By: Leigh Robertson, Social Media Manager
Travelers Rest was once known as a pitstop, but, in recent years, the town has turned into more of a destination. With the expansion of the downtown area and the introduction of new shops, restaurants, and events, TR now hosts several fun and interesting things to check out.
Over the summer, Travelers Rest welcomed the official opening of just over a mile of newly paved path for the Swamp Rabbit Trail. If you ever want to hop on a bike or go for a run, there are several Swamp Rabbit friendly businesses along the trail where you can stop to rest. It is easy to take a quick day trip, get some exercise and grab a bite to eat all in one! A few places that you can stop by include The Cafe at William’s Hardware, The Forest Coffeehouse, Whistle Stop at the American Cafe, and TReats.
The Cafe at William’s Hardware has delicious, fresh food, outdoor seating, a garden, and a bike rack where you can lock your bike up after a long ride. It is a great place to get lunch or dinner and the service is always good. The Forest Coffeehouse is an awesome study spot and has plenty of seating and tables. It is the kind of place where you can grab a quick cup of fresh, locally-roasted Leopard Forest coffee and work on that paper you have been procrastinating on. Whistle Stop at the American Cafe is the oldest cafe in the city. The restaurant has not lost any charm with its age. It has great rooftop seating, authentic southern food, wood-fired pizzas, and an 1800s vintage steam engine, all of which add character to the locally owned cafe. Last but not least, TReats is a smoothie and juice bar that offers visitors fresh juices and smiles. TReats will also soon be opening a bagel bar to add delicious sandwiches to their expanding menu, so be sure to check it out!
Aside from these businesses, the Swamp Rabbit Trail also runs right by Trailblazer Park, where there is something happening every week. If you missed the weekly Farmer’s Market in September, do not fret too much, because there are a whole slew of events coming up that you can mark on your calendar. Right now there is an event called the Harvest Market and Bluegrass Festival every Thursday night of October from 5:00-8:30 p.m. There you can find food, beer, wine, and different local artists performing each week starting at around 6:30 p.m. in the amphitheater. Who can say no to free concerts? Also, every Saturday night there are movies in the amphitheater starting at 7:30 p.m. The films for the rest of the month are “How to Train your Dragon 2,” “The Fault in Our Stars,” and “The Goonies.”
October seems to be the month for local crafts and art for Traveler’s Rest, because there are several big events put on by the TR Arts Alliance coming up over the next couple of weeks. The first is Artober Fest, hosted by Upcountry Provisions Oct. 17 from 3:00-9:00 p.m. At the Fest, there will handmade art, music, and artisan food available to sample, hear, and see. Most importantly, his event is a fundraiser for the Shriner’s Hospital of Greenville, our local children’s hospital. If you cannot make it to Artober Fest, try and check out the Third Annual Art on the Trail festival Oct. 25 from 10:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. This is a huge arts festival for TR that will host high-end craft vendors, storytelling, music, pop-up performances and more! This year, the festival features a “Swamp Rabbit Shop Hop Shuttle” which will take you to businesses in Downtown TR so that you can check out some of the local boutiques. The festival also features a section called Upcycle Alley where you can see how artists reuse vintage or otherwise discarded materials in their art to be both environmentally conscious and creative. Both of these arts events will be taking place in Trailblazer Park, so make sure you stop by and see what they are all about out this month.
Whether you want to hop on the trail and visit a local business or attend one of these awesome events this October, make sure that both the Swamp Rabbit and Traveler’s Rest are on your radar. All of these nearby opportunities are sure to be a good time, so try and make it out to support local businesses, listen to some live music, or just enjoy the nice fall weather that is finally here!
