America's Best Small College Town Goes Big on School Spirit in a Tiny Corner of Upstate South Carolina

Clemson, South Carolina — home of Clemson University — has a growing downtown with a new hotel championing inclusivity.

Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the shore of Lake Hartwell, Clemson is located in South Carolina’s rural Upstate region. The quaint downtown is lined with shops selling purple-and-orange merch, student-filled sports bars, and a crop of new local businesses. I graduated from Clemson University in 2018, fully indoctrinated into Tigers fandom. I grew up on the other side of the state’s biggest rivalry, raised in a University of South Carolina family, but I was drawn to the university’s small-town setting; it felt like a Clemson bubble, where everything was all Clemson, all the time.

Though it has grown in recent years, with the addition of new shopping centers, apartment complexes, and campus expansions, the Clemson University spirit remains central to the town’s identity. “Clemson is a great college town, first and foremost, because of the people. The people are amazing,” Clemson University president Jim Clements says.

“Dabo and I absolutely love living in Clemson. We raised our three sons in this amazing small town where people are genuinely happy and look out for each other,” says Kathleen Swinney, vice chair of Dabo’s All In Team Foundation and wife of Dabo Swinney, Clemson’s head football coach, enthuses. “All three of our sons attended or are attending Clemson and have earned multiple degrees. The college life, from academics to athletics, is one of the best in the country.”

With a full-time population of 17,681, Clemson residents are outnumbered by the nearly 30,000 Clemson University undergraduate and graduate students. But what makes this small South Carolina college town so special for those who spend four years here and others who make Clemson their home? Don’t just take this alum’s word for it — we also spoke to locals to find out.

Why Clemson Is the Best College Town in the U.S. for 2024

“Clemson is an exceptional college town because it seamlessly blends academic excellence with an inclusive, welcoming community. Our beautiful surroundings, vibrant local economy, and strong school spirit create an environment where everyone can thrive,” Clemson mayor Robert Halfacre says.

The desire to create a more inclusive Clemson extends beyond the university to the local businesses throughout the small town. When commercial property developer Rich Davies and hospitality and property management executive Rick Hayduk teamed up to open The Shepherd Hotel, a boutique property in downtown Clemson, they had a specific purpose in mind: to positively impact the lives of others. They realized a need for a high-end boutique hotel in Clemson, but also saw an opportunity to create jobs — and a secure, welcoming environment — for students in the ClemsonLIFE program. ClemsonLIFE prepares students with intellectual disabilities for employment and independent living through academics and work experience (at many local businesses), plus offers a specific Hospitality Certificate Program. Tanner Smith, breakout social media star of Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum U.S. season two, brought the spotlight to the program and to The Shepherd Hotel, where he works.

Hayduk was inspired by his daughter, Jamison, who has Down syndrome, to create a hotel that employs people with disabilities. And since developing and opening the property with Davies in 2022, they’ve been able to do just that, providing both internships and student jobs and a long-term, stable career track for ClemsonLIFE students, right here in Clemson, where there’s a supportive community for students and residents of all abilities. The goal? To have a staff that’s around 30 percent (or more) employees with intellectual disabilities.

"Clemson is a place where a welcoming spirit stemming from its humble beginnings intersect with the excitement of tomorrow and the possibilities that lie ahead. A place where you feel the authenticity of a warm greeting, the care of a downtown business, and the bond with ClemsonLIFE students,” Davies says. “It’s impossible not to feel the joy that exists in Clemson, where residents and students intersect to create the warmth of the Clemson family.” And Hayduk and Davies are just getting started — the two aim to grow The Shepherd Hotel brand with new locations that provide more opportunities to people with disabilities who want to work in hospitality.

Where to Stay

The Shepherd Hotel

The Shepherd Hotel is located in downtown Clemson, just steps from all the action on College Avenue. The 67-room boutique property offers comfortable accommodations, from the standard king room to the spacious Shepherd Suite, all featuring artwork created by ClemsonLIFE students, sleep sound machines, and smart TVs. Delish Sisters serves globally inspired eats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Thomas Bar is the ideal spot to grab a craft cocktail or indulge in the new afternoon tea service, offered Tuesday to Thursday.

The Abernathy

The Abernathy is a 41-room boutique hotel located just a five-minute walk from Memorial Stadium. Comfortable rooms, complimentary bicycles, and pet-friendly accommodations make this a great place to stay for game weekends or when touring the school.

Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, Autograph Collection

About 45 minutes from Clemson, the Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, Autograph Collection is located right on Falls Park on the Reedy in the heart of charming Greenville, South Carolina, just a short walk to local shops and restaurants. I recommend tacking on a day or two to your trip so you can explore this vibrant city, which has plenty of local festivals and events, like Artisphere, Euphoria, and Fall for Greenville, that are worth planning a trip around.

Things to Do

Watch the Clemson Tigers play in Death Valley.

Despite growing up in South Carolina, where college football is inextricably linked with Saturdays in the fall, I wasn’t much of a fan — until I went to my first Clemson game during my freshman year of college. Famously known as the “most exciting 25 seconds in college football,” players rub the lucky Howard’s Rock and run down the hill and onto the field at Memorial Stadium, also known as Death Valley. The town of under 20,000 full-time residents quadruples in size as the 80,000-seat stadium fills with fans in purple and orange on game days. With tailgates set up throughout campus and sprawling in the lots around the stadium, the game-day buzz is unbeatable.

Tour the campus.

There’s more to Clemson’s campus than academic buildings and pretty quads. Take President Clements’ list: “There are so many can’t-miss spots here at Clemson — Death Valley, the Scroll of Honor, Lake Hartwell, the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Complex, ’55 Exchange, Bowman Field, College Avenue, the South Carolina Botanical Garden, the Green Crescent Trail, the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts, multiple museums, and the Walker Golf Course — just to name a few.”

Get out on the lake — Hartwell, Jocassee, or Keowee.

“Clemson is also breathtaking. We’re situated right beside Lake Hartwell and at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains,” Clements says. Get out on Lake Hartwell with a boat rental from Clemson Marina, or paddle around Lake Keowee with a kayak or paddleboard rented from Unlimited Outfitters.

Shop around College Avenue.

College Avenue is the heart of downtown Clemson, so no trip to this college town is complete without stopping in some of the local small businesses that sell every kind of Clemson merchandise imaginable. With the spots below in mind, I guarantee you’ll come home with at least one tiger-themed souvenir.

Where to Shop

College Avenue Clemson Stores

Orange and purple aren’t reserved for game days. Students, faculty, and locals don their best Clemson attire every week for Solid Orange Fridays. Join the fun and visit one of the many shops selling Clemson apparel; Mr. Knickerbocker, Judge Keller’s Store, and Tiger Sports Shop are some favorites.

Clemson Variety & Frame

The go-to spot for graduating students wanting to get their diplomas framed, Clemson Variety & Frame also sells a range of university-focused goods, from homewares to tailgate supplies and memorabilia. It comes recommended by several of our local experts, including Hayduk, who calls it “a local gem with friendly faces and a fantastic selection of Clemson gear.”

M.H. Frank

For more than 50 years, M.H. Frank has been selling menswear in downtown Clemson. Whether you’re looking for everyday apparel, formal clothing, or game-day attire that goes beyond the basic T-shirt, this store has you covered. According to Davies, M.H. Frank “offers the ultimate in personal attention and care along with world-class men’s clothing selections. To coin a phrase from an old sitcom, ‘it’s a place where everybody knows your name’… and what size you wear.”

The Fizz Boutique

The Fizz Boutique offers a “one-stop shop for ladies fashion and unique gifts, well-loved by guests and a good complement to the neighboring M.H. Frank,” according to Hayduk. Stop in to find tailgate-ready purple and orange tops, dresses, and more.

Where to Eat and Drink

The Esso Club

A former gas station from the 1930s, The Esso Club — located just a short walk from Death Valley — is now a Clemson institution. It has all your classic sports bar bites — wings, sandwiches, and just about anything you can fry — plus Southern meat-and-three specials (think mains like fried chicken, barbecue pork, or fried catfish with sides like slaw, collards, mac and cheese, and fried okra). Bryan Lee, president of the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce, recommends The Esso Club and the nearby Sully’s Steamers, East Coast Wings + Grill, and Palmettos Smokehouse & Oyster Bar, all located downtown.

The Smokin’ Pig of Pendleton

About a 10-minute drive from campus, The Smokin’ Pig of Pendleton is another fan favorite — here, barbecue and all the fixings. This is also a popular game-day choice; lots of families pick up platters of pulled pork, pints of sides, and gallons of sweet tea for their tailgates.

Tiger Town Tavern

Every college town needs a great college bar. And those great college bars — in all their sticky-floored glory — aren’t about swanky cocktails or a fine-dining experience; they’re all about nostalgia and a probably-too-strong cocktail that’s the unofficial town drink (here, it’s orange slushy Jet Fuel). Walking around downtown post-grad, I was surprised by how much had changed with the half-dozen or so bars that line College Avenue, but Tiger Town Tavern, which dates back to 1977, is still one of the first stops my friends and I make when we go back to visit. Loose Change, just down the street, is another personal favorite.

Andee’s Custom Blended Ice Cream

For a sweet afternoon treat, Davies recommends Andee’s Custom Blended Ice Cream, where you can choose from 55-plus mix-ins to create your ultimate ice cream flavor. “The ice cream is fantastic, and it’s underpinned by the notion that anything is possible, which I love. You can literally create any blend of ice cream ingredients. Being there makes us feel like students again,” he adds.

’55 Exchange

Because you can never have too many sweet treats, plan to also stop by the ’55 Exchange as you tour Clemson’s campus. Students create the flavors, manufacture the ice cream, and serve the scoops at this shop, so grab a cone to enjoy while you walk around. And don’t forget to pick up some famous Clemson blue cheese, also produced on campus.

Best Times to Visit

Clemson is beautiful throughout the year: winters are mild, spring is lush and green, and summer is perfect lake weather. That said, nothing compares to the energy and excitement of a fall game day, and combined with the changing leaves and cooling temperatures, these autumn weekends are certainly the best time to visit. “We’re biased, but we love fall in Clemson because that means it’s football season. But you really can’t go wrong — Clemson truly is ‘in season’ every season,” says Swinney.

Flight and hotel prices are significantly higher when there’s a home game, but it’s worth it to experience the electric atmosphere and see the throngs of fans decked out in purple and orange. This year, homecoming will be held on September 28; returning alumni and visitors can look forward to the annual Tigerama celebration, floats on Bowman Field, and more. The Clemson Tigers take on the University of South Carolina Gamecocks in the state’s biggest rivalry game, the Palmetto Bowl, typically on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. If you’re hoping to plan a quieter trip, aim for early summer after graduation.

How to Get There

Clemson is located in rural Upstate South Carolina. Greenville — a charming South Carolina city well worth visiting before or after your trip to Clemson — is a 45-minute drive away. Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) is served by seven airlines, with more than 100 daily nonstop flights to 20-plus destinations around the United States. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, North Carolina, are two major air travel hubs located about 2.5 hours from Clemson by car. Amtrak’s Crescent line also stops in Clemson. Plan to rent a car and drive to Clemson from the airport and explore the surrounding area. Ride-share services are available, but as Lee points out, “Many of our hotels are walking distance to downtown, where the majority of our shops are located.” You can park the car for the weekend and explore on foot once you arrive.

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