Destinations › Upstate
South Carolina's Upstate: Blue Ridge foothills, lakes and waterfalls, with Greenville and Spartanburg as the cities. It covers 11 counties; we have guides for 5 towns here, plus every state park and attraction page below.
- Counties11Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee…
- Town Guides5parking, areas, nearby
- Parks and Sites20state and national
- Places and Venues17attractions, museums, venues
Towns in The Upstate
- GreenvilleGreenville County, about 74,371 peopleThings to Do
- SpartanburgSpartanburg County, about 39,606 peopleThings to Do
- ClemsonPickens County, about 18,610 peopleThings to Do
- Travelers RestGreenville County, about 8,960 peopleThings to Do
- WalhallaOconee County, about 4,249 peopleThings to Do
Smaller towns here: Abbeville, Pendleton, Landrum.
State Parks and National Park Sites
- Baker Creek State ParkState Park, McCormick
- Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic SiteState Historic Site, Clinton
- Caesars Head State ParkState Park, Cleveland
- Calhoun Falls State ParkState Park, Calhoun Falls
- Cowpens National BattlefieldNational Battlefield, GaffneyFree
- Croft State ParkState Park, Spartanburg
- Devils Fork State ParkState Park, Salem
- Hamilton Branch State ParkState Park, Plum Branch
- Hickory Knob State Resort ParkState Resort Park, McCormickFree
- Jones Gap State ParkState Park, Marietta
- Keowee-Toxaway State ParkState Park, SunsetFree
- Lake Greenwood State ParkState Park, Ninety Six
- Lake Hartwell State ParkState Park, Fair Play
- Ninety Six National Historic SiteNational Historic Site, Ninety SixFree
- Oconee State ParkState Park, Mountain Rest
- Oconee Station State Historic SiteState Historic Site, WalhallaFree
- Paris Mountain State ParkState Park, Greenville
- Rose Hill Plantation State Historic SiteState Historic Site, Union
- Sadlers Creek State ParkState Park, Anderson
- Table Rock State ParkState Park, Pickens
Upstate state parks: every fee and dog rule in one table.
Places to Go and Venues
- Bon Secours Wellness Arenaarena, Greenville
- CCNB Amphitheatreamphitheatre, Simpsonville
- Falls Park on the Reedycity park, GreenvilleFree
- Fluor Field at the West Endballpark, Greenville
- Foothills Traillong-distance hiking trail, Pickens
- Greenville County Museum of Artart museum, GreenvilleFree
- Greenville Zoozoo, Greenville
- Littlejohn Coliseumarena, Clemson
- Mary Black Foundation Rail Trailrail trail, Spartanburg
- Memorial Stadium (Clemson)stadium, Clemson
- Paladin Stadiumstadium, Greenville
- Peace Centerperforming arts center, Greenville
- Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trailpaved greenway, Greenville
- South Carolina Botanical Gardenuniversity botanical garden, ClemsonFree
- Spartanburg Memorial Auditoriumtheatre, Spartanburg
- The Children's Museum of the Upstate (Greenville)children's museum, Greenville
- Upcountry History Museumhistory museum, Greenville
Events in The Upstate
Every dated event in the region is on the Upstate events page, checked on organizers’ own pages.
More in The Upstate
- NewMountain Lakes in South CarolinaLake Jocassee, Keowee, Hartwell and the other Upstate lakes→
- NewUpstate South Carolina Fall FoliageWhere to see fall color in Upstate South Carolina→
- NewGreenville With KidsGreenville, South Carolina with kids→
FAQ
Which counties are in the Upstate?
Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, Union. This is our editorial grouping for planning, not an official region.
What are the main towns in the Upstate?
Greenville, Spartanburg, Clemson, Travelers Rest, Walhalla; each has its own guide.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, Vintage 2024
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Gazetteer, South Carolina places
Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Upstate, South Carolina: Towns, Parks and Places”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/upstate/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.