College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 2 days, 4 campuses

South Carolina, SC State, Presbyterian and Winthrop in 2 Days: A Columbia, Orangeburg, Clinton and Rock Hill College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing the University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, Presbyterian College and Winthrop University in two days: USC in Columbia and SC State in Orangeburg on day 1, then Presbyterian in Clinton and Winthrop in Rock Hill on day 2 before flying home from Charlotte. Official visit sign-ups, parking at each school, a hotel steps from USC's Horseshoe, the South Carolina State House for siblings, and Columbia weather by season.

Neville Hall, a red-brick building with a white-columned portico and a dome, across a lawn at Presbyterian College in late-afternoon sun
Neville Hall, Presbyterian College, Clinton (Feb 2025). Photo: PCN02WPS · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC) · South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, SC) · Presbyterian College (Clinton, SC) · Winthrop University (Rock Hill, SC)
Days
2: USC and SC State on day 1, then Presbyterian and Winthrop on day 2. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Columbia Metropolitan (CAE), about 22 minutes from the hotel with no traffic. Fly home from Charlotte Douglas (CLT), about 43 minutes from Winthrop.
Best base
Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC, about a 6-minute walk from USC's Visitor Center in McKissick Museum on the Horseshoe.
Car or transit
You'll need a car. SC State is about 55 minutes from Columbia; on day 2 it's about 1 hour 16 minutes to Presbyterian, 1 hour 40 minutes on to Winthrop and 43 minutes to CLT, all with no traffic.
Registration
All four schools take visit sign-ups online: USC's campus tour, SC State's campus tour, Presbyterian's weekday campus visit and Winthrop's weekday campus visit.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare four very different South Carolina schools: the flagship University of South Carolina in Columbia; South Carolina State University, a historically Black university in Orangeburg; Presbyterian College, a small college on a 240-acre campus in Clinton; and Winthrop University in Rock Hill, a short drive from Charlotte.

USC is a walk from a Columbia hotel and SC State is under an hour south, so day 1 is an out-and-back. Day 2 is a one-way drive: Clinton, then Rock Hill, then Charlotte's airport.

Why this order

  • Day 1: USC's General Campus Tour runs about two hours, a 20-minute admissions presentation and then 90 to 100 minutes with a University Ambassador. Then it's about 55 minutes to SC State for its hour-long visit: a 15-minute presentation and a 45-minute walking tour.
  • Day 2: Presbyterian's visit starts with an information session on academics, student life, admission, scholarships and financial aid, then a tour with a current student. Winthrop's starts with an admissions and financial aid presentation, then a tour with a student guide.
  • Day 2 has about 3 hours 40 minutes of driving with no traffic, so book Presbyterian in the morning and Winthrop in the afternoon.
Each campus parks you differently
  • USC: after you register, the Visitor Center sends instructions for its complimentary Visitor Center parking, and you must print the parking pass before your visit. Otherwise, metered spaces on campus and nearby streets are not free.
  • SC State: its visit pages don't spell out visitor parking, so ask Admissions (803-536-7186) when you book.
  • Presbyterian: put 102 East Calhoun Street, Clinton, in your GPS and park in the spaces reserved for visitors; the rounded steps off Calhoun Street lead into the Patrick Center.
  • Winthrop: register your car with the Winthrop Police Department online, free, before or when you arrive, and park in the designated visitor areas on the campus parking map.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Summers are hot: July averages about 93°F highs at Columbia's airport, and June through August are the rainiest months.
  • USC's tour lasts up to two hours, so wear comfortable closed-toe shoes, pack an umbrella and bring a refillable water bottle.
  • SC State's tour is mostly outdoors and may be shortened or canceled because of weather.
  • USC says February, March and April are its busiest tour months, and Monday and Friday its busiest days, so book early.

2. The suggested 2-day plan

  • Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Rush hour around Columbia and on I-77 near Charlotte can add a lot of time.

Arrival evening: fly into Columbia and check in near the Horseshoe

  1. Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) → Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC (1619 Pendleton St., Columbia)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~22 min, 10 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • USC says Columbia Metropolitan Airport is about 15 to 20 minutes from campus by car.

Day 1: University of South Carolina, then SC State in Orangeburg

  1. Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC → USC Visitor Center, McKissick Museum on the Horseshoe

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 min, 0.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    ~6 min walk, 0.3 mi

  2. USC → South Carolina State University (300 College St. NE, Orangeburg)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~55 min, 44.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  3. SC State → Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~54 min, 44.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • Book USC's tour on its sign-up page; each student registers separately, and each registrant can bring up to 3 guests. USC suggests registering before you book travel.
  • Check in at USC's Visitor Center 30 minutes early: arrive more than 15 minutes after the tour starts and you lose your seat.
  • Book SC State's tour on its sign-up page. All visitors must be 16 or older, and residence hall tours must be requested when you schedule.

Day 2: Presbyterian in Clinton, Winthrop in Rock Hill, then fly home from Charlotte

  1. Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC → Presbyterian College, Patrick Center (102 E. Calhoun St., Clinton)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 16 min, 63 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  2. Presbyterian → Winthrop Visitors Center, Joynes Hall (Memorial Circle, Rock Hill)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 40 min, 72.8 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  3. Winthrop → Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~43 min, 23.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • Check out before you leave Columbia. Book Presbyterian's weekday visit for the morning and Winthrop's weekday visit for the afternoon on their sign-up pages; Winthrop lists its visit times in Eastern time.
  • Presbyterian is about 10 minutes from both I-385 and I-26, and Winthrop is easy to reach from I-77.

3. Campus by campus

A brick path across the Horseshoe lawn toward Rutledge College, a long cream-colored Federal-style building framed by tall trees at the University of South Carolina
Rutledge College on the Horseshoe, University of South Carolina, Columbia (Nov 2023). Photo: w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC)

Where visits start
  • The General Campus Tour lasts about two hours: a 20-minute presentation on admissions, financial aid and scholarships, then 90 to 100 minutes exploring campus with a University Ambassador. An Express Campus Tour skips the presentation and suits second-time visitors and admitted students.
  • Tours have limited access to academic buildings and the student union, and residence halls aren't shown; the Visitor Center has a mock residence hall room instead.
  • There are no guided tours on weekends or major holidays. On those days, use USC's free self-guided tour, or pick up a paper map from the mailbox in front of McKissick Museum.
Visitor parking
  • After you register, USC sends instructions for complimentary Visitor Center parking; print the parking pass before your visit. Other visitors can use metered spaces on campus and nearby streets, which are not free.
  • USC's hourly visitor garages include Bull Street, Discovery, Horizon and Pendleton Street.
Getting there
  • About a 6-minute walk from the Graduate by Hilton and 22 minutes from CAE with no traffic. USC says Charlotte's airport is about 1.5 hours away.
What to know
  • The tour runs from the historic Horseshoe to the busy Russell House.
Contact
USC Visitor Center, McKissick Museum on the Horseshoe, Columbia, SC; 803-777-0169 or 1-800-922-9755, visitor@mailbox.sc.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: USC: Tour tips & FAQs · USC: Self-guided visits · USC: Visitor parking

A long white arena with a red roof behind a green lawn and a welcome sign at South Carolina State University
Memorial Center, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg (Aug 2025). Photo: 2C2K Photography · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, SC)

Where visits start
  • Tours run about an hour: a 15-minute presentation, then a 45-minute walking tour that includes the Kirkland W. Green Student Center.
  • All visitors must be 16 or older. Residence hall tours depend on availability and must be requested when you schedule. The dining hall is closed May through August.
Visitor parking
  • SC State's visit pages don't list visitor parking, so ask Admissions when you book.
Getting there
  • About 55 minutes from USC and 54 minutes back to the Graduate by Hilton with no traffic.
What to know
  • The tour is mostly outdoors, so dress for walking the whole hour.
Contact
South Carolina State University, 300 College Street NE, Orangeburg, SC 29117; Admissions 803-536-7186.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: SC State: Visit

Neville Hall, a red-brick building with a white-columned portico and a dome, across a lawn at Presbyterian College in late-afternoon sun
Neville Hall, Presbyterian College, Clinton (Feb 2025). Photo: PCN02WPS · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Presbyterian College (Clinton, SC)

Where visits start
  • Your visit starts with an information session on academics, student life, admission, scholarships and financial aid, then a tour with a current student guide.
Visitor parking
  • Put 102 East Calhoun Street, Clinton, in your GPS for the Admissions Office in the Patrick Center, and park in the spaces reserved for you. The rounded steps off Calhoun Street lead right into the Patrick Center.
Getting there
  • About 1 hour 16 minutes from the Graduate by Hilton and 1 hour 40 minutes to Winthrop with no traffic. Presbyterian says it's about 45 minutes from Greenville-Spartanburg's airport and 10 minutes from I-385 and I-26.
What to know
  • Presbyterian's visit page points history buffs to the Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site.
Contact
Presbyterian College Admissions, 503 South Broad Street, Clinton, SC 29325; 800-476-7272, admissions@presby.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Presbyterian: Visit & tour PC

A brick gate pillar with a Winthrop College plaque in front of Tillman Hall's red-brick clock tower at Winthrop University
Tillman Hall, Winthrop University, Rock Hill (Mar 2011). Photo: Graysick · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Winthrop University (Rock Hill, SC)

Where visits start
  • Daily visits run Monday through Friday and on select Saturdays: an admissions and financial aid presentation, then a campus tour with a student guide.
  • With a morning weekday visit you can add an optional academic department tour to talk with faculty or current students.
Visitor parking
  • Register your car online with the Winthrop Police Department, free, before or when you arrive, then park in a designated visitor area on the campus parking map.
  • Enter campus and turn right onto Memorial Circle: the Visitors Center is in Joynes Hall, the first building on the right.
Getting there
  • About 1 hour 40 minutes from Presbyterian and 43 minutes to CLT with no traffic.
What to know
  • Winthrop lists numerous places to eat within a mile of campus, and Rock Hill's Riverwalk trails along the Catawba River.
Contact
Winthrop University, 701 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29733; 803-323-2211.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Winthrop: Visit the campus · Winthrop: Directions to campus · Winthrop: Visitor vehicle registration

4. Where to stay: two nights in Columbia

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickUpscale

Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC

1619 Pendleton St., Columbia, SC

Why here

  • It's about a 6-minute walk from USC's Visitor Center, 55 minutes from SC State, 1 hour 16 minutes from Presbyterian and 22 minutes from CAE with no traffic.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • USC suggests asking about special rates for USC visitors when you book. Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn Columbia-Downtown Historic District

822 Gervais St., Columbia, SC

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 3 minutes by car (a 19-minute walk) from USC's Visitor Center and 20 minutes from CAE with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia's listing includes breakfast; confirm parking and amenities on the listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateMid-range

Hilton Columbia Center

924 Senate St., Columbia, SC

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 2 minutes by car (a 14-minute walk) from USC's Visitor Center and 20 minutes from CAE with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Two nights near USC's Horseshoe let you walk to your USC tour and make SC State an easy out-and-back. On day 2, check out and head to Clinton, then Rock Hill and Charlotte's airport.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

In Columbia

USC's Explore Columbia page points visitors to the Soda City Market and to the Soda Cap Connector for getting around downtown.

Near Presbyterian (Clinton)

Presbyterian says students like local spots such as Señor Garcia and Wilson's Curb Market.

Near Winthrop (Rock Hill)

Within a mile of Winthrop: Hobo's, Millstone Pizza, Amélie's French Bakery & Cafe, Another Broken Egg Cafe and more.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

South Carolina State House

1100 Gervais St., Columbia, SC

Guided tours start with a short film on the building's history and architecture, walk-ins are welcome, and it's also open for tours most Saturdays. USC lists its tours as free. Private cars use metered spaces nearby. It's about an 11-minute walk from the Graduate by Hilton.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • At USC, print the Visitor Center parking pass from your registration. At Presbyterian, use the reserved spaces by the Patrick Center. At Winthrop, register your car online first. At SC State, ask Admissions when you book.
  • USC's garages and street meters charge visitors, so have a card ready if you don't use the Visitor Center pass.

Flying in and out

  • Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) is about 22 minutes from the Graduate by Hilton, and Charlotte Douglas (CLT) is about 43 minutes from Winthrop, with no traffic.
  • Flying into one airport and out of another usually means a one-way car rental, so check the drop-off rules before you book.
  • Presbyterian says Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) is about 45 minutes from its campus, if that suits your flights better.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Columbia Metropolitan Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 77°F highs and 52°F lows, with about 2.8 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 93°F highs and 72°F lows, with about 5.4 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 77°F highs and 53°F lows, with about 3.1 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 57°F highs and 35°F lows, with about 3.5 inches of rain.

Parent checklist

  • Register for all four visits online: USC and SC State on day 1, Presbyterian and Winthrop on day 2. At USC, each student registers separately.
  • SC State requires every visitor to be 16 or older, and residence hall tours must be requested when you book.
  • Print USC's Visitor Center parking pass, and register your car with Winthrop Police before day 2.
  • Book two nights in Columbia, ask about USC visitor rates, and fly into CAE and home from CLT.
  • Pack comfortable closed-toe shoes, an umbrella and a water bottle; USC recommends all three.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

4 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, Presbyterian College and Winthrop University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: University of South Carolina, Columbia
  5. University of South Carolina Athletics (official site)
  6. University of South Carolina Athletics: Compliance
  7. University of South Carolina Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. University of South Carolina Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: South Carolina State University
  10. South Carolina State University Athletics (official site)
  11. South Carolina State University Athletics: Staff Directory
  12. South Carolina State University Athletics: schedule of events
  13. NCAA Directory: Presbyterian College
  14. Presbyterian College Athletics (official site)
  15. Presbyterian College Athletics: Recruit questionnaires
  16. Presbyterian College Athletics: Staff Directory
  17. Presbyterian College Athletics: schedule of events
  18. NCAA Directory: Winthrop University
  19. Winthrop University Athletics (official site)
  20. Winthrop University Athletics: Prospective student-athletes
  21. Winthrop University Athletics: Staff Directory
  22. Winthrop University Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. University of South Carolina Undergraduate Admissions: Schedule your visit (official sign-up)
  2. University of South Carolina: Individual visits
  3. University of South Carolina: Tour tips & FAQs
  4. University of South Carolina: Self-guided visits
  5. University of South Carolina Parking and Transportation Services: Visitors
  6. University of South Carolina: Explore Columbia
  7. Winthrop University: Weekday campus visit (official sign-up)
  8. Winthrop University Admissions: Visit the campus
  9. Winthrop University: Visit
  10. Winthrop University: Directions to campus
  11. Winthrop University Police: Vehicle registration
  12. Winthrop University: Explore our area
  13. South Carolina State University: Campus visit (official sign-up)
  14. South Carolina State University: Visit
  15. Presbyterian College: Weekday campus visits (official sign-up)
  16. Presbyterian College Admissions: Visit & tour PC
  17. South Carolina State House: Visit
  18. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  19. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  20. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  21. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Columbia Metropolitan Airport, SC (USW00013883)
  22. Expedia listing: Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Columbia-Hotels-Graduate-Columbia.h2515057.Hotel-Information)
  23. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Columbia-Downtown Historic District (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Columbia-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Columbia-Downtown-Historic-District.h570428.Hotel-Information)
  24. Expedia listing: Hilton Columbia Center (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Columbia-Hotels-Hilton-Columbia-Center.h1730120.Hotel-Information)