• After visiting dozens of US cities, Greenville, South Carolina, is one of my favorites.
• The city has a walkable downtown area and lots of great opportunities to get outside.
• If I could only go back to Greenville for one thing, it would be the food.

The first time I visited Greenville, South Carolina, I was shocked in the best way possible. As someone who has traveled the US extensively, I didn't expect to find a perfect blend of southern charm, big-city amenities, and vibrant art and culture all in one place.

After a few days of exploring the city, I fell in love. With a walkable downtown, incredible food, and endless opportunities for adventure and entertainment, Greenville is a destination that I recommend to anyone looking for a relaxing vacation, a quick trip with friends, or a family getaway.

Here are five reasons Greenville is one of my favorite US cities.

The city has a charming, walkable downtown.

Greenville's downtown is made up of tree-lined streets dotted with boutique shops, great restaurants, and plenty of entertainment options, all connected by pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.

I was immediately impressed by how walkable the city is — no rental car or rideshare is needed if you're staying downtown.

What really makes the city unique is its blend of small-town charm and big-city perks. I love visiting small, southern towns, but I often miss the energy and amenities of big cities. Greenville has the best of both worlds.

One local summed it up perfectly when she told me, "Greenville has enough city to keep me busy and enough country to keep me happy."

Every corner of downtown has something new to discover. I found myself sipping Butterbeer at a Harry Potter-themed pop-up speakeasy hidden inside The Press Room, laughing late into the night at The Comedy Zone, and even testing my aim at an indoor archery range right outside town.

There's no place quite like Falls Park on the Reedy.

Falls Park on the Reedy is a beautiful urban green space in the heart of downtown Greenville.

The Reedy River weaves through the city, flanked by walking paths, gardens for picnicking, and the iconic Liberty Bridge — a curved suspension bridge overlooking the waterfalls below and offering one of the best views in town.

The park is also connected to the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 28-mile walking and cycling path that stretches beyond the city.

Renting a bike and following the Swamp Rabbit is the perfect way to immerse yourself in nature without having to drive outside town.

Greenville has an unmatched food scene.

If I could only go back to Greenville for one thing, it would be the food.

Every meal I've had in the city has been unforgettable, but the variety is what stands out most. Whether you're craving fine dining, comfort food, good beer, or anything in between, Greenville delivers.

From the mouthwatering tapas and desserts at Camp to the melt-in-your-mouth hot chicken and southern soul food from Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack, the city is bursting with culinary creativity.

The city is a jumping point for outdoor adventure.

Another one of my favorite things about Greenville is its proximity to outdoor adventure. The Blue Ridge Mountains are just a short drive away, offering some of the best hiking and biking in the region.

Within an hour, you can also reach six easily accessible state parks, each with its own unique trails, waterfalls, and outdoor activities.

Greenville is a welcoming community with a rich culture.

Greenville's charm isn't just in its scenery — it's in the people. The locals I met were friendly, welcoming, and excited to share recommendations or just say hello.

Almost everywhere I went, I found myself having wonderful conversations — which isn't always the case as a tourist in a new place. That warmth and friendliness made the city feel approachable in a way that is hard to find.

There's also a big focus on the arts and culture in Greenville, with galleries, live music, and community festivals everywhere you look.

The Greenville Center for Creative Arts quickly became one of my favorite places to visit, and I loved admiring the Native American art collection displayed throughout the Grand Bohemian Lodge.

Whether it's a free concert on Main Street, a jazz performance at a local venue, or a lively street market, Greenville always seems to have something going on. It's a city that feels alive without being overwhelming — the perfect balance of energy and comfort.

Attorneys general from 24 states are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling and uphold an Arizona law to prohibit biological boys from competing on girls' sports teams.

The petition comes after a federal appeals court ruled that the law likely violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

"Sports teams are divided by sex to begin with to give girls a level playing field so they’re not competing against boys," South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release. "Arizona’s law restricting girls’ sports teams to biological females is just common sense, and it protects girls from competing against bigger, stronger males who identify as females."

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In addition to Wilson, the attorneys general supporting the petition are those from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

The petition notes that these states have laws similar to Arizona's that restrict girls' sports to biological females.

It also argues that the Equal Protection Clause does not prohibit states from offering separate sports teams for men, women, boys and girls.

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"In sports, equal access means a level playing field," the attorneys general write in their brief. "And a level playing field usually means sports teams divided by sex so that girls can compete against other girls."

"Basing the distinction on biology rather than gender identity makes sense because it is the differences in biology—not gender identity—that call for separate teams in the first place: Whatever their gender identity, biological males are, on average, stronger and faster than biological females. If those average physical differences did not matter, there would be no need to segregate sports teams at all," they continued.

The attorneys general are asking the high court to "make it clear that the Constitution does not prohibit states from saving women’s sports from unfair competition and providing meaningful athletic opportunities for girls and women," according to Wilson’s news release.

Delaware set off a firestorm this month after it elected the first transgender woman to Congress, leading some Republicans to demand the new lawmaker be barred from women’s bathrooms.

Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, currently a Democrat state senator for President Biden’s hometown of Claymont, Delaware, defeated retired Delaware State Trooper John Whalen III, 58%-42%. McBride succeeds Rep. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, D-Del., who won the retiring Tom Carper’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., led the charge against allowing McBride from using the women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill. McBride is a biological male who identifies and presents as a woman. Mace said Tuesday she is now receiving death threats, adding that she is the one being "unfairly targeted."

Mace drafted resolution H.R. 1579 on Monday which would prohibit members, officers and employees of the House from using facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.

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As of Tuesday afternoon, it had been referred to the House Administration Committee currently chaired by Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., but did not appear to have come to a vote yet.

The bill would direct House Sergeant-at-Arms William McFarland to enforce the new provision.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told reporters she supports Mace’s resolution and called McBride "mentally ill."

"Sarah McBride, as he calls himself, formerly Tim McBride, is a biological man, and he should not be using any of our restrooms in the Capitol and those in our office buildings," Greene said.

"Nancy Mace's resolution doesn't go far enough. Her resolution is just a statement by Congress saying that Congress disagrees with something. We need something more binding."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R–La., a noted social conservative, said he’s "not going to get into this."

"We welcome all new members with open arms who are duly elected representatives of the people. I believe it's a command that we treat all persons with dignity and respect, that we will. And I'm not going to engage in silly debates about this."

Johnson added that the issue of gender identity in locker rooms and bathrooms is not something Congress has had to address before and thus deserves honest deliberation and "member consensus."

"And we will accommodate the needs of every single person," the speaker added.

Greene said the situation reminds her of how student-athletes were forced to compete against biological males who are physiologically stronger as a baseline.

"There is a volleyball player that has brain damage today because of a biological male spiking a ball into her head."

In that regard, former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who was forced to compete against a transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer, slammed McBride’s pointed response to criticisms.

"And even after his temper tantrum, he's still a man," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Gaines is an OutKick.com contributor and the host of the "Gaines for Girls" podcast.

In a 2015 story in American’s college magazine, McBride said, "My father said to me that he was not losing a son but gaining a daughter. That was one of the most profound moments in my transition. It was a major relief when it was clear that both my parents saw me as who I am."

In earlier comments about her resolution, Mace said she is a rape survivor and still has PTSD from her abuse at the hands of a man.

Later Tuesday, Mace said the issue is protecting women and girls and making sure Congress acts in accordance.

"[McBride] doesn't get a say. This is about real women and women's rights and the far-left radical left. They want to erase women and women's rights, and I'm not going to let them," she said. 

"Here's the deal: Biological men shouldn't be in women's private spaces, period, end of story," she said.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., defended McBride on Tuesday, telling reporters he was "sick to his stomach" by Mace’s resolution.

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In a statement, McBride called the situation "a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing."

"Delawareans sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible and that’s what I’m focused on."

Fox News Digital reached out to McBride's campaign and Dover office for additional comment on the new criticisms and was provided with an initial statement.

Fox News’ Daniel Scully, Tyler Olson and Ryan Schmelz contributed to this report.