids are done with the playground and have had a little snack to hold them over before we find a spot for lunch, we start our trek along the Swamp Rabbit Greenway. The 22 mile Greenway that crisscross along the Reedy River, an old railroad corridor and City parks and connects Travelers Rest with the City of Greenville is one of the bests ones we’ve been on. From here we would follow the trail for about a mile and a half, crossing several bridges, pass an old airplane perched by the side of the Greenway, the Rock Quarry Garden and the Cancer Survival Park with benches and cascades you can sit by and just listen to the thundering water washing the rocks and quickly slowing down and merging with the deep river. Our destination is the Falls at Ready Park at the center of the city.  There are several stops you can take along the way at either of the exercise equipment located by the creek or the little playground with the train kids can climb and play on.

Once at the end of the Swamp Rabbit Greenway you would have to make a decision and choose one of the many amazing spots where you can grab a bite to eat. We often stop at the Mellow Mushroom Pizza as it is our kids favorite, but we also love the Husk Greenville with farm to fork southern kitchen dishes, the Papi’s Tacos if we are in a mood for Mexican food, Marry’s at Falls Cottage that offers lunch with a stunning view. Another one of our favorites if you are looking for a lunch with a view and good beer to pair it is The Carolina Ale House offering typical american food and brews on tap.

Of course as it always goes with us dessert is mandatory after lunch so we hit The Marble Slab Creamery – our absolute favorite spot to get ice cream while in the town of Greenville, South Carolina. If you haven’t had the chance to experience their delicious handcrafted ice cream that they have been serving since 1983 we highly recommend you give it a go. They have all the flavors under the sun (75 in total) and unlimited add- ins. After you pick the size of your cup and the desired flavor of ice cream they ask you to pick any of the unlimited toppings that they mix in your ice cream right before you on the marble slot before serving it to you. It’s absolutely divine and our kids always ask for it while in town. Just make sure that you take a good look at the sizes since even the kiddie cups are sometimes challenging for us to finish.

Now that our tummies are happy and full we head over to the Falls at Reedy Park. It is hard to believe that they are running right here in the center of town for everyone’s enjoyment. You can go over the suspended bridge and see them from distance (that’s the best spot for a family picture with the falls as a backdrop) or head down by the water and get close. If you don’t mind the kids getting a little wet let them splash in the water and even climb on the rocks (of course with your close supervision). The Falls are a spectacular sight and every time we’ve been here they always rush really hard with full waters roaring over the boulders. Sit by the water while the kids wade, play in the sand and run around or lay a blanket and just relax wit this unbelievable sight in front of you.

And if you still have energy head over to the custom designed Children’s Garden at Linky Park designed to enrich children’s creativity through exploration & discovery. We love this park as it reminds us of The Story of Peter Rabbit which is our all time favorite book. The Park is a wonderful place for kids to express their imagination while recreating and pretending to be a part of all of their favorite children’s stories.  You can literally spend hours here if you had enough time in the day.

At this point you would probably be running out of daylight so you can decide to either stay a little longer, maybe grab a dinner at one of the many restaurants around and then Uber back to your car or head back for the half an hour walk on the Greenway the way you came.

Chances are if you have driven around Yadkin Valley in North Carolina you have seen the Pilot Mountain Pinnacle towering over the surrounding landscape reaching for the clouds. This distinctive nature wonder was used for navigational purposes for hundreds of years by Native Americans and European settlers and it is easy to see why while looking at the massive Knob poking high in the sky and visible from far far away. 

Perched centrally between of the Towns of Pilot Mountain, Flat Rock, Pinnacle and Cedar Hill with easy access to the highway the park is close to Winston Salem and Greensboro and is less than 2 hours drive from Charlotte, NC. 

The State Park covers 3,872 acres of woodland including the unique Pilot Mountain Peak set at 2,241 feet above sea level. The Big Pinnacle is consisting of a quartz monadnock. The term was derived from Native Americans and describes an isolated hill or a lone mountain that has most likely survived erosion and still stands above the relatively flat surrounding areas.

You can touch the massive rock formation as you walk through the park. At places you can sit under sections of the rook that form little caves and seek shelter if the weather turns. The clouds here move quickly due to the high elevation and sun and rain mix often in spam of minutes. As advised from the Park please do not climb the rock formation for your own safety as well for the preservation of this unique phenomenon.

Quick tip before heading on this hike: double-check the weather! We did and we still got surprised by the conditions. The high elevations and the late fall mounts make for a quick change of weather. Also pack a warmer jacket and if presented with enough time a picnic too. There are a lot of places where you can sit and enjoy it while gazing at the views. 

Initially the park served as a commercial attraction for many years before becoming a North Carolina State park in 1968 with the purpose of preserving the lands and mountains from being developed and we can not be more thankful, as we often frequent the Park and love it. 

The sparkling newly build Visitor Center at the front of the park is worth the visit if you have any questions at all, need a map or looking to pick up a souvenir to take home with you. Clean bathroom facilities can be found here as well as at the summit. A shuttle runs from the Visitor Center to the top of the mountain on busy days, most weekends and larger holidays when the park gets busier. It costs $5 to ride it otherwise a visit to the Park is free. 

On your way back from the State Park make sure to pay a visit to the Pilot Mountain Vineyard and Winery. Relax and enjoy the distant views of where you just hiked with a delightful glass of red or white wine. Grab a snack of cheese and crackers, hummus and mini pretzels, summer sausage or guacamole and tortilla chips available for purchase at their venue. Take a sit on one of the tables or lay a blanket on their loan and rest your feet before heading back to the car. Enjoy their Sunday live music by wonderful local musicians or just the quiet of the rural area. Side note that kids under 10 are not allowed here. 

Or check out Divine Lama Vineyard and Farm located in East Bend, NC for an experience like no other. Wonder the farm and meet the Lamas while sipping on red or white, rose or semi-dry. There is $10 charge for anyone 4 to 20 years old that would like to just visit with the Lamas without tasting the wine. Different food trucks provide great food choices to visitors.

If you did not get your hiking in at the Pilot Mountain State Park and still looking to get more steps in for $50 you can enjoy the rolling hills, quiet woods and fresh air in the company of a lama and take the 2 mile hike by Miller Creek here. The hike is offered during the Spring, Fall and Winter months on most Saturdays and Sundays with a recent added Fridays, begins at 1 o’clock and ends at the pavilion. Can you imagine an afternoon better spent?

For more ideas on adventures and other things to do in the area check out our WEBSITE and follow us on INSTAGRAM.