Columbia, South Carolina

1. Columbia Museum of Art

The Columbia Museum of Art is more than just a modern art museum; it is also a thriving social hub of Columbia community. The museum holds several world-class permanent collections. The museum’s Renaissance and Baroque art donated by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation includes treasures such as Botticelli’s Nativity. The Columbia Museum of Art is one of the top Columbia attractions.

The extensive European collection also boasts Monet’s mesmerizing View of the Seine. In addition, the Museum has extensive Asian, Contemporary, Modern, American, and Vogel collections. The museum also has monthly visiting exhibitions, and it organizes block parties, concerts, art classes, lectures, tours, and many kids’ programs.

1515 Main St, Columbia, South Carolina, Phone: 803-799-2810

2. Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden

Where else can you go from an African forest to the Australian plains and Carolina’s bogs in one day but at the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden? Opened in 1974, the 170-acre zoo and garden is located along the magnificent Lower Saluda River. The zoo section is designed as a series of realistic and natural habitats for about 2,000 animals from all over the world. You can meet a baboon with diabetes, feed friendly giraffes, and observe lions, koalas, and much more. If you are looking for fun things to do in Columbia SC with kids, this is a great place to visit.

Each habitat also has special graphics and interactive computer programs to help visitors learn about the animals and their world. The Botanical Garden consists of lush woodlands, theme gardens, historic ruins, rare plant collections, the ruins of an old textile mill, and a beautifully restored log cabin that serves as interpretive center.

500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, South Carolina, Phone: 803-779-8717

3. Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park

Starting at the end of Laurel St., Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park is Columbia’s most popular jogging and biking trail that takes you for two and half miles along the lush banks of the Broad River. The park is a lovely place to relax, take a slow hike, sit on the bench, and meditate while watching the river waters pass by. If you are wondering what to do in Columbia, South Carolina today, this is a great place to start exploring.

You can also learn a lot about the history of Columbia, since this park was the site of the original Columbia waterworks, the first textile mill in the world that was operated by electricity, and the oldest South Carolina hydroelectric plant, which is still in operation.

Feel free to roam through the old mills, look at the old pump houses, or sit on the bank and throw your fishing line into the water. This lovely park also hosts annual outdoor music concerts such as Riverfest and Greekfest, along with a few smaller ones.

4. South Carolina State Museum

The South Carolina State Museum is the biggest museum in the state, but what kids most love about it is the 4D theatre that shows 3D movies with a twist: while watching a movie, you can feels your legs being tickled, wind blasting in your face, your seat vibrating, and other fun surprises. Adults love it too.

Located on the banks of the Congaree River in downtown Columbia, The South Carolina State Museum has four floors of fascinating permanent and temporary exhibits, an observatory, a planetarium, and the popular 4D interactive theater. The Museum contains about 70,000 artifacts through which visitors can learn about South Carolina art, history, natural history, technology, and science.

301 Gervais Street, Columbia, South Carolina, Phone: 803-898-4921

5. Governor's Mansion

The governors of South Carolina live in a magnificent mansion on nine acres of nicely manicured land in the historic district of Columbia. However, the mansion is not only their home (all thirty of them so far), but it is also an important public space. The Governor's Mansion rooms open to the public feature all sorts of treasures used by previous governors, which are now permanent parts of the space.

Beautiful china, antique furniture, valuable original paintings, and historic documents all showcase the heritage and rich history of South Carolina. The beautiful building is a great place to show famous South Carolina hospitality, and it is often used to entertain visiting local and foreign dignitaries.

800 Richland St, Columbia, South Carolina, Phone: 803-737-3000

6. EdVenture Children's Museum

The first thing kids and their parents see when they enter EdVenture Children's Museum is Eddie. He is 40 feet tall and weighs 17.5 tons. He might be made of plastic, but he is the biggest kid in the world. Kids not only get to climb all over him but they can also go through him to see and touch all his organs, from his spine to his brain. EdVenture Children's Museum is one of the best things to do in Columbia SC with kids.

They can even slide down his intestines – what a way to learn anatomy! There are 350 exciting and fun hands-on exhibits in the museum designed for kids 12 years old or younger to learn through play. Their families are allowed to come too. The museum has a goal of inspire kids to enjoy learning and become life-long learners.

211 Gervais Street, Columbia, South Carolina, Phone: 803-779-3100

7. South Carolina Military Museum

The South Carolina Military Museum showceses South Carolina’s military tradition and is the largest museum of its kind in the country. Its goal is to honor national guards as citizen soldiers and chronicle their past through an extensive exhibition of artifacts, exhibits, and displays. Visitors can see authentic firearms, weapons, artillery pieces, uniforms, and even armored fighting vehicles.

The exhibits and the staff and volunteers bring the military history of South Carolina to life, from the 1670 when the South Carolina Militia was founded, to its present role, and from the time British boots stepped foot on Carolina soil to today’s worldwide operations.

1 National Guard Rd, Columbia, SC 29201, Phone: 803-299-4440

8. Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens

The Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens is one of Columbia's oldest and probably most beautiful historic houses. Built in 1818 for rich Columbian merchant Ainsley Hall, it changed hands and served many purposes throughout its rich history. When Wade Hampton I bought it, he changed the house’s Federal-style architecture to Greek Revival. The next owner, the Preston family, sold it after the Civil War.

For various periods of time, the mansion housed four different colleges and was even divided and partitioned for commercial use. It opened in 1970 after the extensive renovation as part of the Midlands Tricentennial Exposition Center. The garden was a highly acclaimed antebellum garden in its time, with an extensive collection of native plants as well as specimens from over the world.

1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, South Carolina, Phone: 803-252-7742

9. Columbia Food Tours

Columbia is quickly becoming a foodie town, and it now has many diverse, innovative, and excellent eateries to show off. If you need proof, take a walking tour of the city’s best and most renowned restaurants with Columbia Food Tours. Knowledgeable local guides will take you to five to seven restaurants where you can sample their goodies and learn about the Columbia’s history, architecture, culture, and local cuisine along the way.

There are two different tours that last two to three hours and start on the steps of the State House. Walking from one restaurant to another will only take about ten minutes. This experience is all about food. Phone: 803-760-2618

10. Mr. Friendly's

Mr. Friendly's calls itself “a new Southern café,” so naturally it serves New Southern Cuisine. What that really means is you of course find chicken and grits and fried green tomatoes on the menu, but the chef also offers his delightful daily special; you will adore his take on Southern Cuisine with dishes like Sesame Seared Yellowfin Tuna with salsa made of granny smith apples and ginger, glazed with yuzu-sweet chile, and served with wasabi-spiced mashed potatoes and sautéed veggies.

The best time to visit this popular restaurant in Historic Five Points is Monday, when they serve their award-winning Moonpies, which are heavenly concoctions made of praline wafers baked and layered with mousse, made of white chocolate, and sprinkled with chocolate and raspberry sauce.

2001-A Greene St., Columbia, South Carolina, Phone: 803-254-7828