Area Information

Things to do in and Around Rock Hill

Got plans this weekend?  If not, be sure to check out Winthrop's Week Ends for information on what to do in and around Rock Hill.  There are listings for adventure, arts, music, sports and volunteering.  There is a link to Winthrop's West Center and other ways to connect with Facebook, Youtube, MySpace and others. 

Downtown Rock Hill, a short bike ride from campus, has several opportunities for dining and nightlife.  There is a new coffeehouse, Augello's located in the heart of downtown that has free music on the weekends, the "freshest coffee" in Rock Hill and is also a wi-fi location. Another exciting place to visit for food, drink and entertainment is McHale's Irish Pub located just around the corner from Augello's.  Also located downtown are Thi's Place on Main a Vietnamese restaurant and Old Town Bistro.  Old Town Bistro is located in a historically significant building  in Rock Hill as noted on the historical marker outside of the restaurant.  All of these locations are defintely worth a visit with friends! 

Places to Visit

• Rock Hill Galleria - local mall
• Plaza Fiesta Carolina - Mall designed to resemble Latin American Plaza
• Come See Me Festival - City Festival held in April each year
• Pararamount’s Carowinds - 105-acre theme park
• Museum of York County - Nature Museum located about 10 minutes from campus
• Historic Brattonsville - where scenes were filmed for the movie  “The Patriot”
• Kings Mountain National and State Park - Site of a battle during the Revolutionary War.

Charlotte, North Carolina

The closest "big" city to Rock Hill is Charlotte, North Carolina.  Charlotte is about a 30 minute drive from Rock Hill travelling north on Interstate 77.  Charlotte is the place to go for world class shopping, dining, museums and entertainment.

Shopping Malls

• SouthPark Mall 
• Carolina Place Mall 
• Concord Mills Mall 
• Northlake Mall

Things to Do

• Carolina Panthers and Bank of America Stadium - NFL Football Team
• Charlotte Bobcats Arena - home of the NBA Bobcats, the WNBA Sting and the ECHL Charlotte Checkers hockey team
• Lowes' Motor Speedway - NASCAR Speedway
• Charlotte Knights -  Minor League Baseball team
• Levine Museum of the New South
• Mint Museum of Art and N.C. Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
• The Light Factory - Museum of Contemporary Art and Film
• Discovery Place - Science Museum and IMAX location

Transportation

If you need to get from place to place in Rock Hill, Charlotte or the great beyond hopefully this information will be helpful to you.  Some students have cars and transportation to different places is not that difficult to navigate.  Others do not have cars and find it much harder to get around.  You can always ask your friends for assistance but hopefully the information below will be helpful.

Ways to get around Rock Hill and surrounding areas

Winthrop University and Rock Hill are very bicycle friendly areas.  You can purchase a bicycle at any area Wal-Mart or Target store.  If you do not want to purchase your own bicycle, the International Center has several bikes for international student use.  The bikes are available for a weekend or for a 24-hour period.  To reserve a bicycle please contact the International Center.

By Car/Taxi/Bus

Local public transportation, frequently referred to as "Dial-A-Ride," arranges for vehicles to pick-up and drop-off passengers in and around Rock Hill. The operating schedule for this service is Monday thru Friday from 6:00am to 6:00pm, with a one-way fare costing $2.50. Riders who would like to use this service call 803/327-6694 ext. 304 at least two days in advance to reserve a seat.

Carolinas Cab Company located at 232 S. Cherry Road available 24-hours per day by calling 324-8819. 

Diamond Cab Company located in Charlotte, NC.  Available 24-hours per day by calling 704-333-3030.

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is Charlotte's public transit system.  CATS has a stop in Rock Hill.  This stop is designed to help commuters get back and forth to Charlotte during mornings and evenings but could be used if you needed to get to Charlotte for the day.  The Rock Hill Express runs both morning and evening from Rock Hill to Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Route 82 X Rock Hill Express)

There is a Greyhound bus stop in Rock Hill 4.3 miles (6.9 kilometers) from the Winthrop campus. Winthrop is 11 minutes south of the bus stop on Cherry Road. Call (803) 327-9388 for the local terminal or 1-800-231-2222 for Greyhound's fare and schedule information.

By Train

Rail travel is available through Amtrak in Charlotte, NC, 1914 N. Tryon Street which is approximately 25.8 miles (41.4 kilometers) and 37 minutes from Winthrop. For schedule information call 1-800-872-7245. 

By Plane

The Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina is the closest major airport to Rock Hill. It is 23.6 miles (37.9 kilometers) and approximately 35 minutes north of the Winthrop Campus. Direct flights from Europe and Canada are available. Ten major carriers offer daily flights.  The carriers are -If you discover any local attractions that may be of interest to other students please contact the International Center.