Greenville is the largest city in eastern North Carolina's coastal plain and the home of East Carolina University. It sits on the Tar River, with a lively uptown district, riverside parks and some of the best whole-hog barbecue in the state.
AT A GLANCE
Best time
April to May and September to November, for mild weather and ECU football.
How long
One to two days covers Uptown, the campus and the river parks.
Getting there
Pitt-Greenville Airport has flights to Charlotte; Raleigh-Durham International is about 90 minutes west.
Why visit Greenville
Founded in 1774 as Martinsborough and renamed in 1786 after Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene, Greenville grew as a market town for tobacco. East Carolina University, founded in 1907 as a teacher training school, has since grown into one of the state's largest universities with a major medical school.
For visitors, Greenville offers a college-town atmosphere, Pirates football, river trails and a growing arts scene, along with classic eastern North Carolina food.
Uptown Greenville and the river
Uptown Greenville sits between the ECU campus and the Tar River.
Uptown Greenville
Uptown's Evans Street and Fifth Street are lined with restaurants, bars, galleries and shops, and the area comes alive on First Friday art walks and game days.
Greenville Town Common
This riverside park on the Tar River has a wide lawn, a playground, a splash pad and an amphitheater for summer concerts, and it is the starting point of the Tar River greenway.
Dickinson Avenue Arts District
Just west of Uptown, old warehouses along Dickinson Avenue now hold studios, breweries and restaurants, and murals cover many walls.
Greenville Museum of Art
This free museum in a historic house displays North Carolina art and American paintings and prints.
East Carolina University
ECU dominates life in Greenville.
ECU main campus
East Carolina University's main campus has historic brick buildings around the Mall, the Joyner Library and lively student areas. The Wright Auditorium and the Joyner Library's special collections are worth a look.
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
ECU Pirates football at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium draws purple-and-gold crowds of about 50,000 on fall Saturdays, with tailgating across the surrounding lots.
Clark-LeClair Stadium and Minges Coliseum
ECU baseball, one of the program's strengths, is played at Clark-LeClair Stadium, and basketball at Minges Coliseum.
Parks and nature
The Tar River offers plenty of green space.
River Park North
River Park North is a 324-acre park on the Tar River with ponds, fishing, paddle boat rentals, walking trails and the Science and Nature Center, which has aquariums and live animals.
Greenville Greenway
Greenville's greenway network follows the Tar River and Green Mill Run, linking parks, the campus and Uptown for walking and cycling.
Tar River paddling
The slow-moving Tar River is good for kayaking and canoeing, with access points at the Town Common and River Park North.
Planning a trip to Greenville?Compare hotels, flights and vacation rentals for Greenville on Expedia.Book nowFood and local flavors
Greenville is in the heart of eastern North Carolina barbecue country, where whole hogs are slow-cooked over wood and chopped with a vinegar and red pepper sauce. Local institutions serve it with coleslaw, cornbread and boiled potatoes, and fried chicken is a common partner on the plate.
Uptown and the Dickinson Avenue district have a mix of restaurants, breweries and coffee shops, and the Pitt County Farmers Market sells local produce, including sweet potatoes, a major crop in the region.
Popular dishes to try in Greenville
Where to stay
Uptown Greenville puts you near restaurants, the Town Common and the ECU campus.
Medical district, around ECU Health Medical Center, has several hotels convenient for the medical campus.
Greenville Boulevard has most of the city's chain hotels and shopping.
Near the stadium, hotels south of campus are popular on football weekends.
Best time to visit
Spring is warm and green, a good time for river trails and baseball.
Summer is hot and humid, with concerts on the Town Common.
Fall brings ECU football and pleasant weather.
Winter is mild and quiet, with occasional cold snaps.
Getting there and getting around
By air: Pitt-Greenville Airport (PGV) has flights to Charlotte; Raleigh-Durham International is about 90 minutes west.
By car: US 264 links the city with Interstate 95 and Raleigh, and US 13 runs north to south.
Getting around: A car is the easiest way to get around; Uptown and campus are walkable, and city and ECU buses run local routes.
A suggested itinerary
First day
Walk the ECU campus and Uptown in the morning, then have a barbecue lunch. In the afternoon, explore the Dickinson Avenue Arts District and relax at the Town Common at sunset.
Second day
Spend the morning at River Park North and its Science and Nature Center, then paddle the Tar River or walk the greenway. On a fall Saturday, join the crowds at an ECU football game.
Practical tips
- Book hotels early for ECU football weekends and graduation.
- Many of the best barbecue restaurants close early in the evening, so plan lunch around them.
- Check river levels before paddling, especially after heavy rain.
- Hurricane season runs from June to November; watch forecasts in late summer.
Find local businesses in Greenville on WiserMap
Looking for barbecue, a coffee shop in Uptown or a kayak rental on the Tar River?
