Fall in the foothills is a great time for family photos!
Greenville boasts beautiful views of nature’s paint palate. Certain picturesque views immediately come to mind. Falls Park, Main Street, Cleveland Park, Rock Quarry, Furman University, and our two infamous bridges, Campbell’s Covered and Poinsett.
We’ve compiled a very short list of spots that may not be at the forefront of your mind when it comes to pictures. Recently we drove to each spot and the colors did not disappoint. You may want to hurry though, leaves are falling fast!
Pleasant Ridge County Park 4232 Highway 11 – Photo ops abound throughout this park. Check out the open field on your right as you enter the first parking lot. Get that miles-away-from-home feeling without actually leaving home. This property is also home to Camp Spearhead.
Colonel Elias Earle Historic District – This tree-lined street is not just for trick-or-treating. Historic homes and picket fences are the perfect backdrop for pictures.
Cleveland Park Stables 130 Woodland Way – Once busy horse stables, the 2.5 acre property is now a beautiful park, complete with lamp posts and a walking trail.
Cancer Survivor Park 52 Cleveland Street – Green grass, walking trail, bridges, benches, a river and swings – take your pick. Pun intended!
Dam at Paris Mountain State Park 2401 State Park Road – SC State Park views look good on everybody, but Paris Mountain is a “dam” good place for a family photo session. *Pro tip: we love the bridge at the foot of the dam.
Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. Historic Plane 150 Cleveland Park Drive – The memorial is part of Cleveland Park. You may not want a war plane in the background, but there is a bridge, grass, and plenty of foliage!
You won’t find it on any Visit Greenville brochure, but one of my favorite streets is in Sans Souci, not even a mile from my home. Clarendon Avenue, just off North Franklin Road, is a tree-lined street with a grassy median. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve hopped out of my car and taken pictures here, I could afford to live on this street!
If you’re not opposed to a quick thirty minute drive up the mountain, check out these four locations:
Highland Lake Inn & Resort 86 Lily Pad Lane, Flat Rock
Carl Sandburg Home 1800 Little River Road, Flat Rock
Bonclarken Conference Center 500 Pine Drive, Flat Rock
Sassafras Mountain
It doesn’t cost a dime to enter the grounds and wander around.
We spent about four hours in the car this week searching for the best spots – obviously there are MANY more! Hopefully this is enough to get you started.
Before you go…
I ran across an old story in USA Today that is too funny not to share. A Missouri family reached out to a “professional” photographer for family photos back in 2017. The mother shared the session on Facebook and their photos went viral. When you have time for a good laugh, read the story here.
Hopefully you’ll have better luck! Let us know your favorite photo locations and don’t forget to tag #greenville360 in your pictures!