There's no water park in Florence yet but we do have many options within a couple of hours or less away!

Waterpark & Splash Pad Options

• A favorite place for some water fun is taking the kids to the Waterfall Junction and it's part of the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC. It's like an upscale splash pad. They do center on kids. There are areas that are more toddler friendly so you can find the area that is best for your family to sit nearby. I love that zoo and it has a wonderful gardens area, which is where you'll find their splash zones and tree houses! Columbia, SC is only about an hour from Florence. They are only open during the warmer seasons.
  


• There is a waterpark in Hartsville, SC called Neptune Island. Neptune Island Waterpark has a lazy river and is for kids and adults. It could cost a lot though if you have a big family. Hartsville, SC is about 30 - 45 min from Florence.
  


• The Lynches River County Park's Splash Pad in Coward, SC is the best price for the kids! They are strict on what you wear so you can't have any cotton attire on. They will not be shy to point out that your gym wear is not swim wear. I think it's because it does clog up the system if some of that fabric gets in there. Lynches River County Park is about 30 - 45 minutes from Florence.
  


• If you're planning on being in Myrtle Beach anyway, you'll be able to enjoy hotel stays that already have a lazy river! That's the joy of Myrtle Beach! The city also has a handful of big water parks that you can pick from. Myrtle Beach is only about an hour away from Florence and has so many attractions and things to do.
  


• The newest additional to this list is the Splash Pad in Downtown Florence. It opens every Summer. Downtown guests and residents are invited to enjoy it in the Andrew H. Griffin Plaza at 146 South Dargan Street, Florence, SC 29501. The Splash Pad is an interactive water feature designed for children 12 & younger and includes eight spray jets and one column of water with various spray and LED lighting effects. You can read their rules here. It's a free splash page but it is only open in the summer time and between certain hours.

Go to the Day Trips to see other places you can visit for the day.

Kimberly Patrick Photography is having a 2 day Santa Mini Studio Photo Sessions for $125 at her indoor studio. Each session is 15 minutes and includes 5-8 images with print release.

Theme:  North Pole Mailbox - All letters to Santa will be answered and delivered by UPS!
Dates: Saturday, Nov 21, 2020 between 12PM - 5PM & Sun, Nov 22, 2020 between 1PM - 5PM. 


They are covid-friendly and will be disinfecting all hard services, hand sanitizer, and using a UV room sanitizer between sessions. There is a $50 non-refundable fee due to reserve your session. Please message Kimberly Patrick Photography via Facebook to schedule your session. 

Address of Santa Mini Photo Sessions: 179 Lorans Dr, Lamar, SC 29069-8865

More about Kimberly Patrick Photography. Kimberly Patrick is a mommy. She is "a creative imagery portrait photographer and visual story teller, dedicated to capturing the interaction, personality, and beauty of people ", as quoted on Kimberly Patrick Photography's facebook page. If you don't have Facebook, she can also be contacted at (815) 600-4741 or kimberlypatrickphotography@gmail.com.

Tami Bachman, her husband Skip and her children: Koa, age 7 and Ayla, age 4 are moving to Dominican Republic at the end of 2020 to serve as missionaries with an organization called The Samaritan Foundation. 

They will be sent from Church at Sandhurst (Florence, South Carolina). 

"Once we get there, Skip will help with the current construction projects on the north coast (a pediatric hospital, a school and homes for families in need) and Tami will serve in women's healthcare. We are excited to join in the amazing work being done in Sosua to show Jesus's incredible love and hope for all people by working against poverty, racism and modern day slavery."

If you are interested in partnering with the Bachmans by praying or investing in their mission work in the Dominican Republic, you can contact the Bachmans via their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bachmanfam/ or visit their Mission Quest page: https://give.missionquest.org/missionary/203

Social Media handle for both Facebook & Instagram: @bachmanfam
https://www.facebook.com/bachmanfam/ 
https://www.instagram.com/bachmanfam/

Read the Bachman's August 2020 Newsletter(this will open to a PDF file) to see ways that you can help support them.

More about Samaritan Foundation
The Samaritan Foundation uses ALL of its funds for its building projects and to pay its local staff, providing up to 100 jobs for locals. We really respect this approach to boosting the local economy and promoting dignity by providing training and jobs for the local people, rather than paying foreigners to move there to work.

Free meals in Florence are available for pick-up during the summer. These are for kids ages between 0 - 18 years old. They change the times, locations and schedules as needed. See link below for more details.

See more details on menu and offerings for Summer Feeding Menu for kids in Florence.

In observance of Memorial Day (Monday, May 25), Meal Distribution for Friday, Monday and Tuesday (May 22, 25, 26) will be made available on Thursday, May 21.

Update May 18th -- Meal Update

The five school meal distribution sites at Delmae Elementary, North Vista Elementary, McLaurin Elementary, Southside Middle, and Timrod Elementary will not be open on Monday, May 25 for the Memorial Day Holiday. Service will resume on Wednesday, May 27.

Double check for any last minute or daily changes on the Florence 1 Schools website.