Where to Stay and What to Do in Greenville, South Carolina

Filled with tons of events, great restaurants and ideal outdoor spaces, Greenville, South Carolina is a great destination for any type of traveler.

There’s always something new to see and a rotating list of hot spots to experience.

Where to Stay

Greenville is easily walkable, and with popular attractions littered throughout the city, a great hotel is within minutes of where you want to be. In the downtown area, SpringHill Suites and Residence Inn are connected hotels that both give guests easy access to Main Street. Plus, with a great lounge pool and its own acclaimed craft cocktail bar, Oak & Honey, you won’t have to look far for a good time.

Embassy Suites by Hilton has a downtown RiverPlace location that puts you right on the greenway for the Falls Park on the Reedy and near The Peace Center. Located atop the Embassy Suites is the rooftop restaurant, Up on the Roof—the perfect spot for brunch, hanging out in the afternoon and views of the city.

What to Do

Greenville is all about its community events. On Friday nights, part of Main Street and NOMA Square closes down to become a full street festival with food trucks, live music and a Kids Zone. These Greenville Heritage Main Street Fridays last from late March until the end of August and are free to attend. And Saturday mornings there is a large farmers market that takes up most of Main Street.

TD Saturday Market takes up two whole blocks and has everything from fresh produce to crafts. Throughout the year there are famous festivals like Artisphere in May, Gallabrae—the Greenville Scottish Games—also in May, the BMW Charity Pro-Am in June, Euphoria in September and Fall for Greenville in October. But even if you can’t make it to Greenville during one of these signature events, more than likely there is some other type of festival going on in town.

You’ll want to plan for at least a long weekend just to try a sampling of all the fantastic restaurants throughout the city. It’s hard to narrow down a favorites list, but the Foothills Foodie Tour will help to give you a taste of the local flavor. Make sure to also stop by Limoncello for wonderful Italian food or Soby’s for brunch. There are plenty of fun breweries, but Yee-Haw Brewing Company offers a great outdoor space with plenty of games.

Once you’ve had your fill, relax in some of the outdoor community spaces of Greenville. Falls Park on the Reedy is an amazing greenway located in the heart of downtown, easily linking you to many of the restaurants or popular attractions. Liberty Bridge connects the two downtown areas and the falls are a great place to cool off in on a hot summer day.

The Children’s Museum of the Upstate is a great place for exploration and discovery. Just walking around downtown you’ll be rewarded with local art and sculptures—including their very own Chihuly. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the miniature Mice on Main bronze sculptures by local artist Zan Wells hidden around town—kids of all ages will enjoy hunting these creatures down.

With so many events going on, new places to explore and delicious restaurants, you may end up planning your next trip back before you even leave.