Christmastime in Greenville, SC

We spent a week in Greenville, SC earlier this month soaking up all the medium town Christmas charm it has to offer and boy was there plenty of it.

Most of the restaurants and coffee shops were decked for the holidays, which made it even more magical to have a cozy drink or meal because it rained the whole time we were in town.

We went to the Upstate Holiday Lights at the race track, and it was so cute. You drive through light displays, then stop for a light show set to music, more light displays, and at the end there were carnival rides, a petting zoo, and food trucks, but it was raining so we skipped the getting out of the car portion of the festivities.

We found a cool house with lights set to music, and no one else was there watching it so we got to park front and center for a few songs. I love an over the top light display.

Holly was growing along the edge go the hotel parking lot, which I thought was extra festive.

Maybe the most magical thing of all though was the Miracle at Southernside Brewing Co. Christmas pop up event. For the month-ish leading up to Christmas the entire bar is taken over by Santa’s Workshop. There are lights, trees, Santa and Mrs. Claus statues, giant candy canes, garland, themed drinks in fancy cups. It’s incredible. It was one of the most Christmasy things I have ever experienced.

Fucking Magical.

One festive things did make me sad though, a fully decorated gingerbread house. The last two years I wasn’t able to have my annual gingerbread house party because of Covid, and this year we moved away from all of our friends and still don’t have our own house. I got a gingerbread house building kit, but it won’t be the same as all the years we spent surrounded by 20+ of my favorite people, drinking and snacking, while building the most beautiful or ridiculous or whacky stack of graham crackers royal icing can hold together.

Aside from the gingerbread house situation and nonstop rain all week, Greenville really brought the Christmas spirit while we were visiting. 10/10 recommend.

Do you have any favorite towns to visit during the holidays? Let us know in the comments!