University of South Carolina: Tour Tips and Itinerary
Planning to take a tour of University of South Carolina with your child this summer? Learn what to expect from your time on campus and discover fun ways to make your day trip to Columbia, SC one to remember.
This summer my oldest daughter and I are hitting the road to visit college campuses throughout the south east.
While we live in Charlotte, NC, we are considering schools both in and out of state.
The University of South Carolina in Columbia is just a short 1.5 hour drive from our house in North Carolina and has been top of my daughter’s list of favorite colleges since she was a tiny thing.
We have a family tradition of doing a mom-daughter birthday trip when my daughters turn 13 and my oldest chose a visit to South Carolina to tour the campus for her trip.
Since then, we’ve done a self-guided tour as well as an official campus tour with the university making 3 visits over the last few years.
I’m sharing all my tips and tricks and a peek inside the official tour to help you and your student navigate a college tour of your own. But don’t miss my general college tour tips here, too!
Getting There
University of South Carolina
For parking for your college tour, you’ll add the address for the Senate Street Garage to your GPS:
1068 Pickens St.
Columbia SC 29201
If you’re starting from the south side of Charlotte, NC like we did, plan for about 1.5 hours in the car.
Register for Your Tour Before You Go
University of South Carolina offers virtual tours on their website, like so many colleges and universities now do.
However, if you want to see campus in person, take part in an information session with an admissions officer, and get a guided tour with a student guide, you’ll want to register for a campus visit before you go.
Be sure to sign up with one of their open dates, you can find all the information you’ll need to register here.
Where to Stay
Coming from Charlotte, Columbia is an easy-peasy day trip. There’s no need to stay overnight for a campus tour if you don’t want to.
However, there are tons of things to see and do in Columbia, like visiting the Riverbanks Zoo. So if you want to make a fun weekend out of it and do a little more exploring, we recommend checking out the Graduate Hotel which is within walking distance of the Visitor’s Center.
This boutique hotel is so fantastic, I have a separate review post for you with tons more information if you’re interested.
Parking
Once you’ve registered as an official visitor, they will send you all the details you need once you arrive on campus.
During our visit, we were asked to park at the Senate Street parking garage, which fills up quickly, so get there early.
You can see the parking ramps in the background of this picture, the garage is right next to the Graduate Hotel:
Our Itinerary
We left home in Charlotte at 6:45 am so we could arrive in Columbia, SC by 8:30 am.
I padded the drive since we’d be in rush hour traffic heading out of Charlotte and in Columbia.
Then the rest of the day went as follows:
- Arrive in Columbia, Park and Walk to Visitor Center
- Campus Tour at 9:00 am
- Visit the Bookstore After the Tour
- Take Pictures
- Drive Around Campus
- Get Lunch
- Head Home
Information Session
Be sure to arrive at your parking spot early so you are not late for your information session and tour.
Once you’ve parked, head up to the Visitor’s Center and check in with the team at the front desk. They’ll hand you a packet of information ahead of your information session.
The lobby is filled with interesting displays of the historical facts about the university.
You’ll be assigned an information session with an admissions officer who will present the basic information you need for applying to the University of South Carolina.
This is an excellent place to ask any general questions you have about the admissions process. The presentation lasted about 30 minutes.
Walking Tour
After the information session, you’ll be lead down the front steps of the visitor center towards the central hub of campus called “The Horseshoe” for your walking tour of the campus.
During our visit, the walk was gentle and easy and did not involve many stairs or difficult inclines.
There is a spot on the website to request an accessibility-friendly tour when you register if that is a concern for your family.
The walking tour lasted for about an hour and a half.
We walked through the heart of the university past major landmarks on campus including:
- Visitor Center and Horseshoe
- Thomas Cooper Library
- Russell House University Union
- Longstreet Theater
- USC Smokestack
- The Bookstore
Our walking tour was spent mostly outside with plenty of breaks to chat in the shade of the large oak trees that are all over campus.
Our guide pointed out the dormitories and dining facilities along the way.
If it is important for you to see the inside of these things, be sure to ask your tour guide about how to make that happen.
Though we had already done a self-guided tour of the same route earlier in the year, my daughter and I both agreed that the official campus tour was significantly more informative.
Not only was the information session worth our time, but the details we learned about the campus from a current student were invaluable.
We appreciated the opportunity to hear about student life from actual students and being able to ask questions for more information about Greek life and the marching band.
USC has a very walkable campus and if you’re not too tired after the tour, there are lots of places to go explore on your own.
Where to Eat
If you plan to eat before or after your tour, there are several places to eat near the university.
During my daughter’s first visit to USC, we found a fun deli we love and try to visit it every time we’re in town but there are lots of dining options in Columbia.
Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli
We love the Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli just off campus at USC. They have unique hours and are only open Wednesday – Sunday, so you’re out of luck if you’re in town on a Monday or Tuesday.
But if the stars align, it is worth the little drive off campus for their delicious sandwiches. Our favorite part of the meal are the homemade pita chips that come on the side. We could make a meal of just those!
On-Campus Dining Halls
If you really want to get a feel for student life, our tour guide mentioned it was possible to eat in one of the student dining halls during your visit.
Be sure to ask them for more information if this is of interest to you!
6 Things to Do During Your Visit
The 2 hours of your information session and tour are just 1 part of your day at the University of South Carolina. Be sure to plan for some extra time before or after your tour so you can experience more that the area offers your student.
1. Visit the Bookstore
If your teen is anything like my kiddo, a visit to the campus bookstore is a Must-Do. We purchased a t-shirt for her to enjoy wearing between now and her final decision, it will also possibly come in handy for our decision day announcement in the spring.
2. Check out Williams-Brice Stadium
If you have a student athlete or marching band kid, you’ll want to make time to drive or walk over to the football stadium on campus.
While not part of the official tour itself, Williams-Brice Stadium is easy to find and very impressive to see.
3. Drive through Greek Village
If your student is interested in rushing a fraternity or sorority, you can find all the Greek housing nestled together in Greek villiage off campus.
4. Take a Student Photo
Once we bought my daughter’s USC tee, she changed into it so we could take an on-campus picture to potentially use in her announcement later next spring.
I’m saving all the campus pics in an album on my phone for easy grabbing when the time comes.
NOTE: This was my daughter’s idea, not my own. If you think your child would feel way too much pressure with this, skip it! They don’t need any more stress placed on their shoulders. For us, there was just a simple feeling of excitement and potential and hope surrounding that pic. We know she’s an awesome kid who will land some place that is the right fit. Maybe that will be USC, maybe not.
5. Visit Riverbanks Zoo
We’ve been visiting Riverbanks Zoo every summer since my girls were teeny tiny. It’s a gorgeous zoo not far from campus and a lovely place to spend an afternoon.
This would be a fun add-on to your visit to USC, especially if you have little ones with you for your trip.
6. Visit the The State House
Columbia is the capital of South Carolina and the State House isn’t too far from campus. Tour the grounds or take an official tour of the inside. You can get more details here.
Final Thoughts
Our multiple visits to the University of South Carolina only cemented its already-high standing on my daughter’s list.
With its strong academic program, vibrant student spirit, and convenient location to Charlotte, we’re crossing fingers until we hear their final decision.
More College Tours
Planning college tours with your child this year? Here are some more schools we’ve visited:
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