7 Things To Do In Clemson University (Open to the Public)

Whenever I visit a university town, it is hard to figure out which buildings are open to the public and what sites one can visit. Here’s a guide on 7 Things to Do in Clemson University. I’ve identified which buildings are open to the public and which places are notable to visit while inside the University complex. 

Fort Hill: A Historic Home (National Historic Landmark) in Clemson University

Address:  520 Fort Hill St, Clemson, SC
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 4:30 pm, Sunday 2 pm to 4:30 pm
The property may close for lunch between 12 to 1 pm, so please call to confirm hours on the day of your visit.

Fort Hill is the reason why there is a Clemson University. The entire campus used to be a plantation, sprawling over the Upcountry of South Carolina, complete with slaves. What used to be a family home, Fort Hill, and the land around it were willed to the state of South Carolina so that it could be used to open a college. Fort Hill was also included with the bequest that it be open to the public for tours, preserved, and restored. Thanks to that bequest, we can see the original furnishings inside the house as if it had been left behind in the late 1800s. 

Fort Hill is a huge property, encompassing two floors, a basement, and an outer dwelling unit. It is around the size of a modern-day house, complete with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, and living and dining areas. You can tour the first and second floors and see what it was like to live in those days. Tours are self-guided, and there are plenty of informational signs that you can read to understand more of the history and what the room was originally used for. 

Is there visitor parking available in Fort Hill? 

There are very few visitor (metered) parking spaces located in front of the house, so plan to stay in another visitor lot before walking to Fort Hill and nearby attractions. I’ve mentioned where to park in one of the paragraphs above to help you plan your trip in more detail.

Is Fort Hill Free to Visit Inside Clemson University? 

Yes, but donations are appreciated. There is a small gift shop in the historic home where you can buy items to help support the property. 

Is Fort Hill Worth Visiting?

Yes. This should be your first stop when visiting Clemson University. It not only gives you a background on how the university was formed, it’s also a glimpse into the historical past of the area. 

After Fort Hill, you can head off to Death Valley (Memorial Stadium), which is a direct walk down the hill. 

Death Valley (Memorial Stadium) at Clemson University

Address: 1 Avenue of Champions, Clemson, SC
Hours: The exterior is open 24/7. The interior is only open during home games, concerts, and other ticketed events. 

Whether you are a fan of college football or not, a short visit to Death Valley, aka Clemson University’s Football Stadium, is a must-do. While the inside of the stadium is closed to the public on non-game days, you can still catch a glimpse of the inside from the gates. 

There are plenty of statues around the stadium where you can take photos with all of them Tiger-themed. This stadium seats 81,500 at full capacity, and it’s just mind-blowing how huge it is (and close to the road!) 

Below are some other spots that you can view within a quick walk from Death Valley. 

Memorial Park and the Scroll of Honor at Clemson University

Address: Williamson Rd, Clemson, SC
Hours: Open 24 hours

Right in front of Death Valley’s entrance by the hill is Memorial Park and the Scroll of Honor. This small park has two tiger statues guarding it, with plenty of American flags. There’s a mound in the middle, which is a memorial to Clemson’s fallen, who have lost their lives to war. Names are carved randomly on the stones, as well as the year that they attended Clemson. 

You can read more about the memorial and what it signifies on the official Clemson website. 

Howard’s Rock Inside Death Valley in Clemson University

Address: 1 Avenue of Champions, Clemson, SC
Where to See Howard’s Rock: Viewable from outside the stadium, by the gates in front of Memorial Park. 

While the stadium is closed, you can find a rock underneath a glass encasing by the gates. This is a rock from Death Valley, Nevada. It is tradition to touch the rock as the football players of Clemson University make their way to the stadium for a home game. 

Howard’s Rock is named after a Clemson University coach, Frank Howard, who coached the team for 39 years. 

Woodland Cemetery (Cemetery Hill) and Andrew Pickens Calhoun family plot

To the side of the stadium is Woodland Cemetery, which houses plots that belonged to the Calhoun family and the enslaved people who worked in Fort Hill Plantation from the 1800s to 1915. 

Remember that before Clemson was a university, it was a working plantation, so it’s not uncommon to have a cemetery on the farther reaches of the plantation. You can do a self-guided tour of the cemetery if the gates are open. The university also offers one-hour free guided tours of the plots, where you may be able to view the Andrew Pickens Memorial Plot, which is gated and is in the middle of the cemetery grounds. 

The Tiger Walk at Clemson University

Address: Pin Tiger Walk on Google Maps or search for Parking Lot C-3 Clemson on Google Maps to get the accurate address
Hours: Open 24/7

Off the parking lot is the Tiger Walk, a concrete path that the players also use to walk through cheering fans as they enter the stadium, which happens 2 hours and 15 minutes before kickoff. The Tiger Walk also has the names of every Clemson University football captain and is a great area for photos.

Trivia: Did you know that the night before a home football game, Clemson University players do not stay in campus? They stay at a hotel in Anderson, south of Clemson. A few hours before the game, the bus stops at a stoplight in Pendleton, SC, where eager fans wait for the buses and wave their good lucks to the team. 

Read more about what to do in Pendleton, SC, here. 

Tillman Hall and the Carillon Gardens

Address: 101 Gantt Circle, Clemson SC

Every university has its centerpiece building, and Tillman Hall is the centerpiece for Clemson. If you happen to take a photo or are passing by as the carillons are playing, stay and listen for a while. The carillon is free, and you can hear it all the way to Fort Hill. 

Tillman Hall is a great photo spot, with people taking selfies by the Clemson Statue and Tillman Hall in the background. 

Looking for more South Carolina content on this blog? Here are a few suggestions:

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Things To Do Within Clemson University (Buildings and Sites Open to the Public)

Hopefully, this little guide to what you can do within Clemson University helps. Clemson is an awesome little spot in the Upcountry to visit, and there’s plenty to do within the actual grounds itself. The South Carolina Botanical Gardens are technically part of Clemson University, but we’ll cover what you can do there in a separate post. 

Many thanks to Discover South Carolina for hosting me on this trip.