"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Love for Greenville

Good afternoon!

First of all, as it was a holiday and I was on the road, there was no "Make it Happen Monday" yesterday.  My task is to officially apply for admission to the local community college this week.
Duke University it is not, but it has a lot of online and night class offerings.

This weekend we took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Greenville, South Carolina.
Thursday J suggested we go somewhere for our 4-day weekend.  Hotels at the beaches were packed, so we decided to think outside the box a little. We didn't want a long drive because BabyCakes isn't exactly the best car-rider these days.
Greenville is 4 hours to the west of here.  We knew they had a zoo and we picked a hotel with a pool.  Our hopes were to see a new town and zoo, swim, and relax.

In short, I LOVED Greenville.  Well, J and I both did.



Their downtown was revitalized over the last 30 years and it is completely beautiful.
It had tree-lined streets and inviting shops and restaurants.


The roads were easy to navigate and everywhere was clean and friendly.  This place really knows a thing or two about maximizing their citizens' quality of life.
The old mixes with the new in a thoughtful, well-planned way that begs you to spend more time there.


BabyCakes alternated between sweetly holding hands with us (even BigBoy!) and wanting to be lugged around like a sack of potatoes carried.


We stopped in Marble Slab for some ice cream and ate in a cute loft area.




Then we made our way to a big part of the city's appeal: Falls Park on the Reedy.


It is an area of gardens, trees and small waterfalls lapping over stones, right in the heart of downtown.



A beautiful suspension bridge is at the center of the park.






New and old paths - brick, stone, and dirt,-- encouraging  you to wander freely.



Extra-wide swings, benches, and chairs invite you to sit and stay a while.


Along the river there are shops, restaurants, and hotels.


Always with a view.

I have SOOO many more pictures and stories but I can hear BabyCakes jumping in her crib and an odor drifting down the hall and into my bedroom,  letting me know that nap time is as over as the diaper she is wearing.


My friends, do yourself a favor the next time you are headed somewhere and find yourself near Greenville, South Carolina, and stop for a visit!

4 comments:

Melissa said...

Great pics, Cayce! I want to go!!

Alesia said...

Pictures are awesome!! Makes me want to go there right now and stay a week!! Hoping my schedule settles a bit after the opening of the library Sunday!! :) Hope you all are doing good.

elise said...

oh Cayce, these pictures are gorgeous! While you were in Greenville SC for Labor day weekend we were in Greenville, IL for a Family camp- how funny! I'm a bit jealous of your Greenville excursion because mine was a little bit more of a survival trip than a relaxing one- but thankful just the same :O) thanks for sharing!

Cayce said...

ha, that is funny! well ours was a bit of a survival trip too. :) As much as we loved the city, the kids were not always the best travel companions. This place is definitely going on my "Travel to when kids are older/no longer in our home" list. :)

No matter what, though, I didn't have to cook or do any laundry all weekend. :)