Top 5s: Your 2022 Carolina Panthers Training Camp Fan Guide
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Five Great Restaurants to Visit
Flock Shop, located along the Mary Black Rail Trail, is Spartanburg’s home for all things fried chicken, including their take on Nashville Hot Chicken. The menu is guaranteed to have your favorite piece of fried chicken, along with chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches. The classic “Freebird” sandwich is served just with pickles, and the Coop de Ville takes it up a notch with a pepper relish, slaw and lemon aioli. Flock Shop’s sides and sauces are all barbecue-inspired, featuring grits, hushpuppies, collard greens, pimento mac and cheese and more. And for the spice-averse, don’t worry, everything at Flock Shop comes with varying levels of heat, from “No Heat” to “Flockin’ Hot.”
Blue Moon Specialty Foods offers homegrown flavor in every dish, sauce, and specialty seasoning. The popular Spartanburg spot has some of the best salad and sandwich options in town and a plethora of great things to add to your kitchen.
Initial Q Smokehouse, which shares a space with boutique bowling alley UnderPin Lanes N’ Lounge, puts an upscale twist on classic barbecue favorites, including offering ingredients and meats you don’t typically find on the menus of barbecue joints. Initial Q’s menu offers things like rabbit, Brussels sprouts fired in duck fat and more. They also offer something called the Triple Pig Nachos, which are nachos but traditional tortilla chips are substituted for house-made pork rinds, and topped with smoked pulled pork, crispy pork belly and all the nacho favorites.
Mata’s Mexican Bar and Grill was opened by a father-son team, serving up traditional Mexican dishes and adventurous spins like the huevos con chorizo (eggs with a spicy, flavorful sausage) and for dessert, the caramel-filled churros.
Wade’s Restaurant is down-home cooking at its finest. A true meat-and-three staple, Wade’s lets you eat like it’s the holidays all year long. If you’re looking for stick-to-your-ribs goodness that reminds you of home, Wade’s is the place.
Five Great Family Activities
Sparkle City Mini Putt is the state’s only free, urban putt-putt course. Head to one of several locations around downtown to grab your putter, your golf ball, and then go hit the links. Each hole reflects a Spartanburg landmark, so you’ll be able to learn about our community as you work on your putting game.
The Rail Yard on the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail features an exercise area and pavilion, and maybe best for Panthers fans, the Carolina Panthers NFL Play 60 Park. The playground features elements of an NFL Combine workout including a 40-yard dash area and other obstacles. It’s perfect for kids but open for all ages.
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate has programs, exhibits, and games for young children featuring Spartanburg’s landmarks, history, and culture. The Children’s Museum of the Upstate in Spartanburg is specifically geared toward younger children, but offers something for all the youngest Panthers fans.
Strawberry Hill USA has some of the finest fruits in the state. A short drive north of Spartanburg, Strawberry Hill lets you pick strawberries to bring home, and across the street, their café has ice cream and snacks to keep your hunger at bay.
Spartanburg Science Center has more than 20 exhibits to excite and engage young minds and minds still young-at-heart. You can interact with live animals, journey through time, gaze into the past and much more.
Five Great Night Spots
FR8yard is Spartanburg’s first fully-outdoor biergarten. FR8yard is family-friendly and pet-friendly. Grab a drink and enjoy some live music, or just sit and relax in the great outdoors while still in the middle of Downtown Spartanburg.
RJ Rockers combines the brewed-in-Spartanburg creations of RJ Rockers with delicious appetizers, entrees, and specialty drinks sure to please any appetite.
Delaney’s Irish Pub welcomes live music four nights a week to go along with their expansive menu of Irish favorites, handcrafted cocktails, and craft beer.
Main Street Pub hosts a lineup of local DJs, live bands, and karaoke. The bar’s pub grub, music scene, and drink menu are enough to satisfy anyone looking for a good night.
NuWay Restaurant & Lounge is Spartanburg’s oldest bar, and one of its oldest music venues. Grab a seat, grab a drink, and grab a bite at this lowkey Spartanburg staple.
Five Great Local Shops
Hub City Bookshop is Spartanburg’s independent bookstore, offering titles from Hub City Press and other publishers. All book sales proceeds go to creative writing education and independent book publishing in the community.
Two Doors Down recently celebrated a decade of being fashion-forward in Downtown Spartanburg. The boutique features women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories, and the store’s staff hand-selects everything to stay up with the latest trends.
Kindred Spirits prides itself on showcasing handmade art from local artists. Their downtown storefront, identified by its bright, eye-catching paint job, is an unmistakable piece of Spartanburg.
The Spice and Tea Exchange will help kick your kitchen up a notch. Dozens of seasoning varieties and tea blends will help you explore your culinarily-curious side from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Imagination Station is Spartanburg’s local, eye-catching toy shop. A dream-come-true for kids, toys line the store’s floor space from wall to wall. Their East Main Street location looks like it came straight out of your favorite cartoon.
Five Great Attractions
Croft State Park lets you get up-close with the outdoors. Hike, paddle, or bike around 2.5 miles of hiking trails and 20+ miles of biking trails. Catch your breath and refuel at one of three picnic shelters before continuing on your trail.
Chapman Cultural Center is the centerpiece of Spartanburg’s Downtown Cultural District, hosting live music and theater performances, along with art exhibitions and classes, community events and more.
BMW Performance Center take your skills behind the wheel to the next level with the Ultimate Driving Machine. Not a thrill seeker? No worries, The Zentrum chronicles the past, present and future of BMW in a one-of-a-kind building.
Walnut Grove Plantation takes you back in time to learn what life was like in the late-1700s, and the important role Spartanburg County played during the Revolutionary War.
Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, a free public garden, features 10 acres of vibrant flowers, bushes, and trees. Walk along a series of trails and take in the plant life, and the animals those plants attract. Pack a picnic. Sniff fresh blooms. Explore at your own pace.
Looking for more to do? Check out these helpful links below!
Things to Do: guides for families, nightlife, and outdoor adventure.
Where to Eat: from international cuisine to Southern classics to foodie favorites, Spartanburg’s got something for all tastes.
Places to Stay: Looking to extend your visit to Spartanburg? Check out this easy guide to our best hotels.
Top 10 Things to Do in 2022: Looking for more to get out and do? Check out this list.