How to visit Furman University

Lake in foreground with white bell tower, mountains, and sky in the background

Furman (Swan) Lake with the iconic Bell Tower in the background | Photo by GVLtoday Team

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FU all day long.

About three weeks ago, Furman University (see what we did there 😏) reopened its campus to the public after being closed for over a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We realized some of you folks who are new to town may have never been, so here are few things to know before you go:

Garden with gravel path and flowers

Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities/Furman Farm | Photo by GVLtoday Team

Furman is roughly a 15-minute drive from downtown Greenville. The best (and prettiest) way to enter campus (in our opinion) is from Poinsett Highway through the front gate. From there, you can drive around to see the Joseph A. Vaughn Plaza, Daniel Chapel, and more or head straight back towards Furman (Swan) Lake.

If walking or cycling, you can also get on campus from the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail. #ProTip: Furman makes a great place for a picnic, water break, or pit stop (there’s a restroom super close to the trail) between Greenville + Travelers Rest.

On the ~2 paved miles (distance varies based on how many detours you take) around the 26-acre, man-made lake you can spot ducks, fish, turtles, frogs, and geese (but you can’t feed them).

Gazebo with decorative iron cover surrounded by colorful roses and boxwood hedges

Janie E. Furman Rose Garden | Photo by @vanzeppelinaerial

In addition to great walking, cycling, and picnic areas, there are a few other things to see on your visit:

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