Greenville South Carolina Newcomer's Guide

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Whether you’re here for the first time or just moving back to the Upstate, Greenville has so many wonderful things to offer! As one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, there are tons of places to see around the area with new ones popping up almost every day. Our Guide to Greenville will show you some of the best places in the area and turn newcomer’s into locals in no time! Make sure to download our Free App to have the Best of Greenville on Your Phone!

Downtown: Top 10 Things and Places to See in Downtown for Any Age

Gather GVL

Located in the heart of downtown beside Fluor Field on Augusta St., is Gather GVL a unique shopping, dining, and entertainment hub where all stores, restaurants, and breweries are built out of retired shipping containers! Opening Early 2020, the “kitchen table” of Greenville will offer dog-friendly outdoor covered seating, lawn style seating, an entertainment stage, and of course delicious food!

Mice on Main

If you look closely enough while walking down Main Street you may notice some small bronze statues lining the streets; these are the Mice on Main! In 2008 nine bronze mouse sculptures called Main Street home thanks to local sculptor Zan Wells and high school senior Jim Ryan who came up with the idea inspired by the book Goodnight Moon. Take the family on an adventure and explore Greenville by finding the hidden mice!

Up On the roof

Up On the roof is a Rooftop Restaurant and Bar overlooking the Reedy River and Swamp Rabbit Trail! You can enjoy some handcrafted cocktails or delicious burgers with a rooftop view of downtown! While you’re up there make sure to look for the roof painting of Liberty Bridge.

Hampton Station

Birds Fly South Ale is great for Newcomers — Hampton Station

Nestled just outside of downtown and off a branch of the Swamp Rabbit Trail you will find Hampton Station, a small shopping area that offers a pottery studio, dog hotel, taco shop, local brewery, axe throwing, and so much more! With outdoor seating, many events throughout the year, and so many eclectic places to check out you could spend the whole day exploring Hampton Station!

Any of the many restaurants

With hundreds of places to eat in Greenville, you can really never go wrong. Whether you’re in the mood for Jamaican, Belgian, Thai, Southern, Hibachi, or Fine Dining there are so many different restaurants to try in Greenville! Looking for a place tonight? Check out our Dining Guide for a list of some of the delicious dining options!

Fluor Field

Home to Greenville’s Minor League Baseball Team, Greenville Drive, Fluor Field is a baseball stadium located in the West End! With a game almost every week during the season and different specials all week long Fluor Field makes for a fun family night out! Even when the games aren’t in season make sure to check out Fluor Field’s event schedule for other local events that take place, such as The Ness Fest in the fall!

GVL Farmers Market

Running Saturdays from Spring to Fall right on Main Street you’ll find the Greenville Farmers Market! Offering dozens of vendors you can find farm-fresh produce, meats, dairies, plants, handmade pottery and art, and so much more! Start your Saturday morning off right with the Greenville Farmers Market! Be sure to check out our Farmers Market Guide for a list of other area farmer’s markets as well! Here’s a list of area Farmer’s Markets

Falls Park on the Reedy & Liberty Bridge

One of the most notable attractions in Downtown Greenville is Falls Park on the Reedy and Liberty Bridge. Falls Park is a park in downtown along the Reedy River that features walking trails, scenic overlooks, waterfall views, The Swamp Rabbit Trail, and a pedestrian suspension bridge known as Liberty Bridge. The park is a perfect place to come and be with nature, have a picnic, or enjoy a local art performance. Whether you’re on the bridge or down below, you’ll never get tired of seeing the beautiful waterfall. Interested in finding more local waterfalls? Check out our Upstate Waterfall Guide.

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Also running through the middle of downtown alongside parts of the Reedy River, you’ll be on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Opened in 2009, the 22-mile trail runs from Mauldin to Travelers Rest and is the perfect place to bike, walk the dog, take a Sunday stroll, run, or just simply enjoy nature. Along the trail, you’ll find many businesses, restaurants, trail-side libraries, restrooms, and many more bicycle accommodating places to take a break. The Swamp Rabbit Trail is the perfect way to get some outdoor activity while exploring Greenville.

Greenville Zoo

Inside Cleveland Park, you’ll find the Greenville Zoo! This 14-acre zoo offers a wide variety of animals including elephants, giraffes, lions, anteaters, and so many more! The zoo offers all kinds of events and presentations including feeding-time shows and Meet & Greets! A fun day for any age!

Now that you have tons of new places to visit downtown, be sure to check out our Parking Guide to find the closest lots to your new hangout spots!

Top 10 Places To Visit Around Greenville:

Downtown isn’t the only area with cool places to see and visit, there are so many more things to do in the Greater Greenville area as well! Here are a few of our favorites!

Taylor’s Mill

Taylor’s Mill, a former textile mill turned shopping center, offers breweries, art studios, restaurants and more! The mill is an eccentric place to find all different kinds of local businesses.

The Village Of West Greenville

At The Village of West Greenville, you’ll find over 30 unique restaurants, art studios, shops, and more.

Travelers Rest Downtown

Downtown Travelers Rest offers dozens of delicious restaurants, unique shops, and The Swamp Rabbit Trail! The town offers tons of events throughout the year and farmers markets in the warmer seasons!

Downtown Greer

Downtown Greer is an up and coming area offering many different restaurants and small shops in it’s downtown area! While you’re in the area you can even visit the BMW Zentrum Museum right off of I85!

The Junction At Downtown Airport

The Junction at Downtown Airport is one of the area’s newest shopping plazas with restaurants such as White Duck Taco Shop and Cohesive Coffee. You’ll also find a winery, massage studio, and fitness gyms.

Pelham Mill Park

Pelham Mill Park is a scenic place to check out! Featuring the remains of a historic textile mill and post office along the river the park is a great place for a picnic or nature walk!

Swamp Rabbit Café

The Swamp Rabbit Cafe, which opened in September of 2011 has quickly become one of the top spots to see along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. This local grocery store offers meats, dairies, and produce all from local farms! At the Cafe you’ll find wood fired pizza from hand-made dough and a cafe and bakery. The Cafe also offers cooking classes and all kinds of seasonal events for any age!

The Commons

Also new to the area is The Commons which offers a 12,000 square foot food hall with indoor and outdoor seating along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. At The Commons you’ll also find some local shops and office spaces. Here’s our preview to this hot new spot.

The Shops at Greenridge

If you’re looking for some more traditional retailers than you’ll find almost everything you need at The Shops at Greenridge. With stores such as Total Wine, World Market, Marshalls Home Goods, Five Below, Best Buy, Barnes and Nobles, Talbots, Soma, and many more you can truly shop ‘til you drop! Since all these great stores are in one place you don’t even have to move your car! You’ll even find multiple restaurants of all styles and an Open-Air Market in the warmer months!

Newcomers will love our state parks — Paris Mountain State Park

A local state park

Here in Greenville, we are fortunate enough to have several state parks around our area, each with different and unique hiking trails and things to do. You can check out Paris Mountain, Caesars Head, Table Rock, Croft, Jones Gap, Oconee, Devil’s Fork, and Lake Hartwell State Parks all right here in the Upstate! Upstate Parks Map

Top 10 Places to bring your dog in Greenville

Waggin' at the Waterpark Discovery Island — Waggin’ at The Waterpark

Greenville loves pets and there are so many pet-friendly places in the area, check out a few of our favorites below:

Lake Conestee Dog Park

Featuring nature trails and a 45,000 square foot dog park Conestee Park is a great place for zoomies!

Paris Mountain State Park

Paris Mountain features 15 miles of hiking trails of all different skill levels and leashed pets are allowed in most outdoor areas of the park!

Swamp Rabbit Trail

The Swamp Rabbit Trail is not only a perfect place for biking, but it’s also a great place to take the dog for a walk!

Unleashed Dog Bar

The Unleashed Dog Bar is a dog-friendly bar featuring a dog park-style outdoor area where pups are allowed to play and run around off-leash! Owners can enjoy some brews or food from a local food truck.

One of the many dog-friendly restaurant patios

Greenville is a very dog-friendly area, so much so that many of the restaurants offer dog-friendly patios where you can share a meal with your best friend! Here’s a complete list.

Doggie Daycare

Looking for a place to let your pup spend the day to play? You can find many options in the area such as The Noble Dog Hotel, Camp Bow Wow, Pet Paradise, Reedy Rover Pet Resort, Dog Culture, and many more! Many of these places feature indoor and outdoor areas for your pup to run around in! Need a place to groom your dog? Check out locally owned Paws & Claws and Posh Paws.

Top 10 Places for a Family Fun Day in the upstate:

Looking for a day filled with family fun? Check out some of our favorite places to take the kids! View Complete Kid’s Event Calendar

Top 10 Coffee Spots Around Greenville:

Looking for a perfect cup-o-joe? Be sure to check out some of our favorite coffee shops in the area!

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