Up until a year ago, I had never heard of Greenville, South Carolina.

It was ChatGPT that first put this underrated place on the map for me, so to speak, when I consulted the AI genie for a short list of U.S. cities that we could potentially call home in the next few years.

I’ve spoken about this in previous blog posts, but just for some context: After 10 years and three babies, we’re starting to outgrow our little one-story house in Frisco. However, whether we want to stay in the Dallas area or relocate to a different state altogether is currently up in the air.

My prompt was straightforward: Find me a place in the United States that has…

Affordable housing.
A small town feel with a vibrant community.
Homeschooling-friendly laws and opportunities.
Four seasons, but preferably a mild winter. (No snow for months on end.)
A walkable downtown.
Nature everywhere—preferably close to mountains, natural bodies of water, or both.
Access to raw milk, farmers’ markets, quality groceries, etc.
A strong food scene with several independent coffee shops.
Land and space for the kids to roam.
Conservative-leaning values.

It’s a lot to ask, I know. Which is why I wasn’t surprised when my handy dandy AI assistant came back with only two cities in the entire country that closely met my description: Savannah, Georgia and Greenville, South Carolina.

Even though I’ve always wanted to visit Savannah, I was much more intrigued by the idea of Greenville. (While apparently a stunner, Savannah is hot and quite the tourist attraction, two things I was hoping to avoid in a future residence.) The more I looked into the latter, the more I liked what I saw: South Carolina’s best kept secret, this small-but-growing city is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering a quick escape to the great outdoors while remaining just about a four-hour drive to some of the East Coast’s most popular beaches.

Based on my research alone of the culture, climate, and economy, Greenville appeared to check every single one of my boxes. Despite it’s much bigger and fairly-bustling downtown, the city as a whole is roughly half the size of Frisco in square miles and has six times less the amount of people—making it ideal for those of us who don’t want to live like sardines in Suburban America. Not gonna lie, this fact is what appealed most to my crowd-averse husband.

“Why don’t we plan a trip for next summer?” Scott suggested when I told him about my newly discovered mecca of spread-out, slow-living nature-lovers. I was speaking his language, and he was definitely speaking mine. The decision was made: Greenville would be our family’s first real vacation in four years.

On June 13, we drove the 14 hours from Frisco to Greenville in two segments, stopping halfway to sleep in a small Mississippi cabin. That was naturally the most challenging part of our weeklong adventure—as we assumed it would be with an 11-month-old who loathes his carseat (and just so happened to be running a 102 degree fever on the first leg of our trip). But once we were situated in Greenville, Max was feeling better, and we all felt right at home in our cozy AirBNB.

Monday was for grocery shopping, getting settled, and exploring our surroundings. Our house in Berea was situated on the outskirts of the city, but we didn’t mind; turns out, only a two-minute drive away was Saluda Lake Landing—a scenic watering hole perfect for swimming, kayaking, and sipping an ice cold cider on the dock (where Max and I sat watching Scott and the kids play). Jude and Ayla loved this spot so much that Scott took them back on the last day of our trip to end our week with a splash.

My parents arrived that evening and stayed just 10 minutes north of us in a quiet pocket called Travelers Rest. It was such a gift to have extra hands to help with the kids—and even better, to have them along for our grand adventures. Our first planned excursion of the week, of course, had to be dowwwnnntown (sung like Petula). Greenville's city center is unlike any I've ever seen. As nice as the photos are, they simply don't do it justice. Standing on Liberty Bridge, looking out over Falls Park, I was enamored with the breathtaking view of the rushing river framed by lush greenery on every side. It felt like something out of a storybook.

I'd packed our suitcases in preparation for the sweltering heat of June—after all, it's still the South—but without the humidity weighing everything down, each morning felt closer to 60 degrees. Crisp, comfortable, and much more akin to late spring than mid-summer. Perfect weather for hiking! My parents babysat Max at their cabin the next morning so the four of us could hit the hiking trails at Paris Mountain State Park.

We took the Brissy Ridge Trail, which at our pace was about a two-hour stroll through the hardwood forests, and ended up at Lake Placid to cool off before lunch. Scott and I were truly impressed with the kids’ stamina! Just a year ago, Ayla could hardly walk a mile without being carried, and Jude’s not used to going more than two—but they both mastered this 2.4-mile moderate hike, 500-foot elevation gain and all.

On Thursday, my parents took the kids to the zoo while Scott and I wandered around the hip West Village Arts district. Later, we would make our way downtown again to share some oysters at Stir, drop in at M. Judson Booksellers for a book, and browse the drink selection at Greenville Beer Exchange before hopping in the car to scope out surrounding neighborhoods.

Even with all there is to do in Greenville Proper, Travelers Rest ultimately stole my heart. We spent most of Friday and Saturday roaming around the small rural village, admiring the picturesque houses with their mountain backdrops, eating sweet and savory crêpes at Tandem Crêperie, and sampling snacks from the farmers’ market (ranked the best in South Carolina!). We even stumbled upon a general store called Piney Mountain Farm + Market that sells everything from pasture-raised animal protein to handmade skincare, mold-free coffee to local gifts, and unwashed eggs to raw milk. I threw some sourdough cookies and a Cinnamon Chai candle in my cart as a souvenir, joking with Scott that I’d easily spend all of our money there if we lived nearby.

So, are we moving to Greenville anytime soon?! The jury’s still out. There are a thousand different factors that will go into our decision to either stick around DFW for the long haul or eventually make the leap to South Carolina. We’re currently in the process of weighing the pros and cons for each, and truth be told, it’s a very close race. Wherever we move next, we want to make sure it’s somewhere worth settling in and putting down roots. Community is hugely important to me, and starting over would be tough. The people are definitely the #1 thing Frisco has going for it right now, and I’ve yet to decide if anything else—weather, environment, vibes, pace of life—trumps that.

My hope for the near future is that God give us clarity on where he sees us thriving for the following 10-15 years, the majority of our kids’ childhoods, and what he wants our journey to look like: Do we belong in Dallas, Greenville, somewhere else entirely…? I don’t think there’s a bad option, but there probably is a best one out there for our family. And only time (and prayer) will be able to tell us for certain.

That said, I didn't expect to fall in love with Greenville as much and as fast as I did. Strolling along the Reedy River with a cold brew in hand, a gentle breeze in my hair, and waterfalls around nearly every corner, I found myself thinking, I can see us here. Slow, serene, spacious—a city where you can breathe.

One thing’s for sure: If Jude and Ayla got to choose our next home, South Carolina would win by a landslide. (As long as they could take all four of their grandparents with them, of course.)

When in Greenville, don’t forget to visit:

Falls Park on the Reedy, to experience the beautiful birthplace of Greenville by foot.
Liberty Bridge, for the incredible views of downtown.
daydrinkers, for cutesy photo ops and a superior iced coffee.
Saluda Lake Landing, for family-friendly water fun.
Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar, for an insanely gorgeous setting and decadent Italian desserts.
M. Judson Booksellers, for finding your next favorite page-turner.
The Village Grind, for a plant-forward and caffeine-fueled indoor oasis.
Stir, for quality cocktails and the freshest seafood.
Greenville Beer Exchange, for a wide selection of craft beers, wine, and cider.
Piney Mountain Farm + Market,* for the healthiest local products money can buy.
Tandem Crêperie and Coffeehouse,* for savory and sweet breakfast and brunch items.
Paris Mountain State Park,* for a variety of hiking trails and outdoor activities.
Travelers Rest Farmers’ Market,* for immersing yourself in the local community (while letting the younger folk run hog wild on the giant playground).

*Technically located in Travelers Rest.

And if you need accommodations, I highly recommend Pettigru House for its historic charm and luxury. (We didn’t stay here, but this early 1900s boutique cottage is owned by our lovely realtor, Jessica, and it’s absolutely stunning.)