Start from 24 curated places around Clemson, SC, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Calhoun Corners Restaurant
The closest thing Clemson has to a formal dining institution, operating in an 1893 brick building with five original fireplaces and a menu of prime-cut steaks, fresh seafood, and house-made pasta that has been holding its standard for over 30 years. The beef is natural, hand-cut, and grilled over infrared heat that delivers the crust serious steak-eaters require.
Pixie & Bill's
The original fine dining destination in Clemson, open since 1971 on Tiger Boulevard with a menu anchored by legendary lobster bisque, slow-roasted prime rib, and Grand Marnier crepes that haven't changed because they don't need to. The room has natural woods, plush upholstery, and roaring fireplaces in winter — one of the most comfortable dining rooms in the Upstate.
Trails & outdoors
Clemson Experimental Forest – Issaqueena Lake Trail
The most popular trail in the 17,500-acre Clemson Experimental Forest, winding through wooded singletrack around Issaqueena Lake and connecting to the dam overlook that gives the best lake view in the forest. Rated 4.6 on AllTrails with nearly 2,500 reviews, this loop is the local hiker's first recommendation. Mostly flat with one challenging section near the dam.
Clemson Experimental Forest – Hardwood to Collarbone Loop
A 1.9-mile loop in the Fant's Grove section of the Experimental Forest that traverses mature hardwood forest with a 200-foot elevation gain and excellent birding through the canopy. Rated 4.5 on AllTrails and reliably recommended as the best short hike in the Clemson area for people who want a genuine forest walk without committing to a half-day.
Things to do
Clemson Tigers Football at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium — Death Valley — holds 81,500 fans and creates what ESPN has regularly called the loudest atmosphere in college football. Home game Saturdays transform Clemson into a sea of orange four hours before kickoff, with tailgating that covers every parking lot and lawn on campus. Even non-football visitors who happen to be in town for a home game should experience at least the pregame scene.
Lake Hartwell Boating and Kayaking
The 56,000-acre reservoir formed by Hartwell Dam on the Savannah River is Clemson's outdoor playground, with nine Army Corps campgrounds, 15 public day-use areas, and a boat-rental and kayak operation at the Snow Family Complex on campus. Bass fishing, pontoon cruises, and sunset paddling on the reservoir constitute the most popular outdoor activities for Clemson visitors.
Landmarks & sights
South Carolina Botanical Garden
A 295-acre free botanical garden on the Clemson University campus with miles of trails through cultivated landscapes, piedmont woodlands, and natural habitats. The Natural Heritage Garden Trail walks you through representations of five South Carolina ecosystems including longleaf pine savanna and carnivorous plant habitats. The Bob Campbell Geology Museum and a nationally recognized sculpture collection are inside the grounds.
Fort Hill – John C. Calhoun Home
The restored antebellum home of Vice President John C. Calhoun, standing at the center of Clemson's campus and open for guided tours. The house preserves original furnishings, documents, and the daily material culture of a mid-19th century plantation, providing a complicated and important historical perspective on the founding of what became Clemson University.