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- Accolades & Awards
City of Greenville Awards: 2007-2023
Ongoing
Government Finance Officers Distinguished Budget Presentation Award – every year for 33 years starting in 1990 (with the exception of 1991) Tree City USA Community – every year for 27 years
2024
Top 50 Family Vacation Destination – Good Housekeeping
2023
Most Magical Place to Meet Santa - AAA Club Alliance
Most Magical Christmastown in the USA – House Beautiful
Greenville a "Must-See City" – Good Housekeeping
20 Best Small Towns to Retire – HGTV
10 Fall Events in the South to Add to Your Calendar (Fall for Greenville) – Southern Living
#1 Best Waterfalls in the U.S. – TimeOut Magazine
20 Best Summer Outdoor Movie Events in the U.S. (Moonlight Movies) – TravelMag
2023 Innovation in Park Design National Award (Unity Park) – National Recreation and Park Association
The 34 Best Couples Vacation – U.S News and World Report Travel
The Coolest Small Cities in the U.S. – Thrillist Travel
The 30 Most Charming Small-Town Downtowns – HGTV
The South's Best Cities in 2023 – Southern Living
Neighborhood to Watch (Overbrook) – Forbes
11 Best Places to Travel in September – Travel + Leisure
#7 on 10 Perfect U.S. Destinations for Summer Travel in 2023 – Globe Trotter Travels
Best Small Towns in America: Best for Good Eats – Men's Journal
It’s the Food and Beverage Scene in Greenville, South Carolina, That’s Star-Worthy – Global Traveler
#6 on 10 US Spots for a Perfect Fall Getaway – USA Today 10Best
Best Places to Retire in the South – Southern Living
Unity Park - One of the Nicest Places in America 2023 – Reader's Digest
2022
30 Most Charming Small-town Downtowns in America. HGTV.com
Best Places for Young Professionals in South Carolina, Niche.com
Last-minute summer vacations to squeeze in before fall, Today.com
The 10 Friendliest Cities in the U.S., Conde Nast Traveler
The South's Best Cities on the Rise 2022, Southern Living
Top places to go in the Southeast in 2022, Fodors.com
Best places to go for fall, CNN Travel
Best destinations in the US to bring your dog, lonelyplanet.com
Most Optimistic Cities, #2 in the first quarter of 2022, LinkedIn Market Research
2021
20 Best Beer Towns in the United States, TravelMag
Best Places for Young Professionals in South Carolina, Niche.com
Best Small City in the United States, Conde Nast Traveler
The 10 Friendliest Cities in the U.S., Conde Nast Traveler
The South's Best Cities on the Rise 2021, Southern Living
Why You Should Plan a Trip to Greenville, South Carolina, This Holiday Season, Southern Living
2020
America’s Best Small Cities, BestCities.org, 2020
The South’s Most ‘Tasteful’ Small Towns, Forbes, 2020
Best Farmer’s Markets in the South, Southern Living, 2020
Best Under-the-Radar Beer Destinations around the U.S., Thrilllist, 2020
25 Best Places to Visit in 2020, 2020
Eight Inclusive Digital Cities, Brookings Institute, 2020
2019
Favorite Food Cities of the Past Decade #3, Matador, 2019
15 of the Most Underrated Travel Destinations of the Year, So Far, Insider, 2019
The 50 Best U.S. Cities for Starting a Business in 2020, Inc.com, 2019
The Best Places to Spend Christmas in the U.S. #5, Conde Nast, 2019
Top Places to Retire, Where to Retire, 2019
Ten Cities to Watch in 2020 #3, Worth, 2019
#9 Best Small Cities in the U.S., Conde Nast, 2019
Top 100 Best Places to Live #10, Livability, 2019
#7 City with the Most Craft Breweries, C+R Research, 2019
10 of the Best Romantic Getaways in the United States, Today, 2019
The World’s Most Romantic Restaurants: Passerelle Bistro, CNN Travel, 2019
Best Place to Live in the USA #22, U.S News and World Report, 2019
Best Places to Live, Money, 2019
23 Most Affordable City to Live and Work in 2019, BusinessStudent.com, 2019
2018
Home Repair Champion Award from Rebuild Upstate for Community Development Division - 2018
2017
Bronze Excellence Award in Communication, Education and Marketing Tools from the Solid Waste Association of North America for the "All In, Recycling Simplified" Campaign - 2017
Best Infrastructure/Planning/Government Story Map (2nd Place) for "Downtown Reborn" from ESRI - 2017
Top 100 Fleets in the Americas (#11) from the NAFA Fleet Management Association - 2017
Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists - 2017
2016
Parking Matters Marketing & Communications Award from the International Parking Institute for the Poinsett Garage Art Installation - 2016
Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award for the Arts from the SC Arts Commission (government category) - 2016
Excellence in Innovation Award from the SC Alliance for Mobile Infrastructure for Greenlink/GTA Trolley Tracker App - 2016
2015
Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence (Silver Medal) from the Bruner Foundation for Falls Park - 2015
Project of the Year Award from the SC Chapter of the American Public Works Association for the West End Wastewater Improvement Project - 2015
Quarter Century Award from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums for the Greenville Zoo for 25 Years of Continuous Accreditation - 2015
President's Award of Excellence from the SC Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for Pedrick's Garden - 2015
2014
America’s Quirkiest Towns, Travel and Leisure Magazine, 2014
Greatest Capacity for Innovation. #6, Forbes Magazine, 2014
Ninth Best Park in the United States. (Falls Park), Trip Advisor, 2014
Top 100 Dining Spots in the U.S. (Passerelle Bistro), Fox News, 2014
Fifth Best Cycling Towns in America, USA Today, 2014
Last-Minutes Ideas for Great Summer Getaways, NBC Today Show, 2014
2013
Top Ten transformed neighborhoods (Downtown Business District), Forbes Magazine, 2013
Top Ten Tastiest Towns in the South, Southern Living Magazine, 2013
Next Big Food City of the South, Esquire Magazine, 2013
Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists – 2013
2012
Favorite Unexpected Vacation Destination, Oprah Magazine, 2012
Knowledge Economy’s Next Big Thing, Fast Company, 2012
America’s Greatest Main Streets, Travel and Leisure, 2012
Favorite unexpected vacation destination, Oprah Magazine, 2012
Coolest Main Street in the South, Atlanta Magazine, 2012
Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists – 2012
2011
#1 Cities for Jobs this Spring, Forbes Magazine, 2011
One of America’s coolest places, Men’s Journal, 2011
#3 Cities that Donate the Most, Atlanta Magazine, 2011
Best places for young professionals, Forbes Magazine, 2011
One of the best downtowns in America, Forbes Magazine, 2011
#5 Most Fun, Affordable City, Bloomberg Businessweek, 2011
2010
Amanda Burden Urban Open Space Award (Finalist) from the Urban Land Institute for Falls Park - 2010
2009
Top Micro-city of the Future, fDI Magazine 2009, 2011
Top Four Most Affordable Places to Weather the Financial Storm, Forbes Magazine, 2009
Virginia Hand Callaway Award from the Southeastern Horticultural Society for Falls Park - 2009
Top 10 Great Main Streets Award from the American Planning Association - 2009
Most Improved Urban Transit Provider Award from the SC Department of Transportation for Greenlink/GTA – 2009
2008
The 4th Best Place to Relocate, RelocateAmerica.com, 2008
Excellence on the Waterfront Award from The Waterfront Center for Falls Park and Liberty Bridge - 2008
2007
Engineering Excellence Award from the SC Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies for Mulberry Street Improvement Project – 2007