This SC city among best for young families & for girls’ weekend getaways, 2 publications say
Suffice it to say, Greenville had a very good week when it comes to national publicity.
The Upstate city was among the eight cities young families are flocking to in 2026 and the 12 coziest places to go for a girl’s weekend this winter.
A 2024 National Association of Realtors report showed young families typically want to live close to family and in a place where they can find more house for the money.
House Beautiful took that a step farther and asked real estate agents to also consider schools and amenities that cater to kids, such as parks, playgrounds, and museums.
The magazine quoted Russell Diehl, broker and owner of Arizona Network Realty, saying they also are asking about charter schools with specialized programs like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and arts, and after-school activities, he says.
Open floor plans, energy-efficiency, spacious yards, home offices, and enough bedrooms for everyone are important as well, Diehl said.
“Being 10 minutes from a Costco is a selling point now — seriously,” he said.
Here’s what House Beautiful found out about Greenville.
The median home value was $326,474.
Relocation specialist Preston Guyton, founder of ez Home Search, said Greenville’s becoming more and more known as a safe, mid-sized city with great schools.
Greenville County Schools, in fact, on Monday announced that Superintendent Burke Royster was given an exemplary evaluation and a contract extension through June 30, 2029.
“For the first time in the district’s history, the graduation rate has surpassed 90%, an 18-point increase since Dr. Royster became Superintendent in 2012,” Board of Trustees Chair Carolyn Styles said.
College and career readiness is up and almost 98% of 106 schools earned good or better ratings.
House Beautiful also called out Swamp Rabbit Trail’s 28 miles biking and walking path, downtown’s Falls Park.
“This Southeast city also has a bit of whimsy: Mice on Main is a public art exhibit featuring nine hidden bronze mice, inviting kids to embark on a Goodnight Moon-inspired scavenger hunt,” the magazine said.
Other places attracting young people are Queen Creek, Arizona; Bozeman, Montana; Littleton, New Hampshire; Plano, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Carmel, Indiana and Cary, North Carolina.
“Whether traveling with your mom, your sister, or your friends, these oh-so-cozy destinations across the country offer something special for everyone,” Travel + Leisure said.
They engaged group travel experts to help them choose the list, most of which unlike Greenville are in cold-weather, mountain communities. The magazine called Greenville quaint.
“Greenville, South Carolina, exudes coziness in every sense — especially in the wintertime,” the magazine said. “You can easily spend an entire day exploring the shop- and restaurant-fringed downtown area, where highlights include candle-making at Greenville Soy Candle Co., tacos and margaritas at Papi’s, the cascading waterfalls at Falls Park on the Reedy, and the tasty desserts and baked goods at Coffee Underground.”
Lauren Dana Ellman, a New York-based travel and lifestyle writer, said she recommends Southernside Brewing Co., a private mixology class at Six & Twenty Distillery, and drinks inside a private igloo at the AC Hotel Marriott’s hip Juniper bar.
“Few, if any, Greenville hotels exude coziness quite like Grand Bohemian Lodge,” she said. “Here, guests can sip bubbly in a rustic-chic setting anchored by a massive stone fireplace while soaking up stunning views of the falls.”
The other cities on the list were Aspen, Colorado; Hudson, New York., Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; Park City, Utah; Asheville, North Carolina; Taos, New Mexico; Dahlonega, Georgia; Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Biddeford, Maine.