A little football, a little fright, and plenty of good food—Halloween weekend calls for more than one afternoon out. Make Travelers Rest your home base for Paladins & Pumpkins, a weekend of local dining, Furman football, Halloween festivities, and a Sunday spent enjoying the foothills.
Come early for Sunrift’s annual Bat Week celebration, settle in over Friday dinner, and save room for a Saturday that goes from cheering in the stands to showing off your costume.
Thursday, October 29: Start With the Bats
Get a head start on the weekend at Sunrift Adventures’ annual Bat Week celebration, beginning at 5 p.m.
Jonathan Gillespie, Sunrift’s resident bat expert, has managed the bat houses since 1997. Travelers Rest High School students built the first four boxes, making this wildlife gathering a tradition with hometown roots.
From 5–6 p.m., meet four educational owls with PAWS Animal Wildlife Sanctuary, and grab a bite from the Project Host mobile food truck. Jonathan’s bat talk begins at 6 p.m., followed by prizes and the annual count as the bats emerge.
Jennifer will also have a mist-net setup for a demonstration, and a couple of lucky guests will head home with bat houses of their own. Consider it an early Halloween housewarming gift.
Friday, October 30: Ease Into the Weekend
Make Friday your night to linger over dinner in downtown Travelers Rest.
For a seasonal meal, reserve a table at Topsoil Restaurant on Main Street. Its farm-to-table approach makes dinner a fitting start to a fall weekend, with Friday dinner service beginning at 5 p.m. Reserve ahead so your biggest decision that evening is what to order.
Leave a little time to browse downtown before dinner, then enjoy an unhurried evening. Saturday has plenty planned.
Saturday, October 31: Paladins, Then Pumpkins
Start with lunch in Travelers Rest before heading to Furman, where the Paladins host Western Carolina at 2 p.m.
Wear your purple, bring your cheering voice, and give yourself time to arrive before kickoff. Once the game wraps up, keep the Halloween spirit going at Trailblazer Halloween Fest, running 2–8 p.m.
The festival brings together:
Live music
Trick-or-treating
Pumpkin decorating
Bounce houses
Food and drinks
A costume parade
Because the game and festival both begin at 2 p.m., football fans can plan for the game first and enjoy the remaining festival hours afterward. If costumes and candy take priority, spend the afternoon at the festival instead. Check the festival’s activity schedule when planning around the costume parade or other favorites.
Either way, there’s a strong case for keeping a costume in the car.
Sunday, November 1: Brunch and the Scenic Route
After a busy Saturday, give Sunday a slower start. Topsoil offers Sunday brunch from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., making it an easy option if you saved your visit for the morning—or found yourself wanting to come back.
Then choose your afternoon adventure.
Take a Trail Break
Head to the Swamp Rabbit Trail for a relaxed walk or bike ride from Travelers Rest. The paved, shared-use trail connects town with Greenville, so you can make your outing as short or as ambitious as you like. For an easy Sunday, pick a turnaround time and leave room for a final downtown stop afterward.
Take a Foothills Drive
Prefer to explore on four wheels? Head north toward SC Highway 11, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, and follow it west for a leisurely afternoon through the foothills. Make the drive the outing, with time to pause at designated stops along the way. Fall color varies, but a scenic route is always a good excuse to stretch out the weekend.
From Thursday’s bat count to Sunday’s last stretch of trail, Paladins & Pumpkins is your invitation to make a whole weekend of Travelers Rest. Pack your purple, bring your costume, and come hungry.
