Some days, you just want to get outside and do something. But if you’re not familiar with the area, you might not know what there is to do. Or have the funds to do much. Don’t worry. There are many free outdoor things to do in Greenville.
Mini Golf
Located near downtown Greenville and just a few minutes from BJU, McPherson Park boasts a free mini golf course. You just need to bring your own putters and balls. The course was refurbished this spring and is just challenging enough to be fun for beginner and experienced golfers alike.
Biking
Since the completion of the Swamp Rabbit Trail in 2009, Greenville has bragged about the 22-mile railway-turned-greenway and promotes biking the Trail at every opportunity. In addition to the paved Swamp Rabbit, local parks such as Timmons Park include mountain bike trails. The city itself is biking-friendly, with bike rentals located along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. And local businesses sometimes offer free bike maintenance or other incentives for those who choose to self-propel their wheels.
Disc Golf
A sport rising in popularity with the college crowd is disc golf. Played with discs that look like frisbees but are made of a harder, heavier plastic, the sport combines strategy and skill.
Timmons Park between the BJU campus and downtown Greenville is one of the only parks in Greenville that has an 18-hole disc golf course. The park also hosts the Upstate Classic, an annual disc golf tournament, in November.
Hiking
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has some great hiking trails nearby. Many of these trails feature waterfalls. See our article on nearby waterfalls for a list of those within an hour of campus. Other popular hiking trails are at the state parks of Paris Mountain (15 minutes from campus), Caesar’s Head, Table Rock and Jones Gap.
Nature Walks
Greenville is home to a variety of flora and fauna. And with views of mountains in the distance, just going for a walk in nature preserves or gardens can be refreshing. Lake Conestee Nature Park has several trails and provides maps for self-guided, family friendly tours.
Several different species of wildlife make the nature preserve their home, including over 200 types of birds. The South Carolina Botanical Gardens in Clemson also has many nature trails as well as a geology museum, a nature-based sculpture collection and an arboretum.
