City of Greenville Awards: 2007-2023

Ongoing

Government Finance Officers Distinguished Budget Presentation Award – every year for 27 years starting in 1990 (with the exception of 1991) Tree City USA Community – every year for 27 years

2023

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