A Summer in Greenville

By: Preston Wickremesekera

As I enter into my senior year at Furman, there is still something I have yet to experience as a student: A Greenville summer. Being from Chicago, I have gotten a taste of every season from brutally cold winters to scorching hot summers. I am extremely excited to experience summer on campus in Greenville for the first time. Greenville has become one of the fastest growing cities in the country and has only continued to expand throughout my time as a Furman student. Greenville offers a little bit of everything, from great food to scenic views of locations like Paris mountain. My goal this summer is to experience as many different activities and excursions as possible. As my time at Furman comes to a close, I want to be able to say I have fully immersed myself into the city that is only 10 to 15 minutes away from campus.

The first few activities I am going to take advantage of this summer are the Greenville Triumph soccer games and the Greenville Drive baseball games.

Tickets for these games are fairly priced and the games are extremely entertaining. They are a great way to spend an afternoon with friends! I have played soccer my entire life and I was thrilled when I heard the Triumph were coming to Greenville back in 2019. I have also grown up as a huge Cubs fan being from Chicago, so watching live baseball again is something I am definitely looking forward to doing this summer.

If you are a prospective student however who is not interested in sporting events, don’t you fret! There are a number of other great forms of entertainment offered in Greenville. The first of these is Falls Park located on the Reedy River right in downtown. This park has become a great place to walk around, enjoy the sun, and appreciate a spectacular view of a waterfall right in downtown. There are over 36 acres of land throughout the park holding numerous gardens and greenspaces.

Right next to Falls Park is Spill the Beans, an ice cream shop that sells tasty ice cream which can be very refreshing on a hot day. Downtown Greenville also surrounds the Swamp Rabbit Trail, which begins right on Furman’s campus and extends into downtown, all the way into Travelers Rest. It is over 22 miles long and many walkers, joggers, and bikers take advantage of it each and every day.

Lastly, you can’t talk about Greenville without highlighting the food options available here! Greenville offers everything from Thai cuisine to delicious barbecue. Greenville has a diverse assortment of food options from Sobys and Halls Steakhouse to Sully Steamer’s bagels. There is always a new restaurant to try. Some favorites among Furman students include White Duck Taco for some Mexican food or Biscuit Head for a great tasting breakfast option.

There are a number of great restaurants that are also opening every few months in Greenville as the city continues to grow. I am excited for my chance to experience a Greenville summer because there are so many inexpensive activities to take advantage of and  great food to try everywhere I go!