Things to Do in Spartanburg

You'll see remnants of that time at the Walnut Grove Plantation, which is now a museum. You'll also see how Spartanburg embraced modern technology at the BMW Zentrum Museum, adjacent to the car factory. Spartanburg has a unique blend of the old and the new that visitors are sure to enjoy. They’re also sure to enjoy the great dining available here! Come and stay a while—you’ll be glad that you did.

From Training Camp to State Park

Croft State Park sits on the former Camp Croft, a military facility that trained more than 200,000 soldiers in World War II. When you visit the 7,000-acre-plus park, you'll find rolling hills, thickets of trees, hiking and biking trails. If you like to kayak or fish, you can rent a small boat, kayak or canoe at the park office and try your luck on Lake Thomas Moore Craig. Other fun activities for a day at the park include swimming, picnicking, bird-watching or even geocaching—a treasure hunt using GPS. Just find the treasure box, sign the log, and exchange something inside with a new "treasure" for the next explorer!

Plantation Days and the Revolutionary War

The Walnut Grove Plantation dates back to 1767 and was part of a working farm tended to by both free and enslaved workers. If you're in town between March and November, you can schedule a tour of the house and the grounds and hear tales about how the owners, the Moores, sided with the Patriots during the Revolutionary War, resulting in a raid by the British. As you walk the nature trail, explore the vintage buildings and visit the cemetery to see the graves of those who lived more than two centuries ago, you may feel that you’ve stepped back in time.

Zentrum—Modern Face on a Historic Town

In some respects, when BMW opened up a car manufacturing facility in town, it put a modern stamp on the historic Spartanburg landscape. The BMW Zentrum is a space-age style museum featuring the history of the Bavarian Motor Works going back to its first cars. You can check out the collection of race cars from the early 20th century—which helped BMW cement the brand—as well as the M3, a high-performance car found on racetracks today. While you're there, take a tour of the actual BMW factory, which is right next door. Both the walking and tram tours start at the Zentrum.

Chicken Fried Steak, Catfish and a Little Pork Mojo

When you leave Wade's Southern Cooking, you won't leave hungry. You can dig into country-fried chicken, homemade meatloaf and chicken-fried steak that is covered by thick milk gravy. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, be sure to try some of their tasty peach cobbler, strawberry shortcake or hot apple pie. The Flounder (160 Barbado Lane, Spartanburg) is the place to go if you're craving seafood. Whether it's New England clam chowder, salmon stew or deep fried flounder, this place has it. Throw in some hush puppies, fried onion rings and pickled onions, and you know you're in the Deep South. Caribbean Sweetness specializes in Cuban cuisine, and is considered one of the top restaurants in town. If you like it hot, try the jerk chicken, which is flavored with a really spicy Caribbean-style barbecue sauce. Another great dish is the pork mojo, which is marinated pork roast; enjoy some crispy, salty plantain chips on the side.

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