Columbia: River Walks, Museums and Market

Columbia offers several distinct highlights to consider when planning your trip: river walks, exhibitions, architecture tours and a market with a regular Saturday schedule. Riverfront Park centers on a linear park landscape between two waterways; museums and the South Carolina State House offer different perspectives on art, nature, science and history. The Soda City Market adds to the picture with handmade goods from the southeastern United States. When choosing a hotel, you can first consider which of these themes matter most to your stay.

Parks, Trails and Ranger Programs

Riverfront Park is a nearly 167-acre linear park between the Columbia Canal and the Congaree River. A three-mile linear trail runs through the park, along with a one-mile spur through a floodplain forest. The longer trail and shorter spur offer different distances, with the forest setting specifically associated with the spur. Granby Park was the first completed section of the Three Rivers Greenway.

Construction or access changes may affect parts of the park; access to trails may change during renovations. Check current access before planning a specific route. Another way to explore local parks is through guided programs led by the City of Columbia’s park rangers. They are open to the public and cover history, park features and wildlife. Program dates may change, so check the schedule for each program in advance.

Museums: Art, Nature and Science

The South Carolina State Museum features permanent and changing exhibitions across four floors covering the history, art and natural history of South Carolina, as well as science and technology. Its 55-foot digital dome planetarium is named the BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina Planetarium. The same museum therefore combines exhibitions focused on the state with a dedicated planetarium area. Exhibition content and programming may change; if you are interested in a particular topic, check the current offerings in advance.

The Columbia Museum of Art has a different focus. Its international collection centers on American, Asian and European art, as well as modern and contemporary art. The museum cares for more than 7,000 works that reflect over 5,000 years of human history. The collection thus brings together different artistic regions and a broad historical perspective. Displays may rotate, and collection figures may also be updated.

Architecture Tours at the State House

The South Carolina State House in Columbia offers tours. They are preceded by a 15-minute film about the building’s history and architecture. The film thus provides a thematic introduction to these two aspects before the tour. Tours and their times may change; check the latest tour information before your visit.

The Saturday Soda City Market

The Soda City Market is a weekly event on Main Street in Columbia. It takes place year-round, rain or shine, on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Its regular day of the week gives you a clear point of reference when planning to include a market visit in your stay. Check the market schedule before you travel.

The market is supplied exclusively by producers: vendors make or grow their own products. The goods sold there are handmade and produced in the southeastern United States. As the mix of vendors may change, it is worth checking current information if you are interested in what particular sellers offer.

Explore more destinations: Woodfield, Blythewood, Elgin, Eastover, Hopkins.

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