SOUTH CAROLINA: COUPLES GETAWAY

‘Game of Talents’

r a couples weekend close to home, head to the Upstate region of South Carolina in the Appalachian foothills and traverse the Cherokee Foothills Scenic highway (S.C. 11), where you can explore fruit orchards, wine vineyards, state parks and mountain lakes.

Spanning 125 miles from Fairplay in the west to Gaffney in the east, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (S.C. 11) offers spectacular views from Table Rock State Park ($6, 158 Ellison Lane, Pickens, 864-878-9813, www.southcarolinaparks.com), Caesars Head State Park ($3, 8155 Geer Highway, Cleveland, 864-836-6115, www.southcarolinaparks.com), and the circa-1820 Poinsett Bridge (580 Callahan Mountain Road, Travelers Rest), with its eye-catching Gothic stone archway. Stay overnight at the Red Horse Inn (cottages $400 and up, 45 Winstons Chase Court, Landrum, 864909-1575, www.theredhorseinn.com), a 200-acre spread offering cozy accommodations in six secluded cottages with sweeping mountain views in horse country. Enjoy offerings from the wine bar on the outdoor terrace and breakfast in bed. Request a map to a self-guided driving tour of the area’s covered bridges, waterfalls, wineries, antiques stores and other noteworthy spots.

Travel 25 miles south and spend a day exploring downtown Greenville. Top attractions include Falls Park on the Reedy (Free, 601 S. Main St.), a natural oasis in the city with gardens, trails and the tumbling whitewater of Reedy Falls. Rent bikes to pedal the paved 22-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail running along the riverbank from the park. Dine at Soby’s ($19 and up, 207 S. Main St., 864-232-7007, sobys.com), serving eclectic interpretations of contemporary Southern-style cuisine with indoor and outdoor dining.

Adapted from a successful South Korean TV format, Fox’s latest game show venture arrives with a somewhat inscrutable title, but it starts to make sense once the premise is revealed. Wayne Brady plays host to two teams of contestants who compete to see which is more successful at guessing the hidden talents of an array of mystery performers. And on this show, the “talents” can be anything from singing to spider-wrangling or fire-dancing. Coincidentally, Brady previously was the Season 2 winner of his show’s time slot neighbor, “The Masked Singer.”

BLAKE GUTHRIE BELOW: The Red Horse Inn in the Upstate region of South Carolina has secluded cottages for couples with views of the mountains and rolling pastures.