Discover Greenville: Tar River, greenways and art

Greenville brings together the Tar River, trails, parks and arts offerings. At Greenville Town Common, paved paths and the Town Creek Bridge lead to a 1,500-foot river walk that connects the Common with the Tar River Greenway. Fishing, boating and kayaking are available on the Tar River by Town Common. This offers a choice of vacation plans: time on the water can take a different priority than walking or cycling. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, first consider which of these experiences you want to shape your stay.

Riverside trails and green spaces

Greenville’s greenways include about 9 miles of linear parks for walking, jogging, cycling and enjoying nature. One specific route is the Green Mill Run Greenway: it passes through Elm Street Park and extends to the East Carolina University campus. The South Tar River Greenway is about 4 miles long, follows a scenic route along the Tar River, and offers several river access points and places to stop and relax. Its route runs from Thomas Foreman Park toward Town Common and ends at Green Springs Park. When planning your day, you can decide whether to focus on a network with varied uses or a greenway with named endpoints.

River Park North is a 324-acre nature park with five ponds, two fishing piers and pedal-boat rentals. It also has basic and drive-in campsites, hiking trails, a fossil pit, picnic shelters with grills and a sand volleyball court. The offerings range from time on the water to trails and picnic areas. Wildwood Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset; check its hours before your arrival.

Art at your own pace and music events

The Downtown Greenville Mural Trail leads to more than 20 murals in the Downtown Greenville District and can be explored on a self-guided tour. The First Friday ArtWalk is also self-guided and designed to be explored at your own pace. Local art galleries and museums, libraries, live music venues, breweries and cafés open their doors, giving visitors the chance to experience art, performances and culinary offerings. The two tours offer different focuses: the Mural Trail highlights murals, while the ArtWalk focuses on participating venues and their programs.

The Greenville Museum of Art offers tours of its permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. These tours must be booked in advance; check the museum’s current information before making plans. Live music takes place at the Greenville Toyota Amphitheatre during annual events such as the Sunday in the Park Summer Concert Series, the Greenville Grooves Music Festival and PirateFest. You can combine art experiences with guided tours or self-guided exploration, and include music events as another part of your trip planning.

A simple question can help you choose a vacation rental: should your trip focus more on river activities and greenways, or on art and events? Greenville offers specific options for both interests.

Discover more destinations

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