What is so great about Greenville, SC?
 

A few days ago when having lunch in Flat Rock, NC we overheard conversation about Greenville, SC. We were pleasantly surprised to hear about Greenville, its restaurants, theathres, shopping, etc. Greenville is less than 50 miles from our new home in North Carolina and I would love to find out more about it. Where to go, where to eat, what to do, etc., Thank you

Anyone?

They make BMW's in Greenville - the Z3/Z4 and X5. You can buy one from your local dealer and go to Greenville to pick it up. ((b))

It's a lovely old southern town home to Furman University.

I attended 4 yrs university there at BJU. Being from Canada, I found it hot, humid, & wet winters! ;-)

It is in the piedmont area, well-treed. I've heard others say "visit Greenville" as well. Not sure of the specifics why, but I guess it's an okay town. Lots of shopping, lots of dining places, lots of "the arts" (orchestra, etc.).

http://www.sciway.net/city/greenville.html

Wildflower, I live in Asheville but travel to Greenville frequently on business. I think they've done a great job with their downtown area, shaded, walkable streets, benches, riverside walking path, good restaurants, interesting shops. Asheville would do well to copy this along the French Broad! They have many festivals and evening music/family events downtown. I think they just finished up a 3-day restaurant festival not too long ago. A fair amount of cultural activity, sporting and music events at the Peace and Bi-Lo centers. It is a sprawling city and is just getting bigger and busier with the accompanying traffic issues. It is much more conservative there than Asheville.

My wife's aunt and uncle live there. We visited them last July. When Aunt Rogene and Uncle John built their home on the outskirts of town 30 years ago, they were surrounded by farmland. Today, there are about 6 big car dealerships and a mall within 1/4 mile of their home, which is now surrounded by other homes. We visited the downtown, which is beautiful, walkable and full of nice restaurants and shops. There is an art museum which is also worth checking out.

Thnak you all. It sounds great and it is so close to where we live. Any recommendations for places to eat? We are not interested in Chinese or Mexican. Anything goes but we love seafood and French.
If we want to visit downtown where are the best parking places?
Budman, we are scheduled to get our new BMW in April/May

Excellent! ((b))

Wildflower, downtown has lots of restaurants, some good, some just so-so. You might do a search on Chowhound (www.chowhound.com) to get some recommendations. I've enjoyed tapas at the Casbah(I think that's the name) and Soby's is always good. There is a good sushi place across from Haywood Mall but the name escapes me - it is near a chain Mexican and a Barnes & Noble.

Hi again Wildflower -

"Greenville is a great place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit there".

Actually, that's not really true, It's probably worth one trip down from Flat Rock for the novelty of it. Downtown is really neat, my office just moved downtown and I really like being able to walk to lunch, do a little shopping, or go for a run down into the new Reedy River Park. The new suspension bridge over the falls is worth a look and the park is pretty.

As to theater, there is the Little Theater, I don't hear much about it these days. The Peace Center has lots of "cultural" events. There is a symphony and they get guest musicians sometimes. The Peace Center also has traveling "Broadway" musicals.

As to shopping, we have your basic mall and a few interesting stores on main street and a few high-end shops in Lewis Plaza on Augusta Road.

I think food is Greenville's weakest point (by far). There are indeed many restaurants downtown (and gobs of chains all over town) but they are mediocre at best, IMO. ( Leah, that sushi place is called Sushi Koji and that's my favorite sushi in town as well. ) Greenville actually beats the Asheville area on sushi in my opinion...but that's the only thing.

The Art Museum has a large collection of Andrew Wyeth paintings...used to be the largest in the world outside the artist's own collection, but quite a bit of it was sold to Japanese interests years ago. BJU has an excellent collection of pre-Rennaissance religious painting.

And it is sometimes as much as 10 degrees warmer than Flat Rock so come visit on one of those cold days that will be here soon!

Litespeed chick - there is a good Indian place on Wade Hampton that I went to a year or so ago - is it still there? It was in motel.
Sushi - thanks for refreshing my memory. Sushi Koji is very good quality. In Asheville though have you tried Zen (Merrimon Ave) or Wasabi (downtown)? I think they are almost as good.

Hi Leahinsc and Litespeed_Chick, again.
Thank you.
Maybe you didn't realize but the way some of you described Greenville it sounds appealing to us and we'll be making a special day trip. I would also appreciate any of your recommendations for great places to eat in Asheville area too. We love French and seafood.

Wildflower..here are my (our - husband and my) favorite restaurant in Asheville.
Sushi - Wasabi or Zen - the latter has more inventive rolls
Italian - Tomato or Savoy - the latter much more expensive
Seafood - I can't think of any seafood restaurant in Asheville - Litespeed Chick???
All around good bets...The Market Place, Stony Knob (Weaverville), Richmond Hill - for an out of the world expensive but worth it meal.
Pizza - Asheville Pizza, Barley's, Mellow Mushroom
Burgers - The Burgermeister (West Asheville)
Mexican/Cali - Limones - organic
Breakfast - Tupelo Honey, Stony Knob,
Vegetarian - Laughing Seed

Wildflower: Go to Soby's in Greenville! They always have excellent fresh seafood dishes on the menu and their she-crab soup is the best I've had outside of Charleston. There is valet parking. Its right on Main Street.Check out the Peace Center for performing arts to see if anything is going on there...its right across the street. Also across the street if you are staying overnight is the Westin Poinsett Hotel, over 100 years old but newly renovated and very nice.

In Asheville, I am told that The Boathouse, a local favorite in Charleston and Isle of Palms,SC has just opened up an addition on Lake Julian. If its anything like its sister restaurants it specializes in wonderful fresh seafood! I'd say its worth a try.

Auburn - I've been to the Boathouse on IOP and loved it, not as impressed w/ the one here in Asheville. Many of my friends have tried it as well with the same impressions...noisy, sketchy service, uninspired presentation of food.
Soby's on the other hand is great.
They are working on a seafood restaurant in downtown ASheville now but it will probably be months before it opens.

Thank you Leah and Auburn for your lists of places in Asheville and Greenville, SC too. Now if we can only find a free day to go there. With this beautiful weather weare having we do lots of hiking and focusing on the other outdoor activities. It is amazing that on most of the trails we are alone.

Do try the Augusta Grill at Lewis Plaza on Augusta Road. Delicious high-end gourmet dining that has consistantly received top ratings. Dinner is somewhat pricey, but lunch is fairly reasonable.