Water parks will be reopening for Summer 2021.

Who is ready for lazy river, spray pads & waterslides ?

Here are water parks in Statesboro, Jekyll Island & Charleston. (The Pooler water park – Surf Lagoon – is closed).

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Water Parks Near Savannah

Splash In The Boro opens for the 2021 summer season May 22 2021.
45 miles from Savannah in Statesboro, Ga.
Water Slides – 2 body slides and 1 inner tube slide wind around each other and finish with a plunge into a common wave pool. The park has a double flowrider , a 5-lane mat racer, a spray pad and slides for toddlers, 3 tube slides, a lazy river.

Open starting May 22. For hours click here.

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Summer Waves opening weekend May 14 2021.
75 Miles from Savannah on Jekyll Island.

Summer Waves Water Park located on Jekyll Island with 11 acres of splashing summertime fun for the whole family. Nine exciting attractions including six water slides, wave pool, lazy river, splash zone and kiddie area.

Open May 14. For hours, click here. Hours are subject to change. Please call ahead to confirm Summer Waves is open.  912.635.2074

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Charleston, SC Water Parks

Splash Zone Waterpark
at James Island County Park
871 Riverland Drive
Charleston, SC 29412
79 Miles from Savannah in Charleston, SC
Opens May 15 2021.
Schedule here.
200-foot tube slide – 200-foot open slide – Caribbean play structure with slides, wheels, and sprays – 500-foot lazy river with an adventure channel featuring sprays and a waterfall – Leisure pool – open seasonally

Whirlin Waters Adventure Waterpark
87 miles from Savannah in North Charleston, SC
Opens May 15 2021.
Schedule here.
Fun for all ages, Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Waterpark is located within North Charleston Wannamaker County Park and offers seasonal, island-style water play packed into over 15-acres.
Rip Tide Run mat racer takes riders on an exciting head-to-head competition over gut wrenching bumps, accelerating riders towards the finish line. (minimum height of 42”)

Splash Island Waterpark
91 miles away in Mount Pleasant, SC
Opens May 15 2021.
Schedule here. 
200-foot water slide – 16-foot otter slide – Sprays, geysers, and raindrop waterfalls – The Cyclone, a 10-minute swirling water ride – Recreational pool

Sandbox Children’s Museum summer camp on Hilton Head Is. and at Tanger 2 Outlet in Bluffton is now registering for Summer 2021.

Eight weeks of fun for children.

Information and registration can be found @ www.thesandbox.org. Click the “Book Now” button.

Registration is weekly only and can be done through the Sandbox  website.

Ages: Hilton Head 4-12years; Tanger 2 Bluffton 6-12 years

See the Sandbox website for themes, policies, and guidelines.

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Future location of Sandbox Children’s Museum on Hilton Head Is. that’s set to open later this year.

Lowcountry Celebration Park – which opened in December 2020 – includes Adventure Playground for kids, a discovery trail, pavilion and lawn for festivals, exercise stations, Wi-Fi, restrooms.

The Sandbox Children’s Museum is set to move there, too, to its new location (pictured above) from its current location later this year.

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The Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

U-Pick Strawberry Season 2021 is open

Hodges Farm – a local family owned “Pick Your Own” or “We Pick” farm of strawberries and thornless blackberries – will open Mon. March 29 for strawberry picking from 9AM until picked out for the day. Cost: $2.50/lb. Cash or local check with id.

The farm is located on the Effingham/Screven County border just 20 minutes from Statesboro and 50 minutes from downtown Savannah. Cash or check with ID.

Learn more here. 

Follow on social media here for field updates.

HODGES STRAWBERRY FARM
8705 Ga HWY 21 N. (Mile maker 27 on Ga Hwy 21. Look for signs.)
Newington, GA 30446
(912) 754-7257

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Dempsey Farms U-Pick Strawberries on Saint Helena Is. SC near Beaufort will open this week of March 29 on a limited basis. The farm has a few berries getting ready. Please call farm for daily updates: (843)838-3656

DEMPSEY FARMS
1576 SEA ISLAND PARKWAY
SAINT HELENA ISLAND, SC 29920

843-838-3656 after 8AM for picking condition & field updates on hours

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We’ve giving one lucky SouthernMamas.com reader a family four-pack of Disney On Ice tickets to the show in Duluth Ga, on Thurs. April 22 2021 at 7PM.

To enter to win, visit our giveaway announcement on our SouthernMamas.com Facebook page here. Comment under the FB post telling us your all-time favorite Disney memory (anything Disney – movie, trip, character, song etc). We’ll pick a winner at random & announce it on that FB post. Deadline to enter to win: 10PM Wed. March 31 2021.

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Disney On Ice presents Dream Big, April 15-25 at Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth Ga.
Believing is just the beginning at Disney On Ice presents Dream Big. Miguel aspires to be a musician and journeys through the Land of the Dead to unlock his family’s history. Moana and Maui bravely restore the stolen heart of Te Fiti, Anna and Elsa save their kingdom and the Disney Princesses inspire with stories of strength, determination and kindness. Share every magical moment filled with breathtaking ice skating and beloved Disney songs and stories that give everyone a reason to believe!

See Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and stars from Frozen, Moana, Coco, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Fans view the guest wellness precautions here and purchase tickets here.

Ticket discounts

Get 20% off select performances and price levels from now until March 31 2021 in celebration of Women’s History Month. Discount code is DOI2XS. Discount details here. 

Yes, Savannah and Tybee Island’s St. Patrick’s Day parade & festivities are cancelled for 2021 due to the pandemic.

However, Tybee Island residents plan to celebrate the holiday in a creative, socially-distanced way: the Paint Tybee Ireland Green project with houses and businesses bedecked in green and St. Patrick’s decor.

The socially-distanced celebration will be March 12-20 2021. Maps of participating homes are available here. 

Learn more here. 

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More St. Patrick’s events

Hilton Head St. Patrick’s Parade, Pope Avenue, Sun. March 14, 3PM. Details here.

Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Parade is cancelled. Events celebrating the Celtic Cross Ceremony, Greening of the Fountain, Jasper Green Ceremony and St. Patrick’s Day Mass will be virtual. Details here. 

Lots of outdoor kids’ happenings at nearby Georgia State Parks including this upcoming Saturday event @ Fort King George State Historic Site in Darien, Ga.

Crafting Days: Wood & Wax
Fort King George State Historic Site
302 McIntosh Rd SE
Darien, GA 31305-4304,
Sat. March 20, 2021 at two times
10AM-Noon
2-3PM
Open to the public
Join rangers for a day outside demonstrating colonial wood-working and candle-making.
Standard site admission is required to attend this program.
Site admission: Adults $7.50, Seniors $7.00, Youth 6-17 $4.50, Youth 5 & younger are FREE
912-437-4770.
Learn more here.

SouthernMamas.com is compiling the annual Savannah-Lowcountry Easter Egg Hunt & Festivities list as events are announced. The 2021 list looks differently this year with fewer festivities but some smaller, outdoor Easter Egg hunts are still happening with COVID precautions. Email your organization’s Easter event info to anne@southernmamas.com.

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That beloved annual Savannah springtime tradition – the 4-H Chick Hatchery – will be a live stream this year due to the pandemic. Watch March 31-April 2 2021 on Chatham County 4-H YouTube site. 

Kids of all ages can watch the chicks emerge from their eggs . For more than two decades, Chatham County Cooperative Extension 4-H has run the hands-on display hatchery during the Easter season, allowing kids to hold newly hatched chicks. But for the past two seasons, it has been online instead.

Free & open to the public.

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Easter Market @ Islands Farmers Market, Whitemarsh Is.
Sat. April 3, 9AM-Noon for an Easter market. All vendors will have Easter eggs to pass out to the kids make sure to follow the bunny trail and collect your eggs.

401 Quarterman Drive Savannah, GA 31410

There will be a photographer on site doing two digital photos for $10. A picture of the background can be found under the event tab. 30+ vendors+ and doggy adoption.

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2021 Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt @ Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic Site, Brunswick, Glynn County
Due to COVID, this year will be a different twist on the traditional Easter Egg Hunt.
A 2-month long Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt instead of a 1-day event.
Easter Egg Hunts will be from March 3-April 30 2021 on Wednesdays-Sunday from 10AM-4PM.
Guests will arrive and pay admission (Ages 18-61 $8; 62+ $7; 6-17 $5; younger than 6 are FREE).
Guests will be given a Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt map & instructions.
Follow the instructions using the map for clues to answer the secret saying and then receive a prize bag filled with toy filled Easter Eggs & prizes. Guests can receive an EXTRA PRIZE for taking a selfie at one of the clue locations.
This event is for the ENTIRE FAMILY & all ages. Come out and enjoy the open spaces, have fun & tour the plantation.
Learn more here.______________________________________

Free Easter Goodie Bags, visits with comfort dog @ Trinity Lutheran Church, Savannah
Stop by anytime between 10AM-noon on Sat. April 3 2021 for a free goodie bag from Trinity Lutheran Church. Organizers will share the Easter story every 30 minutes. Kids can also visit with Lizzie, a comfort dog.
Trinity Lutheran Church
12391 Mercy Blvd.
Savannah, GA
Free & open to the public
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Free Easter Egg hunt, 2PM Sat. April 3 2021, Bloom & Grow Market (outdoors), Savannah
Bloom & Grow Open Market
14 Brasseler Blvd, Savannah, GA 31419-9576
Over 1000 eggs filled with treasures at 2PM Easter egg hunt plus a weekly outdoor market from noon-6PM featuring food trucks, local makers, local vendors. A photo booth. Egg hunt will begin at 2PM and continues while supplies last. After hunting stop by the market marshmallow station to make candied marshmallows for $2 per child.
Questions? Email Bloomandgrowmarket@gmail.com

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Garden City Egg Hunt, Sat. April 3 2021

Spring Fair @ True Vine World Harvest
1-4PM Sat. April 3 2021
5224 Augusta Rd, Savannah, GA 31408-1619

You’re invited to a day full of games, activities, and more. Masks and sanitation procedures will be in place.
Tickets: $10
Purchase tickets online here.

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Pooler Egg Hunt @ Noon Sun. April 4 2021
@ the Senior Center in Sangrena Woods.
Trolley shuttle will be available to take guests from Pooler Bible Church @ 1204 Hwy 80 in Pooler to the event @ the Senior Center. Three separate zones for kids of all ages.
Questions? Call 912.988.7444 or email info@poolerchurch.com. Free & open to the public.

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Hilton Head Is. / Bluffton SC Area Easter Egg Hunts 2021

Drive-thru Easter Eggstravaganza, 10:30AM Sat. April 3 2021
Drive by event. Stay in your cars, receive a goodie bag full of eggs (while supplies last)
With the help of the Easter Bunny, eggs filled by Pockets Full of Sunshine, a local non-profit employing adults with disabilities.
10:30AM Sat. April 3 2021 @ two Hilton Head Is. locations
TWO LOCATIONS: Shelter Cove Park (behind Poseidon Restaurant & Lowcountry Celebration Park (near Coligny Circle). 
Learn more here.

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Photos with the Easter Bunny @ Island Child on Hilton Head Is.

Free Easter Basket to the First 100 Children
Sat. March 27 & Sat. April 3 2021, 2-4PM

You will be able to take a photo of your child who will be at a safe distance in front of the bunny. No direct contact with the Easter Bunny will be permitted.

Island Child
The Village at Wexford
Hilton Head Is. SC 29928
843.686.5437

The Sandbox Children’s Museum, both locations, are open with reduced occupancy, online ticketing and reservations, and increased cleaning procedures!

Make your reservations to play online here. 

Questions? Call the museum for more information. Bluffton 843-705-6235, Hilton Head 843-842-7645

The Sandbox
18A Pope Ave.
Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928

The Sandbox at Tanger 2
1414 Fording Island Rd, Suite E-180
Bluffton, SC 29910

The Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Hodges Farm – a local family owned “Pick Your Own” or “We Pick” farm of strawberries and thornless blackberries – is expected to open for strawberry picking season in a few weeks .

The farm is located on the Effingham/Screven County border just 20 minutes from Statesboro and 50 minutes from downtown Savannah. Cash or check with ID.

Learn more here. 

Follow on social media here for field updates.

HODGES STRAWBERRY FARM
8705 Ga HWY 21 N.
Newington, GA 30446
(912) 754-7257 cell (912)687-6448 cell (912)425-0690

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Dempsey Farms U-Pick Strawberries on Saint Helena Is. SC near Beaufort will not have early strawberries this spring but will announce on social media here when that farm is close to opening for this spring’s normal strawberry season.

DEMPSEY FARMS
1576 SEA ISLAND PARKWAY
SAINT HELENA ISLAND, SC 29920

843-838-3656 after 8AM for picking condition & field updates on hours

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U-Pick daffodil 2021 season is under way at this Okatie farm near Bluffton, SC. 

Details here. 

FREE Savannah Ogeechee Canal Trail Walk
Sat. March 6 2021, 10AM-Noon
1 Canal Bank Rd, Pooler, GA 31322-9711

Come support Savannah Ogeechee Canal. In their efforts to complete this trail, Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum and Nature Center needs your help as stewards of this historic corridor and protection for the conservation of this trail for the future.

Free & open to the public. Learn more here. 

Questions?  Call 912-748-8068 or reach out via the museum web site here. 

FREE ADMISSION to National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta – sponsored by FedEx – March 4-7 2021 & March 11-14 2021.

Explore thought-provoking galleries and exhibits, connect civil rights history to the ongoing struggle for human rights all over the world, & view the personal papers and items of Dr. King in our Voice to the Voiceless gallery.

With your health & safety in mind, timed tickets must be reserved online in advance. Free admission is based on a first come, first serve basis, and there will be limited availability for ticket reservations to ensure the safety of staff & visitors.

Reserve your tickets online here.

U-PICK DAFFODILS OPENING Sat., Feb. 20 2021 for the (very short) 2021 daffodil season @ U-pick Daffodils farm in nearby Okatie, SC (near Bluffton).

UPDATE: SOLD OUT! U-pick will reopen Sat. March 13 2021, 9AM – until ? Best to come earlier in the day rather than later in case they sell out. PLEASE RESPECT OPENING TIME OF 9AM (no earlier arrivals)

Cost: 35 cents per stem.

Check here and on Facebook here for hours  & opening/closing updates.

Follow along on the farm’s Facebook page to stay on top of the current supply status at the farm and any farm closing days.

UPickDaffodils.com is family owned and operated on what was once the family dairy farm. Chuck and Diane have planted several varieties of daffodils, not all of which bloom at the same time, according to their Web site.

Now accepting debit & credit cards in addition to cash.

UPickDaffodils
48 Calhoun Plantation Road
Okatie, SC 29909
843-368-1998
chuck@upickdaffodils.com

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Daytrips

Find more daytrips from the Savannah-area here. 

We love this: Eight-year-old Leo called out NPR for lack of dinosaur stories. Read the story about Leo (pictured above) here.

We here at SouthernMamas.com have also been remiss in doing our share of dinosaur publicity including spotlighting dinosaur exhibits that are a daytrip or weekend trip from Savannah.

Here are some museums with dinosaur exhibits to please most dinosaur fans like Leo.

Tellus Science Museum north of Atlanta in Cartersville, Ga.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Atlanta

Georgia Southern Museum, Statesboro (currently closed due to COVID)

MOSH (Museum of Science & History), Jacksonville Fla. no current dinosaur exhibits but upcoming exhibits include The Lost World of Dragons, 05.29.21 — 09.05.21. Details here.

Mace Brown Museum of Natural History, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC. Visits by appoinment.

South Carolina State Museum, Columbia SC.

Dinosaurs The Exhibition, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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Daytrips, Weekend Trips

Find more daytrips & weekend trips from the Savannah-area here. 

Going quarantine stir crazy? Feeling ready to get out of town?

Whether you’re looking to plan a Spring Break adventure, last minute adult getaway or a family vacation, Two Sisters Travel can help. They’ve been safely and responsibly traveling since the pandemic began. They’ll use our firsthand knowledge & experience to assist you with planning the perfect itinerary and making your overall travel experience easier.

So, where to go? What’s open? Here are a few of Two Sisters Travel’s favorite last minute deals!

Disney
Save up to 30% at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Universal
Save up to $800 on vacation packages! A family of 4 can enjoy 5-nights at Loews Portofino Bay Resort, plus exclusive benefit of Free Unlimited Express ride passes for as low as $143 per person, per night.

Puerto Rico
Experience the Caribbean island feel without a passport! Explore the El Yunque rainforest, experience the magic of the bioluminescent Mosquito Bay, and the unique mixture of Caribbean & Spanish culture. Packages with airfare from Savannah for less than $580 per night at a 4.5 star beachfront hotel in the heart of Old San Juan.

Caribbean & Mexico
Have passports? Ready for a relaxing, care-free vacation? Popular all-inclusive resorts throughout the Caribbean & Mexico are offering unbelievable deals from as low as $525 per night for a family of 4, including airfare from Savannah.

Costa Rica
A tropical adventure like no other. Costa Rica has it all from rainforest to volcanoes to picturesque coastlines and packages as low as $650 per night for a family 4, including airfare from Savannah.

Florida Keys
Looking for those warm & tropical vacation vibes but don’t want to fly… the Florida Keys are your answer. Enjoy the relaxed laid-back atmosphere in Islamorada and Key Largo. Pricing at one of Two Sisters Travel’s favorite family-friendly 4.5 star resorts is offering rates as low as $125 per person, per night.

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Travel is certainly more complex and complicated than ever before. Navigating the ever-changing entry protocols (domestic & international) and quarantine restrictions can easily become overwhelming. Don’t take a chance with your vacation, trust the professionals.

Availability in some domestic destinations like the US Virgin Islands is extremely limited so don’t wait. If you haven’t started planning your summer vacation, don’t delay.

Contact Two Sisters Travel to help you plan your next vacation.

Tara McCoy
Two Sisters Travel
843.284.3241

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Two Sisters Travel is a SoutherMamas.com advertiser 

U-pick daffodil season has not started yet @ U-pick Daffodils farm in nearby Okatie, SC (near Bluffton).

Once the u-pick season begins, the farm is usually open from 10AM-4PM provided there are blooms for the day.

Check here and on Facebook here for hours  & opening/closing updates.

Follow along on the farm’s Facebook page to learn when the u-pick season will officially open for 2021 and to stay on top of the current supply status at the farm and any farm closing days.

UPickDaffodils.com is family owned and operated on what was once the family dairy farm. Chuck and Diane have planted several varieties of daffodils, not all of which bloom at the same time, according to their Web site.

Cash or check only.

UPickDaffodils
48 Calhoun Plantation Road
Okatie, SC 29909
843-368-1998
chuck@upickdaffodils.com

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Daytrips

Find more daytrips from the Savannah-area here. 

Daytrip!

To Fort King George State Park in Darien, Ga.

This year marks the tricentennial of a turning point in North American colonial history. Three centuries ago, British soldiers established their first fort on land that was to become the colony of Georgia. Called Fort King George, it protected a low bluff on the mighty Altamaha River from French and Spanish explorers, as well as Guale Indians. Since all buildings are reconstructed, children are welcome to use their energy and creativity to explore.

From 1721 until 1727, Fort King George – now a state historic site — served as the southern boundary of the British Empire in North America. After a fire damaged buildings, General James Oglethorpe brought Scottish Highlanders to the site in 1736. Their settlement was called Darien, eventually becoming a bustling seaport that rivaled Savannah for shipping lumber. Today, this 18th-century frontier settlement is open for tours where visitors can explore numerous reconstructed buildings.

“You won’t see ‘do not touch’ signs because we want you to experience the fort as soldiers would have experienced it,” said site manager Valarie Ikhwan. “We are known for kids being to be able to understand what it’s like to climb up a ladder into their bunk every night. We’re known for kids being able to understand what it feels like to carry that barrel of gunpowder or ring the dinner bell.”

Overlooking a scenic tidal river are officers’ quarters, barracks, a guard house, moat and palisades. Guests are welcome to climb ladders inside the blockhouse, lay on soldiers’ bunks and peek out musket holes. Actively exploring the fort helps guests, especially children, imagine life 300 years ago. A museum highlights the Guale Indians, 1580s Santo Domingo de Talaje mission, British colonists, the Scots of Darien and the 19th century timber industry. The remains of three sawmills, soldier graves and tabby ruins are still visible today.

To celebrate the tricentennial, rangers will host a series of presentations and celebrations throughout 2021. The next virtual speaker presentations will be Feb. 28 2021, spotlighting Gullah Geechee heritage, and March 28 2021, covering the Scots of Darien. Plans for future presentations include local historian Buddy Sullivan, archaeologist Dr. Richard Jefferies and former site managers.

Fort King George Historic Site is open Tuesday through Sunday, and admission is $4.50 for children and $7.50 for adults.

Learn more here or call 912-437-4770.