Greenville, South Carolina’s status as a hot tourism commodity probably isn’t new to many people. The city of 68,000 has gotten a ton of national buzz in the last few years. It was once a textile hub and in recent years has revitalized its downtown by turning former textile factories on the Reedy River into restaurants, art galleries, boutiques and more. Most people have read about Greenville’s famous Main Street. It is true that strolling this boutique-packed strip from the Hyatt Regency Hotel down to Falls Park on the Reedy is a must-see when you’re in the area.
However, did you know that the city also offers four different walking tours that you can access on your phone? Billed as “Gateways to History,” each of the tours sends walkers off in a different direction on the compass to explore the various historic neighborhoods in downtown. Each tour is less than two miles long and includes 6-8 points of interest.
On a recent sunny Saturday, I tried out the western route. I carried my phone with me and referred back to the website as it gave me the instructions of which streets to walk down, which intersections to look for and whether to make a right turn or a left. For first-time visitors, this is a great way to get your bearings and decide which attractions to devote more time to later.
After familiarizing myself with such stops as Heritage Green and St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church, I ended my afternoon with a partial stroll past the shops and galleries on Main Street.
“Oh, I LOVE Magnolia,” I heard a woman walking by exclaim as I chatted with an employee in a custom candle shop. Recently re-branded to Greenville Soy Candle Company, this Main Street boutique has two important things: 1) great smelling hand-poured candles and 2) a sense of humor about itself.
One display of candles is devoted to their so-called “Salty Candles.” All one needs to do to understand the category is to read a few of the scent names, such as, “No, you can’t talk to the Manager, Karen!” You probably know the perfect recipient for the “I’m sorry did I roll my eyes too loud?” candle.
Three hard-working women currently blend all the scents and pour all the candles here. The shop has been around for over a decade and as the woman passing by outside proves, they have quite a following. The shop offers a candle-making experience on the weekends where you can learn to make your own candles.
Next time you’re in Greenville, consider rewarding yourself with a mini-shopping spree after you’ve tried a walking tour or two. You won’t be disappointed in either.
November 23, 2020 at 1:58 pm
Thanks for coming along for the ride. Be well!