26 Apr A Grandparents’ Guide to Greenville

At The Woodlands at Furman, you can walk to Furman University to keep your brain fit with an OLLI class and then treat your grandkids to ice cream in one of America’s best small cities, all in the same day. Greenville is a great place to be a grandparent because there’s so much to do! Here are some of our top picks for places to spend quality time with your grandkids in the Greenville area.

Greenville Zoo

Lions and lizards and monkeys, oh my! Kids of all ages love the Greenville Zoo. It may be small, but it doesn’t disappoint! Say hello to orangutans Lana and Adira, a newborn giraffe named Kiden, and everything from a giant anteater to an Aldabra giant tortoise. Since exploring the zoo only takes about an hour and a half, you’ll still have plenty of time to pack in more Greenville fun later in the day!

Downtown Trolleys

Add a bit of nostalgia and adventure to your weekend with a trip aboard the open-air Greenville trolleys, which run fixed routes from North Main to the West End from Thursday through Sunday every week. Tech-savvy grandkids can track the trolley on an app designed to show where the trolleys are at any given time, and trolleys provide both bike racks and wheelchair accessibility. Best of all, it’s free to ride!

Cedar Falls Park

Want to see some of the Upstate’s famous natural beauty without a strenuous hike up a mountain? Drive to Fountain Inn to see the Reedy River cascade over rocks and boulders in Cedar Falls Park. Hiking trails, picnics, and scenic views of the waterfall offer plenty of accessible family fun for you and your grandchildren alike.

Discovery Island Waterpark

Open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Discovery Island Waterpark gives kids plenty of opportunities for slipping and sliding to beat the summer heat. Pull up a lounge chair under one of the giant umbrellas, or take your swim gear to wade in the large swimming pool with your young ones. Outside food and drinks aren’t allowed in the park, but on-site concessions make it easy to spend an afternoon having fun in the sun.

Mice On Main

Have you heard of Maggie Mouse, Marvin Mouse, or Aunt Mifflin Mouse? These bronze mice are hiding throughout downtown Greenville, waiting for you and your sharp-eyed grandkids to spot them and learn their stories. Download the list of clues online, and then head downtown to sleuth out where each of the nine mice is tucked away along Main Street. Learn more about Greenville while you search for the small sculptures created by local artist Zan Wells. Want a souvenir of your scavenger hunt? You can buy the book by Jim Ryan or pick out a Mice On Main T-shirt!

With all this and more to enjoy, Greenville is a perfect spot to call home. Contact The Woodlands at Furman for more information about Independent Living options that can help you enjoy retirement to the fullest.