Hey, friend! I’m so glad you are here! If you are new around here, I’m Sharlie Grier, wife to Benjamin and mom to six kiddos (ages 13 – 4 months old). I’ve recently become a small town explorer and each week I go on “day trips” to local towns and visit as many stores as I can fit in. These trips and chats with store owners have truly been a blessing to me. I’ve discovered so many hidden jewels in the areas I’ve already visited. If you are looking for things to do in Anderson, then this day trip to Anderson, SC post is for you!

I’ve been really looking forward to my Anderson day trip. I live in Donalds, a small town, and a good thirty minute drive from any bigger town. If I need to make a Target run, I head to Anderson. If we want to go out for dinner, we normally go to Anderson. I was already pretty familiar with Anderson’s downtown before heading out on Friday and started making a mental list of all the places I knew I could visit and include in this blog.

But a funny thing happened. I discovered new shops I’d never been to and I can’t wait to share them with you too! To me, that’s the special thing about parking your car and just wandering from store to store to check out what may be waiting for you.

Why Downtown Anderson Is So Special

My oldest child, Pressley, has gone with me on all but three of my small town adventures. We have really made some great memories together and she enjoys these trips nearly as much as I do. Three stores into our day trip and she decided that Anderson was her favorite of all the towns we’ve visited so far. I have to agree: there’s just something special about Anderson. Downtown Anderson is large, but not overwhelming, if that makes sense. It’s a pretty straightforward main street with frequent red lights to help pedestrians cross the street.

It also has lots of options. Several locally owned restaurants give you an array of options to satisfy your taste buds. I’ve been to most of them…you can’t go wrong with your choice. There is a coffee shop (a must for a downtown, in my humble opinion) and at least two spots to grab a dessert. There are clothing boutiques, home decor shops, and, dare I say it, my most favorite…the antique store. I really and truly love every downtown I’ve experienced, but Anderson’s downtown really offers the whole package. Plus, there’s a hotel nestled right in the middle of it all that’s first class.

Let’s Get This Day Trip Started

Let’s check out some of these stores that Anderson offers! Simply Country Chic was our first stop and definitely one of my favorites of the day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve driven through downtown Anderson and had never discovered this super cute shop. They seriously had the CUTEST clothes!! Like, can I take one of everything? It definitely gave me motivation to get this baby weight off and go back for a shopping spree! 🙂 They also had lots of cute gift items like candles and jewelry.

Next door is Tracie Starr Home, another store I’ve never visited before, but I’m so glad I discovered it! This store is full of pieces to make your home beautiful! From chairs to throws to even baby items, this store is a must -stop!

For the Dog Lover

We made our way into Bark and were quickly greeted by three adorable pooches! Guess who now wants a pug? If you guessed Pressley, you would be correct. They sure were cute and the owners are super friendly and passionate about pets. They carry food grade dog food and pet toys that are safe for dogs to chew on.

Antique Store Stop

We came to a store I’ve visited many a time, Remnants. It had been many months since I’ve visited and that’s the great thing about antique stores, there’s always a new booth or new find! Remnants has lots of booths and most of them are full of antiques. There are a couple of booths that have home decor items or clothing.

Time to Eat!!

Downtown Anderson has so many amazing choices to grab something to eat. Summa Joe’s is one of my absolute favorite places to get something to eat. They have some really good shrimp and grits and pizza! Sullivan’s Metropolitan Grill is a favorite for dinner. Doolittle’s is another great spot. McGee’s serves Scot-Irish food. Earle Street Kitchen and Bar is just off the Main Street. J. Peter’s is a favorite for many. There is also Raines on Main to check out. I know I’m missing some others so please feel free to include them in the comments for others reading.

This place we ended up eating was Mr. Rivers Breakfast Joint. Serving breakfast, this restaurant is a favorite of our family’s. Pressley even chose it for her birthday meal one year! Pressley (who we tease always chooses a burger or turkey sandwich) swore she would pick something adventurous this week. She went with the southern fried chicken biscuit with gravy. She loved it! I went with blueberry pancakes. It was delicious!

Back to Shopping!

\We continued our way down the street and stopped at Indigo Custom Framing and Artisan Market, another surprise on our day trip. This store does custom framing (as their name suggests), but there was also jewelry, clothing, and tons of gift ideas. Just another really cute store that I’m glad I know about now.

We crossed the street and stopped in Plum Suede Boutique and Blake & Brady. These are both clothing stores with super cute clothing options.

Edited to add (Sept 2020): I missed sharing The Kitchen Emporium and Gifts on my first write up. Thanks to many suggestions, I went back to check it out. What a wonderful store! This store offers wine, beer, gourmet food items, gifts ideas, and cooking classes! What a gem this store is!

Need Some Coffee or Dessert??

You are in luck if you have a little sweet tooth that needs satisfying. You can grab ice cream at Figs (which I should add has lunch and lots more to offer than just ice cream!), a coffee milkshake at e-City Java, or stop by CocoBon Chocolatier for handmade chocolates. I’ve been to all three of these places and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. We chose Cocobon for this trip and grabbed some chocolates. The chocolate covered cherries and lavender almond truffles are my favorite!

A Couple of Last Stops

We jumped in the car and visited Apple Dumplin’ Antique Mall. It’s downtown and is in walking distance, but we decided to drive over to park closer. I found a lot of cute items here that came home with me: three pictures for my gallery wall and a cute cabinet for my kitchen.

Our last stop was to City Seed, a delightful shop focused on plants and adorable pots. I have to admit, I’m not gifted with a green thumb, but there were some cute scalloped pots that I was tempted to bring home with me!

Honestly, you need more than just a day trip for Anderson, SC. You should grab a room at the Bleckley Inn, which is nestled in the heart of downtown, and spend a couple of days. And you should check out these day trips posts that feature nearby towns: Abbeville, Pendleton, Belton/Honea Path, Easley, and Pickens.

Anderson, I knew you had a ton of goodies, but my day trip was absolutely amazing and I’m so thankful you are just a short drive away!

Want to follow along with my weekly small town adventures? Follow me on Instagram and watch my stories each Friday!