At first glance a scenic drive from Greenville, SC to Asheville, NC seems like a pretty short drive. But, let me tell you, there's quite a lot to see along these backroads. From covered bridges to historic gas stations and urban waterfalls, here's how to have a 100-mile adventure.
First stop has to be Due South Coffee in Taylors, SC. Housed in the historic Taylors Mill complex, from the outset it looks tucked away in a massive abandoned mill, but it's quite the coffee shop. In fact, I'd probably call it "Craft Coffee", if I wasn't afraid to sound pretentious. The artisanal coffee shop is at Dock 3 and the atmosphere is best described as "modern industrial." TIP: If you go ask for a coffee flight.
Next up was Falls Park on the Reedy. This was a pretty rad urban waterfall park smack dab in the middle of Greenville, SC. Sadly, the time of year I visited (March) there were no leaves on the trees, but I can imagine how beautiful the park and falls must be in late Spring, Summer and Fall during foliage season. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes nearby where you can grab a bite to eat and hang out at the park for a relaxing afternoon.
Paris Mountain State Park is a beautiful state park, there's a lake with canoes and kayaks available for rent, and loads of campsites and cabins. But, it's highly recommended you visit during late spring through mid-fall, otherwise it's just a chilly drive through a barren state park (not having leaves on the trees really makes a difference, in my opinion).
"Making friends with some chill horses." — Photo Credit: Tatiana Danger
"I named him "Ed." But, he wasn't very chatty." — Photo Credit: Tatiana Danger
Nearby is the historic ruins of the Poinsett Bridge. This was a beautiful stop. There's a parking area across the road, and not many people around at all. You'll pretty much have the bridge all to yourself to explore and soak up the history.
Photo Credit: Tatiana Danger
Photo Credit: Tatiana Danger
The Esso Gas Station in Landrum, SC was a cool retro roadside stop that was very accessible, and really fun for taking photos.
"Just pulled in for a quick tune-up." — Photo Credit: Tatiana Danger
The last place I stopped before finishing the drive to Asheville was the historic Campbell's Covered Bridge.
Photo Credit: Tatiana Danger
Last up, was Asheville! This gorgeous little town is a haven for free-spirits, independent-thinkers, artists, hipsters, and intelligentsia. It's got a very lively atmosphere and is home to loads of delicious restaurants offering all sorts of artisanal delights and craft everything.
There are a lot of fun little stops along this short road trip, and it can easily take an entire day to squeeze the most out of the route. Again, I highly recommend doing this trip during the late spring, summer, and/or fall time. It was a shame at how beautiful a drive it would have been if there were leaves on the trees. But, as a fun little test drive of the new Chevy Equinox, it was pretty rad, regardless. This is a great little car, it handles really well, and the entertainment dashboard is awesome, with loads of options for a road trip soundtrack.
