Stay in town, eat all the things with this downtown Greenville Staycation guide
There’s no question about it; Greenville and the surrounding areas are absolutely filled to the brim with interesting, exciting things to see, eat, and do. One of my favorite things to do during the holidays are staycation-style day trips and activities; outings that remind me of just how much I love it here, and everything Greenville has to offer.
My best tip for a staycation is to do things you don’t usually do, no matter what that looks like for you and your family. I try to find a few activities clumped together; things that take half a day or so and don’t involve lots of travel time between activities.
In no particular order, here are some of my favorite things to do with a free day in Greenville:
If you can get away from home; a night at one of the downtown hotels or an AirBNB apartment can be really fun and special. Pro tip: The Embassy Suites downtown has free happy hour (check on this as it sometimes changes due to COVID numbers) as well as a great rooftop restaurant, Up On The Roof.
More: Greenville's new dining spot Jasmine Kitchen serves delicious fare with a mission
For families, start with a morning trip to the zoo, and bring a stroller if you don’t have long walkers. From there, take a little time to play at the Cleveland Park playground, then walk the few short blocks to Sidewall Pizza for pizza and ice cream. My favorite is the Hot Hawaiian – it’s one of the best pizzas in Greenville.
All of the food halls in Greenville are fabulous; but the proximity of The Commons to other activities makes it a great staycation locale. If you’re feeling active, a hot yoga class at Soul Yoga (on the other side of the river, a quick drive) followed by Methodical Coffee and a morning bun from The Bake Room is a great way to start the day. After that, a walk or bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail and lunch at Swamp Rabbit Café (about 40 minutes on foot), then back to The Commons for happy hour at Community Tap or Southernside Brewing Co.
If you prefer the “walk slowly toward good food” route, I love a walk down Main Street to see the lights and sample some of Greenville’s best. A martini with blue cheese olives at Halls, mussels and fried goat cheese at Lazy Goat, pasta at Jianna, and dessert at Old Europe Coffee and Desserts would make the most perfect downtown progressive dinner.
Also: Talk Greenville: Less is more with these holiday entertaining tips
No matter how you holiday this year, I hope it’s filled with lots of slowed down time, moments with people that you love fiercely, and the best food you can find. See you in 2022!
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Downtown Greenville Staycation places to eat and things to do
