15 Fun Things To Do in Oconee County, SC

Oconee County, SC is a beautiful destination with mountains and lakes, and it’s one of my top choices for a weekend getaway from Atlanta. Here are my favorite things to do in Oconee County.

Just a short 2 hour drive from Atlanta puts you right over the border into South Carolina and the beautiful Oconee County. This land of lakes is an incredible outdoor getaway and a hidden gem that I don’t see nearly enough Atlantans talking about!

Whether you’re looking for a day trip or a weekend away, there is a lot of history and adventure in Oconee County. From ziplining to waterfalls to history museums, here are the best things to do in Oconee County, SC.

Best Things to Do in Oconee County

1. Zipline at Wildwater Chattooga

Wildwater Chattooga is an adventure outfitter that offers river rafting trips, zipline canopy tours, and a ropes course near Seneca in Long Creek, SC.

I visited here for their ziplining. Their canopy tour has 11 ziplines, with 6 that go over the beautiful Academy Lake, plus one that’s a 1,200 foot zip, and 3 sky bridges. Zipline tours last about 3 hours.

You don’t need to have ziplined before; they have a great safety lesson in place with a practice zipline that’s hardly off the ground. You can go on the practice zipline as many times as you need to feel comfortable!

My favorite ziplines on their course are the ones that go over the lake. I loved their 1,200 foot zip that’s also their fastest! And they have a really fun parallel zipline where you get to race a friend.

2. Walk through Stumphouse Tunnel

Stumphouse Tunnel, also called the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel, was part of the Blue Ridge Railroad project in the 1850s that was planned to connect Charleston to the Midwest by train. In the middle of building the tunnel, the Civil War broke out and the tunnel was never finished.

Now the tunnel is part of Stumphouse Park in Walhalla, SC partway between Seneca and Wildwater (so I recommend building it into your itinerary either on the way to or from ziplining!).

It’s about a 0.25 mile walk up an inclined paved pathway to the Stumphouse Tunnel. Only 1,617 feet (0.3 miles) were complete of the tunnel, but you don’t even get to go that far into the tunnel.

Be sure to bring a flashlight because it gets pretty dark as you go deeper into the tunnel! They’ve sealed off part of the tunnel, so you’ll reach a gate at the end of the tunnel that is appropriately creepy. Further into the tunnel frequently floods, so it was closed off. But back there is where Clemson University used to cure their famous Clemson blue cheese when they owned the tunnel in the 1950s!

There is a parking fee to access the park.

3. Hike to Issaqueena Falls

Issaqueena Falls is also located at Stumphouse Park. This beautiful 100-foot cascading waterfall is just a short 0.40 mile round-trip hike from the parking lot to a viewing platform.

The falls are named for the legend of Issaqueena, a Cherokee girl who is said to have leaped from the top of the falls. There are a few different variations of the legend, but the most popular is that Issaqueena fell in love with a white trader, and fearing retribution from her Cherokee tribe, she pretended to leap to her death from the top of the falls; she hid on the ledge below the top of the waterfall and waited until it was safe to rejoin her love.

The trail down to the overlook is an unpaved dirt path. It’s an easy hike, but you’ll have an incline on the way back up.

There is a parking fee to access the park.

4. Buy local at Chattooga Belle Farm

Chattooga Belle Farm is a beautiful 200 acre working farm in Long Creek, SC overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

There’s a lot to do here: grab a bite to eat at Belle’s Bistro, have a drink at the distillery (which I’ll touch on more later), shop the general store, play disc golf, or pick your own fruit.

The farm store has locally made jams, jellies, salsas, preserves, butters, pickles, hot sauces, honey, wine, and more. Belle’s Bistro serves sandwiches and burgers with an incredible view. During the u-pick season, you can pick your own apples, peaches, muscadines, blackberries, blueberries, and more. (Note: the store, bistro, and u-pick are closed during the winter).

And if nothing else, you can come here just to enjoy the incredible views.

5. Visit the Oconee History Museum

The Oconee History Museum in Walhalla, SC is all about the history of Oconee County, so this is a great introduction to the area.

The museum explores the county’s history from the Native Americans through the railroad boom through modern Oconee. You’ll learn about the area’s industry, agriculture, community, and more.

One of the most interesting things in the museum, I think, are the dugout canoes. These two canoes were found in the Chattooga River and the Keowee River. They’re dated to be around the late 1700s.

The museum is completely free to visit, and it’s right next door to two other great museums, which I’ll talk more about below.

6. Visit the Museum of the Cherokee in South Carolina

The Museum of the Cherokee in South Carolina in Walhalla offers a deep dive into the history of the Cherokee heritage in South Carolina and Oconee County.

Their displays take you from the Paleo period through Western settlement and the decline of the Cherokee in South Carolina. There are tons of interesting artifacts, many of which were found in Oconee County.

The museum is completely free to visit.

7. Visit the Oconee Military Museum at Patriots Hall

The Oconee Military Museum at Patriots Hall in Walhalla showcases how veterans from Oconee County have contributed to the US military.

The building, formerly known as The Old rock Building, was built in 1933 using black granite rock that was removed from Stumphouse Tunnel.

The museum is filled with artifacts from the Revolutionary War to modern day, documenting the personal histories of Oconee County veterans.

This museum is also free to visit.

8. Enjoy the serenity of South Cove County Park

South Cove County Park is a 48 acre park along Lake Keowee. The park has camping, fishing, boating, water skiing, birding, pickleball courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic areas, and a sand beach.

This is one of the most beautiful spots in Oconee County! Come out here for a picnic or for a day full of fun.

There is a parking fee and use-fees for the sports activities, as well as camping fees.

9. Grab a drink at Keowee Brewing

Keowee Brewing is a great place to grab a drink and hang out. This family-owned brewery opened in 2019 as Oconee County’s first brewery and quickly became the go-to hangout spot with weekly trivia, music bingo, live music, and food and drink specials.

They have a dozen rotating beers on tap. Plus, they also have seltzers and wine slushies. They also have canned hard ciders by Noble Cidery, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks.

I recommend grabbing a drink (I recommend the Southern Oasis – Blackberry Mojito seltzer or the Passionfruit Wine Slushie for non-beer drinkers like me) and heading out back to their beer garden.

10. Do a tasting at Chattooga Belle Farm Distillery

The Chattooga Belle Farm Distillery sits at the bottom of the hill below Chattooga Belle Farm. This is the first legal distillery in Oconee County.

They grow all the fruit on the farm, distill it, bottle it, and label it right here. They’re open for tours of the distillery and tastings of their award-winning spirits.

They made bourbon, apple brandy, muscadine brandy (their “moonshine”), rum, vodka, whiskey, and gin. I really liked their vodka and gin, both of which have a nice amount of sweetness.

11. Have a picnic in Stumphouse Park

Stumphouse Park is a 440-acre park that contains Stumphouse Tunnel, Issaqueena Falls, the Stumphouse Passage of the Palmetto Trail, the Blue Ridge Railroad hiking trail, and Stumphouse Mountain Bike Park.

This park is so serene and the perfect place for a picnic. We had lunch here at the picnic tables by the gazebo along Cane Creek.

Because Stumphouse Park has a great picnic area, the Stumphouse Tunnel, and Issaqueena Falls, visiting here is definitely one of my favorite things to do in Oconee County.

There is a parking fee to access the park.

12. Find murals along the Oconee Mural Trail

The Oconee Mural Trail is a self-guided tour of the county’s best murals and paintings by local artists. This is a fun, and free, way to explore the small towns around Oconee County.

Check out the mural on the water tower at Chattooga Belle Farm, find the Main Street o the Mountains mural in downtown Walhalla, look for the Welcome to Seneca mural, and more.

13. Follow along the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail

The Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail is a self-guided tour of hand-painted quilt panels that are painted on buildings all around Upstate South Carolina.

There are over 280 quilt squares displayed on homes, historic buildings, parks, barns, schools, and businesses throughout Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens Counties.

In Oconee County, you can find quilts and murals in Walhalla and Westminster. This is another great free way to explore Oconee County’s small towns.

14. Dine around Oconee County

There are so many delicious restaurants in Oconee County that you’ll never go hungry! Here are some of my favorite:

• Paesano’s Italian Restaurant — Pizza and pasta with a cute outdoor patio
• Papa Julio’s Mexican Grill — Mexican classics and fun drinks
• Cardamom Bakeshop — Artisanal cakes and sweets
• Humble Pie — Pizzas that taste great after whitewater rafting or ziplining
• The Gauge Coffee House — Coffee and baked goods for starting a morning of adventure

15. Stay at Fairfield Inn & Suites Seneca

The Fairfield Inn & Suites Seneca Clemson Univ Area is the perfect getaway for your trip to Oconee County. This relaxing hotel is on Lake Keowee in Seneca, and you can get a room with a beautiful lake view!

The hotel has a seasonal outdoor pool with a deck overlooking the lake, a fitness center, and a free breakfast buffet.

Book your stay at Fairfield Inn & Suites Seneca here.

Activities in Oconee County, SC Map

Ready to explore all the outdoors and history that Oconee County, SC has to offer? Find all the fun things to do listed in this post on the map below.

I hope you have an amazing time exploring Oconee County, South Carolina!

Oconee County, SC Things to Do FAQ

More South Carolina Itineraries

Find more fun things to do in South Carolina with these top posts.

• 7 Days in Charleston: Perfect 1 Week Charleston Itinerary
• 13 Best Charleston Ghost Tours For a Scary-Good Time
• 14 Romantic Things to Do in Charleston for Couples
• 50+ Fun Things to Do in Charleston at Night
• 10 Amazing Hotels in Charleston, SC
• 10 Best Tours in Charleston, SC
• 16 Best Restaurants in Charleston, SC
• 11 Best Bars in Charleston, SC
• Your Perfect Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary
• 9 Free Things to Do in Charleston, SC
• 37 Best Things to Do in Charleston, SC
• 14 Tips for Your First Trip to Charleston, SC
• 14 Best Summer Vacation Spots in the South
• 14 Best Winter Vacations in the South
• 14 Best Fall Vacations in the South
• 14 Best Spring Break Destinations in the South

Cheers!

Paige

What are your favorite things to do in Seneca and Oconee County, SC? Let me know in the comments!