Beautiful Greenville South Carolina

We had been hearing a lot about beautiful Greenville South Carolina lately. Lots of food publications have been talking about the food scene there. And Brian and Eve have close friends who moved there several years ago.

Last year Brian and Eve went to Greenville to visit their friends for the first time to see the area. They couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful it really was there. Greenville still had a homey small town feel, but with all of the modern amenities (shopping) that they had come to rely on living in Raleigh. They also raved about how wonderful Paris Mountain State Park was. In fact, they have plans to return to Greenville with the hopes of possibly moving there.

So naturally, Steve and I had to see what it was that made them fall in love with Greenville. We booked a spot at the State Park for our next stop after North Myrtle Beach and drove clear across South Carolina to our destination. It was August and the days were sultry but the evenings in the woods were delightfully cool.

Winding through narrow mountain roads in a big rig, towing a car, is a bit nerve wracking to say the least. The worst of it was actually in the park itself. So when we were finally set up in our site I breathed a great big sigh of relief.

In and out with just the Jeep was easy peasy. So I looked forward to our day of exploring Greenville. Steve started exploring before I did, with a bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. This beautiful trail is a 19.9-mile multi-use rail trail in Greenville County, South Carolina, that largely follows the bed of a former railroad that had been nicknamed after the indigenous swamp rabbit. South-to-north the current trail begins at Greenville Technical College, crosses the city of Greenville, proceeds through Falls Park and the campus of Furman University, and ends about a mile north of the Travelers Rest city limits.

After lunch and Steve had a much needed shower, we headed to downtown and the park that I had heard so much about from our son. He had me at waterfalls! The streets in downtown Greenville are hilly and lined with lots and lots of boutiques and restaurants. And smack dab in the middle of it all is Falls Park on the Reedy! The lush foliage and bronze sculptures drew us in, as did the wonderful Liberty Bridge that allows for a spectacular view of the park below. That view includes the fabulous waterfalls.

From the suspension bridge you could see the rocky surface and a series of waterfalls. There were also many parents with children who were gleefully playing on the rocks and cool water. That’s all my little boy aka my husband who never grew up (and let’s face it Why should he?) had to see. Suddenly he was compelled to figure out how to get down to the rocks and play. No, I didn’t join him. I am much too timid for that. I stayed up on the bridge and took pictures. And worried that he would slip and get hurt. Who would drive Ladybug if that happened? My feet don’t reach the pedals!

Of course he was just fine and had a blast. But after that adventure he was ready for a reward. So we took a walk over to a place for FroYo. Never having been to one, we went a bit crazy with our toppings. It was fun, refreshing, filling and oh so sweet!!!

We headed back to Paris Mountain to enjoy some of what the park had to offer, which is a lot. Paris Mountain State Park began as far back as the Great Depression, when it was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. This heritage can still be seen in the preserved stone and timber outside of the renovated bathhouse, now known as the Park Center. Inside, the center there are historical exhibits and a classroom to teach young and old about the park’s ecology.

Paris Mountain is located in the rapidly developing city of Greenville, and although the park was once a rural retreat, bikers, hikers and those visiting Camp Buckhorn now keep the park bustling year round. When it comes to camping in state parks, the Paris Mountain State Park camping facilities are top-notch and include paved campsites, 13 of which offer tent pads, and five trailside campsites around the North Lake Trail Loop. There are canoes and paddleboats available for rent and beautiful horses for those who want to ride.

Parked at our campsite felt like being in a very private spot because the trees offer a shield from the view of other campers. And it helped add to what seems to be a growing love affair with Beautiful Greenville South Carolina!