Swamp Rabbit Shenanigans & Brewery Hop Olympics
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
March 2026: Travelers Rest, SC at Carolina Crossroads RV Park
After the mega-resort chaos of Ocean Lakes Family Campground, pulling into Carolina Crossroads RV Park felt like going from a rock concert to an acoustic coffeehouse set. The park itself was small and simple — around 50 campsites, one wash house, a dog park, and a little cornhole/hangout area.
Honestly?
Kind of refreshing.
The only thing louder than the campground’s peaceful vibe was apparently the local dedication to glass pack mufflers. Every so often, some vehicle would absolutely scream down the nearby road, sounding like it was auditioning for a low-budget Fast & Furious spinoff. Travelers Rest apparently takes “performance exhaust” very seriously.
Once we got settled, I knocked out a workout while Darren handled campsite logistics. Dinner was comfort-food perfection: tuna mac & cheese.
Gourmet? No.
Satisfying after travel day? Absolutely.
Then we wrapped up the night with One Battle After Another. That movie was equal parts hilarious, stressful, confusing, and “wait…what just happened?” We both agreed it might require a second viewing just to catch all the chaos we probably missed the first time around.
Swamp Rabbit Trail: Where Cyclists Actually Have Manners
The next day greeted us with absolute perfection: 72 degrees and sunshine. Basically, the exact reason we’re out here chasing 78°. Naturally, we loaded up the bikes and hit the famous Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail.
This trail is gorgeous — mostly wooded, beautifully maintained, and buzzing with walkers, runners, and cyclists. But the biggest shock of the day? The “spandex riders” were…nice. Like consistently nice. Bells ringing. “On your left!” warnings. Smiles. Head nods. Human acknowledgment. We honestly didn’t know how to process it after some of our previous trail experiences.
Our first stop was New Realm Brewing Company, which Darren had researched ahead of time. The place was beautiful — big outdoor spaces, modern industrial vibes, and fantastic beer. We ordered a flight plus a couple extra tasters and learned they earned three medals at the World Beer Cup (WBC) last year. Naturally, this information made us feel extremely qualified to continue drinking more beer “for research purposes.”
Next up was Liability Brewing Co., and wow…this place immediately clicked with us. Great vibe, approachable staff, and excellent beer. Even better, they’ve medaled at both the Great American Beer Festival and the WBC. We sampled fewer beers there that day, but mentally added “return visit required” to our itinerary almost immediately.
Then we wrapped up the ride at Pangaea Brewing Company because two magical words caught our attention: wood-fired pizza. The beers didn’t totally win us over, but the pizza? Outstanding. Crispy crust, smoky flavor, exactly what we needed after nearly 30 miles on the bikes.
March Madness, Beer Detours & The Goldilocks Brewery
Saturday turned into another “bike a bunch, drink a little…okay maybe not a little” kind of day. We drove farther into Greenville so we could explore more of the trail system.
Our first stop was Southernside Brewing Co., which was absolutely hopping thanks to March Madness. After a quick flight, we headed toward Yee-Haw Brewing Co. with a detour through Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville and the surrounding park area.
Unfortunately, it was gorgeous outside, and apparently every human in South Carolina had the same idea we did. The area was packed wall-to-wall with walkers, families, strollers, dogs, and leisurely meanderers with absolutely nowhere urgent to be. We made a tactical retreat.
Then came Yee-Haw…where the line was literally out the door. Standing room only. Hard pass.
So, we pivoted to Fireforge Crafted Beer. No line! Success! Except…there were also no tables.
At this point, we made what can only be described as a veteran-level brewery decision: return to Liability Brewing. And just like Goldilocks, it was just right. Busy enough to feel lively, calm enough to actually enjoy ourselves.
We spent a few hours sampling their medal-winning beers and chatting with the bartenders, Nicole and Becca, before Alex joined the shift. Somewhere between beer number several and the passing rainstorm, we discovered Becca used to live in Boulder, and Nicole was trying to recruit her back to Colorado. Honestly, we fully support this friendship arc.
Recognize any of the breweries from these stickers?!!
After waiting out a rain burst, we headed home, where Darren grilled salmon and zucchini on the grill while I whipped up air-fried potato chips. Elite campsite dinner. No notes (or photos).
Hills, Knees & 90’s Nostalgia
Sunday brought another ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail — this time about 11 miles starting near the Greenville Zoo. We wandered through a gorgeous historic neighborhood full of beautiful homes before the hills started bullying my knee into filing formal complaints.
So back to the trail we went and onward to Double Stamp Brewery. This place was pure 90’s nostalgia in brewery form. Great atmosphere, solid beers, and exactly the kind of spot where you could accidentally spend half a day hanging out.
Afterward, we made the always-dangerous “quick Aldi stop” that somehow still resulted in a cart full of snacks and pantry refills. Then, because apparently, we hadn’t consumed enough beer already, we stopped at Swamp Rabbit Brewery.
Fantastic logo. Less fantastic beer. It happens.
Back at camp, we broke out one of Dad & Lynn’s Christmas gifts to us: the MEATER Plus Smart Meat Thermometer. This thing is ridiculously cool. Bluetooth-connected steak perfection. The top sirloin came out amazing, especially topped with compound garlic butter alongside mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans from last summer’s frozen harvest stash.
One Last Ride Before Smoky Mountain Time
Monday was our final chance to revisit the Grand Bohemian area — this time with far fewer crowds and far less accidental people-dodging. We also made a crucial stop at Publix for supplies and, more importantly, fried chicken. If you know, you know.
While in town, Darren also stopped at The Joint Chiropractic for a back adjustment before we cruised back toward camp on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Along the way, we checked out Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery — one of those local spots that makes you immediately wish you had more time in town.
Honestly, Travelers Rest and Greenville surprised us in the best possible way. Great biking, friendly people, excellent breweries, and enough food temptations to completely destroy any meal planning ambitions.
Before we knew it, Tuesday arrived, and it was time to pack everything back up again. Next stop: Sevierville, TN for the Brinkley Takes Over the Smokies Owner’s Rally — our second one! We hit the road already looking forward to seeing our Brinkley family again, because apparently, nothing says “home” quite like a campground full of familiar faces and questionable group decisions.
Cheers!
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