We decided to not go too far from home this spring break and check out a city we had never been to in South Carolina…Greenville! I had only heard great things so we were very excited to check out this city! And let me tell you, friends…Greenville 100% exceeded all of our expectations! It’s beautiful, the people are friendly, the food options are plentiful and delicious, and there is SO much to do!! If we didn’t love living in Charleston so much, Greenville would be next on our list…it really is that nice!
Without further ado, here is what we did in Greenville!
We arrived on Easter Sunday and checked into our beautiful hotel, AC Hotel Marriott. I highly recommend this hotel, it’s new, very clean, and the location is perfect! It’s a short walk to the shops and restaurants on Main Street and the river!
We got settled and read this adorable book that Visit Greenville left in our room. It’s a story about nine mice and they placed little mice statues up and down Main Street for people to find. I know it sounds like such a tiny feature but this little mice scavenger hunt made this trip extra special for our kids! It was so fun…more to come on that!
Then it was time for Easter Dinner at Soby’s. To me, Soby’s is the definition of southern charm! The staff was friendly, the food was delicious, and the décor was beautiful and made you feel right at home. It was the perfect Easter dinner! I highly recommend their steak and she-crab soup!!
We walked back to the hotel and there was music playing outside so the kids of course wanted to have a dance party.
We slept in which never happens with us so that was great and then ate a delicious breakfast at the hotel!
Then it was time to visit the Greenville Zoo! What an adorable zoo this is! It’s easily walkable (14 acres) and their exhibits are awesome!
Ella’s favorite was the flamingos! Camden loved the giraffes. Judd and I were very entertained by the family of orangutans.
We headed to Greenville’s newest park, Unity Park! Whoa, this 60-acre park includes playgrounds, pedestrian bridges, splash pads, walking trails, a visitor center, a baseball field, basketball courts and ample green space. We mainly stayed at the playground this time and we loved it. Both kids said it was the coolest playground they’ve ever been to and we’ve been to a million playgrounds. This is a must if you have kids!!
Then we headed to Lunch at Gather GVL in the West End of town. This place is so fun! It’s a large courtyard filled with seating, a stage for live music, and cozy fire pits. I read this online and thought it described it perfectly, think Euro biergarten meets hometown food court! From lobster rolls, to a cantina, to cheesesteaks, to chicken and donuts, and even more…they have tons of options!
We ate lunch (DELICIOUS) and the kids played while we relaxed! It’s the perfect place for a family to eat lunch or dinner!
We noticed some cute stores close by so we decided to explore. I found one of the sweetest boutique’s I’ve ever seen and bought myself a few new dresses. If you like Lilly or Sail to Sable, make sure to check out Pink Bee!
We then headed to the other side of Main Street for more shopping! We checked out the most adorable book store called, M. Judson Booksellers and Storytellers. And found the really fun Mast General Store that has creaky wooden floors and old penny candy barrels! Both are must stops!
We found a few mice too! Isn’t this the cutest touch?
We went back to the hotel to change and then walked to the Falls Park on the Reedy. Goodness, this place is beautiful!!! We walked along the paths and across the single suspension bridge. It’s so peaceful here!
We were starving at this point from all the walking and exploring! A Mexican dinner is always a good idea for us so we checked out Cantina 76 in the heart of downtown. It is a fun and casual restaurant. The food was delicious! Judd, Camden and I all got tacos! Ella had a quesadilla and we all shared chips/salsa and fried ice-cream for dessert! Yum!! It was a great way to end our busy day!
We headed to Travelers Rest the next morning to check out Upcountry Provisions for breakfast. It was delicious! Fresh baked breakfast- croissants, sandwiches, and cinnamon rolls! Yum! We got some baked goods for a snack later too.
Our next adventure of the day took us to, TR Makers Company. This is an adorable art studio that you can have private play dates, parties, attend classes, or even just stop by to shop. We had a private play date making gelli prints and had the best time!
The staff did such a great job leading the project and helping us make fun art work! We have never done something like this as a family and we loved every minute of it!
Then it was lunch time! We headed to Sidewall Pizza Company. This place was a hit! Delicious unique pizza options, salads (get the Smokey Salad, one of the best I’ve ever had), and amazing desserts (homemade ice cream!).
Then it was finally time to explore the Children’s Museum of the Upstate (TCMU). I was amazed at how many exhibits this museum offered and how large it is, over 60,000 square feet! It is one of the nation’s largest children’s museums and one of the first to become Smithsonian affiliated. It was very impressive and we had a fabulous time!
We spent 3 hours here and honestly could’ve spent an entire day, we will definitely be back! It’s a very fun place!
It was time for our last dinner of the trip. We headed to a place where the reviews were 5 stars and I was very excited to try it…Kitchen Sync. The décor is beautiful and the food was even better…farm-fresh, scratch-made fare with extraordinary hospitality. Everyone loved our meal. I highly recommended the shrimp scampi, shrimp burger, and s’mores dessert! So delicious!
Sadly, on Wednesday it was time to head back home. We had one final breakfast at Roost and it was perfection. The views from the inside and outside are so peaceful. The food was incredible! I got a yogurt parfait and potatoes and loved them. The kiddos got their favorite food in the world, chocolate chip pancakes so they were very happy. Judd got a breakfast sandwich and said it’s the best he’s ever had. Definitely add this place to your list!
It’s rare for us to want to return to a city but we will definitely be visiting Greenville again, we loved it! We couldn’t have asked for a better spring break. A huge thank you to Phil and Visit Greenville, SC for hosting us! We are so thankful!
I hope you enjoyed reading about our trip! Until next time, Greenville…
Amber Myers
It looks like you had a fantastic spring break. Greenville looks like a fun spot to be.
Renee
Sounds like it was an amazing trip! I would love to visit some day.
Kimberley
Looks like you had a great time in Greenville. I want to check out this place too. I love the pictures you shared.
Stephanie
I enjoyed reading through your article on your family’s vacation to Greenville SC. Looks like a great travel destination with activities for the entire family!
Steph S
I’ve never visited Greenville SC. After reading through your adventures it sounds like a great place to add to my list of places to visit. Adorable family you have!
Marysa
It looks so nice and family friendly there! We have been exploring some new places down south (we live in NY), and this would be a good one to add to our list.
Tara Pittman
What a fun place to spend spring break. You did so many fun things and I am loving all the food photos.
Luna S
Vacations in your own home state can be a lot of fun! We like doing that too, it helps us see what we have right in our own backyard so to speak.
Monica
What a fun vacation! You did a lot of cool stuff. I have been wanting to get back down to SC. It’s been too long!
LisaLisa
The food and sites look lovely! It also looks like you all had a great time too.
Ntensibe Edgar
Nnniiiccceeeee….Greenville looks very peaceful from here. I’d love to stay at the Marriott and have some of their steak!
Pedja
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with us. It looks like you guys had a great spring break. We have a dog that looks just like the dog from one of your photos 🙂
Catalina
wow! What an wonderful place to spend some quality time with the family!
Lavanda of Appetizers & Entrees
Your detailed description of the places you visited and the activities you did with your kids is very helpful for those who are planning a family trip to the area. It’s great to hear that you had a fun and memorable time, and your pictures are stunning!
Christy Garrett
It looks like you had a fabulous spring break. I’d love to visit Greenville SC. There seems to g bc e a ton of family friendly activities for the whole family.
Lesa
What I like about blogs like yours, you can get a feel of different places miles away in other part of the world you have never been and now if you would to visit or not. Great post, Greenville looks like a real fun place.
Nyxie
It looks like you all had an amazing Spring Break! We spent the whole time working sadly. No rest when you’re in retail.
Czjai
Oh wow, that pizza looks absolutely yummy! So nice to see that you all had a wonderful spring break!
Kristy Bullard
Greenville sounds like a great place to visit and make wonderful memories with the family. I think I would go there just to eat all of the yummy food! I agree that a Mexican dinner is always a good idea!
Beautiful Touches
What a beautiful family! IT looks like you all had such a lovely vacation and the dishes looked amazing!
Monidipa
Your recent blog post about Spring Break in Greenville, SC was an absolute delight to read! The way you described your family’s experiences and shared tips was truly helpful and engaging. I look forward to reading more of your adventures!
Monidipa
I absolutely loved reading about your family’s Spring Break adventure in Greenville, SC! Your detailed descriptions and beautiful photos truly brought the experience to life.
Julie
Your spring break in Greenville, SC looks and sounds amazing. You have a beautiful family, and my favorite part was the dance party! And the pizza now has me hungry!!!
Hailey
Can I come with you all next time!!! This looks so fun!
Richelle Milar
I am so inlove with this place! Those foods are all looking delicious and tasty!
Rose Ann Sales
Wow! This looks like a really wonderful and amazing place to visit with the family! The foods here are looking good
Brianne
What a nice day out you had. I love the weather, the place and the food. Everything is so nice!
beth
Wow, I want to experience the same. All the fun you had and great food too!
Supraja Lakshmi N
What a lovely spring break trip to Greenville! I’m so happy for you and your family. You did so many fun and exciting things together. The zoo, the park, and the food court are all awesome places to visit. The mice scavenger hunt is also very charming and fun. Thank you for this inspiring article on Greenville.