We pulled out of our driveway after lunch and were in Greenville, South Carolina around 2:30. By midafternoon, we’d checked in, parked the car, and were walking down Main Street.

That’s a pretty good start to a quick getaway.

We had about 24 hours before heading to Clemson to spend the evening with our son. Enough time to shop, eat, and get outside without needing much of a schedule.

Stay where you can walk

Our Airbnb was a clean, relatively new loft right on Main Street, above Coral restaurant. There was a reserved parking spot behind the building, which I appreciated almost as much as the location.

Walk down the steps and you’re in the middle of downtown. Shops, coffee, restaurants, and parks are all close by.

For a short trip, I’d stay in this area again. It’s nice to park once and let everyone wander without having to discuss where we’re driving next.

Coffee, the park, and a little shopping

Start with a coffee at Stone Cottage, then walk through Falls Park on the Reedy and cross the Liberty Bridge. Having a waterfall and a park right in the middle of downtown is a pretty compelling argument for Greenville.

From there, head north on Main Street to M. Judson Booksellers. Give yourself time to look around.

Keep going and see if the girls want to stop at Anthropologie. When they get to Madewell, the guys can hop across the street to Brick & Mortar Mercantile.

Filson bags and apparel. Howler Brothers clothing. Blundstone boots. Shinola watches. Pendleton blankets.

I could spend a lot of time and money in there.

My wife also made stops at Copper Penny and Augusta Twenty Boutique. Between those and the other shops along Main Street, nobody in our family had trouble finding somewhere they wanted to go.

One less obvious recommendation: Spinx Market & Eatery.

As crazy as it sounds, this is a useful downtown stop. Grab a water or a snack, use the restroom, or sit down and share a bottle of wine. It covers several different stages of a family shopping afternoon.

Dinner at Matador

We ate at Matador, and I’d go back. Great food, generous portions, and a solid margarita menu.

After an afternoon of walking around, generous portions are welcome.

Soby’s and CAMP are other good dinner picks, and Cantina 76 is an easy option if you want a lively atmosphere.

Our Airbnb was directly above Coral, a white-tablecloth seafood restaurant. We didn’t eat there, but it was busy and looked impressive. It went on the list for another visit.

That’s one of the challenges of a short trip to Greenville. You’ll find more places you want to eat than meals available.

The next morning: rent bikes

We checked out early and headed to Reedy Rides, where we’d reserved four bikes for a ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

They have a variety of options for families, including regular bikes, electric-assist bikes, and children’s bikes. Their downtown location makes it easy to get onto the trail.

One detail to know if you’re bringing kids: we were told they couldn’t rent e-bikes to anyone under 16. Our youngest didn’t meet the requirement, so we changed the plan from four e-bikes to four analog bikes.

Everyone would be pedaling.

It worked out fine, but check the age policy before booking if electric assistance is part of your plan.

Make Swamp Rabbit Cafe your food stop

The Swamp Rabbit Trail was the highlight of the trip for me. It’s a terrific way to spend a morning together, and we rode at a leisurely pace.

We reached Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery just as everyone was ready to eat.

I had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. My daughter ordered a BLT, and my wife had a piece of quiche. The sandwiches came on their homemade bread, which deserves some of the credit for how good they were.

And here’s a useful tip: tell them if it’s your first visit. The local tourism site lists a free loaf of their stecca bread for first-time visitors. We’d heard about it as an out-of-town perk, so it’s worth asking when you order.

A bike ride with a sandwich stop and bread to take home is my kind of outing.

Ride to Furman, then turn around

After eating, we continued to Furman University before turning around and heading back downtown.

The return from Furman took us about 45 minutes. That was our pace, so give yourself some room if you have a rental return time to meet.

For us, it was a good distance. We got a substantial ride, had time to stop and eat, and returned without feeling like we’d overdone it.

Once we turned in the bikes, we stopped at QT for snacks and drinks, then headed to Clemson to see our son.

If you haven’t visited Greenville, add it to your list. We spent most of our time along Main Street, took one bike ride, and left with several places we wanted to come back for.

Next time, I’m allowing more time for Brick & Mortar.