10 Fun Date Ideas in Greenville, SC
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Romantic lunch destinations
For lunch, I recommend Handi Indian or Pomegranate on Main. Both of these restaurants are elegantly decorated, are rarely ever crowded, and most importantly, they both serve delicious food! Pomegranate serves delicious kebabs and appetizers and I love their covered patio. For the best authentic Indian in town, you can’t beat Handi. The food is great and I love the setting with the beautiful brick walls. I also love Greektown Grille. It’s not as fancy, but the dining room is colorful, the menu is great, and it never gets too busy.
Update: Handi unfortunately closed their downtown location and moved on to the Promenade at Haywood. Jianna (Italian) and Larkin’s (American) are 2 popular tourist options which offer a more refined upscale ambiance.
How to get here: Passerelle is located at: Falls Park (601 S. Main St.). Handi is located at: 18 N. Main St. Pomegranate is located at 618 S. Main St. Greektown is located at: 400 E McBee Ave. Free 2 hr parking is usually easily found in the early morning hours.
For the winter dnthusiasts: Skate under the twinkly lights of Main St.
Any winter enthusiasts visiting over the Christmas season will definitely want to plan for an ice skating date. Ice on Main comes to Main Street in November and stays busy until closing at the end of January. I have been ice skating for over 10 years, so it was nice having easy access to this beautiful rink.
While Mike isn’t a huge skater, we make a fun date out of it at least once a year no matter where we are living. Unlike big city rinks, it’s cheap to skate here and super easy to find parking. Plus, there are so many great coffeehouses and restaurants nearby.
With holiday tunes and twinkling lights in the background, ice skating is the perfect romantic winter date idea in my opinion. What’s better than enjoying some quality time with your significant other while also enjoying one of the best calorie boosting workouts? If you get lucky, you may even get to see a little snow. Greenville averages a few inches each year. A few pics from a rare early December snowstorm that dumped 4 inches on the city. Everyone else stayed in their house, we went out to take some rare photos (personally I love snow and couldn’t wait to get out there).
If you need a snack after burning all those calories, take a stroll over to Kilwins for a chocolate dipped treat or Old Europe (further walk) for a slice of decadent cheesecake or macaron. And of course, nothing quite goes with ice skating than a rich cup of hot chocolate – Methodical is my personal choice for a great cup of cocoa.
How to get here: Ice on Main is located at: 206 S. Skating will run you $12 on weekends and $10 during the week (skates included), so not a bad deal. Main St. Methodical is located at 101 N. Main (a short walk from the rink).
For the athletic Couple: Bike the Swamp Rabbit Trail
For those who prefer to burn calories together, the Swamp Rabbit trail is for you. This 20+ mile multi purpose trail runs through the city and a portion of the nearby small town of Travelers Rest.
Whether you are into biking, jogging, walking, or rollerblading, this wonderful trail is the must-do for fitness buffs who must get in a great workout, even on vacation! As the popular saying goes, “The couples who sweat together, stay together!” Mike and I biked this beautiful trail at least a few times per week during the spring-fall seasons. Our favorite starting points: Furman University, Lake Conestee Park, and the Swamp Rabbit Cafe.
My favorite portion of this path starts right behind the popular Swamp Rabbit Cafe. This local coop/bakery/coffeehouse is a real treat – I love their coffee and homemade pastries. They make all their treats on-site using local ingredients. Treat yourself to a chocolate croissant, blueberry slab pie, or vegan donut; don’t worry you will quickly burn all those calories off during your bike ride! You also can’t beat the free parking!
How to get here: Lake Conestee is located at: 601 Fork Shoals Rd. Free parking. The Swamp Rabbit Cafe is located at: 205 Cedar Lane Rd. Cleveland Park is located at: Cleveland Park Drive & E. Washington.
For the adventurous: Explore the great outdoors at Paris Mountain State Park
What better way to connect than by spending the day hiking, kayaking, or picnicking in a peaceful natural setting? At Paris Mountain State Park, you will find a variety of nature trails, most moderate in intensity, along with a small waterfall, picnicking facilities, and beautiful views of Lake Placid. Kayak and canoe rentals are available if you feel like taking your workout to the water.
I recommend hiking the Lake Placid loop. It’s just under a mile and features great views of the lake and even a small waterfall. If you are up for a bigger adventure, I recommend the 3.6 mile Sulphur Springs loop.
How to get here: Paris Mountain State Park is located at: 2401 State Park Rd. Admission is 6 bucks per person.
For the romantic: Enjoy a quiet stroll down tree-lined Main Street
Charming Main Street is definitely the best place in town for a nice date. The tree-lined streets, al fresco dining, and a beautiful central park make it my favorite place for a date. You can do so much here including: enjoying coffee at a local cafe, brunch, or even seeing a show (check the schedule at the Peace Center), there is always something going on. I love browsing in all the little shops like the Mast General Store and Poppington’s homemade popcorn.
Numerous events are on the lineup all year long, from Artisphere in February, to the TD Saturday Farmer’s market from May-October, to special holiday themed festivals throughout the year. My favorite event is definitely the farmers market. Mike and I love strolling around for fresh produce and local crafts.
As I mentioned prior, there is a nice range of restaurants, from super casual to fine dining. Romantic dining choices include: Larkin’s on the River, Giovanni’s Italian, Soby’s, Passerelle, Bonjour Main, or Jianna.
To avoid most of the tourists, you may want to stroll along the West End section of Main Street. This area is a bit more low-key with less tourists. Here you will find a quaint tea shop called Crafty Cats. If you love cats and tea, this is the place for you. The decor is beautiful and the tea is excellent (do try the beautiful Blooming Tea pictured below). Coffee, beer, and snacks also available.
For the sports fans: See a game at Fluor Field
Baseball fans will want to book tickets to see the Greenville Drive, a class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Games start at just 5 bucks, so this is a great budget friendly date idea. Even better, right across the street is the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum.
Shoeless Joe, known for the Chicago Black Sox scandal, actually grew up here, and thus, his house has been turned into a memorabilia museum. I do not follow baseball closely, however Mike is a big Cubs fan and I love the movie Field of Dreams so we took a self-guided tour.
Start with a browse around the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum, enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant (Liberty Tap Room is a popular brewery within walking distance), and then cap your day off with a game at Fluor Field. It’s the perfect Greenville date for sports fans!
How to get here: The museum is located at 356 Field Street, with Fluor Field right across the St. Museum parking and admission is free! The memorial park baseball field is located at 406 West Ave.
Update: I recently visited the Field of Dreams movie site in Iowa. Seeing the actual field was such a nostalgic trip down memory lane. You can run the bases, take nostalgic movie photos, and even watch an entertaining Ghost Players show. It’s a bucket list contender for sure if you are passing through Iowa!
Greenville Drive schedule and tickets
For dessert lovers: Treat yourself to a pastry & espresso at Old Europe
Asheville’s oldest and most popular coffeeshop has now opened a second location on Greenville’s trendy Main Street. After strolling around the shops for a bit, you will probably be more than ready for a break from the crowds. As Old Europe is located on the quieter West End of downtown, it remains a bit off-the-radar. Thus, it is the perfect place for an afternoon coffee date. The cafe in Asheville is always jam packed with very little seating, so I actually prefer this quiet alternative.
Old Europe offers a full espresso menu, plus the most enticing selection of pastries. Whether you are craving a savory slice of quiche, a decadent slice of cheesecake, or a traditional French macaron, they have just about every tempting treat you can imagine available. Recent selections include: Coffee cake, pumpkin bread, almond croissants, coconut cream cake, lemon blueberry cupcakes, strawberry mousse cake, and red velvet cake.
Really, It’s hard to settle on just one! Personally, I like their muffins and croissants the best. I would love to try a slice of Godiva chocolate cheesecake one of these days. Order an espresso to go along with your treat, grab a window seat…and Voila! you have the perfect little cheap date!
Other popular dessert destinations on Main St. include:
- Spill the Beans: Serves delicious gelato
- Kilwins: Serves delicious ice cream, fudge, and hand dipped chocolate treats
- Marble Slab Creamery: Known for their over-the-top “Majestic Shakes.”
How to get here: Old Europe is located at: 716 S. Main St.
Daytrips for fitness buffs & nature lovers
If you are up for a drive, there are so many gorgeous state parks and waterfalls to explore in the Upstate. It would be a mistake to visit Greenville and stay downtown your entire trip. While I love local shopping and dining on Main Street, there are too many great natural attractions to explore while you in the vicinity. You can check out my Upstate attraction guide to get started.
Asheville is another great couples’ destination with so many great foodie restaurants, art galleries, boutique shops, and a year-long calendar of events to enjoy. You can check out my downtown Asheville guide for more details.
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