Greer is a city that lies in South Carolina’s Greenville County and Spartanburg County, with the larger portion in Greenville.
Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of the thriving upstate region, Greer is one of the fastest-growing cities in South Carolina.
Greer has experienced remarkable economic growth in recent years.
You can credit this progress to the nearby Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), serving Greenville, Spartanburg, and the Upstate region.
Likewise, thank the BMW Headquarters, the only BMW manufacturing facility in the United States.
Greer, which spans about 22 square miles, has plenty of outdoor recreation at Lake Cunningham and Lake Robinson.
It also has a thriving sports and leisure program, excellent park facilities, and big-city accommodations while maintaining a small-town vibe.
There’s more to see in Greer, so let this guide help you discover this charming city in Upstate South Carolina.
Here are the best things to do in Greer, SC:
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Built in 2008, Greer City Park is a 12-acre park at Historic Downtown Greer.
It is open to the public all year round and has become a popular attraction for locals and visitors alike.
This green space is a venue for leisure activities for all ages.
Check out its beautiful fountains, winding walkways, grassy meadows, modern playground, and classic gazebo with views of the pond.
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With benches and swings spread along the pathways, the park offers a peaceful location to read a book or take a pleasant stroll in the heart of downtown.
Greer City Park has a large picnic shelter for large groups, and event halls, including the Cannon Centre that can accommodate more than 300 people.
It also has an amphitheater for community events and concerts.
The park grounds also serve as the venue for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, the Eggtastic Easter Event, and more.
What’s it like to live in the 1920s, but with a modern twist?
You can find out by staying at the James House Inn, a unique and reasonably-priced bread and breakfast built in 1921.
Located in downtown Historic Greer, this property is on the National Register of Historic Places.
It offers a historic vibe with the luxe amenities of a modern hotel.
You can book any of their beautifully-designed guest rooms or rent the entire place.
The James House Inn features ten-foot ceilings, maple hardwood floors, and elegant antique furnishings.
Enjoy happy hour cocktails upon arrival, relax in the exquisite living room, and tour downtown on the inn’s bicycles.
Wake up to a full breakfast with freshly made Kona coffee, among other things.
If you ever plan on visiting Greer, consider staying at the James House Inn for a lovely place that will make you feel right at home.
Since 1928, the family-owned Fishers Orchard has cultivated and supplied the best peaches to the upstate region of South Carolina.
Other than peaches, Fishers Orchard offers a wide variety of high-quality, local produce in the area.
Depending on the season, you’ll find blackberries, blueberries, nectarines, raspberries, strawberries, cucumbers, onions, peppers, potatoes, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and more.
The farm stores of Fishers Orchard have a vast selection of jams, jellies, pickles, and relish made from secret family recipes, as well as honey and cider.
You can also take the whole family to their Pick-Your-Own Farm, where you can pick your own peaches.
Fishers Orchard has two other locations besides their Pick-Your-Own Farm on Fisher Road, one on Locust Hill Road and the other on South Buncombe Road.
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Travel down memory lane by visiting the Greer Heritage Museum located on South Main Street.
The museum is in the historic Greer City Hall building and features large exhibits and interactive displays that give visitors insight into Greer’s rich past.
The museum building was once the Greer Post Office, built in 1935.
It’s also on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The building has retained many of the original features of the post office, including the civil service bulletin boards, the terrazzo floor, and the mural by Winfield R. Walkley titled “Cotton and Peach Growing.”
You can also find unique objects from Greer’s past can also be found in the museum.
See a coffin-shaped wicker basket, an optometry cabinet, a replica of a Hammet House dollhouse, a collection of 1930s women’s hats, to a series of multi-generational family photos.
The Greer Heritage Museum also has a library for historical and genealogy research and a theater room screening documentaries on Greer’s local history.
Century Park features a baseball and softball complex containing three diamonds.
It also has many picnic shelters, a pavilion, a concession stand, and bathroom facilities.
Two of the city’s popular attractions are in Century Park – the Disc Golf Course and the Kids Planet Playground.
Century Park’s Disc Golf Course is an 18-hole shaded layout that hosts the annual Iron Man Disc Course Tournament.
The Greer community sponsored and built the Kids Planet Playground more than 20 years ago.
Families from the upstate region come to Century Park to let their kids play at the state-of-the-art playgrounds with wooden play structures.
The park is open for public rental.
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You don’t need to be a car enthusiast to enjoy what’s in store at the BMW Zentrum Museum.
Explore BMW’s past, present, and future in the only BMW museum in North America, a living museum of performance and innovation.
Feel the power of the BMW brand with its engaging exhibits commemorating the beginnings of the German auto manufacturer to its success as a high-end automotive brand worldwide.
As you tour the museum, you will witness the many achievements of the car brand, including the 1955 top-selling single-cylinder car in the world, the BMW Isetta or “Bubble Car.”
From BMW’s pioneers and fully-restored classics, you can also see what’s current and new in BMW.
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See exhibits that showcase cutting-edge technology and rare models in their exclusive collection.
The BMW Zentrum Museum also offers a 200-seat auditorium, a cafe, a gallery, and a gift shop.
Plus, you can get the chance to visit the manufacturing plant itself through their guided-factory tours.
Admission to the museum is free.
However, you need to pay for the tour; bookings are also required for participants at least 12 years old.
Hit two birds with one stone by taking a driving class in no other than a luxury BMW at the BMW Performance Center.
The BMW Performance Center staff provides guests with the knowledge and abilities to enjoy the ultimate BMW driving experience.
Improve your driving skills through challenging low- and high-speed driving programs and guidance from BMW driver training instructors.
Test-drive the latest fleet of BMW car models to help you become a safe, confident, and skillful driver.
Among the BMW experiences offered is a two-hour experience where you can try different models, driving through speedways and tight turns.
You can also try challenging off-road courses with the BMW X model.
Finally, run a hot lap with the instructor as you accelerate and drift around the course.
Get behind the wheel of the latest BMWs.
Savor the ultimate driving experience while putting your skills to the test.
Lake Cunningham is a 376-acre dual-purpose lake that supplies drinking water and offers recreational opportunities in Greer.
The Greer Commission of Public Works (CPW) owns and maintains the lake, with strict rules in place to safeguard the pristine nature of the lake.
The CPW’s drinking water treatment facility is located directly at Lake Cunningham.
The reservoir covers around 200 acres, serving as part of CPW’s drinking water source.
Lake Cunningham is an excellent location for boating and fishing.
However, boating regulations and creel limitations apply.
You need a boating permit, which you can secure from the Lake Warden’s office near Lake Robinson.
Outboard motors with more than ten horsepower are prohibited.
So, you can only go kayaking, canoeing, or exploring on small boats.
While fishing is not permitted near the dam, you can fish in other areas.
You’ll need an SC fishing license, which you can also get from the Lake Warden.
Another beautiful lake with boating and fishing opportunities is Lake Robinson, where the same regulations apply.
The J. Verne Smith Park is a public outdoor attraction surrounding the 800-acre Lake Robinson, a sister lake of Lake Cunningham.
The park, located at the tip of Lake Robinson, has picnic shelters, pathways, and a fishing dock.
The Greer Commission of Public Works (CPW) owns and maintains Lake Robinson.
It operates as an impoundment for potable water.
Likewise, it’s a popular attraction for small boats and fishing.
Bring your picnic blankets and lay them on the green fields, shaded areas, or the park’s picnic tables.
The park doesn’t have a playground, but this park is an excellent place where you can take the kids to play games.
Bring them to the vast open space, while you relax on a nice picnic overlooking the pristine lake.
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Greer Station is a quaint brick-paved street with trendy boutiques, top-notch restaurants, and exceptional entertainment venues.
Also known as Greer’s historic downtown, Greer Station was redeveloped in 1998.
This redevelopment transformed the sleepy street into a hip and iconic landmark for dining, entertainment, and retail with a European-style village atmosphere.
The name “Greer Station” originates from the city’s 1873 beginnings as a railway flag station.
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Back then, the station got its name from James Manning Greer, who owned the land where the station stood.
You can find various exciting shops and restaurants along the boulevard, housed in beautiful historic buildings.
More than 40 structures are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Whether for an hour or a full day, Greer Station provides anything to suit your needs.
Spend time with yourself, entertain the family, or celebrate a special milestone.
Gilreath’s Mill is also known as Bruce’s Mill, Heller’s Mill, and Taylor’s Mill.
It’s one of the few existing mills in South Carolina that recalls the state’s rich agricultural history.
Joel Bruce built the 2 ½ frame structure with two gable-roof sheds and a water wheel used to power the mill.
While the exact date of construction is unknown, people believe it happened in 1814.
However, the first historical record of the mill appeared in 1839.
The mill was an essential component of the area’s economic and social landscape.
It produced essential commodities like cornmeal and flour and served as a gathering place for locals.
In 1976, the National Register of Historic Places added Gilreath’s Mill to the record.
The Willow Creek Golf Club is strategically located between Greenville and Spartanburg, making it the ideal place for your next round of golf.
Famous architect Tom Jackson designed this mild 18-hole 72-par 6,890-yard course, known as “Spectacular golf in the Upstate.”
Its classic layout starts gently and then slowly becomes more challenging.
Beginners will enjoy a fun and friendly play, while advanced players will benefit from multiple risk-reward situations that will provide an entertaining golf experience.
Willow Creek Golf Club is a local favorite with golfers of all skill levels and talents.
They would all agree that this course is the best-kept one in the area.
Both attendees and performers use the term “Skunkfest” to refer to the two yearly music festivals held at the Skunk Farm.
However, its full name is the SpringSkunk Music Fest, held every second weekend of May.
Likewise, they also organize the Albino Skunk Music Festival every first weekend of October.
The Skunk Farm is a camping and music venue located on Jordan Road, Greer.
Skunk sightings on the grounds inspired the festival’s name.
Skunkfest began as a bluegrass music festival but now features eclectic music, including acoustic, alternative country, Americana, folk, and roots.
With different themes every fall, the entire family will also enjoy local food vendors, craft beers, handicrafts, drive-in movies, kids’ shows and Kiddieland.
Guests will undoubtedly enjoy finding new talents at the Skunkfest’s natural setting and casual atmosphere.
The Spinning Jenny has an exciting and diverse past.
Originally built as a grocery store, it used to house a feed and seed store, a roller-skating rink, and a wrestling ring.
It even had a heavy metal music room, an Opry house, and finally, the current music hall and leisure center.
The Spinning Jenny has become a fixture of Greer’s tradition, with locals recalling fond memories of the institution.
According to its new owners, the Spinning Jenny is a part concert and part community event venue.
The center also conducts classes in art, boxing, crafting, and dancing, such as shag and ballroom.
They also screen films, hold vintage clothing shopping, and invite charities for fundraisers.
Hosting dance, music, theater, meetings, and even weddings, the Spinning Jenny has become a massive part of the Greer community.
While the Spinning Jenny hosts several events, the main goal is to give the community a place to gather, enjoy the arts, have fun, and support each other.
Your visit to Greer opens the opportunity to hunt for bargains at the Barnyard Flea Market on Highway 101 South.
Admission to this bargain-hunters’ paradise is free, and it is open year-round Saturdays and Sundays.
The merchandise of the stalls in the Barnyard Flea Market rotates regularly, so you can always expect to find a variety of choices.
Here, you’ll find a wide selection of adult and kids’ garments as well as accessories.
The vendors of the Barnyard Flea Market also sell vintage items, jewelry, books, and household décor.
An artisan boutique, The Shoppes off Trade offers surprises for shoppers at its store on West Poinsett Street.
Chocolate Dreams and Trudy’s Timeless Treasures are but two of the local artisans in Greer that strut their wares in this shop.
The Shoppes off Trade also tempts its visitors with a unique collection of clothing, home décor, soaps and body care products, and handcrafted art.
The inventory in this store is restocked often to provide its customers a fresh selection every time they visit.
Watch out too for the various events that this shop hosts, offering opportunities for discounts and freebies.
The Greer Farmers Market is held every Tuesday starting in the afternoon to early evening from May to August.
A non-profit runs this family-friendly market offering fresh local produce and goods from small businesses in Greer.
Opened in 2015, the Greer Farmers Market has several sponsors and donors which help keep its prices more affordable.
More than 30 vendors sell their wares in this market, offering not only fresh farm items but also baked goods, homemade honey, handicraft, and decorative plants.
The Greer Farmers Market offers shoppers fun activities too, with its cook-offs, fitness classes, arts, crafts, and music.
A visit to the Suber’s Corn Mill will show you the old-fashioned way of using water-powered wheel for corn processing.
Established in 1908, this old facility on Suber’s Mill Road is one of the last few grist mills still operating.
A fourth generation of millers run the Suber’s Corn Mill which is located on the aprons of a quaint forested hill.
Water flowing from a holding pond up the hill operates the large vertical wheel of the mill.
The spinning millstones of this system grind the shelled corn fed into them into powder.
Workers then bag the milled corn powder and stack the output for sale.
Five exciting games to choose from await you and your friends at Trapped in the Upstate Escape Rooms on Memorial Drive Extension.
Each escape room here offers a unique and engaging theme and storyline, with a time limit to bolt out of.
Trapped in the Upstate Escape Rooms also have varying levels of difficulty suited for players of different age groups.
The Master Illusionist’s Parlor is one popular choice in this fun center, giving its players an hour to escape from a magician’s lair.
The Asylum is another favorite at Trapped in the Upstate Escape Rooms where players act as investigative journalists probing into disappearances in a mental institution.
Despite being one of the state’s fastest-growing cities, Greer works hard to maintain its historic beauty.
The city has something for everyone.
Enjoy its arts, music, history, shopping, dining, and outdoor recreation.
Greer strikes the perfect balance between metropolitan and small-town living, suitable for people seeking the best of both worlds.
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