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| Courthouse Square in downtown Greenville. |
On my way to Charlotte, while connecting through Washington, DC, United Airlines canceled my flight due to "weather." When I finally arrived in Charlotte - a day later and 16 hours after my original arrival time - I was convinced that Greenville would suck. Well, I was wrong. The town and the people were so lovely that I would like to think I made some pretty good friends.
Wikipedia states that Greenville in South Carolina has a population of just over 60,000. Although it is a small city, it definitely had that small town feel. Sure, the main street had big national brand stores and it appeared to have a robust performing arts scene. But, when I visited, I met quite a few people who I then randomly met again on its Main Street. Plus, the folks I met were so friendly -- I didn't get that feeling of distrust, distance and/or cynicism I often felt in other cities. In fact, I stayed at a very comfortable and nice guesthouse that had an outdoor television on the deck that would have disappeared within 5 minutes of the setting sun in other cities. When I met the proprietors of two Greenville restaurants - Larkin's (a fine dining steakhouse) and Grill Marks (a casual burger and milk shake joint) - they happily shared the amusing story of how the Grill Marks site used to be a bordello. Greenville was just that kind of place -- lots of friendly and honest people with plenty of amusing stories to tell if you engage them in conversation, a main street where one could find most anything, and a place with enough things to do to fill up a leisurely and stress-free weekend getaway.
So, if you want to get to know Greenville, and I really suggest you should, I recommend the following:
