From the moment you roll into Clemson, South Carolina and see the faded orange paw prints on Highway 28, you get the idea you are in Tiger territory, a special and meaningful place.

Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains just minutes from the Georgia and North Carolina border, Clemson’s city population is only 18,000 in the summertime. But this tiny little town in the northwestern corner of the Palmetto State plays host to as many as 300,000 souls on any given college football weekend, a testament to the sacredness of Saturdays down South.

While Clemson’s gameday experience rivals any that you’ll experience across the country, there’s more to Clemson than viral videos of head football coach Dabo Swinney sprinting furiously down the hill at Memorial Stadium after touching Howard’s Rock. From a vibrant food scene to nature trails and the serenity of Lake Hartwell, there’s more than enough to do to make any weekend in Clemson memorable.

Here’s an SDS list of our favorite 10 things to do when visiting Clemson, any time of the year.

10. Enjoy a stroll through Carillon Gardens

Situated on the campus of Clemson University between Sikes and Tillman Halls, the Carillon Gardens are a zen den of azalea blooms, magnolia trees, and other local trees and flowers that play host to a wide number of events, from weddings to first year student laser tag nights. Carillon Gardens is also home to the iconic Tillman Bell, which sat in the eponymous bell tower for 80 years before being relocated to the garden in 1987. Any trip to Clemson isn’t complete with a stroll through the garden.

9. Grab a table at the Esso Club and soak in the Gameday scene

An old Esso service station just across the street from Memorial Stadium, the Esso Club started selling beer in the 1980s and has served Clemson’s best meat and three almost as long. In 1997, the Esso Club was named the No. 2 Must See Sports Bar in the nation by Sports Illustrated, and the Esso has never looked back, consistently finding itself ranked among the most iconic tailgating spots or bars in college towns. No matter how famous, the Esso Club has remained a staple, almost synonymous with gameday at Clemson, and the panoramic views of the campus and Death Valley make any trip to the filling station worth the time.

8. Libations at Tiger Town Tavern, of course

Tiger Town Tavern opened its doors in 1977 and has been Clemson’s favorite bar ever since, thanks to its perfect location, outstanding service and ice cold beer. And yes, it helps that at Clemson, they redshirt Miss Americas and there’s never any shortage of coeds at Tiger Town Tavern. From Refrigerator Perry to Trevor Lawrence, the list of Clemson legends who have graced Tiger Town Tavern speaks to the iconic nature of the establishment.

7. Play 18 at the Walker Course

Seated on Clemson’s campus and featuring rolling hills, beautiful foothill mountain vistas, and Augusta-like loblolly pines, the Walker Course is one of the most outstanding on-campus golf courses in the country. With a slope rating of 137, the course is challenging but inviting to golfers of all skill and abilities. The course also has a brilliant signature hole at 17, where the small green is protected by two bunkers that visually form Clemson’s traditional Tiger paw print.

6. Visit Fort Hill and learn about Clemson University’s rich history

Fort Hill was the antebellum plantation of South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun, one of the nation’s most influential (and controversial) politicians. After Calhoun’s death in 1850, the property eventually passed to his daughter Anna, who had married Thomas Clemson in 1838. The Clemsons ultimately granted 75 percent of the land to the state of South Carolina to open a public school and agricultural college called “Clemson University.” A condition of the gift? Keeping Fort Hill perpetually open to visitors. The plantation is now preserved and restored, full of Clemson and Calhoun artifacts and writings, and has a moving tribute to the enslaved humans who also lived there before the Civil War. If you are interested in history, this is a must visit.

5. Dine at Rick Erwin’s Clemson

The acclaimed Greenville steakhouse has come to Clemson’s Market Street at Patrick Square. With excellent cocktails, an extensive and impressive wine list, and savory cuts of steak via Chicago’s celebrated Linz Heritage Angus, Rick Erwin’s offers a fine dining experience at reasonable price points. Local seafood options are also excellent, and Rick Erwin’s gives a portion of every dish of low country crab cakes sold to local food pantries to help fight hunger in the greater Greenville and Clemson areas and surrounding counties.

4. Visit the South Carolina Botanical Gardens

With 285 acres of nature trails, ponds, and green space, the South Carolina Botanical Gardens is a perfect way to spend a morning in Clemson. The Botanical Gardens also play host to numerous events throughout the year and have plenty of activities for kids. Book a tour of the grounds and be sure to visit the acclaimed Bob Campbell Geological Museum, which sits on the property and is home to more than 10,000 minerals, rocks, and fossils from around the globe. If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll flip when they see dinosaur bones– and the smiles make any trip to the Botanical Gardens worthwhile.

3. Catch a game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium

If you are in Clemson in the spring, there’s not a better spot than Doug Kingsmore Stadium, home of Clemson baseball. The stadium can hold as many as 6,500 fans and the Tigers consistently fill the place up, having ranked in the top 20 nationally in college baseball attendance for 15 consecutive seasons. The stadium’s unusual southerly alignment (most stadiums are east-northeast) allows for sensational views of the Blue Ridge foothills beyond the center field batter’s eye, making for as picturesque a baseball setting as you’ll get east of the Mississippi River. The Tigers have a staggering record of 25-4 in NCAA Tournament games contested at Doug Kingsmore since the NCAA changed the postseason format in 1999, a testament to a powerful home-field advantage bolstered by students who fill the lawn area in left field and make their voices heard throughout Tiger home games.

2. Howard’s Rock

All Dabo sprinting jokes aside, if you are in Clemson on a football weekend, you better find your way into Memorial Stadium in time to see Clemson take the field after touching Howard’s Rock at the top of the Hill. The rock is a genuine rock from Death Valley, California, and was a gift to Clemson’s legendary head coach Frank Howard from a friend who visited the famed desert in 1960. The Rock was first placed on a mounted pedestal at the top of the Hill before a Clemson win over Virginia in 1966. The team started rubbing the rock before every game in 1967, with one key instruction from Howard: “Only players who give 110% to Clemson deserve the privilege of rubbing the rock.” Howard’s Rock has become one of the quintessential “bucket list” things to see if you are a fan of college football, and the moment lives up to the hype.

1. Spend a day on Lake Hartwell

Lake Hartwell, a serene, man-made lake in the Blue Ridge foothills that covers 87.5 square miles of Georgia and South Carolina offers a little of everything, from scenic views of Memorial Stadium to world class bass fishing and extensive recreational opportunities. Arrive to Clemson on a Thursday night and book a charter to do some striper fishing on Friday morning. TIP: This is even better in autumn, as the leaves begin to turn around the lake. If fishing isn’t your thing, rent a kayak and paddle along Lake Hartwell’s nearly 1,000 miles of shoreline. If you can get up early on a gameday, make sure to head over to the banks of Lake Hartwell to watch the pontoon boats, orange and purple flags flapping in the breeze, pour into Clemson. It’s a breathtaking sight that captures the spirit and essence of gameday at Clemson.