Day Trips from Greenville, South Carolina

My photo during harvest season on a day trip from Greenville, South Carolina
My photo during harvest season on a day trip from Greenville, South Carolina

Living in Greenville is fantastic but with a population of 70,000, you still feel like getting away somewhere more quiet. Here are my favorite day trip from Greenville that I hope you'll love too.

My photo on a farm near Greenville, South Carolina
My photo on a farm near Greenville, South Carolina
My photo of fruit growing in South Carolina
My photo of fruit growing in South Carolina

Slowing down in the foothills of Dacusville

With a population of under 300 residents, this town in in Pickens County, South Carolina is just what we needed to reconnect surrounded by nature. Just 35 minutes northwest from Greenville, this was a super easy day trip by car.

I love how rustic and nostalgic it is. You'll see heaps of farms, hayfields, and barn just driving into town. If you arrive for lunch, you get greeted by Hush Puppies at Silver Bay Seafood. Be sure to try Fried Calamari ($11.99) too.

What I loved best:

The best time to visit is definitely around harvest season and to see fall foliage in October/November.

Hike scenic trails and admire stunning waterfalls in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

Seeing waterfalls in DuPont State Recreational Forest

Just a little further out (but still a very easy day trip), DuPont State Forest (Google Maps Pin) is a little over an hour north from Greenville (near Brevard, North Carolina). This place is made for hiking. My favorite were Triple Falls, so beautiful and powerful. DuPont State Forest is one of my favorite day trips from Greenville for fall foliage.

My highlight?

BLT on toasted sourdough, kettle chips, and fresh lemonade for late lunch in nearby Brevard at The Velvet Cup. It really hit the spot after all the hiking.

Local tip: The park is free to visit and accessible starting at 5 am daily, so you can get an early start.

Walk along charming downtown streets and visit lively local festivals.

Everyday charm with a heartbeat: Easley

If you are in the mood for a slightly larger town (population around 25,000), check out Easley, South Carolina just 20 minutes west from Greenville. We loved the sense of community here and kept thinking it's such a cool place to live (not just visit). You can just sit on a bench downtown and enjoy life. You'll see people walking their dogs, popping in and out of cafes, shopping and strolling.

The best meal idea? Panini with turkey, cheddar, and green apple slices at at The Pint Station. I have to warn you that this place is very busy during lunch on weekends.

What I loved best:

For me, Easley is one of the best day trips from Greenville, South Carolina. We loved visiting in the spring when the trees are super green with new leaves. It's such an affordable and quick day trip and that's why it's one of my favorites.

Ema Bio
Hi, We are Ema and Chris and while our home is in Texas, we've also lived in New York, Hawaii, and spent over five years on the road, based in different places a few months at a time. While our website VacationIdea.com is small with under 200 pages and all the content written by just the two of us, you'll find a host of diverse and hidden vacation ideas for weekend getaways, day trips in the USA, and longer vacations, based on our personal travels. Keeping this website small allows us to keep it up to date with our latest discoveries and photos while we travel. We hope that reading this inspires you to travel to our favorite hidden gems. Why trust us? We founded this site decades ago and not only are we expert road trippers, but we also work with tourism agencies to stay pluggend into the latest openings and what's new and unique in travel. Chris is an award-winning photographer and designer, giving our contant a visual polish. We've received many awards and media mentions, including Forbes Best of the Web, abc6 Morning Show, UMich, 7News, WA State Department, and many others.