Winthrop is located in the booming city of Rock Hill, South Carolina - a vibrant suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina (ranked #5 on U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 "Best Places to Live").
Our hometown is a special place. Rock Hill is a close-knit community with a wide variety
of shopping, dining and recreation, as well as many internship and career opportunities,
all within York County. Just beyond the SC/NC border are all the amenities of a major city. It's the ideal
place to call home during your time at Winthrop - and beyond.
Over the past few years, Rock Hill has grown by leaps and bounds, and will keep going
strong for many more. In addition to all that's already here, new development projects
like University Center, The Thread, and The Perch make Rock Hill the place to be.
Need a ride to get around town? My Ride, Rock Hill's free electric bus system, can take you where you want to go - just hop on at any bus stop!
Rock Hill is the fifth largest city in South Carolina and is home to about 74,000 residents. The city is often recognized for its quality of life and dedication to innovation and growth. In 2019, Rock Hill was honored as an All-American City and was noted as one of America's hidden gems by Reader's Digest.
Rock Hill is known internationally for sports tourism. It's home to the Giordiana Velodrome and the BMX Supercross Track which regularly host national and world championship events. For outdoor recreation, you can enjoy a stroll on the walking trails or set out on the Catawba River at Riverwalk, play a few rounds at the Rock Hill Tennis Center, relax in one of our many parks in town, or play a round of disc golf on Winthrop's own course, which hosts the US Disc Golf Championships each year. For indoor sports, the state-of-the-art Rock Hill Sports & Event Center is located in University Center, adjacent to campus and is host to sports tournaments throughout the year, including the American Cornhole League World Championships.
Recognized as South Carolina's first state-designated cultural district, Rock Hill is full of arts and cultural activity year-round. There are galleries and artists studios in the Center for the Arts, Gettys Art Center and our own Winthrop Galleries, performing arts through Winthrop Theatre & Dance, and for history buffs, the Culture & Heritage Museums. You can also explore the growing number of amazing murals throughout the county.
With a wide variety of both chain and local dining options, there's something for everyone. Within a mile of campus there are numerous unique eateries, including Hobo's, Millstone Pizza, Flipside, Amélie's French Bakery & Cafe, Common Market, Kounter, Another Broken Egg Cafe, RoCo, Ninety's Dessert Bar and Old Town Kitchen - just to name a few. You can even find a variety of food options at The Powerhouse Food Hall and food trucks at the city's summer Food Truck Friday series. If it's a caffeine fix you are looking for, check out one of our unique coffee cafes like Knowledge Perk, located around the corner from campus.
In addition to all the events held on Winthrop's campus throughout the year, Rock Hill and the surrounding towns in York County hosts hundreds of festivals and events each year, including the spring Come-See-Me festival and the nationally-recognized ChristmasVille festival.
Rock Hill's business economy continues to grow, offering a plethora of opportunity for internships and jobs right here in our hometown. From the expansion of districts like Knowledge Park and Old Town, to the business growth throughout the Charlotte region, there is plenty of opportunity to build your career here.
For hotel/lodging options near campus, click here.
To learn more, visit visityorkcounty.com, onlyinoldtown.com, and visitrockhillsc.com.
Like any other major metropolitan city, Charlotte has no shortage of things to do and places to go. There's world-class dining, plenty of shopping (for students looking for dorm or apartment furniture - there's even an IKEA), attractions like Carowinds amusement park and the U.S. National Whitewater Center, and much more. If pro sports are your thing, Charlotte is home to several teams, including the Carolina Panthers (NFL), the Charlotte Hornets (NBA), the Charlotte Football Club (MLS), the Charlotte Knights (MiLB) and the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). If you want to experience the arts, there are a number of options including the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. And you can easily travel to and from the area via the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
To learn more, visit charlottesgotalot.com.
---------------------------------------------------
For more activities in our area, check out the list from our New Student & Family Programs office!