CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Schools are back in session, Labor Day weekend is within reach and pumpkin spice everything is making a comeback – all signs that point to the end of summer.

But if you are looking for some last-minute fun, here are a few amusement and theme parks located close to Charleston, South Carolina that you can visit over a long weekend.

Travel up the South Carolina coast for your closest option for a fun rollercoaster ride. Family Kingdom Amusement Park is located on Ocean Boulevard and 3rd Avenue South in Myrtle Beach. It offers a classic wooden rollercoaster called the ‘ Swamp Fox,’ and you’ll find a nice variety of thrill, family, and kid rides along with classic park food and games.

Funplex Myrtle Beach opened last spring on North Ocean Boulevard. While admission to the park is free, you will have to pay for the individual rides and games, or you can purchase ride wristbands.

The park features seven rides, plus food and carnival games. Both parks are approximately two hours away from Mount Pleasant.

Your best bet for the biggest thrills is an approximately three-hour drive from Charleston to the North Carolina / South Carolina border, just south of Charlotte. Carowinds has entertained visitors in the Carolinas since the early 70s and features myriad rollercoaster, thrill, family and kid rides.

The park has been working on refurbishment projects over the past several years, with the most recent announced earlier this month – the park will bring new rides, attractions and entertainment to help celebrate 50 years in 2023.  And, if you can’t make it before the end of summer, the park will feature scary fun during Scarowinds this fall.

Travel a little over five hours from Mount Pleasant to Valdosta, Georgia and you’ll find Wild Adventures Theme Park. The amusement park in southern Georgia offers several fun rides like the Boomerang rollercoaster or cool down with the Tasmanian River Rapids.

Slow things down and explore some of the animals housed at the park. You’ll find goats, gators, alpaca, bears, and more on-site. You can even come eye-to-eye with the world’s tallest mammal during a giraffe feeding. The park also offers plenty of shows and dining options.

About equal distance sits Six Flags Over Georgia. The popular theme park is located just off I-20 outside of Atlanta featuring dozens of rides and experiences. The park is not open every day, so be sure to check its calendar before making the trip. Six Flags Over Georgia will kick off its Halloween park event, Fright Fest, on September 17 or enjoy its Brews and Bites Festival running August 27 through September 5.