Fall in Love with Greenville (again)!
A few weeks ago, we were invited to participate in a unique press tour hosted by Visit Greenville. They put us up at the Hyatt and Westin hotels for two nights, created a (packed) itinerary, and showed seven local journalists how they market the city to out of town visitors. What a treat!
The group met up with Taryn from TK Public Relations/VisitGreenvilleSC and began our journey at Vicario Artisanal Liqueurs & Spirits. Vicario is located in Greer, but close your eyes and you’re strolling across a luscious Italian landscape!
Tours and tastings are open on Fridays and Saturdays from 12-5 – reservations are highly recommended. Click here for all the delicious details!
Vicario Artisanal Liqueurs & Spirits located at 800 State Rd. S-42-653 Greer, SC 29651
Next up on our “tour” was bread-making with Chef Vincent Caradonna at Le Petit Croissant.
The sweet aroma of the store is worth a visit. Our class made baguettes + their famous croissants. Mine (pictured above) look pretty darn good, if I do so so myself. Chief Vincent spent time teaching us about each ingredient (it’s almost like he could sense I’d never been in a kitchen). I learned so much. I learned how much butter goes into each recipe. PRO TIP: turn your head and don’t look – ignorance is bliss. Visit their website here to book your class!
Le Petit Croissant is located at 640 S. Main Street Greenville, SC 29601
Dinner that evening was inside M. Judson Bookstore with Camilla Kitchen. Greenville did an exceptional job with this one, guys – another first for me. A very yummy first.
Chef Teryi Musolf pulled out all the stops with everything from the presentation to the flavorful dishes. You can view their online menu here. Customers can grab a quick bite while shopping or take it to go. They’re also available to cater your next party! (Trying out the Oatmeal Energy Bites is on my list of Things To Do).
Camilla Kitchen is located at 130 S. Main Street Greenville, SC 29601
Angie Prosser and the City of Greenville team met us bright and early the next day for a behind-the-scenes tour of the city’s staples. Shhh, don’t tell the kids, but we visited the on-site Veterinary Hospital at the Greenville Zoo! Also don’t tell them that we took a short hike through the magical woods at the Lake Conestee Nature Preserve – one of our favorite places to hike – with Operations Director, Erin Knight.
After strolling through the beautifully manicured, and often overlooked, Rock Quarry, we headed over to *drumroll please* Unity Park!
I don’t even have words to describe how excited I am about the opening of this park. It is going to be UNREAL! I’m probably more excited about the splash pad than anything. Oooh, and the slides! The first phase is scheduled to open at the end of May. So much time and planning has gone into this project. Definitely check out their website here and read all the details.
Unity Park is located at 40 Mayberry Street Greenville, SC 29601
Lunch was at Northgate Soda Shop – home of the famous Pimento Cheeseburger (featured in Southern Living Magazine!)
Nostalgic is the word I would use to describe Northgate. If you’re a native of Greenville, with even the slightest bit of gray hair, you understand. Every wall is filled with paraphernalia showcasing Greenville’s rich history. Northgate opened in 1947. Current owners, Ren and Iris Bell bought Greenville’s beloved beacon in 2009. Ren spoke with our media group. His love for customers is evident. “We learn their names, what they order, and their drink.” That’s almost as refreshing as the sweet tea!
Northgate Soda Shop is located at 918 N. Main Street Greenville, SC 29609
I was going to save “the best for last,” but I’m trying to share this in the order it took place. Our next stop was the new and improved Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum. I hate to play favorites, but this was it for me. I’d been, but that was before Executive Director Dan Wallach entered the game. With baseball season right around the corner, I’m excited for you guys to visit the museum. Check out their website here for hours of operation. Dan’s passion is contagious. Greenville definitely hit a home run when they hired him!
Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum & Baseball Library is located at 356 Field Street Greenville, SC 29601
The rest of our day was a dream. Wine tasting/food pairing with the talented and beyond hospitable Chef Veera at Oil & Vinegar (another plus to staying at Hyatt Greenville, you don’t even have to move your car) and Josh Jones from City Scape Winery.
Leaving room for dinner was not an easy task. Yes, you read that right – more food (and wine) was on the itinerary. Click here to reserve your experience at Oil & Vinegar.
Oil & Vinegar is located at 22o N. Main Street Greenville, SC 29601
City Scape Winery is located at 589 Dunklin Bridge Rd. Pelzer, SC 29669
A huge shout out to John Nolan with Greenville History + Culinary Tours for an unforgettable food experience. We stopped at three spots I’d never visited. Grab your pen and write these down: Spaghetti Westurn, Woodside Bistro, and Pangaea Brewing (pictured above: South Carolina pizza).
Our tour ended the following morning at Greenville Tech’s Truist Culinary & Hospitality Innovation Center (CHI). We made (and enjoyed) biscuits and gravy before heading home.
A special thank you to Taryn Scher and VisitGreenville SC for rolling out the proverbial red carpet for the locals. We were truly impressed!
You can check out even more of Andrea Beam’s adventures around the Upstate here.