A Visitors Guide to Clemson

[FriendlyTigerBry]

Greetings and best wishes from a friendly Tiger fan. Like many Mountaineer fans, we are really excited about our upcoming match up and look forward to it. If you have never been to Clemson I'd like to offer you a brief guide around town and the surrounding area. Feel free to ask away with questions and I'd be glad to answer to the best of my ability.

Where to Stay-
Staying in Greenville, about 45 minutes to an hour away, gives you some great options for places to eat and hangout on a Friday night. Seneca is probably the easiest to get back to after the game, because not much traffic heads west on 123. Chain hotels in Clemson: Hampton Inn, Hotel Tillman, Comfort Inn, University Inn and Conference Center, Hotel Inn Express and a Days Inn, etc. Seneca, Easley and Anderson all have decent chain hotel options. I would suggest to look around at those hotels for different prices. Generally, the prices are raised for football weekends, at least at the Clemson hotels. The extra distance in driving from the other towns might be worth the money you will be able to save.

Where to Eat-
I really like Sardi’s Den and it is a great mixture of wonderful food in a laid back atmosphere. Very few places in South Carolina do ribs as well as Sardi’s and a full-rack with fries is enough food for two people. Some other food recommendation in Clemson are Calhoun Corners or Pixie and Bills. Both are outstanding and they have different menus and different atmospheres, so it best to check out their web site for more information.

The Esso Club is also another favorite. This is probably one of the more famous places to eat in Clemson and it is Brent Musberger's favorite. Its actually an old gas station that has been turned into a restaurant. Since its so famous, it can get pretty packed and sometimes they offer live bands. It's a good place to just go, hang out, and have a few beers. Their special is the Meat and 3 combo.

Mac's Drive-In is another Clemson staple. It's a small building with a ton of character. There is only bar seating on the inside, but the walls are plastered with Clemson memorabilia. A fan favorite here is the Grilled Cheeseburger which is a grilled cheese sandwich with a burger in the middle. Mac's is located on SC 28/Pendleton Road right across from University Baptist Church. Cash Only

Todaro's Pizza. Right in the middle of downtown this place is great for a couple of big, hot slices of pizza after a game. It's cheap, near the bars, and stays open late. While I do enjoy my tailgate meals, a trip to Clemson for me isn't complete without a slice of Heaven from Todaro's. What else could you ask for?

http://www.tigergourmet.com/

Where to Drink-
TD's. My personal watering hole and a great meet-and-great tradition for us. TD's is the bar that is closest to campus and the first one you see so it is usually more cramped on the inside. On gamedays, they usually are fully staffed so ordering food and a drinks is no hassle as the wait generally is not long. Fridays are $16 for a dozen wings and a pitcher of Yuengling. Like the other places here I'll name, they are all a short 5-10 minute walk to the stadium.

Tiger Town Tavern aka Triple T's. A great place to conversate. TTT is a lot more laid back and relaxed than some of the other bars. It has both an inside and outside sitting area.
Nick's. More of an eclectic bar that provides you with a break from the hustle and bustle of game days. I've heard it described as a "hipster bar", which seems accurate.

Backstreets is another typical college bar. It has more of a laid back type of atmosphere, similar to TTTs. Usually it has some of the cheapest pitchers.

Parking-
For those just looking to park and then walk the beautiful Clemson campus and/or hit the downtown restaurants and bars, I would encourage you to use the General Parking off of Cherry Road. For those that are going to set up a tailgate and remain at your spot until the game, I would recommend the YMCA General Parking Area.

The YMCA lot is just over the Highway 93 bridge and is located on Lake Hartwell. The YMCA lot offers plenty of grass to tailgate on as well as a view of the lake. Shuttle busses will route you to and from the stadium from the YMCA lot, but the walk is not that bad if you prefer. This is also where visitor Motor Homes can park.

After you park, if you decide to move in and around the campus and the IPTAY parking lots, you will find Clemson fans friendly and more than welcome to offer you a drink and/or food. In fact, you will have a hard time making your way through these lots without Clemson fans offering you to stop at their tailgate. We enjoy having a reputation as being the most friendliest fanbase for away teams in all of college sports.

On Saturday, you can enjoy one of the unique Clemson experiences. Clemson allows fans, young and old, to go onto the field after the game. There is a 1 minute delay once the final tick of the clock has gone off. This is in place so coaches of both teams can shake hands and then exit the field quickly. This is a great opportunity to meet some of your favorite players for photos and handshakes if you so desire.

I hope you have a great stay in Tiger Town, South Carolina. Take some time to walk around campus and take in the sights and sounds of game day. Make sure you get into the stadium early enough to see the team run down the hill because it is one of college football's unique traditions. If anybody tells you otherwise then they don't know what they're talking about.

[DaphneUrquhart]

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and give us some info. We're looking forward to the game and hoping it's not too beastly hot.

[Longrifle28]

Hey FriendlyTigerBry. Thanks for the hospitality and information.

[JTApps1]

Thanks, FriendlyTiger.

Any idea what traffic will look like on 123 coming from Greenville? We're planning on doing a post game tailgate so we're not looking to get there too early. Probably leaving Charlotte around 8:45.

[MtnMan09]

Other than the YMCA lot, is there anywhere you'd recommend for visitors looking to tailgate to check out?

[Rekdiver]

So where do we find the sheep?

[APPdiesel]

Thanks, FriendlyTiger.

Any idea what traffic will look like on 123 coming from Greenville? We're planning on doing a post game tailgate so we're not looking to get there too early. Probably leaving Charlotte around 8:45.

Living in Greenville, I've been to many many Clemson games. It's kind of a toss up - If you use 123 you WILL (and I can't stress this enough WILL) run into infuriating traffic going through Easley, about half way between Greenville and Clemson. It's 10 or so stop lights in a 2 mile stretch and they run per usual. There's no way around it so don't even try. The closer you get to kick off the longer the delay. So if you plan to get there very early, 123 is a very good option.

The other way is to take 85 all the way to exit 19, Clemson Blvd. It's a 4 lane highway with stop lights that mostly turn into caution lights for the 5 or 6 miles between 85 and Clemson.

There is a cut between, if you're coming down 85, if you take hwy 153 (don't quote me, exit 35 or so) through Powdersville it'll dump out onto 123 and you'll be right back into Easley traffic.

Believe me when I tell you, give yourself PLENTY of extra time to get there or you may miss part of the game.

[asu70]

Thanks friendly Tiger for this information.