Top Ten | Experience Columbia

Top 10 Things to Do in Columbia

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is home to more than 2,000 magnificent and fascinating animals and one of the nation's most beautiful and inspiring botanical gardens. It is consistently voted as one of the best zoos in the country. More than 2,000 animals represent some 350 species, giving children the age-old opportunity to marvel at 20-foot giraffes, playful penguins and the slow-moving Galapagos tortoise. But the zoo isn’t just a place to watch from a distance. Kids can get up close and personal with mystery animal hunts, diving expeditions, safaris and even overnight camps. So fret not, Columbia is officially kid tested and mother approved, and the children have permission to let their adventurous spirits run wild and get their hands a little dirty. Now that’s a vacation.
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South Carolina State House

Even if you're not from around these parts or don't venture inside the historic building, a visit to South Carolina's State House is worth your while. The first African-American monument to grace any US state capitol property joins more than two dozen other memorials decorating the State House grounds. On the western facade, you'll notice six bronze stars. These markers point out the scars left behind when Union forces occupied the city in 1865, and cannonballs struck the unfinished structure. Inside, the history lesson of the state and building continues. To get all the goods, check out the gift shop and take a tour.
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Columbia Museum of Art

The Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina’s international art museum, has an extraordinary collection of European and American fine and decorative art that spans centuries. From ancient Rome and Greece to Renaissance Italy and Claude Monet to Thomas Sully to Louis Comfort Tiffany — the Columbia Museum of Art is your window to the world in the heart of downtown.
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EdVenture Children's Museum

A great place to kick off the family-friendly fun is the EdVenture Children’s Museum, which opened in 2003. In a few short years, the museum has become a must-see destination for children. After all, if it’s fun enough for Eddie — officially the world’s largest child at 40 feet and 17.5 tons — it’ll be entertaining enough for your kids, who will inevitably revel in the interactivity of the museum’s exhibits. They’ll have the opportunity to learn by experience through hands-on activities: measuring their own oxygen levels, anchoring their own TV shows, recording their own music and much more. Learning has never been so cool.
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South Carolina State Museum

To get a glimpse of “South Carolina Under One Roof,” stop for a spell at the South Carolina State Museum, housed in a four-story former textile mill built in 1893. Visitors get to take a stroll through a Charleston Courtyard or enjoy the sights and sounds of a mountain cove. The daring can even get face to face with an ancient 40-foot giant white shark. Believe it or not, South Carolina’s lower coastal plain was once the swimming grounds of the giant white shark, believed to have the largest teeth of any shark species.
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Congaree National Park

If you were a dragon, fairy or gentle giant, Congaree National Park would most certainly be on your short list of desired places to live. Even those of us who are less mythical find South Carolina’s only national park and its 2.5-mile boardwalk, towering trees and the river running through it, the Congaree, a magical playground.

Just 30 minutes southeast of Columbia’s city center, Congaree National Park is the tallest deciduous forest on the planet and is home to several champion trees, the largest of their kind. The area is inundated with floodwaters eight–10 times per year when the river overflows its banks, typically between December and April. This frequent reinvention helps to make the park appealing to an incredibly broad array of wildlife. If you only have an afternoon to spend, a great introduction to all the wonders of the park is to walk the elevated Boardwalk Trail using the free brochure you can pick up at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. This self-guided tour gives you some of the history and ecology of the park. For birders, canoeists and kayakers there is an enormous amount of diversity to keep you enthralled for much longer. And it’s free to everyone! The visitor center is open daily except for Christmas, 8:30am–5:00pm.
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Lake Murray

Water, Water Everywhere. While the majority of Murray’s shoreline is rocky, a few prime beaches do exist — if you know where to look. One of the lake’s most popular is Sandy Beach. Found in the southeast section of the lake — a few miles from the earthen Saluda Dam — this white-sand oasis is ideal for barbecues, swimming, tanning or reconnecting with your family. As small waves lap the shore, visitors can’t help but feel they’ve been transported to a coastal beach. If you’ve rented a boat at one of the lake’s full-service marinas, you can beach it right on shore and save yourself the hassle of anchoring. In addition to sandy beaches, secluded coves and inviting inlets, Lake Murray also features a peppering of tiny islands. Among the most interesting is Goat Island. And oddly enough, goats do meander around this particular island, perfect for a quirky photo opportunity. The lake itself is a self-contained tourist attraction. Shoreside vacation rentals provide easy and anytime access to Lake Murray’s banks, while restaurants overlook its placid waters.

On select occasions, including the Fourth of July, the lake hosts floating concerts. During these much-anticipated events, a dock is moored in the lake and bands take to the stage, with crowds cheering from their own boats and floats. The best time to take a dip is March through November, when the water is at its warmest. For anglers, consider purchasing a seven-day fresh-water fishing permit and try your luck against largemouth, striper and crappie. The Dreher Island State Recreation Area is composed of three islands in Lake Murray. Each is linked via bridges. This park system is ideal for those who want to enjoy the lake sans watercraft. Camping, hiking, fishing and picnic sites are all available.
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South Carolina Relic Room & Military Museum

This Columbia attraction, next to the State Museum, isn’t just for Civil War buffs. It’s for all who want to learn about South Carolina’s military history and impact. Founded in 1896 making it the oldest museum in the area — the Relic Room & Military Museum presents artifacts and education from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror. Even though it’s been around for more than a century, each visit is a new experience thanks to rotating displays and temporary exhibits such as the tribute to World War I, “Forgotten Stories: South Carolina Fights the Great War,” on display now through Dec. 6, 2009.
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Historic Columbia

Historic Columbia’s House Museum Tours Walk in the steps of an enslaved Charlestonian midwife, the architect of the Washington Monument or among the wealthy in Civil War times by going on Historic Columbia’s house museum tours.

Properties:
Mann-Simons Cottage
Robert Mills House and Park
Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens
The Woodrow Wilson Family Home is temporarily
closed for restoration

Guided tours:
Tues.–Sat., 10am–4pm (last tour begins at 3pm)
Sun., 1–5pm (last tour begins at 4pm)
Purchase tickets at Robert Mills House,
1616 Blanding Street
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Lexington County Museum

With 30 historic structures, costumed tour guides and many of the appointments of everyday life in antebellum Lexington County, the Lexington County Museum is truly a living history complex. Along with the oldest documented house in the town of Lexington — the Lawrence Corley Log House — the museum includes slave quarters, a smokehouse, a one-room schoolhouse, a cotton gin house and more.
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