Best Columbia, SC Attractions

  • Adventure Carolina
  • Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens
  • Finlay Park
  • Congaree National Park
  • McKissick Museum
  • South Carolina State Museum
  • Columbia Riverfront Park
  • EdVenture
  • Nickelodeon Theater
  • USC Horseshoe
  • Adventure Carolina

    Adventure Carolina

    Adventure Carolina offers a variety of guided kayaking and canoeing trips on Columbia's rivers. The popular "After Work" trip on the Congaree lasts about 3...

  • Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens

    Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens

    Located near the Greystone Boulevard exit off I-26 and ranked as one of the most popular attractions in the Southeast, the zoo is home to a plethora of...

  • Finlay Park

    Finlay Park

    Originally opened in 1859 as Sidney Park, this historic site experienced a rebirth in the early 1990s when it was given a complete overhaul and re-dubbed...

  • Congaree National Park

    Congaree National Park

    Not only is this 22,000-acre swampy forest designated a National Park, it's also an International Biosphere Reserve, a National Natural Landmark, a...

  • McKissick Museum

    McKissick Museum

    Run by the College of Liberal Arts at the University of South Carolina and located on the historic Horseshoe, this museum hosts an impressive permanent...

  • South Carolina State Museum

    South Carolina State Museum

    Inside a century-old textile mill, this museum presents a comprehensive collection of art, history and science exhibits depicting South Carolina's past,...

  • Columbia Riverfront Park

    Columbia Riverfront Park

    For area runners, cyclists and walkers, Riverfront Park is a top choice. The long strip of sidewalk flanks the Congaree, offering visitors cool shade...

  • EdVenture

    EdVenture

    At Columbia's EdVenture you'll meet the 40-foot tall Eddie, who lives in the atrium across from the entrance. Through a series of tunnels and slides, kids...

  • Nickelodeon Theater

    Nickelodeon Theater

    A diminutive 77-seat theater, the Nick concentrates on international, art and indie films with two screenings nightly and occasional matinees. Sit back with...

  • USC Horseshoe

    USC Horseshoe

    This beautiful tree-lined mall is the site of the original campus of the University of South Carolina. Still home to several campus buildings, most of them...

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About Columbia, SC Attractions

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 do in Columbia, SC 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 with a great deal of Columbia, South Carolina parks to choose from. Activities 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.
Kim Goodin

About Kim Goodin

Kim Goodin has traveled extensively throughout the US and Europe, stopping for a year or two in places such as London and Denver. Aside from road trips, she enjoys animals and books, and has many of both. She will read almost anything, but particularly enjoys biographies, Southern gothic fiction, mysteries, classic British novels, and cookbooks. When her nose isn't in...  Read More

Read more about Kim here.