(Downtown images from Mr. Bob King of Anderson,SC)
Welcome-I have met folks who traveled the world and then decided on our area to retire. It's a wonderful area to visit and to reside.
-Our Main St and downtown have become an enviable area for which many other cities have asked us to share our successes with them.
-Our Manufacturing Industry shifted from Textiles to Automotive and Related manufacturing. (not that long ago truthfully). We have BMW, Michelin and Lockheed and more....
-Our balmy weather gives us just enough cold to clear our undesirable insects and allow us to wear some fun Winter-wear-(usually just 2 months).
-Most importantly, the residents are diverse and friendly and welcoming.
Our large arena, "The Well", Bon Secour Wellness Center (650 N Academy St.) is also referred to by locals by its former name, "The Bi-Lo Center". We are working on calling it "The Well" however, in the meanwhile it has so many terrific programs!
We have a Hockey Team, The Swamp Rabbit and a biking/hiking trail, The Swamp Rabbit Trail. (Also, a super cool grocery/cafe family hangout called the Swamp Rabbit Cafe). So why Swamp Rabbit?
The Greenville and the Northern Railway bed was nicknamed The Swamp Rabbit years back. The name has had a revival and does add a lot of fun. Bikes can be rented for the trail north in Travelers Rest (love that town's name! Be sure to stop in one of our finest and oldest shops while there too-Sunrift Adventure) The hockey team is FUN and great for families!!
Like the name, Travelers Rest? We also have a Pumpkintown-yes, in the Table Rock State Park area (super nice state park-27 miles from downtown Greenville, Northwest!!!) Speaking of state parks we have one right in town with relaxing and active opportunities- Paris Mountain State Park.(9 miles north of downtown Greenville-just above our "Cherrydale" area)
And speaking of professional sports teams such as our Swamp Rabbits, we also have a minor league club (Red Sox) Greenville Drive (downtown Main St. stadium built with Fenway Park flavor and quite handicap friendly). We have the new, very exciting Greenville Triumph Soccer whom I personally hope we will soon build a stadium for these upcoming stars!
A few acronyms: both on "The Green" (downtown- a road or two over from Main): TCMU /The Children's Museum of the Upstate and UHM /Upcountry History Museum. The Main Library Branch Location-Hughes, is also on this property. Paid parking is to the right of the library. Free at the Upcountry History Museum. By the way-if you really want to learn a few things about the Upstate in a fun way with pictures, displays and sound, go to the Upcountry History Museum. The kids will enjoy it as well-it is super nice!
Speaking of parking, Richardson garage downtown is free on weekends, 6pm Fridays to 6am Mondays
There are many health care resources for children in the Upstate. And your insurance is a big factor on selecting care.
Vitals.com helps with finding a Pediatrician. Our Children's Hospital is with the Prisma system and also has an Emergency Room for kids.
Dental: Vitals.com
We have a Shriners Hospital right here! Whether you may need service for a child or whether you support it, I want to mention how fortunate we are to have such an important facility right here!
Also Prisma has a Pediatric Cancer Center (Hematology and Oncology Specialists) and my daughter benefited greatly in her battle with childhood Leukemia. Versus traveling for care, she was able to miss less school days than children with flu! Children's Hospital.
I really believe the Upstate is rich in Pediatric Specialist. I understand Dr. Bill Schmidt has spent a lifetime in recruiting and building a strong group locally.
There is also much support for families with disabilty needs such as The Meyers Center and the Center for Developmental Services (CDS)
And speaking of Help- We have GAIHN should you find yourself homeless with your kids. Or Safe Harbor if in domestic danger.
Churches: There are several websites with Searches for church, synagogue, temple.
You are invited to attend my church, Pendleton Street Baptist. We are meeting at 10:00am on Sundays at the Hilton on Haywood as we build a church downtown.
While you may be exhausted from packing and moving to town, the children may still be running circles around you. The Upstate has Amazing Parks and none are too far away so have fun trying them out. I'll just post a few here.....the links will send you where all can be found...
-(Mid Greenville) The Runway Park (picture above) is my favorite-mid town near the Humane Society (where you may adopt a pet!)
-Greer Kids Planet Playground (newest park)
-Greenville Parks Park Finder-Use the Park name dropdown box Click HERE 
So many events for children-click HERE:
Time to Food Shop?
Farmers Markets Guide on this Macaroni Kid Website (I may need to update for this year but still lots of good info) A couple that go year round are: The SC State Farmers Market on Rutherford and the Greer one (not daily but almost weekly-ck their website)
Upstate SC Macaroni Kid Farmers Markets-Yay and Yummy!! | Macaroni KID Greenville 
There are terrific festivals-many not even listed here... Click HERE Artisphere is one of my favorites-A great place to buy an artsy Mothers Day Gift!
And this is what Greenville.macaronikid.com is for. Please also sign up for our Facebook @greenvillemacaronikid as some fun things and free things can be posted quite spontaneously!!!
A Favorite Local Show with AMAZING local personnel to keep you in the know is YOURCAROLINA at 9am weekdays on CBS WSPA. Enjoy their Daily Spinx (Our local gas provider) Question---you will learn much about ours and now your, Upstate!!
Getting Around:
Now take a look at the map above ( or Google the Greenville area in a large screen) to familiarize with all the surrounding towns to Greenville that make up what we call “The Upstate”.
If you are house hunting, you may do well to look at more distant areas such as Piedmont/Williamston (South) or Easley/ Powdersville (West), above Travelers Rest (North) and above Greer towards Spartanburg (North/East) for greater house/land values as well as less traffic.
**Scroll in closer on a map to learn the main roads of Greenville and each town so you are not solely depending on your GPS.
A few are: (Open your map and scroll in until you can identify these roads to get more comfortable)
Greenville- Augusta Rd., Main St., Pleasantburg Dr.(runs the length of Greenville) , Wade Hampton (runs from downtown East thru Greer to Spartanburg) , Highway 385-comes out of Greenville into many outlying towns such as Mauldin, Simpsonville, and Fountain Inn, Woodruff Rd (May be as many restaurants as downtown) Hwy 123 goes to Clemson and Seneca (rolling fun drive) and takes you near Powdersville and through Easley, Hwy 25 comes South of Greenville from the quaint town of Greenwood -thru Gville and on up past Travelers Rest to N.C. and wonderful Hendersonville/Flat Rock (my stress-buster drive through mountains on a lovely 4 lane) Hwy 14 runs Fountain Inn-Simpsonville-Greer.
The outlying towns have their own main roads (other than Main St) such as Greer-Trade St, Easley/Powdersville Hwy 153, Mauldin- Butler Rd
The "West End" is lower Main St on out where there has been many changes and many art villages added.
I always say that I tell directions by great places to eat so maybe I will create a second map of restaurants-we are RICH in restaurants!!!
WELCOME TO ALL!!!!
