36 Awesome Things To Do in Columbia, SC

Spending a few hours at Riverbanks Zoo is definitely one of our favorite things to do in Columbia. With over 2,000 animals calling Riverbanks Zoo home, there is no shortage of interesting creatures to see. Plus, Riverbanks is regularly ranked one of the best zoos in the US.

Some of our favorite animals at Riverbanks are the sea lions, the tiger, giraffes and gorillas. There’s also an aquarium and reptile house to explore, as well as a birdhouse with penguins.

Not only are there animals, but there are also fun activities and adventures at Riverbanks like a carousel, rock wall, sky-high safari, small train and even a playground.

Your zoo admission also includes entry to the botanical garden. It’s an attraction worthy of visiting on its own.

Columbia, aka “Soda City”, is home to one of the southeast’s most popular weekly farmer’s markets: Soda City Market. It is so much fun and definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been!

We like to say that the vibe at Soda City Market is more like a food fest than a farmers market. The Soda City market boasts about 150 weekly vendors ranging from food trucks to artists to produce stands.

Soda City Market is open year-round, rain or shine, every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. The market attracts up to 5,000 patrons on a regular weekend.

Columbia is home to its very own Minor League Baseball Team: the Columbia Fireflies. They play in Segra Park in Columbia’s Bull Street District.

Attending a Fireflies game is a great outing for the whole family. Tickets are affordable (starting at $5) and it’s never too crowded.

You’ll find various events and specials each week at the stadium. Fireworks Night is every Saturday night featuring post-game fireworks. They have also ‘bring your dog to the game’ days, themed days and food specials. Check the Fireflies’ promotions calendar for all of the details.

Columbia is home to its very own Minor League Baseball Team: the Columbia Fireflies. They play in Segra Park in Columbia’s Bull Street District.

Attending a Fireflies game is a great outing for the whole family. Tickets are affordable (starting at $5) and it’s never too crowded.

You’ll find various events and specials each week at the stadium. Fireworks Night is every Saturday night featuring post-game fireworks. They have also ‘bring your dog to the game’ days, themed days and food specials. Check the Fireflies’ promotions calendar for all of the details.

The South Carolina State Museum has been an institution in Columbia since 1988. Located on the west end of The Vista on the banks of the Congaree River, the SC State Museum is housed in the historic Columbia Mills Building. The Museum comprises four stories of exhibits including natural history, science and technology, cultural history and South Carolina art.

The exhibits throughout the museum have plenty to offer to the curious of all ages. One of our favorite areas for kids is the hands-on science area.

The South Carolina State Museum is a great spot to get lost for a few hours (especially on a Famously Hot or rainy day!)

Check out our full guide to the SC State Museum here!

Located across the parking lot from the SC State Museum, EdVenture Children’s Museum is such a fun kid-friendly thing to do in Columbia.

EdVenture is a 92,000-square-foot children’s museum and it has a plethora of interactive learning exhibits sure to pique your child’s interest.

You’ll find a firetruck to explore, a pretend grocery store, an airplane cockpit and even a 40-foot structure shaped like a kid (“Eddie”) that your little ones can climb in and explore. There’s also a great toddler area for your younger ones.

Located in the heart of Columbia’s Main Street District, the Columbia Museum of Art is home to a beautiful award-winning collection of art from around the world.

The collection boasts pieces in various mediums and styles, giving visitors the opportunity to learn while enjoying their beautiful works. You’ll find paintings from Renaissance masters, modern art, and regional cultural art from around the world at the Museum.

There are always traveling exhibitions on display at the Columbia Museum of art, so check out their website to see what is in town. And if you feel inspired to create your own masterpiece, they even offer art classes for all ages!

Columbia has a great craft beer scene with over 7 breweries in the area

Our favorite brewery is the Hunter-Gatherer Brewery Hangar housed in an old airplane hangar at Owens Field (Columbia’s municipal airport.) The space is very cool and you can hang out on the observation deck and watch private planes take off and land.

Some other great ones to check out include Steel Hands Brewery and Columbia Craft Brewing Company.

Check out our full list of the best breweries in Columbia, SC here!

We may be biased, but in our opinion, the South Carolina State House is one of the most beautiful statehouse complexes in the country.

The SC State House offers daily tours throughout the year which allow visitors to see the architecture, history and spaces where legislation is put into place.

The SC State House is surrounded by beautifully manicured grounds that are a perfect spot to take a stroll.

The Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park is a beautiful outdoor recreation area located in Columbia, South Carolina. Visitors can enjoy walking or biking along the scenic canal, fishing in the river, or picnicking in the park’s spacious green areas.

The park also features historical markers, providing insight into the canal’s role in the city’s history. It is a popular destination for walking, jogging and biking, and provides a tranquil escape from the city’s hustle and bustle.

There’s a second river walk across the river in West Columbia. The Cayce/West Columbia one is 8 miles and is open for walking, jogging and bicycling. Strollers and wheelchairs can also be used.

Five Points is one of the most well-known areas in Columbia and one of our top recommendations for visitors and new residents! It’s right by Carolina’s campus and is always full of students, visitors and locals.

One of our favorite Columbia restaurants (Mr. Friendly’s!) is in Five Points as well as our top coffee shop in Columbia (Drip!) And another Five Points destination worth mentioning is the Gourmet Shop. It’s a great spot for chicken salad, fresh baguettes and even a few home goods.

One of our all-time favorite places in Columbia is The Nickelodeon on Main Street.

If you aren’t familiar, The Nick is Columbia’s only independent movie theater. Their programming is comprised of a mix of first-run independent films, curated series, and one-off screenings of films of relevance to our community. 

Make it a night by grabbing dinner before or after a show. One of our favorites just a few blocks away is Cantina 76. The Grand on Main is also right there as well as Smoked.

Upcoming Shows

Historic Columbia offers the Journey to Freedom tour Wednesday – Saturday at 1:30 and again on Sundays at 3:00. It starts at the Robert Mills Gift Shop and includes a semi-guided tour of the Mann-Simons Site and the Modjeska Monteith Simkins House.

The Mann-Simons Site was home to the same entrepreneurial African American family for nearly 130 years. You’ll have a semi-guided tour there and then a self-guided tour at the next property where Modjeska Monteith Simkins lived from 1932 to 1992. She was one of South Carolina’s greatest human rights activists.

Saluda Shoals Park is a 400-acre park located near Irmo, South Carolina, that offers a wide range of outdoor activities and attractions for visitors of all ages. The park is situated on the beautiful Saluda River and features miles of trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, and water activities.

One of the most popular activities at Saluda Shoals is hiking or biking on the park’s many trails. The park boasts over ten miles of trails that wind through beautiful forests, along the river, and through open fields.

Another major draw of Saluda Shoals is the water activities available on the Saluda River. Visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, or paddleboards to explore the river on their own or join a guided tour.

There’s also a splash pad, a water play area, playgrounds, a dog park and picnic areas.

Blue Sky is a local artist who has several murals and sculptures located around Columbia. His most famous mural, Tunnelvision, was completed in 1975. It’s located on the side of the building in downtown Columbia and it truly looks like a tunnel.

You can also see his Neverbust sculpture on Main Street, which is a welded steel sculpture that connects two historic buildings. It was actually installed without permission by the Columbia Landmark Commission, though he had permission from the owners of the two buildings. The commission later unanimously voted to keep it installed.

Another Blue Sky sculpture worth checking out in downtown Columbia is called Busted Plug Plaza. Standing at 39 feet tall, it’s the world’s largest fire hydrant. It’s a tribute to the artist’s dad, who was a firefighter and then became the first state fire marshal in South Carolina.

Sometimes the best plans in Columbia involve getting out of Columbia. Perhaps it’s a really hot day and you need some reprieve. Or maybe you are just looking to take a beach walk or breathe some mountain air.

Luckily there are several great cities worth checking out that are close to Columbia! We recommend heading to Charleston, Charlotte, Greenville or Asheville for a fun day trip from Columbia.

Devine Street is a great shopping and dining district in Columbia. It has really exploded over the last couple of years with new boutiques, eateries, gyms, upscale apartments and coffee shops.

Most of the shops are local, which definitely adds to the charm of Devine Street. It’s a pretty walkable area, though be careful when parking because the spots are really close to the road! There is a parking lot behind the Blum/Duck Duck Goose shopping area, though.

And as far as eats go, we love Cantina 76, Azalea Coffee, Henry’s, Il Giorgione and Arabesque.

Lake Murray is about 20 minutes from downtown Columbia and is a great spot to cool down in the summer! It’s a great lake for boating and there’s a beach located by the dam that is perfect for swimming. You can also walk between Irmo and Lexington at the dam.

Dreher Island State Park is located at Lake Murray. It spans three islands and has access to 12 miles of Lake Murray shoreline. They have cabins and villas available to rent as well as two lakefront camping areas.

Columbia’s Main Street district has such a classic downtown feel. You’ll find tree-lines streets, local shops and restaurants, a weekly market and even a trendy bowling alley!

It’s one of Columbia’s most popular places to stroll, dine and sightsee. This is especially true on Saturday mornings when multiple blocks of Main Street are closed off for the year-round Soda City Market.

The Main Street area is also known for a gourmet culinary scene and a vibrant nightlife.

The Koger Center For The Arts features multiple Broadway in Columbia shows per year. 2023 Broadway shows include Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Riverdance, Annie, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, Pretty Woman and Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol.

Don’t miss your chance to go strawberry picking in Columbia! Cottle Strawberry Picking is a popular family-owned farm located in Columbia, SC, that offers fresh and juicy strawberries for visitors to pick.

They are open daily during the season and offer U-pick and we-pick strawberries. Prices start at $5 for a quart. It’s a fun and enjoyable experience for families to spend time together outdoors while enjoying the taste of locally-grown fruit.

The Hampton-Preston Mansion is a historic house museum located in Columbia, South Carolina. Built in 1818, the mansion was home to many prominent South Carolinians and played a significant role in the city’s history.

Today, visitors can tour the mansion and its gardens to learn about life in the antebellum South and the important role the Hampton-Preston family played in the city’s social and cultural scene.

With its beautiful architecture, stunning gardens, and rich history, the Hampton-Preston Mansion is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in exploring Columbia’s past.

The SC State Fair in Columbia is such a magical time! It’s always mid-October and is filled with fun rides and delicious fair food. The fair is coming to town October 11 to 22, 2023, but you’ll see them setting up early-October.

Speaking of the State Fair, don’t miss their Spring Fair Food event starting April 15. There’s a tailgate and walk-in for the Gamecock Football’s Spring Game on April 15. And then starting April 16 through the 22nd you can drive through the

Another fun thing happening in April the State Fair Grounds are two FREE movie nights. Catch Disney’s Encanto on April 21 and Top Gun Maverick on April 22, 2023. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for the movie.

This event coincides with the Spring Fair Food event (above), so you can plan to get food at the fairgrounds. No alcohol, outside food or pets are permitted in the movie screening area.

The Vista in Columbia SC’s downtown area is an established arts and entertainment district. Situated between the State House and the Congaree River, the Vista is a walkable commercial district full of restaurants, shops, bars and businesses.

A few of our favorite restaurants in the Vista are smallSugar for breakfast. Cola’s for a date night restaurant and Kao Thai for awesome Thai food.

Speaking of the Vista, don’t miss the amazing Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe. They have a ton of great cakes, pastries and other treats like adult milkshakes and churros. They are open late, so it’s a great spot for a date night dessert.

St. Patrick’s Day in Five Points is one of Columbia, South Carolina’s most popular annual events. Five Points comes alive with green decorations, live music, and festive crowds.

Visitors can enjoy a range of activities throughout the day, including a parade, food and drink specials, and live music.

The Grand on Main is a boutique bowling alley and restaurant located in the heart of downtown Columbia.

You’ll find seven bowling lanes at The Grand in addition to pool tables, shuffleboard, foosball, putting greens, retro video games and other fun finds.

They also have a large bar and a great food menu, with items ranging from quesadillas to ribeye to seafood alfredo. The Grand offers a weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

Sesquicentennial State Park (“Sesqui”) is park with over 1400 acres in Columbia. Sesqui offers a range of recreational activities, including hiking and biking trails, fishing, canoeing, and camping.

There’s also a large lake at Sesqui, a splash pad for children, and picnic areas for families and groups.

There is nothing better than a slow brunch on a weekend morning. Luckily for all of us, there are a ton of restaurants with great brunch in Columbia!

A few noteworthy ones are Hampton Street Vineyard, Il Giorgione and Hall’s Chophouse, though our guide to brunches covers them all!

Columbia is home to the University of South Carolina, and boy do they have a beautiful campus to stroll around. One of our favorite spots on campus is the picturesque historic horseshoe.

The horseshoe is home to twelve historic buildings dating back to the early 1800s surrounding a green space that is the core of the university’s original campus. The green space is filled with old oak trees, brick walking paths, green manicured lawns and several monuments.

The Horseshoe is a great space to go for a stroll, have a picnic, or just sit and reflect. Within the buildings around the Horseshoe you will find a few gems including the McKissick Museum (free and open to the public) and the McCutchen House (a restaurant management and food service teaching facility open to the public.)

New Brookland Tavern is a popular bar and music venue located in West Columbia. They host regular live music events featuring both local and touring bands.

The Columbia Marionette Theater showcases performances featuring handcrafted marionettes, offering visitors an experience unlike any other.

The shows are designed to appeal to both children and adults, with a variety of themes and storylines. The theater also offers workshops and classes to those interested in learning more about the art of marionette puppetry. It is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in the arts and looking for a one-of-a-kind experience.