Long before "staycations" entered the vocabulary, S.C's state parks have been family favorites for folks looking to stay close to home while getting away from it all.

Special activities include the 33rd annual Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival set for Sept. 26- 28 in the unique "castle" by that name at Huntington Beach State Park. Or kick off the fall season with an old- timey square dance Sept. 5 at Oconee State Park with performances by cloggers and live music from the Dixie Bluegrass Boys.

Visit the battlefield site in the deep Southern swamps and woods of Rivers Bridge State Historic Site on Sept. 6.

On Sept. 13, costumed interpreters will present a look at how crop gardens provided a wide range of daily necessities at Charles Towne Landing.

On Sept. 19- 21, three celebrity judges will preside at the Campground Cookoff at Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area on Lake Russell.

Other highlights include the annual Hawk Watch atop Caesars Head on Sept. 20 and 27, a Living History Weekend at the farm at Kings Mountain State Park on Sept. 20 and a backcountry militia re-enactment camp at Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, also on Sept. 20.

The annual Carolina Legends bluegrass festival will be on Sept. 26 and 27 at Andrew Jackson State Park and a frontier encampment at Oconee Station State Historic Site on Oct. 18. www.SouthCarolinaParks.com