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FIVE GREAT SOUTH CAROLINA TRIPS FOR GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDKIDS

Grandparents, start your engines. It's summer, school’s out, and parents desperately need a break. It's the perfect time for you to borrow the grandkids for a day or two and enjoy some quality time together. And South Carolina's the perfect place to do it.

"Statistics say that 70 percent of Americans over the age of 65 are grandparents. And 100 percent of them are looking for interesting things to do with their grandchildren. Rest assured, you can find them in South Carolina," said Buddy Jennings, director of the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism.

After all, like the T-shirts say, "If I knew grandchildren were this much fun, I would have had them first."

Here are five truly grand trips for grandparents to enjoy with the youngsters. They can be day trips, or, if you really want to make the parents happy, they can extend even longer.

Charleston

Start your day at James Island County Park, which is always filled with seniors and kids.  Admission is just $1 per person, and inside, you'll find plenty to do for a day, or for a week. There's an elaborate water park with slides and waterfalls and a lazy river (water park admission is extra), or for free, a traditional spray pool. For the athletically inclined, there's a climbing wall and miles of wooded running and walking trails; there are also bikes of all sizes for rent. For an exertion-free day, at least as exertion-free as a day with kids can be, fish and crab from a picturesque dock or enjoy a picnic lunch as the kids romp on the huge modern playground.

If you camp out, whether by tent or RV, there's even a shuttle to take you to the beach (about 10 minutes away) and other Charleston attractions. While you're in the area, check out the brand-new South Carolina Aquarium and adjacent Imax Theatre, let the kids climb on the cannons and statues at the historic Battery (while you ogle the gorgeous old homes), and visit Charlestowne Landing, site of the area's original settlement, begun in 1670.

And no visit to Charleston is complete without a boat tour of the harbor, a carriage ride through downtown's one-way cobblestone streets, and visits to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie. Don't tell the kids, but they might actually learn something while they're here!

James Island County Park, (843) 795-7275; S.C. Aquarium, (843) 720-1990; Charlestowne Landing, (843) 852-4200; Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie,  (843) 883-3123.

Columbia

You don't really know a state until you've visited its capitol, so start at the South Carolina State House, which has been newly renovated (check out the shiny new copper dome) and is open most days to the public. (The Legislature is in session from January until June.) A few blocks away is the South Carolina State Museum, a must-see for grandparents and kids. The museum's Discovery Center, designed for young children and their families, is a wonderful place to spend time with active grandchildren. Join them in exploring the giant tree or "Grandma's Attic." The NatureSpace area offers hands-on natural history activities that all ages will enjoy.  (Note: First Sunday of each month, admission is free!)  Five minutes away take a picnic lunch to Finlay Park, 17 acres in the heart of historic Columbia, with a picturesque lake and cascading waterfalls. Best of all, there's a terrific playground and lots of green grass to romp on. After lunch, take in Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens, one of the nation's premier zoos, where you can watch exotic animals frolic in their natural environments. And if you're looking for water, there's plenty at Lake Murray: 50,000 acres of wet fun.

For information on where to camp, fish, swim, boat and water-ski (there are too many places to list here,) call the Lake Murray Country Visitors Center, 1-800-951-4008.

S.C. State House, (803) 898-4921.  S.C. State Museum, (803) 898-4921; Riverbanks Zoo, (803) 779-8717; Finlay Park, (803) 733-8331.

Myrtle Beach

The Grand Strand is one of the nation's top tourist destinations because of its 60 miles of gorgeous shoreline, nearly 100 golf courses and one of the most spectacular sculpture gardens in the world, Brookgreen Gardens. It's also a wonderful place for grandparents and children, particularly during the off-season (October through March). During the cooler months, front-beach hotels slash their rates, and it's not unusual to find an oceanfront suite for less than $50 a night. Many of the larger hotels have indoor pools geared to children, with waterfalls, spray pools and lazy rivers. And while the Grand Strand is renowned for its "grownup" golf --- Golf Digest frequently names South Carolina the No. 1 golf destination in the U.S. --- there are also dozens of dinosaur-and jungle-themed putting golf courses that your grandkids will love.

Also be sure to check out Broadway at the Beach, a collection of child-friendly stores and restaurants (one even has a life-sized, fire-breathing dragon in a castle) that also is home to the magnificent Ripley's Aquarium. And don't forget the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park, which this year opens a gigantic roller coaster aptly named The Hurricane. (It's the tallest roller coaster in South Carolina.)

Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park, (843) 913-5200; Brookgreen Gardens, (843) 235-6000; Broadway at the Beach, (843) 444-3200.

Camden

What little girl doesn't love horses? If there's a granddaughter in your life, you must spend a day with her in Kershaw County, where horses clearly rule. This is a city, after all, where many roads are deliberately unpaved --- to protect the horses' hooves. And even the Camden Wal-Mart has a statue of a horse up front.

The city is best known as home of the Carolina Cup and the Colonial Cup, the first and last races, respectively, of the worldwide steeplechase season. (Think "National Velvet.") The Colonial Cup, held in the fall, is especially geared to families, and there are plenty of activities for children. The Cup itself features 17 challenging jumps over a 2 ¾ mile turf.  Another annual event is the Come Horse Around Festival, also held in the fall. Activities include booths, riding demonstrations, a petting zoo, a Shire horse for children to pet, and a parade of breeds through downtown Camden.

But any time of year, you can bring the grandkids to Kershaw County to immerse yourself in horse culture, and visit the renowned Tack Room. This longtime Camden store is set up like a barn and features horse related items. Also, visit Springdale Race Course, which has three tracks, steeplechase courses and 300 stalls. Go early enough, and you and the kids can watch million-dollar horses train on fields adjacent to the race course--they're usually out from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. At Springdale, there's also the Carolina Cup Racing Museum, which showcases jockey silks, trophies, photographs and books.

Springdale Race Course, (803) 432-6513; The Tack Room, (803) 432-2264; Kershaw Chamber of Commerce, (803) 432-2525.

Rock Hill

Why Rock Hill? It's just 20 minutes away to every child's dream day, Paramount's Carowinds, the colossal amusement park that straddles the North and South Carolina state lines. New this year at Carowinds: Top Gun, an inverted roller coaster with speeds reaching 62 miles an hour, and Nickelodeon's Flying Super Saturator, a combination roller coaster/water ride. For a calmer day, take in "The Patriot," the summer blockbuster starring Mel Gibson, and then take the kids on a tour of real-life Revolutionary War history. The movie was filmed mostly on private land in Chester and York counties, but several scenes were filmed at Historic Brattonsville, where you can visit the Bratton family homestead and see movie paraphernalia. New to Historic Brattonsville are the Walt Schrader Trails, with more than eight miles of connecting trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. (Sorry, you have to bring your own horse!) Historic Brattonsville is about 15 miles from Rock Hill, so again, why Rock Hill? It's a wonderful central spot to stay, thanks to a fantastic city park (Cherry Park) with lots of play equipment, walking trails, baseball fields and, most importantly, shady benches. Plus, Rock Hill and the I-77 corridor have lots of kid-friendly restaurants and reasonably priced hotels.

Paramount's Carowinds, 1-800-888-4FUN; Historic Brattonsville,  (803) 684-2327.

For more information on vacations in South Carolina, visit the state's Web site at http://www.travelsc.com or call toll-free, 888-SC-SMILES to obtain a free South Carolina travel kit. 

Edited by Kerry Cohen

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