Overview
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.
9 sights · 8 things to do · 11 places to eat · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Columbia
Fort Jackson
Fort Jackson is one of the major draws of visitors to Columbia. Essentially, there are three types of visitors to Fort Jackson: 1. the miserable private going through Basic Combat Training; 2. friends and family of gradu…
Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens
One of the few houses left from antebellum Columbia, it was built in 1818 and has many authentic furnishings.
South Carolina Statehouse
With a copper dome and bronze stars marking places where Sherman's cannonballs struck, the Statehouse is well worth the trip for fans of history and architecture alike. Though the Confederate flag no longer flies on the …
Riverbanks Zoo
Riverbanks Zoo has grown tremendously in the past decade. Recent additions include a gorilla habitat and koala bears donated from their native Queensland. Considered to be in the top ten US zoos, it has the added benefit…
South Carolina State Museum
This museum is often visited by South Carolina school groups, and tourists on rainy days. Children may enjoy the hands-on exhibits, but parents will note that this place is long on reproductions and short on explanations…
Confederate Relic Room and State Military Museum
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 93°F; winter lows dip to about 35°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun.
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CAE Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Columbia — 6 mi away. Directions
- AGS Augusta Regional At Bush Field, Augusta — 69 mi away. Directions
- CLT Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte — 84 mi away (major hub). Directions
Columbia is easily reached by Interstate 20, Interstate 26 and Interstate 77, or by U.S. Highway 1.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $10 per person at listed restaurants.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens, Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home, Nickelodeon
- Lunch Hampton Street Vineyard
- Afternoon Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina Statehouse
- Dinner Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe
Day 2
- Morning Riverbanks Zoo, South Carolina State Museum, Confederate Relic Room and State Military Museum
- Lunch Terra
- Afternoon Edventure Children's Museum, Famously Hot SC Pride
- Dinner Di Vino Rosso
Day 3
- Morning Fort Jackson
- Lunch Pasta Fresca
- Afternoon Three Rivers Greenway
- Dinner Groucho's Deli
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
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.
Passable regional chain restaurants have locations in and near town, including Mellow Mushroom Pizza and Moe's Southwest Grill.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
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
Get in
By car
Columbia is easily reached by Interstate 20, Interstate 26 and Interstate 77, or by U.S. Highway 1.
By plane
Go Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
There are non-stop flights to Columbia Metropolitan Airport from the following cities (some seasonal): Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Newark, New York, Philadelphia and Washington.
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
By bus
The COMET. The city's local transit system and the main way to travel by bus within the metropolitan area with routes in downtown Columbia and parts of Richland and Lexington Counties. Though the on-campus routes are useful to University of South Carolina students and other routes to those downtown, car-dependency makes driving the only viable option for most others.
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 a 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.
See Fort Jackson
Fort Jackson is one of the major draws of visitors to Columbia. Essentially, there are three types of visitors to Fort Jackson: 1. the miserable private going through Basic Combat Training; 2. friends and family of graduating basic trainees; 3. A.I.T. (Advanced Individual Training) students. For those visiting for B.C.T graduation, graduation will be held at Hilton Field or, in the case of inclement weather, the Solomon Center. You should not surprise the soldier you're visiting, because they must report whether they is going home with a family member or at government expense. Failure to alert your soldier will cause him/her to be required to leave on government transportation. Furthermore, leave contact info with your soldier, so their drill sergeants can alert you to any changes in plans.
See Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens
One of the few houses left from antebellum Columbia, it was built in 1818 and has many authentic furnishings.
See South Carolina Statehouse
With a copper dome and bronze stars marking places where Sherman's cannonballs struck, the Statehouse is well worth the trip for fans of history and architecture alike. Though the Confederate flag no longer flies on the top of the dome, it stands atop a memorial directly in front of the building at the intersection of Gervais and Main. The grounds include several monuments and a small Italianate rose garden.
See Riverbanks Zoo
Riverbanks Zoo has grown tremendously in the past decade. Recent additions include a gorilla habitat and koala bears donated from their native Queensland. Considered to be in the top ten US zoos, it has the added benefit of being small enough for those with difficulty walking to manage. Children will enjoy the petting zoo, pony rides, and demonstrations.
See South Carolina State Museum
This museum is often visited by South Carolina school groups, and tourists on rainy days. Children may enjoy the hands-on exhibits, but parents will note that this place is long on reproductions and short on explanations. Come prepared for lessons on history, geography, industry, and economics. The gift shop has many South Carolina-themed items.
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See Columbia Museum of Art
South Carolina's premier international art museum has 25 galleries of extraordinary collections of European, American and Asian fine and decorative art that span centuries. The museum's collection includes masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance through the 18th century from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, a strong collection of European and American furniture and decorative arts, as well as modern and contemporary art, art glass, and 20th-century design. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli's Nativity, Canaletto’s View of the Molo, Claude Monet's The Seine at Giverny, and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The museum’s collection of Asian art and Antiquities has grown through generous gifts to the collection, including an impressive collection of Korean and Chinese ceramics and Roman portrait heads. The museum also offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums and educational programs that include group and public tours, lectures, films, and concert series. The Museum Shop is open during museum hours.
Do
Do South Carolina Gamecocks
One of Columbia's great institutions is University of South Carolina sports. The Gamecocks compete in 9 men's and 12 women's sports, almost all in the Southeastern Conference. As with most large schools, their hot-button sports are traditionally football and men's basketball, although their most nationally competitive have been women's basketball (in which they frequently lead the entire NCAA in attendance, and often outdraw the men) and baseball. Most athletic facilities are on campus, with the best-known venues being Williams-Brice Stadium (football), Colonial Life Arena (both basketball teams), and Founders Park (baseball).
- 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.
Do Three Rivers Greenway (Riverfront Park)
This series of trails is popular with joggers, dog walkers, bikers, skaters, etc. One can walk along almost the entire riverfront on the east and west sides of the river. Access via Laurel Street or Gervais Street. Beautiful views of the 3 rivers (Saluda and Broad combine to form the Congaree).
Do Craft Axe Throwing (Axe, Hatchet or Tomahawk Throwing)
A destination for axe-throwing, tomahawk, and hatchet enthusiasts. Craft beverages are available. Groups and parties welcome. Experts will guide you through axe-throwing, ensuring a safe and entertaining experience for all skill levels.
Do Famously Hot SC Pride
Annual LGBT pride festival held in downtown Columbia in October along with Outfest, a block party held in June coinciding with pride month. SC Pride also supports Brave The Rainbow, an initiative for businesses in the Midlands showing support of the LGBT community on their storefronts.
Learn
Buy
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:
Eat Beezer's
Undergrad guilty pleasure, features cheap salads and variety of simple but decent subs. Open late, usually until 3AM, also delivers.
Eat Groucho's Deli
Original store of the mainly S.C.-based chain, serves liberally decorated deli sandwiches with tart dipping sauces.
Mid-range
Eat Delhi Palace
Those in the know visit for the inexpensive but tasty Indian buffet.
Eat Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe
Quirky drinking establishment is famous for its desserts.
Eat Pasta Fresca
Large portions of superior Italian fare at reasonable prices make this one popular with people who dine out for food rather than linen tablecloths.
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.
Eat Blue Marlin
One of the better seafood restaurants in Columbia, Blue Marlin specializes in Lowcountry style seafood such as shrimp and grits as well as she-crab soup.
Eat California Dreaming
Good service; excellent salads and steaks, in addition to good desserts and a nice bar.
Eat Di Vino Rosso
Fabulous Northern Italian cuisine. Wine cellar on premises. Jackets recommended. Reservations are suggested.
Eat Hampton Street Vineyard
Outstanding food selection. Also has an excellent wine service and good service in general. Reservations are recommended for the restaurant is fairly small inside and is pretty popular.
Eat Mr. Friendly’s
People dress up to visit the celebrated (and busy) Mr. Friendly’s, known for its meaty Southern cuisine.
Eat Terra
Winner 2008 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Makes a strong effort to support local farmers and uses as many locally grown ingredients as possible.
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.
Sleep
Stay Holiday Inn Express Harbison
Amenities include free breakfast, free internet, a business center and a fitness center. Microwave and refrigerator in each guest room. Free pass to Gold's Gym, across the street from Columbiana mall, directly next door to Bailey's Sports Grill and Carmike movie theater
Stay Staybridge Suites Columbia
Extended-stay suites. Free breakfast, 24-hour fitness center, indoor pool. Free internet, free evening reception Monday - Thursday, business center. Spacious guest rooms offer a fully equipped kitchen (microwave, refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, cooking utensils), flat screen TV and free internet.
Go next
Columbia is less than a two-hour drive away from the cities of Greenville and Charleston. Congaree National Park, South Carolina's only national park, is even closer, about 20 miles (32 km) to the south, and makes for a good day trip. Columbia is also close to two seemingly forever-growing metros, Atlanta and Charlotte.
Nearby
Lexington
City / town · 18 listings · 11 mi away
Congaree National Park
Park · 1 listings · 21 mi away
Orangeburg
City / town · 4 listings · 37 mi away
Sumter
City / town · 8 listings · 39 mi away
Aiken
City / town · 12 listings · 50 mi away
Ninety Six
City / town · 4 listings · 57 mi away
Hartsville
City / town · 5 listings · 61 mi away
St. George
City / town · 62 mi away
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