Southern Living names Greenville ‘South’s Best City on the Rise,’ Travelers Rest named among best small towns

Greenville‘s food and cultural scenes continue grabbing attention — and headlines — as Southern Living magazine is highlighting both naming Greenville the “South’s Best City on the Rise” for 2022.

Atlanta-based restaurant and food critic Jennifer Zyman writes she picked Greenville because it offers plenty of ways to feed both body and mind.

“As a restaurant critic and a mom, I have two essential criteria for a Southern road trip: There must be good dining options and lots of activities,” Zyman writes. “Greenville has both, including plenty of museums with exciting exhibits and established restaurants in every category, whether it’s Bucky’s Bar-B-Q or fresh regional cuisine at Soby’s. There are imports from other Southern cities and towns, including the Mast General Store (with barrels of candy) and Halls Chophouse out of Charleston, but Greenville has a distinct personality all its own.”

Raleigh, North Carolina was Southern Living’s second pick; Chattanooga, Tennessee, third.

Meanwhile, Travelers Rest (population 7,778 as of April, 2020), came in at number 12 on the magazine’s “The South’s Best Small Towns 2022” list for, well, punching well above its weight in terms of shopping, outdoor activities and dining.

“Southern Living is one of the preeminent magazines in the south and we are very honored to be recognized as one of their best small towns,” said Travelers Rest media and digital manager Beth Sicignano. “We have worked hard to cultivate growth and make this a great place to visit. We have created a cultured arts program to showcase some of the great artists we have and we are definitely a foodie hotspot. We are also a great basecamp for outdoor adventurers and our downtown merchants represent the true heart of what it means to be living in the south: hard work, fine craftsmanship and pride in representing our state.”