1. Pickens County
(Clemson, Easley)
Clemson, while named for the city’s Clemson University, is much more than a college town. Clemson and Pickens County can be considered an adventuring hotspot. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and along the banks of Lake Hartwell, Clemson offers the perfect mix of outdoor adventure, classic southern charm and history.
“We are ecstatic to be named a top trending destination,” says Visit Clemson Tourism Director Kade Herrick. “It means that others are seeing what we have seen for years—the beauty and wonders of Clemson and Pickens County—the lakes, mountains and waterfalls, along with living so close to a major university. It is a championship lifestyle.”
2. Greenville County
(Greenville, Travelers Rest)
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville offers a unique blend of traditional Southern charm and contemporary cool. Its walkable downtown is packed tight with cultural and culinary distractions. An award-winning, tree-lined Main Street buzzes with people, locally owned boutiques and more than 110 locally owned restaurants.
“There are a million reasons why people are saying ‘Yeah that Greenville,’” says Ty Houck, director of Greenways, Natural and Historic Resources for Greenville County Parks & Recreation. “With countless annual events and activities like standup paddle boarding on Lake Saluda to bicycling along the tree-lined Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail System, Greenville has it going on.”
3. Oconee County
(Seneca, Walhalla)
Oconee County is best known for its natural resources that contribute to outdoor adventures. The Chattooga River offers world-class whitewater rafting and fly fishing. Lake Jocassee is a 9,000-acre primitive lake surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, and lined with numerous waterfalls. The county also features hiking trails to 29 waterfalls.
“On the hottest day of the year,” says Ken Sloan, President & CEO of Visit Oconee, South Carolina, “you can always find a cool spot to chill either under a waterfall, floating the Chattooga or swimming on Lake Jocassee. Oconee is truly a really cool place to play!”
4. Spartanburg County
(Spartanburg, Landrum)
Spartanburg melds small-town charm, state-of-the-art event venues and restaurants with historical significance dating back to the Revolutionary War. Spartanburg County is home to picturesque views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, miles of outdoor walking and biking trails and some of the finest waterways in South Carolina.
“From walking through Landrum’s quaint downtown to the waterside views of Lake Bowen, Spartanburg County is a haven for anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors,” says Chris Jennings, executive vice president of the Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’ve also got some of the region’s best restaurants, home to modern, innovative cuisine and classic, down-home cooking.”
5. Cherokee County
(Blacksburg, Gaffney)
The Town of Blacksburg and the City of Gaffney are charms of the South. Known for its Peach Water Tower at Gaffney, just off I-85, this county is home to Cowpens National Battlefield; Kings Mountain National Military Park; and the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.
“Our area is unique because we are like a hidden gem,” says Jonna Turner, executive director of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. “With a charming, historic downtown in both Blacksburg and Gaffney, multiple nationally featured restaurants and shops, and rich history, Cherokee County is a great place to visit.”
About This Story: Our coverage area—the mountain regions of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky—is home to more great places to visit than you could shake the proverbial stick at.
The process of finding the full list of all 35 destinations presented here began with U.S. Travel Association data (for West Virginia, a Dean Runyan Associates study) assessing the increase in travel spending—2017 over 2016—in all geographically relevant counties and cities in each state.
We then determined the top eight in that realm for each state, listed them alphabetically, and offered online voting for our readers, toward creating the top-five lists presented here. The data affirmed increased visitorship to each; the reader input—voting for up to three destinations per state—narrowed those lists to voters’ favorite/hope-to-visit destinations.
Reader-poll voting took place between February 20 and April 7, 2019. Our thanks to all who took part.
Destinations in each state are listed in order of vote totals. For more details on each destination – including our editors’ picks for 175 can’t miss attractions and reasons to visit – subscribe now to get the July/August 2019 issue as your first copy. Thank you!
