My Favorite Things to Do in Greenville SC (2025)

A small (ish) East Coast town packs a big punch when looking for great things to do.

So here are the things you should do when coming to Greenville, South Carolina.

Table of Contents:

The central path of all great things to do in Greenville. During this whole blog, you will hear me ramble all about this 28-mile trail.

Because if you’re looking for great things to do, most, if not all, are on or just off this trail.

It begins in Travelers Rest, passes through Furman University (go see the clock tower), and goes through downtown Greenville.

Greenville is packed with great trails and parks, and it’s also an easy 1–2 hour drive to standout waterfalls and hikes you won’t find anywhere else.

Unity Park: The fancy park of Greenville – has an amazing food hall (The Commons) and free stuff like the Honor Tower.
Cleveland Park: Great hiking trails & public courts for pickleball & tennis. Also, visit the Zoo while you’re over there.
McPherson Park: Oldish but free mini golf course! (Make sure to bring a club and ball) Scorecards are at the start.
Caesars Head & Jones Gap State Parks: Make sure to find parking early at both locations. Trails range in difficulty, easy way to experience some of the Blue Ridge mountain range. (Trail Map)

Swamp Rabbit Cafe: Farmers market style grocer mixed with a full menu of fresh sandwiches, pastries & coffee for the whole fam. Known for their Stecca Bread (Yum!)
- ** Local Tip – Your first time in, you get free Stecca, make sure to tell someone on staff **
Green Fetish: BYO Bowls and Smoothies – Clean ingredients & proteins.
Emily’s Pantry: Boutique-style restaurant in the heart of Downtown, GF & DF subs for almost everything on the menu.
White Duck Taco: Fun taco selections, easy to grab and go Downtown (and no, they don’t serve duck).
Sidewall Pizza: My personal favorite pie in town. Get their seasonal pizzas.
- ** Local Tip – Sign up here and get a free pizza on your bday **
Pita House: Middle Eastern food, fresh Pita bread made every day.

If you couldn’t tell by this list, I love bread/gluten, even if it doesn’t love me back.

I’ve become a coffee snob over the past 2 years, so all my suggestions are Nolen Star Approved ⭐.

Local Honey: Right on the Swamp Rabbit Trail downtown, killer coffee and staff (Highly recommend the Cardamon Latte)
Unlocked Coffee: Consistent espresso!
Village Grind: Great homemade syrups & serves Swamp Rabbit Cafe pastries. Packed with people studying/working on weekends.
Methodical: In-house roasting and pastry baking across their multiple locations in Greenville County.
- Fun Fact: You may know them from Fellow Coffee Drops – if you know, you know.
Carmellas: The coffee is good, but the view of the Reedy River & Downtown feel is the real love behind this pick.
Coffee Coffee: A hidden little gem! Coffee in the morning, Dinner at night (Sum Bar).
Day Drinkers: All over my Instagram feed, while I haven’t been there yet, they must be good because they opened up a second location.

Run Clubs: Visit Run Club GVL on Mondays (not in the winter) or Trailside Trotters on Tuesdays (Rain or Shine, we are there)
F3: National Free Men’s workout group with AOs in Unity Park & outside the Peace Center. (Locator Here)
Pickleball Club GVL: Every Sunday at East River Side park, bring your own paddle and have fun on the free courts.

Euphoria (September): A festival full of great food & sips highlighting the growing food scene in Greenville. With all proceeds going to local charities. If you love food, I highly recommend this event!
Artisphere (May): Hundreds of local and traveling artists. All up and down Downtown.
Fall for Greenville (October): Food & Music festival – Free entry with local vendors serving all types of food and drink.

Park Cleanups: Visit this page to find a local park cleanup near Greenville. Gloves and equipment are provided (I met my friend Nick here! Let’s see if he actually read this far, haha).
Project Host: This nonprofit not only feeds the hungry, but also pays it forward through education and job training for the un- and underemployed.
Greenville Events: The city always needs volunteers for events. You might check IDs or, in some cases, even serve beer. Call me, and I’ll tell you some great stories from my ID-checking shift at a music festival.

Group Therapy: The movie-themed mini golf is a must; make sure to reserve a time before you go in!

Alchemy Comedy Club: Local improv and comedy spot. I recently signed up for improv lessons there. I’ll keep y’all posted.

Drive Baseball Games: The most popular sports team in Greenville by a long shot, with cheap tickets and lots of fun.

Greenville is full of great things to do, for being such a small city on the map.

While being smack between Charlotte and Atlanta, it’s the perfect small city to explore on a long weekend with friends or family.

If you’re planning a trip here, give me a call and let me know! Let’s get your free Stecca loaf and grab a comedy show.

I’m also only 1 dude, so drop a comment below and tell me what I missed in my list.

Age: 21

Location: Greenville, South Carolina

Job: Southern Tide