‘Move over Charleston,’ national magazine proclaims, as it highlights another SC city

Greenville has gotten a lot of publicity about its downtown, but never quite as effusive as Fodor Travel’s July feature entitled, “You’re going to the wrong city in the Carolinas.”

The subhead proclaims, “Move over, Charleston.”

“A new Southern belle is rapidly catching travelers’ attention,” the magazine says. “In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville, South Carolina, thrives.”

Charleston is probably not too worried — it’s the fastest growing city in the state, was on the list of 25 best cities in the world and tourism having a $10 billion impact each year.

Fodors, though, offers a true love letter to a small city that has rebounded over the past 50 years from a hardscrabble almost abandoned Main Street to a tree-lined thoroughfare flush with mostly home-grown restaurants, stores and businesses.

“With the warmth of a small town and the urban planning of the future, Greenville’s intentionality stands out,” the magazine says. “The downtown feels intimate thanks to building height restrictions as well as the clusters of gathering spaces all over. Here, a swing; there, a picnic table. Perhaps it’s the not-so-distant memories of state-wide lockdowns, but these spaces feel intimate and necessary.”

Many of the suggested places to see and things to do mentioned in the story have been highlighted in previous publications such as Southern Living and Travel + Leisure, but Fodors takes the description of this city of 100,000 a bit further.

For example, it highlights aspects of the Swamp Rabbit Trail and downtown’s Falls Park on the Reedy not written about in other publications.

Fodors details broad sidewalks and wheelchair-accessible paths along the Reedy River. The call is “casually athletic” and suggests taking part in Greenville’s Main Street scavenger hunt, Mice on Main, a high school senior project of Jim Ryan in 2000 and inspired by the children’s book Goodnight Moon.

Greenville sculptor and illustrator Zan Wells brought the nine bronze mice to life.

Wells’ work is prominently featured in Greenville’s downtown, including sculptures of Joel Poinsett, 19th century statesman and Greenville summer visitor for whom the poinsettia is named; Charles Townes, Greenville native inventor of the maser; and Dick Riley, former South Carolina governor and Greenville lawyer.

Fodors, of course, highlights food, noting Greenville has 150 restaurants.

“These aren’t just any old restaurants either, Greenville chefs come from backgrounds like French Laundry and NOMA, with multiple restaurants nominated as semifinalists for James Beard awards,” the magazine said.

It features Juniper, Jianna and CAMP, as did Travel + Leisure in its July feature on Greenville as one of the state’s best-kept secrets.

The Swamp Rabbit trail, a perennial favorite of travel magazines, was mentioned as well by Fodors.

“This is not one of those intense trails just for cycling enthusiasts in tight spandex (though there’s plenty of spandex on the trail). However, there are also parents pushing strollers, toddlers on scooters and families simply taking a leisurely stroll with their children,” the magazine said.

The article encourages making the trail and all-day event with stops at The Commons and Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocer.

“Here, you’re encouraged to sit and enjoy a bite. Even on the segments of the trail where nature takes over, cloaking the sides with greenery and growth, little benches beckon you to sit down, slow down, and simply be,” the magazine said.

Outside Greenville, the magazine suggests, going to Paris Mountain State Park and Chattooga Belle Farm for some pure muscadine moonshine, but not before going to BMW to see its museum BMW Zentrum or driving a BMW at the BMW Performance Center, also featured in Thrillist’s profile of Greer as a hidden gem among America’s suburbs.