Grab a bike or good pair of walking shoes and explore everything the 28-mile-long Swamp Rabbit Trail has to offer.
the Eggs Up Grill, we set out to explore Falls Park. It’ s easy to take its beauty at face value— the rushing water, the curved Liberty Bridge, the gardens filled with locals of all ages biking, jogging, birdwatching, or simply sitting near the
The 345-foot-long Liberty Bridge connects both sides of downtown and offers great views of the Reedy River falls. spray. But Greenville’ s revitalization is relatively recent. For decades, the falls that are now the heart of downtown were hidden under a four-lane highway bridge, and the river itself suffered from textile mill pollution. Downtown emptied out, industry retreated, and the Reedy River became something you drove past, not toward.
Removing that highway bridge in 2002 and unveiling the waterfall below was a turning point— a literal unearthing. The pedestrian Liberty Bridge followed, then greenways, public art, restaurants, new hotels, and walkable streets. Today, the riverfront is lively and photogenic, yet reminders remain that the work isn’ t finished. We inquired about fishing and were cautioned that
Top spots for sustenance include Indaco( top photo), known for its handmade pastas and wood-fired pizzas, and the Swamp Rabbit Café( above), which serves sandwiches, smoothies, and more, and also includes a small market.
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it’ s better to catch-and-release than to eat fish caught in the river. Official local guidance is that the river is generally safe for fishing, but that water quality can vary, especially after rainstorms. In Greenville, history sits in plain sight, but it sits beside progress.
That balance is felt strongly as you continue along the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 20-plus-mile greenway built along a former rail line. Nina and I walked north into Unity Park, a 60-acre gathering space intentionally named to reflect reconciliation. Once, the area held segregated parks— one for Black residents, one for white residents. Over time, the land was neglected. Today it’ s filled with children sprinting between playground towers, families picnicking on open lawns, and seniors walking laps along the Reedy. It’ s a park that remembers where it came from without being defined by it.
Rising 125 feet above the Reedy, the new Thomas and Vivian A. Wong Honor Tower provides a 360-degree
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