Saluda Shoals — Attraction in Irmo

My family of 3 absolutely LOVED viewing the amazing Christmas light displays this past December that was held within the Saluda Shoals Park (I believe it's a yearly December event)! It was adorned with beautiful, twinkling, and magical Christmas lights that stretched the length of entire road. Thanks to the sponsorships by local businesses, each display was an enormous, exceedingly imaginative, and truly captivating light spectacle that I highly recommend seeing as a resident or visitor of the Irmo/Lexington area in December! This past year in Dec. 23', the dinosaur display absolutely stole my heart 🦕 and was my husbands favorite display as well 🩷 Even our daughter, who was just 1½ years old, sat in awe on her daddy's lap in the passenger seat as we slowly drove by the dazzling light exhibits. She couldn't contain her excitement and repeatedly screamed "light!" out of pure, childlike joy and wonder 🥹.

A third of the way into the park, there was a convenient little parking area where you could take a break and enjoy some yummy snacks, warm up with hot chocolate, roast marshmallows, and/or indulge in some s'mores over the safe and enclosed fire pit. The fire pit was equipped with rails, which prevented potential accidents and ensured a child-friendly environment. Additionally, you could use the indoor restroom facilities and/or take a short leisurely stroll around the nice little area.

Since we visited after Christmas, on December 31st, we were pleasantly surprised by the lovely display of fireworks scattered all over the city, something we didn't think we'd be able to see. As we paused in the parking area, we took some time to enjoy the mesmerizing spectacle.

To experience the December magical lights drive through Shoals Park and to secure parking in the rest area, the cost is approximately $20 per carload (plus or minus $5). Small snacks, s'mores kits, and hot chocolate were available for around $5-$6, while heartier treats like hot dogs and nachos were priced around $10-$12. I believe the bottled water cost $3 or $5, but I can't recall exactly. The restroom facilities were free of charge and remarkably well-maintained, considering the high volume of visitors on December 31st alone.

The event began at 6 pm and ran until 9 pm every weekend in December (Saturdays and Sundays) from the 1st all the way through the 31st. This festive attraction caters to a wide range of ages, from very young children all the way up to older adults! My husband and I genuinely had a blast together with our daughter this past year and will absolutely be going again this December 2024 with the newest little we're about to add to our family in June 🩷 Don't forget to DRIVE SLOW for safety and to better enjoy/take in each beautiful light display! Lastly, just a little tip: some cars (including us) turned their lights off to make the light displays appear more brilliant and vibrant against the lovely dark night, so I'd give that a...

This is a beautiful park. I went because of the walking trails and dog park, however there appears to be many other seasonal activities. Part of the park abuts the Saluda River providing opportunities for fishing, tubing, and kayaking. There is also a water spray park for young children

I only walked one of the trails. It was well maintained. There are several more left for me to explore. I took my dog to the dog park. There is a nice expanse of open field as well as a wooded shaded area. A few agility obstacles are also located in the shaded area. Tubs of water are available for the dogs to dunk themselves in as well as buckets for drinking water and a spraying fire hydrant. Benches and tables are available to the dog's people.

Daily admission is $5 per day. The dog park is only available after paying a...

Lovely park! It seems to be well-designed and well-kept. Some of the signage is a bit small when you're driving and trying to read it, but it's not too terrible. The young man at the front entrance was friendly, knowledgeable, and polite. The shelter that our group reserved was very nice - clean and in good shape. I didn't use the restrooms myself, but I heard no complaints from my group. Lots of activities going on around us: hiking, biking, dog-walking (plus a dog park), splash pad, climbing structures, fishing, canoeing, tubing, and grilling. Many people in the park, but it didn't feel over-crowded. I'll definitely be back during the summer and hope to also return for the...