Fun things to do in Aiken: 10 fun attractions and activities

Our guide, Alecia, was very friendly and knowledgeable. Very interesting museum to visit. No admission charge, but worth giving a donation at the end

Honestly, I stopped into this quiet, hidden gem completely on a whim. My gracious, what a wonderful museum! Several small communities were completely displaced by the Savannah River Site installation; many of the items are saved and on display here. An ENTIRE Pharmacy, complete with Soda Fountain of housed in the basement! It's just a phenomenal time capsule of days that aren't so really long ago. Don't miss this amazing slice of Aiken history!

This is a lovely county historical museum located in a beautiful 1930s "addition" to an older 1800s mansion. Aiken is known for the Winter Colony of the wealthy New York crowd for a period before the turn of the last century. Banksia, the name of the mansion that houses the museum, was a 13000 square foot addition to a previous 3500 square foot home on the property. The museum holds the story of Aiken from it's founding up through the present day. So, whether your a regular visitor to Aiken for the horse culture, or just passing through and wondering what the region is all about, the Aiken Historical Museum is the perfect place to learn.

This is a beautiful house and grounds. It's now a museum but it was once a house for the Howe family. Beautiful

I loved everything about this museum...what a treasure trove if artifacts and beautifully presented...took almost two hours of learning and we could have done more....

What an experience! There is so much to see here from photos, fire trucks, and exhibits…I can’t wait to go on a day when I have more time to wander around and really see everything!

This is free to enter!!! Staff was so knowledgeable and friendly! We spent over an hour exploring all 3 floors! Highly recommend!

Interesting place to visit to learn more about thoroughbred racing, winning horses, and the culture of racing. Saw the Christmas lights of Hopelands Gardens, our primary reason for this brief evening visit. Always a wonderful place to stroll and enjoy nature in any season.

The museum is small and the attendant or guide was not able to tell me which or if any Aiken trained horses had ever won the Kentucky Derby...Three stars for the life sized painted horses out front and racing colors painted on the building.

We came because we had seen one of the "painted horses" as we were going down Whiskey Road. We had nicknamed her "Maggie" because of the magnolias painted on her! We were sad that the museum was closed BUT Lisa came up and while she was waiting for someone to come she let us in!! What a glorious time we horse lovers had! The pictures, trophies and atmosphere were beyond description! The GREATEST part of the visit was our interaction with Lisa! She shared so much information and personal history with us! It was awesome that she's been there since she was 5! That's 60 years of memories! We could have stayed for hours!! My sister got Lisa's book and our family will be sharing it!! This will be one of our most treasured memories in our lives! THANK YOU for having the museum! MORE IMPORTANTLY THANK YOU LISA FOR YOUR LOVE OF THE MUSEUM AND THE HORSES, PEOPLE AND HISTORY YOU SHARED!!!

I enjoyed my experience here. I learned a lot about horses and the culture of horseracing. There are a lot of exhibits and timelines to read about. And the museum is located within the beautiful Hopeland gardens. Come with time to walk and explore the grounds!

Good history museum of the history of Aiken and horse racing. Quality place to visit if you are just driving through.

I came to Aiken to visit my father and he took us here and I loved it! We didn't come at the best time of year to see the full potential of all the different plants and flowers, although it was still a wonderful experience. The ponds were cloudy but I think that's just due to the season, and some areas were closed. I hope to come back to visit again maybe in a different time of year, the place was so beautiful, I definitely want to see it again.

It was our first visit to Aiken due to our newly married daughter and husband lives there now. Aiken is a lovely quaint place and I did not know this is "horse country"! The museum was very nice inside and out and also has decorated winning thoroughbreds history, statues, and pictures of beautiful horses. There are beautiful grounds to walk around with fish ponds and bridges too. Nice place to picnic and the people are friendly. Aiken is a well kept city with a comfortable downtown to stroll around.

This was my first visit to the planetarium, and it was a different and enjoyable experience. We came for the Mesmerica show after seeing posts on Facebook that looked interesting. The visuals and music were very relaxing. Kind of like looking through a psychedelic kaleidoscope! I would recommend getting there early or buying VIP tickets for choice seating. We sat in the 2nd row from the top which was pretty good for viewing but still requires a lot of looking up. I can't imagine how the lower seats near the front would strain your neck. All in all, it was a wonderful show and I'd go there again if a future event piques my interest.

Beautifica360 was the worst date idea I've ever got baited into. It was literally a 90's Screensaver with elevator music on top and a British guy to tell you dance and breath. Even worse, they over booked and instead of moving us to next showing they did put these stupid USCA folding chairs which was not only super uncomfortable, but also annihilated our necks looking up to get an idea of the show. Don't waste your time and money going there. There's not a 0 star button on Google but if there was, It definitely would've been my first 0 star review.

We went to the Mesmerica Show at the Planetarium and had a great time. The show was beautiful and relaxing. This was the first time we had been to the Planetarium, but we will definitely go back to see what else they have to offer. It is a nice facility and is handicap accessible as well, which is important for me.

I came here for the first time with my husband and in laws for one of the public shows! We reserved tickets online for a 7pm Saturday show, and we're glad we did. Our show was completely full! We saw the "To the Moon and Back" production, which was awesome! It's a great experience for both kids and adults. After the show we went up to the telescope on the roof where James educated us on Mars the moon in several other planets! We will definitely be back again! If you've never been, we highly recommend visiting!

Mesmerica is trash. Somebody button jammed a bunch of AI generated hippy fractal art and made a slide show. None of the “lights” or shapes swell or change with the music. Nothing is synchronized. It’s literally a slide show with some steel drums and wind chimes. The transitions are jarring or just a simple fade out. The mildly psychedelic images just shift a bit for an average of 10 seconds. But if you blink don’t worry! You’ll see that one again in about 5 minutes. Seats were also not built for the screen. And the projectors are shining in your periphery the whole time. What a cash grab. Waste of money. Oh and some silly British voice tries to hypnotize you.

It's a good experience, it provides lots visuals and information for free, and you can use the observation tower if it's open for free. The kids will enjoy movies on the dome, but if you can tell the difference between HD and SD then it would be cool for 5 minutes. Besides that the facility is clean and the staff is very friendly and helpful. If you're in that area and into earth, planet in the stars, it'll be worth your time.

The planetarium has very good equipment, but the show we saw tonight "Special Effects Extravaganza" was mediocre at best. I have been to a few good planetariums that had really good presentations even though their equipment wasn't top notch. This planetarium had incredible equipment, but the show was pretty weak. The telescope on the roof was pretty cool although smaller than I expected for such a large dome.

Great way to spend a Saturday evening hanging out with friends and listening to music. No per person admission fee but there is a $10 parking charge per carload. Covered area with some tables and chairs but bring your own if you can. Only one food truck so packi.g your own snacks and drinks isn't a bad idea. Nice venue.

We came here for music fest and had a good time. There's one food truck and a small wine/liquor stand. It's accepted, and you should bring coolers with whatever alcoholic beverages you want. Bring food and chairs and/or blankets too. According the the guy who runs it, all bands must have at least 3 CD's. So the music is excellent.

Great outdoor venue. Up close parking and plenty of space for patrons. Good sound.

What a great place to relax outside and enjoy the music.

Second year coming, it's pretty great, it only had one food vendor though. And like two bands. Really good dogs though. But I'd only go if you're a local that is of drinking age and prefers more relaxed functions.

Needs better promotion. Heard about at the last minute and attended the end of the show, the band rocked the house and was excellent. This is a really cool venue.

Music was great, food truck not. Waited 40 minutes for 2 orders of chicken tenders. They were awful, undercooked, fries soggy.

Downtown Aiken's largest event. Bring and chair and hangout. Be prepared for a large crowd!

We had a very enjoyable evening. Great live music, plenty of places to eat, room for your camp chairs, plus the eateries in the alley were extremely accommodating about letting folks use their restrooms! An all around great time!

Full happiness place

I am a chemical engineer and I had a fantastic time listening to the tour guide for about an hour. I could have gone through the whole museum again to read the signs. This free access is incredibly important to American history education and I hope they continue to receive the federal funding they need.

Small museum, but packed with so many interesting facts. Our docent retired from the SRS after 37 years of service, and was wonderful. If you are in town, stop in for a visit! Currently there is no gift shop, there just isn't room. Located within a historic building.

A great little museum about the SRS facility. The docent had over 3 decades of experience at the site, so he knew a lot of details. Since my family worked at the site, it was stuff I already knew, but it would be great for those that don't have a connection to the site. This is a great museum to visit in conjunction with the railroad museum down the street.

What makes this place even more special is its long-standing role in shaping and supporting the growth of this community. Whether you're new to the area or have been around for a while, you can feel the legacy of care and dedication that continues to shape this community for the better. I’m grateful to have experienced it and look forward to returning again.

I stopped by with my kids on the weekend and Kimberly was so kind, helpful and knowledgeable in showing us around. I thought it was really interesting to learn more of the history of SRS. The exhibits were well thought out. We had to leave for my little one's nap but my kids asked to go back and really enjoyed it.

Such a great museum filled with a world of information ! Major kudos to David for the fun tour

My grandson & and I really enjoyed learning the history of SRS. The docent was very knowledgeable and engaging.

Place is awesome. I took my family for a fun day and it turned out to be a great place. Staff were friendly and welcoming. The slide and diving board was so much fun. You can rent all sorts of tubes and goggles. Buy snacks and drinks. When we first arrived my son was so excited to get in. I went in after him as all dads do to make sure it was safe and he was comfortable. I followed him up the dining board and forgot to take my glasses off and my necklace. I jumped in and both were gone when i resurfaced. The staff were so help and jumped in to find my belongings. I was so impressed by the way they handled the situation. Everything was found and believe my this part of the lake was 12ft deep. Took about a hour. Thank you

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place.!!! Workers are always great.! Especially the lady that you pay to get in (& I totally forgot her name now that I'm writing this, sorry.!!) Prices are absolutely reasonable for entry & for food. Great place to take the kids or even just go with other adults, even by yourself.!!!

Nice place to go and cool off on hot days! Staff was very polite and helpful! Water was nice and clean and the slides/diving boards were fun! They also played great music throughout the time visiting! Will be back again

I have passed by this place for a couple of years and always wanted to check it out. My husband decided to bring our family here for a Sunday outing today. I can't believe we waited so long to visit. The staff was friendly. They offer military pricing and the overall cost is extremely affordable. I don't remember the last place we went as a group of 8 and spent under $60 to get in. The food is also priced very reasonable and they have a simple yet wide variety of options. There is something to do for every age group. This place had a nostalgic vibe for my husband and I. Nothing fancy, just affordable good family fun. Can't wait to come back.

We love this place. Of course, it’s old and has a strong 80s vibe, but the experience is hard to find anywhere else around here! Concessions are reasonably priced. Management was friendly and helped keep an eye on swimmer safety, as well as the life guards on duty. When I called in advance to ask about water quality, I was reassured that this natural spring sourced lake is partially drained and refilled each year, and DHEC regulated, with water quality tested every 2 weeks.

Came here as a kid, and still love this place years later. Love the friendly atmosphere and attentiveness to swimmers young and old. A super underrated gem!

Great time, good place for kids.

This is a great place to stop by in aiken, especially if your looking for something to do after the historical museums and other attractions close down in the afternoon. First time trying vr and had an excellent time with a friend. Reuben was a great help in setting things up. Prices are reasonable

It was a great place to have my sons birthday party. The staff was great, the prices were great and the atmosphere was great. We will be back. Edit: We came back again for our sons birthday party, and again, it was a great time. Clean and easy. The staff was great and very helpful. The kids had a blast with plenty of play time. We will probably be back again next year.

Had a blast!! Staff was very helpful and friendly.

Awesome place. Me and my son had such a great time and the staff is great an very helpful. Most definitely will be going back again!! Prices are very reasonable as well!!

My boys actually played. I just watched. They had a ton of fun. We did single booth for an hour. It was well worth it. I liked being able to see their game. I also wore a head set and could talk to them as they play. The staff was very nice and the place was very clean. Definitely will become a regular activity for our family

The place is amazing, I went there for my 14th birthday and my friends and I had tons of fun. I would describe it as the perfect place to bring a teenager and his friends for a nice get together. The people there were awesome!!! They helped with any question or problem we had immediately and were super chill and nice, they have wide varieties of games and are all super fun. Me and my friends had a wonderful time and I just can’t stop thinking about going back!😃

What a great new experience to bring to Aiken. So glad to have somewhere new to take the teens. Took a party of 6. The owners explained everything perfectly with them and enjoyed having them there as much as the boys enjoyed having fun. I love a place that lets kids be kids and have a great time. My son can’t stop taking about it and at this very moment is asking his older brother to take him back tomorrow and telling him how cool it is. Wish I could give more than 5 stars because this is a 10 star place!

I grew up at this park. My kids now love the Zipline and lg merry go round. It's often busy so going early in the day is good.

Nice playground to bring the kids to; basketball, racquetball, & tennis courts here too 😀 Picnic tables & benches on site. Also, has soccer field and jogging/walking path.

What a wonderful park! Fabulous walking for our German Shepherd dog, Norman - complete with a doggie water drinking fountain :D Beautiful park, friendly people. They have a lovely play area for children and even an outdoor work-out area!

I love visiting Virginia Acres when I'm nearby in the South Boundary Carolina Bay Area. I regularly walk there when I visited it has a city park with play grounds and a beautiful place to sit back and relax. It is a 46 acre park with inside gym, basket ball court, tennis court outside, trails, and locker rooms on inside.

Went here for memorial day and had a hard time because of the heat. The kids hand my boyfriend Squirrel had a blast and that is all that matters. Thanks you guys for such a lovely place for a picnic

So much fun for every age!

Fantastic park with lots to do. Playground is very nice with activities adults can do with their children and some creative structures, the trail has a lot of shade due to the many beautiful trees, and the community center has great staff and tons of activities and programs that look like a lot of fun for all ages. The disc golf course is very accessible to new players while having challenge for seasoned players.