Columbia

Columbia was established in 1786 as South Carolina's first planned capital city, developed at the confluence of the Broad and Saluda rivers, which form the Congaree River. The city sustained significant destruction during the Civil War, particularly the 1865 burning of Columbia, before rebuilding through Reconstruction and later industrializing around textile manufacturing. It carries several nicknames, including Cola, the Capital City, River City and Soda City.

The South Carolina State House, built in Classical Revival style roughly 180 feet tall, began construction in 1851; work was suspended in 1865 when Sherman's forces entered Columbia and the building sustained damage from artillery shells, marked today by six bronze stars on its exterior. The main structure was completed in 1875, with exterior finishing done by 1907; its dome was re-skinned in copper during a 1998 renovation. The University of South Carolina, founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, is now the state's largest institution, enrolling more than 30,000 students on its Columbia campus.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden opened April 25, 1974 after five years of planning, spanning 170 acres along the Saluda River, and today houses more than 2,000 animals across exhibits including African Plains, an Aquarium Reptile Complex with Komodo dragons, and Ndoki Forest, home to gorillas and rhinos. Its 70-acre botanical garden opened June 10, 1995 with more than 4,200 plant species. The zoo is AZA-accredited and draws more than one million visitors annually, South Carolina's largest gated attraction.

Congaree National Park, about 18 miles southeast of Columbia, protects 26,692.6 acres and preserves, per Wikipedia's account, the largest tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States, with a canopy among the highest remaining in temperate deciduous forests worldwide. The park's Boardwalk Loop is an elevated 2.4-mile walkway through the swamp environment, built to protect the delicate plant and fungal life at ground level.

Experience Columbia SC, the region's destination marketing organization, describes the Main Street district as the cultural and social heart of downtown, where history, art, dining and nightlife intersect, and the Vista as a district filled with restaurants, local businesses and homes. We were unable to confirm the restaurant listings for the area around the University of South Carolina campus; current listings and hours should be checked individually before visiting.

5 breweries within 10 miles of Columbia, 3 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

7 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Columbia in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.

• AugustaGeorgiaabout 65 mi
• CharlotteNorth Carolinaabout 85 mi
• Hilton HeadSouth Carolinaabout 120 mi
• AthensGeorgiaabout 130 mi
• SavannahGeorgiaabout 130 mi
• AshevilleNorth Carolinaabout 140 mi
• WilmingtonNorth Carolinaabout 180 mi

The South Carolina State House offers public and self-guided access; current tour hours should be checked on the State House's own site before visiting.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden lists regular hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, subject to change, and is open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas days; general admission for adults (ages 13 to 61) is $27.95^* online or $30.95^* at the ticket window, and current hours and rates should be checked on its own official site before visiting.

Congaree National Park's Boardwalk Loop is free to visit, since entrance to the park is free; the park says it lies within the Congaree River floodplain and floods approximately ten times each year, and that floods can make backcountry trails and even parts of the boardwalk inaccessible, so current trail conditions and flooding advisories should be checked on the National Park Service's own site before visiting.

The University of South Carolina offers a free self-guided tour app for exploring the campus at one's own pace, including after hours, and its visitor center, in McKissick Museum on the historic Horseshoe, lists weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. We were unable to confirm which individual buildings are open to visitors; access varies and should be checked per site before visiting.

*Fees subject to change, please check riverbanks.org for updated information.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden

Address

500 Wildlife Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29210

Hours

See official site for current hours

Price

See official site for current admission

Link

riverbanks.org

We checked opening hours, fees, closures, operating status, seasonal opening and reservations on 2026-10-13. These change without notice — confirm with southcarolinastatehouse.com, riverbanks.org, sc.edu, nps.gov and experiencecolumbiasc.com the week you travel.

Straight-line distance from Columbia, not drive time.

• Jim Hamilton L.B. Owens (CUB) — 3 miles
• Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) — 7 miles
• Mc Entire Joint National Guard Base (MMT) — 14 miles