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Places to Visit in Columbia, SC

Updated: Jul 22

INTRO:


If you're putting together a list of places to visit in Columbia, SC, start with the fact that this city has been burned down and rebuilt more than once. 


Columbia is South Carolina's capital, home to about 145,000 people, and a place where a planned 1786 grid, a Confederate capital, a Reconstruction experiment, and a Civil Rights battleground all sit within a few blocks of each other.


Whether you're drawn to the history, the university energy, or the zoo, Columbia packs a lot into a walkable downtown.



TAKE A SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF COLUMBIA:


The Civil Rights Walking Tour is a two-mile, self-guided audio tour that connects many of Columbia's most important places in one walk—the USC Horseshoe, the State House grounds, First Baptist Church, and the Edwards v. South Carolina historical marker.


Along the way you'll see:

  1. Six bronze stars on the State House marking where Union artillery struck in 1865

  2. The African American History Monument, with the Brookes slave ship diagram laid in stone

  3. The 2024 monument honoring the three students who desegregated USC in 1963


Most visitors finish in 60 to 90 minutes.


Check out the Civil Rights Walking Tour here.



BEST HISTORIC SITES:

  1. South Carolina State House grounds — Confederate monuments, the African American History Monument, and Civil War battle damage all in one place.

  2. University of South Carolina Horseshoe — The original university campus, a Union hospital during the Civil War, and the site of Reconstruction-era integration.

  3. First Baptist Church of Columbia — Where South Carolina's secession vote was held in 1860.

  4. Governor's Mansion & Arsenal Hill — Columbia's historic governmental district.


BEST MUSEUMS & FAMILY ATTRACTIONS:

  1. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden — Nearly 3,000 animals across more than 350 species.

  2. South Carolina State Museum — Four floors of exhibits, plus a planetarium and 4D theater.

  3. Columbia Museum of Art — On Main Street next to Boyd Plaza, admission around $15.

  4. EdVenture Children's Museum — Interactive, hands-on exhibits for kids.


BEST FOR SHOPPING & FOOD:

  1. Soda City Market — A Saturday producer-only farmers market on Main Street.

  2. The Vista district — Columbia's arts, dining, and nightlife hub, home to Motor Supply Co. Bistro and 929 Kitchen & Bar.


PLAN YOUR TRIP:


Ready to put together a full itinerary? Our Columbia travel guide covers where to eat, where to stay, and how to plan a one or two-day visit around the city's history and attractions.


Check out our Columbia travel guide to plan your trip here.


 
 
 

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