The Newberry Opera House is one of our favorite venues in South Carolina. The French Gothic-inspired building has stood in the quaint downtown since 1881, and it has been home to top musical acts, dancers, and moving picture shows.

The opera house was fully renovated as a state-of-the-art concert hall in the late 1990s, and it packs in the crowds with performances from all sorts of genres -- including family shows.

There are a few on this fall's schedule we plan to put on our to-see list:

On Friday, Nov. 11, Chi of Shaolin, Tale of the Dragon comes to the stage in Newberry, featuring age old Chinese acrobatic skills, traditional and modern dance choreographies and displays of the martial arts of the Shaolin Monks. Tickets are $35, but half-price for students.

At 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, the South Carolina Storytelling Network hits the stage, offering the best in storytelling. Tickets are $6, but half-price for kids.

And finally one of our favorites -- Cowboy Movies on Saturday morning, Nov. 19. Let the kids take a trip back to when Saturdays meant trips to the moving pictures to see a cowboy show. Tickets for adults are $5, but kids get in absolutely free. Can't beat that cowpokes.

If you come for a show, plan to spend a little extra time in downtown, which is home to a wide variety of shops and restaurants. For fine dining, one of our favorites is Steven W's Downtown Bistro. We've heard good things about The Flying Pie (as in pizza pie), so we plan to check that out on our next visit.

One more thing about Newberry: If you are an orchid lover, don't miss the opportunity to visit Carter and Holmes Nursery about 3 miles south of downtown. It's one of the premiere orchid sources in the country, and group tours are available.