8 walking tours of Columbia 🚶
Columbia’s weather is in this really weird place that we love the most: spring in the morning, summer in the afternoon + back to spring at night. So, what do you do about it? Take advantage of it before it’s 100º at 7 a.m. + 7 p.m. – and get outside to do some walking tours of Columbia.
From arts and food to history and nature, there’s a walking tour of our city for every interest. And you don’t have to be a tourist to try these. Get reacquainted and start a summer romance with your city.
(Disclaimer: As always, this is not a complete list. Email us your favorite tours of the city.)
📜 Historic Heart of Columbia | Weekend Strolls + Group Tours | Admission varies
Learn all about the history of Cola during this 60 minute walking tour that takes you through the State House, Governor’s Mansion + UofSC’s campus. With the summer sun coming back in full force, take advantage of the beautiful walks through campus before it’s too hot to be outside.
🍝 Columbia Food Tours | Saturdays, 1:45 p.m. | $45 per person
A tour dedicated to food, what could be better than that? This 2.5-3 hour walking tour of Downtown Cola lets you try plates from 5-7 of the best restaurants the city has to offer – like The Oak Table, Lula Drake + il Giorgione. Bring on all the carbs.
🌲 Congaree National Park Nature Discovery Walk | Saturdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m. | free
Photo by @andreamensink
Join a park volunteer naturalist on a guided, 2.5-mile round trip boardwalk walk to explore our hidden gem of a national park, only ~15 mins from downtown. Looking + listen for animals like snakes and butterflies and see really giant trees. Perfect Saturday morning, if you ask me.
🏛 Columbia SC 63 Civil Rights Walking Tours | Second Sundays, 4-5 p.m. | free
In 2012, to honor the 50th anniversary of the height of the American Civil Rights Movement in 1963, mayors of 7 cities came together to find ways to highlight the iconic movement. In Columbia, a group of community leaders, educators, students + other Soda Citizens created the Civil Rights Walking Tours of Main St. – where noteworthy + moving stories of Civil Rights protests, sit-ins + other acts happened in the ‘60s at the State House, the Kress building + more.
Photo by @columbiasc63
🖼 Columbia Museums and Galleries Tour | self-guided | free tour; admission to sites varies
This self-guided online tour takes you through nine of Cola’s museums + art galleries, from the Columbia Museum of Art and the South Carolina State Museum to City Art gallery. This one’s for all you arts + culture enthusiasts. Also, who knew Cola had a Fire Museum?
🏠 Woodrow Wilson Family Home house tour | Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30-2:30 p.m. + Sunday, 2:30 p.m. | $8 for adults, $5 for children, free for Historic Columbia members; buy tickets at the Gift Shop at Robert Mills
Photo by @impeachcobbler
The history geek in me is coming out. Woodrow Wilson’s home is the only standing presidential site in the state, making it something that you must see. Plus, the Italian villa-style home certainly qualifies for a 10/10 Instagram photo backdrop.
🍴Two Gals and a Fork Food Tours | one Saturday/month | $38-50 per person
Founded in 2014, best friends Gloria Freeman + Janet Jordan brought the Brunch & Munch + Sites & Bites walkable food tours to Cola – a new concept to hit our city. When I found out they offer custom tours like a Pub Crawl + Walking & Tasting Food Tour, I immediately texted my friends + booked a tour.
🌇 City Orientation Walk | self-guided | free tour; admission to sites varies
Who needs a tour guide? This all-things-Cola walking tour will take you to all the key historic + cultural sites that you can’t miss out on the next time you have a free weekend.
A couple of other, non-walking tours that we want to try this season include: 🐻 Park Ranger tours at Riverfront Park (this month, they’re doing Sundays with Lily guided kayaking tours; free); 🛶 Wilderness Canoe Tours of Cedar Creek at Congaree National Park on Fridays/Saturdays ($1.50); 🍻 Columbia Brew Bus tours of Cola’s breweries, distilleries + wine shops (Saturdays/Sundays; $45 for 3 stops with tastings); and 🚲 SC Pedal Parlor pedaling tours (7 days/week; $20-22 per person –TBH, we’ve already tried this; it’s wheely fun).
What walking tours are you taking in Soda City? Respond to this email and let us know.
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