10Best's Columbia Attractions & Activities
-- Kim Goodin, 10Best Travel Editor
South Carolina's capital city may not spring immediately to mind as a vacation destination, but it has much to recommend it and there are so many things to see and do that it's a great place for a long weekend or a family trip. Along with the fantastic SC State Museum, the city is home to a number of other history museums, plus a world-class children's museum. The city is full of history, which you can glimpse up close at sites like the SC Statehouse and Woodrow Wilson's boyhood home. Outdoor enthusiasts have a wealth of opportunities, such as kayaking or tubing on the Saluda River, hiking through the swampy Congaree National Park, picnicking or strolling the paths in Columbia Riverfront Park, or cooling off at Saluda Shoals Park.