Greenville Beer and Travel Guide

Greenville is a cute little growing city nestled in the northwest corner of South Carolina

GVL Tips: 

• I spend a lot of time in Greenville and it is a really nice city. It is kid friendly, dog friendly, pedestrian friendly and bike friendly.

• The city is pretty small, a weekend visit is the ideal amount of time!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: ​

• The Eighth State Brewing: My favorite brewery in the Greenville area and arguably the best in the entire state! They have delicious beers, frequent events, lots of non-beer options, and rotating in-house food.

• The Whale: A fantastic craft beer bar with something for every palate! They have 20 taps and a huge selection of cans and bottles.

• Swamp Rabbit Café: I HIGHLY recommend visiting this cute little restaurant, the food is incredible! Located right on the Swamp Rabbit Trail if you are biking/running/walking it is a great spot to stop for lunch. I recommend you get a sandwich because the stecca bread is superb!

• The Community Tap: A fun beer bar with some killer beers on tap and wine and beer for purchase. Dog friendly!

• Sully’s Steamers: A great spot for bagels right in the heart of downtown.

• Lewis Barbeque: This renowned Charleston-based BBQ restaurant is superb. The food is delicious, bar drinks are great, and patio is lovely. Don’t miss happy hour from 4-6pm!

• Other Lands: A brewery and coffee shop with a small food menu. They have solid beers, but dirty glassware. The patio is nice + they are dog-friendly.

• Fireforge Brewing: A ton of beer options, smell menu of snacks, comfy seating options, outside space, really friendly bartenders, and it’s located right downtown!

• The Trappe Door: A restaurant and beer bar specializing in Belgian food and drink. This unique spot is in a dark basement setting in the heart of downtown Greenville. They have a great Belgian beer selection and tasty food.

The Eighth State Brewing Company

The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Falls Park on the Reedy: A pretty park with lots of places to sit and relax or wander around. The quintessential ‘Greenville’!

• Paris Mountain State Park: About a twenty minute drive from downtown Greenville but worth it! It is a $6 entrance fee for the State Park to gain access to all of the trails. Brissy Ridge was a good hike but didn’t have as exciting of views as I’d hoped. The Lake Placid Loop is a very chill walk around the lake where you can also see the dam. Sulphur Springs was nice but a little boring.

• The Commons: A ton of small local businesses under one roof! The food hall has The Community Tap (above), Methodical Coffee, SC Bake Room, Automatic Taco, Golden Brown and Delicious and more. Located on the Swamp Rabbit Trail too!

• Gather: Another food hall concept made out of old containers and fully outside. Pasta Addict is my favorite! Greenville Beer Exchange also has a space here.

• Swamp Rabbit Trail: A 22 mile trail running through Greenville along the Reedy River and through city parks. This trail connects GVL and Traveler’s Rest!

• Stay at the Hampton Inn downtown: This is actually a super nice hotel in a fantastic location at reasonable rates. Pro-tip you don’t have to valet or park in a garage, there is free street parking all around.

Swamp Rabbit Café

Other ideas:​​

• Liability Brewing: Tasty beers and lively atmosphere, especially when the weather is warm and the garage-style doors are open.

• Greenville Beer Exchange: A bottle shop and taproom with a wide selection of beers.

• Traveler’s Rest: A cute little town north of Greenville! An easy detour to explore.

  • Swamp Rabbit Brewing: Solid beers and small town vibes located in Traveler’s Rest

• Tetrad Brewing: An average brewery with chill vibes.

• Smoke on the Water: A nice spot for BBQ in the heart of downtown. The food here is delicious and they also have a nice outside area.

• Biscuit Head: A delicious breakfast spot out of Asheville. All things biscuit!

• Southernside Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a large outdoor space, full food menu and tasty beers. They are located across the river from The Commons.

• Grateful Brew: A cute 60’s vibes coffee shop and beer bar that is dog friendly.

• Fork and Plough: A farm to table restaurant with solid eats. They also are a market and butchery.

• Double Stamp Brewery: A solid brewery with a rooftop patio.

  • Home Team BBQ, the popular Charleston-based BBQ spot, is located right next door as well.

• Yee-Haw Brewing: The Greenville outpost of the Johnson City brewery. Half of the beers on tap are brewed in GVL, half in Johnson City. A cute outdoor space, while the inside has more restaurant-style vibes.

• Shoeless Brewing: A brewery in the homebrew supply store Grapes and Grains on the east side of the city. The beers here are solid and it is a popular local hangout.

• 13 Stripes Brewing: Located Northeast of the city inside the old Taylor’s Mill, giving the brewery warehouse-y vibes. They have a large selection of beers, but no flights as a heads up.

• Brewery 85: A fun brewery with many German-style beers that come in fun mason jar pint glasses. Frequent events and food trucks!

• Tipsy Taco: A Tex-Mex restaurant with several locations in the area.

Paris Mountain State Park

Skip:

• Think Tank Brew Lab: A mediocre brewery near the downtown airport. They have large taproom and large outdoor space with a small food menu.

• Iron Hill Brewing: A chain brewery with a large menu of average beers.

• Spill The Beans: This is a coffee shop in downtown Greenville with bad coffee and worse service.

• Quest Brewing: A small little tap room with below average beers.

• Pangaea Brewing: A mediocre brewery in The Commons with a small food menu and average beers.

Charleston Beer and Travel Guide

Charleston is a gorgeous southern city with the best of both worlds: a fun downtown and the beach!

CHS Tips: 

• As with anywhere in the deep south, it is HOT in the summer, so plan ahead (or visit between September-May)

• If you're planning a trip check out my bestie's amazing business to help you celebrate any occasion! Girls weekends, birthdays, engagements, whatever it may be, she will help plan your perfect experience!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: 

• The Whale: A fantastic craft beer bar with great taps and a cans/bottles to choose from. It is beautifully designed and has both indoor and outdoor seating.

• Westbrook Brewing: A large brewery a bit outside the hustle and bustle in Mt Pleasant. They have a large variety of tasty beers, specifically their Stouts!

• Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company: Edmund’s Oast has two locations in Charleston—the brewery and the restaurant Both are great spots—they have chill vibes, nice patios, a wide array of taps, and tasty eats.

• Wine & Company: Seriously the best cheese plates I've ever had in my life (& I’ve had a lot of cheese plates). They have an extensive wine selection and a can/bottle list with select beers!

• Taco Boy: A fun Mexican restaurant with three locations—one on Folly Beach, one in downtown CHS, and one in Summerville. Get the Frozen Screwdriver, you won’t regret it!

• Folly Beach: A large beach and a cute strip of bars and restaurants—a great place to spend a day!

• Lewis Barbecue: A delicious spot for eats and drinks! They have a nice patio and very popular BBQ alongside superb sides and nachos.

• Revelry Brewing: Such a fun brewery with a rooftop and a wide variety of beers for every palate

• Brown Dog Deli: Mouthwatering sandwiches! Pro Tip: Grab a sandwich to go and eat it on the waterfront just a few blocks away

• The rooftop bar at Stars: a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors and relax with a cocktail. Conveniently located right on King Street

• Baker and Brewer: From Evo Pizza and Holy City Brewing, this pizzeria and brewery has phenomenal pizzas and delicious beers! They also have nice outdoor seating options.

• Bowens Island Restaurant: A fantastic spot for fresh-off-the-boat seafood with lovely views and chill vibes! Get here early to avoid the line.

• Bodega: Such a cute spot for coffee, breakfast and lunch. They have great indoor/outdoor seating and are in the heart of downtown.

Magnolia Plantation

The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• King Street: You could wander up and down King Street for hours on end popping into shops, restaurants, bars, and people watching

• Magnolia Plantation and Gardens: Gorgeous grounds and a lot of history to soak in

• College of Charleston: A beautiful campus in the heart of downtown, it is definitely worth wandering through!

• Charleston City Market: Historical site filled with several shops full of good finds

• Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens: Gorgeous grounds & a ton of history

• The Battery: The park at the end of the peninsula on the water—a perfect spot for a picnic!

• Rainbow Row: Just a quick stop, but the houses are gorgeous! 

• Firefly Distillery: An awesome Firefly spirits tasting experience alongside fun cocktails and frequent live music and events!

Wine & Company

Other ideas:​​​

• Sullivan's Island: Another beautiful beach!

• Low Tide Brewing: Located on John’s Island, this brewery has a variety of beers and a great outdoor space

• Charles Towne Fermentory: A brewery with solid IPAs in West Ashley. They’ve also got a food window and board games!

• Graft: A cute wine shop and wine bar that also has a small food menu

• Home Team BBQ: A delicious BBQ restaurant with locations downtown, in West Ashley, and on Sullivan’s Island. Their famous cocktail The Frozen Game Changer is delicious!

• Leon’s Oyster Shop: A fun restaurant set in an old garage specializing in fried chicken, oysters, and unique drinks.

  • Pro-tip: You can only make a reservation if you party is larger than 6, so if there is a long-ish wait, head around the corner to Graft for a glass of wine while you wait!

• Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit: A delicious biscuit shop located both on Upper King Street and in the City Market.

• Five Loaves Café: A tasty spot for brunch, lunch and dinner. They have locations in Mt. Pleasant and Summerville!

• The rooftop bar at the Vendue Hotel: Another great rooftop, highly recommend when it is dark outside so you can admire the well lit Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.

• Frothy Beard Brewing: Tonssss of beers on tap here. Located in the West Ashley neighborhood.

• Azul: A solid spot for Mexican eats with multiple locations around town!

• Charles Town Landing: ​The original Charleston. Lots of history, lots of beautiful outdoor space

• Brunch at Shelter: cheap carafes of mimosas and a deep fried peanut butter french toast…. need I say more?

• Freehouse Brewery: Organic brewery in a scenic setting on the Ashley River. Very chill vibes

• Holy City Brewing: Solid beers, full food menu, and a large space.

• LoFi Brewing: A warehouse style brewery with a small tap list but solid brews!

• Ghost Monkey Brewing: Classic taproom vibes with a variety of beers available

• Fort Sumter: For the history geek, be sure to check out this famous battle site 

• Munkle Brewing: Belgian-style brewery with Trappist beers

• Kudu: A nice spot for coffee and craft beer just off a King Street.

• Palmetto Brewing Co: Solid beers and nice patio seating with frequent food trucks

• Pawley’s Island Brewing: A small brewery with solid beers—close to Freehouse Brewery

• Rusty Bull Brewing: A fun brewery in North Charleston with ax throwing connected to it as well!

• Tradesman Brewing: A brewery with extremely unique beers and an abundance of outdoor seating

• Isle of Palms is another great beach to check out! There is less parking and it’s a little less built up than the other beaches but still a gorgeous beach!

• Kiawah Island is less crowded than Folly, Sullivan’s, or IOP, but it is also a longer drive from downtown. If you’re up for the hike it’s definitely more peaceful!

  • Seabrook Island is located right next to Kiawah but it is a gated community—you have to have a pass to access the island or any of the beaches.

Exploring the Myrtle Beach Area

The Myrtle Beach Area is a long stretch of towns along the Atlantic Ocean in Northern South Carolina. This area consists of North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Surfside, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield and Pawleys Island. Everything here is quite touristy but there are still some nice spots to check out and the beaches are great!

Crooked Hammock Brewery

Myrtle Beach Area Breweries:

• Crooked Hammock Brewery: An awesome brewery in North Myrtle Beach! They are located in the Barefoot Landing shopping and dining destination on the intracoastal waterway. Crooked Hammock has an incredible outdoor space with yard games, hammocks, and a variety of seating. They also have two indoor areas—a taproom on one side with tours and the restaurant on the other. Their food is extremely delicious and the beers are solid and easy-drinking, perfect for the beachy location. Don’t miss their bar on the water, Tortuga Island, complete with a full menu, swings, and a fun atmosphere.

• New South Brewing: A good brewery in Myrtle Beach with a wide variety of beers available. They have a unique taproom space and chill vibes.

• Quigley’s Pint and Plate: A restaurant-style brewery in Pawleys Island. They have nice outdoor seating and solid beers and food.

• Southern Hops Brewing Company: A solid brewery in Murrells Inlet with patio seating and a full food menu.

• Liberty Tap Room and Grill: A restaurant-style brewery in Myrtle Beach with a full food menu and average beers.

• Tidal Creek Brewhouse: A brewery in Myrtle Beach with a large outdoor space, a dog area, a wide variety of beers, a full food menu, and cocktails and wine too. As a forewarning the outdoor space can quickly become overrun by unsupervised children.

• Independent Republic Brewing: A brewery on the intracoastal in Myrtle Beach. This is really more of a dive bar than a brewery, but at least there are nice views! They share a space with Boathouse so you can order food from their kitchen. If you are flying in/out of Myrtle Beach they are right by the airport so this would be a great first or last stop.

• Grand Strand Brewing Company: Solid beers, below average service. They’ve got a nice patio space a few blocks from the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

Millstone Biscuit Co. + Brown Fox Coffee at the beach!

Restaurants and coffee shops:

Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk: A touristy area full of restaurants and bars with a boardwalk along the inlet. My favorites here are:

• Neptune Bistro & Raw Bar: Delicious food and cocktails overlooking the water.

• Wicked Tuna: A sushi and seafood focused restaurant with water views.

• Dead Dog Saloon: A great spot to grab a drink, especially something frozen!

Banditos Cantina: A delicious restaurant off the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk with upper patio seating and ocean views. Highly recommend!

Brown Fox Coffee Box: A cute little coffee stand at the end of the Marsh Walk with great drinks and a small seating area.

Millstone Biscuit Co.: A great spot for breakfast or lunch in Murrells Inlet and Pawley’s Island with delicious biscuit sandwiches. Order via counter service for dine-in or take-out. This is a popular spot so try to go early!

Bagel Café: A delicious spot for bagels and breakfast in Pawleys Island!

Where to stay:

• Surfside Beach Oceanfront Hotel: An oceanfront hotel with great views and beach access! This was a nice stay while not being too expensive.

• Hampton Inn Pawleys Island: A reasonably-priced and conveniently located hotel. This is your average hotel stay.

Have you been to the Myrtle Beach area? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

The Best Breweries in South Carolina

South Carolina has over 75 breweries and some that are truly crushing it. Living in Charlotte, South Carolina is just a half an hour away so I frequently head down to SC for adventures and of course brewery exploration.

In alphabetical order, here are the best breweries in South Carolina:

Birds Fly South Ale Project

Located in Greenville, SC, Birds Fly South crushes the wild beer game. Sours, Cuvees, Farmhouse Ales, Mixed Cultures, Saisons, Wild Lagers—if it has got funk, BFS does it and does it well. They are housed in Hampton Station, a mixed used development with a few other spots that you can explore. White Duck Taco is always a good idea to pair with your beers.

Charles Towne Fermentory

Located in Charleston, SC, Charles Towne makes great IPAs and Lagers. Don’t expect a huge variety or a huge tap list when you visit, but the things they do they do well. The head brewer used to brew at Trillium and then Tired Hands, so you know they crush Hazy IPAs. Their small taproom is located in the Avondale neighborhood.

Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co.

Located in Charleston, SC, Edmund’s Oast has three different locations: The Brewery, The Restaurant, and The Exchange. The brewery location is my personal favorite and will soon be right next to Juan Luis, a popular taco spot taking the former space of Workshop Food Hall for those familiar. The Exchange is connected to The Restaurant is is a great spot to grab to-go beers. Each Edmund’s Oast location has different Happy Hour specials that are fantastic, I highly recommend looking to see what they are featuring before you visit. Edmund’s Oast does each style of beer well, but their Sours are the best in my opinion. No matter what you order you will be impressed!

The Eighth State Brewing Co.

Located in Greenville, SC, Eighth State nails Fruited Sours and Pastry Stouts. They make insane beers because they are willing to go out on the edge and use things in their beers that others would never dare. You never know what you’re going to find on the tap list but just lean into it and enjoy! They’ve also got sandwiches and bread from Swamp Rabbit Cafe to go with your beers which is truly fantastic.

Slow Play Brewing

Located in Rock Hill, SC, just south of Charlotte, Slow Play makes incredibly juicy and delicious IPAs. They have a wide variety of beers if IPAs aren’t your thing, but if you enjoy them you will love this spot. They’ve also got an amazing food truck that lives onsite—Cibi Cibi!

Westbrook Brewing

Located in Charleston, SC, Westbrook is one of the OGs of craft beer. Personally I think their Stouts are their strongest style (can you tell from my flight above?) but they do each style of beer well! They are most known for Mexican Cake, an Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs, cinnamon, vanilla, and habanero peppers. Their taproom is in Mount Pleasant but you can find their beer across the state and neighboring states as well.

If you’re exploring South Carolina, here is my full guide to Greenville and here is my full guide to Charleston!
Cheers —Alexis

A Weekend on Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island is a gorgeous beach getaway near the border of South Carolina and Georgia. The beaches are long and the sand is soft, making it a great place to hang out on the Atlantic Ocean with friends and family!

In the summer it can get jam packed with tourists from all over, but it is a great spot to visit and soak in some Vitamin D!

Hilton Head Tips:

• Make sure you have cash on you, one of the roads onto the island is a toll road and depending on where you are staying that might be the fastest route!

• Visiting in the off-season (October-March) is a good idea to avoid the crowds and get cheaper rates!

• Traveling with a group? AvantStay has some amazing larger homes for rent! Use my link here to save $250 off your booking!

• It’s less than an hour from Savannah as well so it’s a great spot to stop on a Southeast trip! Check out all of my Savannah recommendations here!

Here are my favorite spots for your adventures on Hilton Head Island:

Java Burrito

Java Burrito

A coffee shop and Mexican food joint together! Their food and drinks are incredible, the staff is SO friendly, and the prices are great! I highly recommend visiting Java Burrito—I went multiple times while on the island!

My favorite was their breakfast burritos—you can build your own and choose which ingredients you’d like! If you don’t opt for the queso we can’t be friends.

They also have Happy Hour every day from 4-6pm with $5 cocktails. Unfortunately Java Burrito is closed on Sundays, as a heads up!

Hefeweizen at Hilton Head Brewing Company

Hilton Head Brewing Company

A small brewery right near the airport with solid beers! They have outside seating options and a small snack menu as well.

You can also find their cans locally if you want to grab some for your beach time, hotel room, or to take home with you!

River Dog’s IPA at Skull Creek Boathouse

Skull Creek Boathouse

A chill restaurant with relaxing water views on the inlet. They have a large outdoor patio with a fire pit and heat lamps to keep warm on chillier nights! It is a great place to catch a sunset.

Their menu is quite large and offers a wide variety of food and drinks, including a few local beers on tap. They’ve got everything from sushi to pasta to seafood to sandwiches!

Birds Fly South’s Empress Rising Mole BBA Imperial Stout at The Lodge

The Lodge

A great craft beer bar with local and afar options on tap. They’ve also got bar food, pool, and Happy Hour.

The Lodge is located in The Barmuda Triangle—an area with several bars and restaurants to hop around. As a heads up it can get pretty party-centric on the weekend nights!

Vegan wrap at Delisheeyo

Delisheeyo

A vegan food restaurant that is a great spot for lunch! They have salads, sandwiches, wraps, and smoothies.

As someone who is not vegan I still found the food to be delicious! The staff is also super nice and helpful.

The view from The Marriott Resort and Spa

Have you been to Hilton head Island? What are your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments!