Greenville (South Carolina)



Greenville has been described as Athens, Georgia for adults. It is the county seat and largest city of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. Greenville is also the center of the largest metropolitan area of South Carolina. Columbia, Charleston, and North Charleston have more people, but the urban area around Greenville is larger. With its historic homes and modern office towers, Greenville is said to be where "Old South" meets "New South".

Understand
Greenville is the primary city of "the Upstate" of South Carolina, an area that includes the six counties of northwestern South Carolina along the borders of North Carolina and Georgia. It is the principal city of the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin Metropolitan Statistical Area (2018 estimated population: 906,626) which is included in the greater Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area (population 1,478,658 according to 2018 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau). Greenville County is both the most populous and most dense in the state at 407,383, but because its city limits enclose less than 30 square miles, the population of the city is 67,453 (2015 estimate). Perhaps a more accurate representation of Greenville's size is the urbanized area, which includes all of the city plus adjacent unincorporated areas and some suburbs that have a high population density — this figure is 302,194 (2015 estimate).

By plane
Greenville is served by two airports. Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), in nearby Greer, is the state's second busiest airport. Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) is used for private and some cargo air service.

By train
Amtrak serves Greenville via its Crescent line, running daily from New Orleans to New York City's Penn Station, with stops including Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C. Northbound trains are in Greenville at 5AM and southbound trains at 11PM. 1120 W Washington St.

By car
Greenville is on the Interstate 85 corridor, linking it to Atlanta and Charlotte, and Interstate 26, which is in nearby Spartanburg, goes northwest through Asheville on to Tennessee, and southeast on to Charleston. It is also at the northern terminus of the Interstate 385 corridor. The other freeways that converge in the area include Interstate 185 and U.S. Highway 123 (Calhoun Memorial Highway). Other major highways include U.S. Highway 25, Business U.S. Highway 25, U.S. Highway 29 and U.S. Highway 276. Main Street is home to many of the downtown area's shopping and dining destinations.

By bus
Greyhound offers service to Greenville on its route between Charlotte and Atlanta. The station is at 9 Hendrix Dr.

Get around

 * Greenlink, Main Office: 1021 S. Main St; Transfer Center: 100 W. McBee Avenue, +1 864 467-5001. Greenlink offers 11 fixed routes to destinations all across Greenville County. All Greenlink buses are wheelchair-accessible, and each Greenlink bus is equipped with a bike rack to make commuting easier for bike riders. Free WiFi is available on all Greenlink Buses. Single rides $1.50; day passes $5.00; 20-ride pass $27.00; discounted fares available for children and seniors.
 * Yellow Cab of Greenville, 529 W Washington St, +1 864 233-6666,
 * Downtown Pedicab has eight pedicabs in downtown Greenville.
 * Downtown Trolley. The City of Greenville operates two downtown trolleys.

Do
As the largest city in the Upstate, Greenville offers many activities and attractions. Greenville's theaters and event venues regularly host major concerts and touring theater companies. Four independent theaters present several plays a year.

Annual events

 * Greek Festival is a major street festival that is held in May by members of the Greek Orthodox Church that offer Greek food and cultural activities.
 * Art in the Park is a major arts festival that takes place in Reedy Falls Park near downtown Greenville.
 * Reedy River Run a 10K race that is held in late February or early March.
 * The Red Party annual dance party, held at the History Museum of the Upcountry, is a fundraiser for AID Upstate, an AIDS Service Organization serving Upstate South Carolina (Anderson, Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties). AU serves, on average, more than 750 clients and families touched by HIV/AIDS.
 * Art in the Park is a major arts festival that takes place in Reedy Falls Park near downtown Greenville.
 * Reedy River Run a 10K race that is held in late February or early March.
 * The Red Party annual dance party, held at the History Museum of the Upcountry, is a fundraiser for AID Upstate, an AIDS Service Organization serving Upstate South Carolina (Anderson, Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties). AU serves, on average, more than 750 clients and families touched by HIV/AIDS.
 * Reedy River Run a 10K race that is held in late February or early March.
 * The Red Party annual dance party, held at the History Museum of the Upcountry, is a fundraiser for AID Upstate, an AIDS Service Organization serving Upstate South Carolina (Anderson, Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties). AU serves, on average, more than 750 clients and families touched by HIV/AIDS.
 * The Red Party annual dance party, held at the History Museum of the Upcountry, is a fundraiser for AID Upstate, an AIDS Service Organization serving Upstate South Carolina (Anderson, Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties). AU serves, on average, more than 750 clients and families touched by HIV/AIDS.

Eat
With over 80 restaurants in Downtown, Greenville has become known as a culinary center in South Carolina. Below are the most popular in distinct Greenville areas.

Consulates

 * 🇩🇪 Germany

Upstate

 * Clemson - home of Clemson University, 45 minutes away from Greenville by car
 * Lake Hartwell - bordering Georgia and South Carolina, this lake is used for fishing, sailing, and waterskiing. Boats can be rented for the day at numerous marinas.
 * Spartanburg - Greenville's sister town with a charming downtown and numerous college campuses for biking or taking a stroll.

Out of state
Due to being within an hour of North Carolina and Georgia, there are many out of state day trips available from Greenville.


 * Western North Carolina - A great way to spend the day away from Greenville is by taking a day trip to go hiking in western North Carolina. Take the scenic US 276 from downtown Greenville towards Brevard, NC. Stop by Dupont State Forest, where part of The Hunger Games was filmed, and hike to see some of the numerous waterfalls. Continue towards Brevard for a stop for lunch, and follow US 276 into Pisgah National Forest. Opt to take a trip down Sliding Rock, a high natural water slide into a pool of water, or stop and see the roadside Looking Glass Falls, one of North Carolina's most popular waterfalls. This area is particularly beautiful in Autumn.
 * Continue on US 276 until it reaches the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take pictures over the gorgeous overlooks as the sun dips in the sky, and continue to Asheville for dinner. Take I-26 south back to Greenville to complete the loop. Dupont State Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and the Blue Ridge Parkway are all free.