Columbia (South Carolina)

Columbia is the capital city and second largest city in South Carolina. It is home to the main campus of the University of South Carolina, and to the Army's Fort Jackson. It is in the approximate geographic center of the state, and was one of the first planned cities in the United States.

Understand
Columbia's recent rapid growth indicates South Carolina's capital city is beginning to blossom as other Southern cities have in the 21st century. As of 2018, the estimated population of the city was 133,000, with an urban core population of about 550,000, and 833,000 in the metro area.

Tourist information

 * Experience Columbia website

By car
Columbia is easily reached by Interstate 20, Interstate 26 and Interstate 77, or by U.S. Highway 1.

By plane


To get from the airport to downtown using public transport, Comet Bus Route #28 operates weekday-only service from the Midland Tech Airport campus, a few blocks from the airport. The bus leaves 3 times per day: at 7:39AM, 1:04PM, and 4:59PM. The journey downtown costs $1.50 and takes 30 minutes.

By train
An Amtrak station is located at 850 Pulaski Street in the Vista. Columbia sits on the main north-south line on the East Coast. Trains depart daily for Miami and New York; however, most of the trains pass though Columbia at night and are frequently delayed.

By bus
Megabus. Service from Atlanta, Athens, Fayetteville, Durham, Richmond, and Washington, D.C. Buses stop at the Sumter Street Transit Station at the corner of Sumter Street and Laurel Street.

Get around
Most people use a car to get around Columbia, but more pedestrian-friendly areas of the city include downtown, The Vista, the University Hill/USC area, and Five Points. There is bus service around town and nearby provided by provided by the COMET. The free Soda Cap Connector, provides bus transit between downtown hotspots. Taxi service is also available 24/7 if you call in advance, and can usually be hailed on the street in Five Points and The Vista at night. Columbia also has an active Uber and Lyft population.

See
Siebels House and Garden One of the best gardens in the city. It's free to walk through and surrounds the oldest house in Columbia.





Do

 * Kayaking. Columbia has some of the best kayaking available in an urban area in the US. Put in the Saluda River at north end of the Riverbanks Zoo parking lot, get out in the Congaree just past the Gervais Street bridge, on either side.
 * St Patrick Day Festival An Irish celebration that is in Five Points. Features an elaborate parade. There's a wide variety of family entertainment like petting zoos and rides for kids. There's three stages of music by local and national musicians, and great food from local restaurants and caterers.
 * Kayaking. Columbia has some of the best kayaking available in an urban area in the US. Put in the Saluda River at north end of the Riverbanks Zoo parking lot, get out in the Congaree just past the Gervais Street bridge, on either side.
 * St Patrick Day Festival An Irish celebration that is in Five Points. Features an elaborate parade. There's a wide variety of family entertainment like petting zoos and rides for kids. There's three stages of music by local and national musicians, and great food from local restaurants and caterers.
 * St Patrick Day Festival An Irish celebration that is in Five Points. Features an elaborate parade. There's a wide variety of family entertainment like petting zoos and rides for kids. There's three stages of music by local and national musicians, and great food from local restaurants and caterers.

Eat
Some of the most popular restaurants include, the Blue Marlin, which features seafood prepared in the South Carolina Lowcountry tradition; the Hampton Street Vineyard, best known for its extensive selection in fine wines; and SakiTumi Grill & Sushi, which specializes in Pacific Rim cuisine. In all, Columbia offers over 450 dining options. Terra in the West Bank/State St. area in West Columbia is a new upscale eatery that has caught the attention of locals.



Budget
Passable regional chain restaurants have locations in and near town, including Mellow Mushroom Pizza and Moe's Southwest Grill.

Other cheap eats include:



Splurge
Columbia has a diverse, extensive array of restaurants to choose from, most notably those in the historic Congaree Vista district, Five Points, and along Devine Street.

Drink

 * Five Points. Located around the intersection of Harden Street, Greene Street and Saluda Avenue, this neighborhood has numerous bars and eateries catering to the University of South Carolina students. It gets especially boisterous on Thursday nights. There are a few bars in this area that you'll find a more mature crowd and not so much the college scene.  Places such as BarNone and Group Therapy generally cater to the recently graduated drinkers.
 * The Vista. For the more mature crowd, dozens of bars and restaurants centered on the corner of Lincoln and Gervais. Carolina Ale House Rooftop Bar and Wild Wing Cafe make for a great place to go and watch sporting events as well as some great live music.

Sleep




Go next
Columbia is close to two seemingly forever-growing metros, Atlanta and Charlotte. Congaree National Park, South Carolina's only national park, is even closer, about 20 miles to the south, and makes for a good day trip.