Things to Do In Greenville with Kids

We visited Greenville in the winter of 2016 on a Southeast road trip from Miami. We have actually been twice to this city - once as a stop over driving over from Atlanta and the other time we stayed for 2 nights (which was perfect). I read that this city won "one of the top small towns in America" not that long ago, and I can see why! It had plenty of great food, drinks and family friendly activities. There were plenty of things to do with kids in Greenville SC. Here is my list of the best things to do in Greenville SC with kids...

Our favorite things to do in Greenville with kids:

1. Falls Park on the Reedy

This is one of my favorite things to do in downtown Greenville SC. Falls Park on the Reedy has a great central location. We parked our car in a lot nearby and walked a quick minute to the park. It has a little hiking trail and a neat bridge to cross over. We spent about an hour just walking around admiring Falls Park and talking. It really was quite scenic and very surprising to be "in" the city. There are open areas to sit and picnic or just throw a ball around. Many people were walking on the paths and enjoying the outdoors. Falls Park on the Reedy should definitely be on your list of things to do in Greenville.

Falls Park on the Reedy

2. Swamp Rabbit Trail

This is my pick for the best activity to do with kids in Greenville. This is about a 20 mile paved biking/running trail that links Greenville to a nearby town called Travelers Rest. It begins right in downtown and goes through neighborhoods, shops, restaurants and a whole lot of nature! We rented bikes at a place called Reedy's and did a family bike ride on this trail. We rode about 2 miles to have breakfast and were supposed to ride more, but the weather that morning was in the 30's and windy! We couldn't take the cold and gave up! Even if you only do a piece of the trail - I highly recommend the Swamp Rabbit Trail when you are visiting Greenville with kids!

Swamp Rabbit Trail

3. Children's Museum of the Upstate

This place ended up being quite the surprise. I would rank this visit among the top in fun things to do in Greenville SC. I had seen that it was one of the best things to do in Greenville on TripAdvisor, and we had some time to kill since we gave up on the bike ride. I am so glad we did the Children's Museum of the Upstate because the kids (8 and 6 at the time) had a blast! They had many interactive sections that were educational and entertaining, and they also had a giant play structure in the middle (which my kids did not want to get out of). Great stop!

Museum of the Upstate Greenville

The Food:

This place was quite the foodie haven! Here are 3 that I highly recommend...

1. TUPELO HONEY CAFE

This is a Southern chain restaurant that has great food, great drinks and a great kids menu. Great right?! Service was fast and friendly and their prices were reasonable. Highlights include the bread with jam that comes at the beginning of the meal, their Southern inspired drink menu and craft sodas.

2. SWAMP RABBIT CAFE AND GROCERY

This was the place we rode bike to in the frigid temperatures. Needless to say when we arrived, we were thrilled to have a warm place to sit. The food was so fresh and the coffee was divine! I wish we would have gone back the next day because they had so many delicious looking pastries. My husband and I both had the egg sandwich - like I mentioned before, fresh and delicious overall! They are open for lunch too!

3. SWAMP RABBIT BREWERY

This was the goal at the end of our bike ride so that we could have a beer and a snack. Since that did not occur, we drove to this place after our museum visit (it is in Traveler's Rest). I love a good local craft beer. We ordered a snack with the kids and took a growler back to the hotel to drink later! If you are a craft beer lover, check this place out.

Where to Stay:

In terms of where to stay, both times we stayed at a hotel off the highway (booked free with our points). We try to stay at places with free breakfast, free parking and that are low on points! Check out how I maximize my credit cards and get free hotel stays. The Holiday Inn Express Greenville and Townplace Suites Greenville are the two places we stayed when we have visited. To check rates click on the picture below.

Greenville is often an overlooked city when traveling in the South. I feel that in many ways it deserves more credit than it gets. Although the last couple of years, Greenville has made a few lists of best towns in America, I feel it is till pretty underrated, and is a great stop for families. If you are looking for other places around the world that are great places for a family trip, check out this post on the top 10 underrated destinations that are perfect for families.

That wraps up my touring recommendations and top things to do in Greenville with kids. Click to read more about other stops on this Southern road trip. If you are spending a weekend in Greenville, check out this post for more things to do and places to eat/stay. You can also the pictures below to check out TripAdvisor's reviews or Viator's Greenville tours.

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