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Things to Do in Spartanburg, SC

Destinations › Upstate › Spartanburg › Things to Do

Things to do in Spartanburg: 15 picks, from the town's and each operator's own pages, with hours, costs as published, and notes for kids, dogs and rainy days. 5 list free entry.

  • Picks15each with a source
  • Free Entry5as the operator states
  • Rainy Day5indoors
  • Kids or Dogs Noted4 / 2only where stated

Pick by Your Situation

Quick Picks

  1. Rainy Day

    Spartanburg Art Museum, Spartanburg Science Center, Children's Museum of the Upstate (Spartanburg) and 2 more

    indoors

  2. Free

    Spartanburg Art Museum, Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve, Spartanburg Art Walk and 2 more

    free entry

  3. With Kids

    Spartanburg Science Center, Children's Museum of the Upstate (Spartanburg), Barnet Park splash pad and 1 more

    kid notes from the operator

Historic Sites

  • Walnut Grove Plantation

    1763 land grant to Charles and Mary Moore; guided tours of the manor house, kitchen cabin and Rocky Spring Academy, plus gardens, blacksmith forge, family cemetery and nature trail. source

    Hours
    Sept-May: Thu-Sat 10 AM-5 PM; Sun 12-5 PM; last tour 4 PM; closed Mon-Wed except private tours
    Cost
    Guided tours: adults $10; seniors $8; children 5-16 $6; ages 0-4 free. Self-guided grounds $5 per person
    Where
    1200 Otts Shoals Rd, Roebuck, SC
    Dogs
    Leashed pets welcome on self-guided grounds

Museums

  • Spartanburg Art Museum

    FreeIndoors

    Contemporary art exhibitions on the Chapman Cultural Center campus. source

    Hours
    Tuesday-Saturday 10 AM-5 PM; closed for installation until Oct 15, 2026; closed Nov 26 and 27, 2026
    Cost
    Free general admission
    Where
    200 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306

  • Spartanburg Science Center

    Indoors

    About 40 species and over 100 exotic animals including reptiles, amphibians, fish and a young alligator, hands-on exhibits and a Fossil Room. source

    Hours
    Site lists conflicting hours (Thu-Sat 10-2 and Mon-Fri 9-5); call (864) 583-2777
    Cost
    $5.00 per person, ages 5 and up; free Family Day third Saturday of each month
    Where
    200 E. St. John St., second floor of the Montgomery Building, Chapman Cultural Center
    Kids
    Hands-on exhibits, Fossil Room with touchable items

  • Children's Museum of The Upstate (Spartanburg)

    Indoors

    Children's museum downtown; Experience Spartanburg describes hands-on exhibits for children six and under and notes ticket prices vary by residency, age and financial need. source

    Hours
    Museum page: Tuesday-Sunday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM (Monday not listed); check calendar
    Where
    130 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306
    Kids
    Field trips for 3K through 1st grade

  • TJC Gallery (The Johnson Collection)

    Indoors

    Downtown art focused on the history and cultures of the American South; includes the Artists Collective with 32 studios. source

Parks

  • Barnet Park Splash Pad

    Free

    Splash pad listed as free by Experience Spartanburg. source

    Cost
    Free
    Kids
    Splash pad

  • Airport Park

    Park next to Downtown Memorial Airport where kids can watch planes and climb an air traffic control tower; has a splash pad. source

    Where
    468 Ammons Road (city facilities list)
    Kids
    Plane watching, tower, splash pad

Gardens

  • Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve

    Free

    Garden listed by Experience Spartanburg as one of only three gardens of its kind in South Carolina. source

    Hours
    Dawn to dusk, 365 days a year
    Cost
    Free
    Where
    820 John B. White Sr. Blvd., Spartanburg, SC 29306

Trails

  • Mary Black Rail Trail

    Two-mile trail just south of downtown; the Hub City Hopper extension connects it to downtown. Rail Yard has a pet water station; Rail Tail Dog Park is across from Duncan Park's main entrance, open daylight hours. source

    Dogs
    Rail Tail Dog Park open during daylight hours; leash rules not stated

Tours

Attractions

Markets

  • Hub City Farmers Market

    Farmers market named by Experience Spartanburg. Not confirmed: the market's own website no longer loads (checked October 26, 2026), so days, hours and location are not confirmed; check with Experience Spartanburg before you go. source

More Guides Within 15 Miles

Coming Up Near Spartanburg

13 more on the full events calendar.

Events within 15 miles, measured in a straight line to the centre of the event's town. Dates come from our checked events list; confirm with the organizer.

FAQ

What is there to do in Spartanburg on a rainy day?

Spartanburg Art Museum, Spartanburg Science Center, Children’s Museum of the Upstate (Spartanburg), BMW Zentrum museum and plant tours, TJC Gallery (The Johnson Collection) are indoors.

What is free to do in Spartanburg?

Spartanburg Art Museum, Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve, Spartanburg Art Walk, Music on Main, Barnet Park splash pad list free entry on their own pages.

Is downtown parking free?

City garages: first 2 hours free, then $0.50/hour up to $4/day; free after 5 PM and on weekends. Pull a ticket even during free hours. source

Is the art museum free?

Yes, general admission is free; Tuesday-Saturday 10-5. source

What can kids do on a rainy day?

Experience Spartanburg lists the Children's Museum of the Upstate, Science Center and Art Museum. source

What We Could Not Confirm

Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.

  • Incorporation year and why Spartanburg is called Hub City: not stated on pages read.
  • Children's Museum of the Upstate admission prices and parking not on page. Page showed 'closed today' banner.
  • Spartanburg Science Center page lists conflicting hours.
  • Mary Black Rail Trail trailheads, surface, parking, leash rules not stated.
  • Visitor center walk-in hours not found.
  • Hatcher Garden dog rules and acreage not stated; Regional History Museum, Cowpens, Croft State Park not researched on official pages.
  • cityofspartanburg.org page is undated; Experience Spartanburg's parking article text was garbled on the hourly rate so city page rate used.

Sources

  1. Spartanburg Art Museum
  2. Spartanburg Science Center
  3. Children's Museum of the Upstate (Spartanburg)
  4. Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve
  5. Walnut Grove Plantation
  6. Mary Black Rail Trail
  7. Hub City Farmers Market
  8. Spartanburg Art Walk
  9. Hub City Spartanburgers at Fifth Third Park
  10. Hub City Mural Tour
  11. TJC Gallery (The Johnson Collection)
  12. Barnet Park splash pad
  13. City of Spartanburg Downtown Parking
  14. City of Spartanburg home
  15. GSP

Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Things to Do in Spartanburg, SC”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/upstate/things-to-do-in-spartanburg-sc/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.