Leafing to find some fall foliage 🚗

4 drivable fall destinations within four hours of Columbia, SC

Hop in the car, fill up your tank, and drive ~three hours to see the leaves change. | Photo by @jacobskateslakai

Is anyone else craving a reprieve from the heat and humidity Famously Hot Cola is known for? We feel the buzz for cooler weather, less humidity, and are itching for a fall retreat to the mountains.

Southern Living shared a list of the 15 best destinations to see brilliant fall foliage in the South, and we’re talking through four of the destinations within four hours of Columbia that you can visit to watch the leaves change + anticipate fall.

The Blue Ridge Parkway | ~3 hours

The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches close to 500 miles through the Appalachian Mountains. Southern Living recommends stopping at the parkway’s highest point, the Richland Balsam Overlook, which sits at 6,053 feet and is said to resemble Canadian wilderness.

Dahlonega, GA | 3.5 hours

Fun fact, Dahlonega was where the nation’s first gold rush happened in the 1820s + is known as North Georgia’s Wine Country. This quaint town is full of history, wineries, and is near several U-pick farms. Read through the full visitor’s guide before planning a weekend trip.

Fall's Park — A view from The Liberty Bridge overlooking the Reedy River Falls. | Photo by COLAtoday team

Greenville + Travelers Rest, SC | ~2 hours

Need some ideas for things to do around Greenville? Check out GVLtoday — you’ll be in good hands. Southern Living highlights Greenville for its recreation opportunities + bike trails and recommends spending time on The Swamp Rabbit Trail which follows along the Reedy River.

Jackson County, NC | ~3.5-hours

The allure of wide-open spaces is hard to resist. The mountain towns of Cashiers, Cherokee, Dillsboro, and Sylva offer 360 degrees of outdoor adventures. The area also offers local artisan shops and Appalachian-grown food. (Read: There’s a getaway for every style.) These 9 different trip itineraries (created by local experts) offer tips on where to stay, eat, and things to do in Jackson County.

Use the links below to share this free newsletter with family and friends who are itching to take a fall road trip to see the leaves change colors.

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Today

Billy G’s Carolina BBQ Tasting | Wed., Sept. 14 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Kudzu Bakery + Market Columbia, 4600 Forest Dr. | Free | Visit Kudzu and try some BBQ made by Billy G. 🐽
Sewing Machine 101 Workshop | Wed., Sept. 14 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | NoMa Warehouse, 2222 Sumter St. | $40 | Learn the fundamentals of how to set up your machine, how to use all the knobs and buttons, and create an easy-to-make tote bag in the process. 🪡

Thursday

Columbia’s 36th Annual Greek Festival | Thurs., Sept. 15-Sun., Sept. 18 | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. | 1931 Sumter St. | Free | Enjoy Columbia’s beloved annual Greek Festival. 🥙
Ribbon Cutting: Urban Wok | Thurs., Sept. 15 | 3-5 p.m. | Urban Wok - 1033 Roberts Branch Pkwy., Suite 204 | Free | Attend the ribbon cutting and grand opening of Urban Wok on Killian Road. ✂️
The Brimm’s Revenue Accelerator Live with Sallie Holder | Thurs., Sept. 15 | 12:30-5:30 p.m. | M Space, 530 Lady St. | $395 | Five hours of in-person learning, connecting, and mastering money-making skills to set your business up for revenue growth (attire is business casual).*

Friday

PARK(ing) Day 2022 | Fri., Sept. 16 | 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | 1600 Main Street Block | Free | PARK(ing) Day is an annual open-source global event where citizens, artists, and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into PARK(ing) spaces – temporary public spaces. 🚙

Saturday

Jubilee: Festival of Black History and Culture | Sat., Sept. 17 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Mann-Simons Site, 1403 Richland St. | Free | This event is a free outdoor festival that brings musicians, artisans, dancers, and storytellers together to celebrate South Carolina’s Black history and culture.
Lakeside Litter Sweep Cleanup Event on Lake Murray | Sat., Sept. 17 | 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Murray | Free | Registered volunteers will receive a t-shirt, a sandwich lunch, a thank you gift, and entry for larger prizes from local businesses. 🗑

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

Rare vessel now on display at SC State Museum

A historic ceramic face vessel with a protruding tongue.

The Edgefield face vessel on display is believed to be crafted in the same area as famous master potter Dave Drake. | Photo provided by the South Carolina State Museum

A new artifact is on display at the South Carolina State Museum. The museum recently acquired an Edgefield face vessel, one of a rare collection of vessels (read: only 160 have ever been identified) that were initially made by enslaved craftspeople in the Edgefield district of SC.

Offering a unique glimpse into the expert skill of enslaved African-Americans and the influence of African art on American culture, this vessel is especially rare because of its protruding tongue. 🏺 *

SEE IT FOR YOURSELF

Weather

87º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain ☀️

Development

Transitions Homeless Center is developing apartments for low-income seniors + those with disabilities. The local center is creating 11 units that will be located at 800 Dutch Square Blvd., across the street from Dutch Square Mall. The homeless center is collecting funds for the project and hopes to have it completed sometime in 2023. 🏘️ (Cola Daily)
Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) has a lot of things happening behind the scenes. Take a peek at the construction of the new in-line baggage system + find out how it works. 🧳 *

Open

A new Firehouse Subs is open and located at 542 Knox Abbott Dr., across the street from the Brookland Cayce High School gym. The new location is the second location in SC to feature a drive-thru and is currently hiring. Find available positions here. 🥪 (Cola Daily)

Number

1992 — the year Art Bar opened in Columbia. On Sept. 18, the local bar known for its robot faces and rainbow lights, will celebrate its 30th anniversary but plans to party all week long beginning this Sunday. Follow along on its social accounts for daily details, but it hinted at Tomorrowquest Theatre, CarraRock Entertainment, LLC, Useless Trivia, and SC EDM LIVE taking part. 🤖

Festival

The 25th Carolina Downhome Blues Festival is coming soon to Kershaw County. The three-day festival will take place Oct. 6-9 in the city of Camden and feature artists from across the county, food trucks, drink vendors, and more. Find more information and buy tickets here. 🎟️

Biz

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. is celebrating its launch in Cola at two local businesses that will carry four of its brews on draft. Head to Weco Bottle and Biergarten (626 Meeting St.) on Thurs., Sept. 15 from 4-7 p.m. or Craft and Draft (2706 Devine St.) on Fri., Sept. 16 from 5-8 p.m. 🍻
Piecewise Coffee is looking for a new partner to lease its studio space, formerly occupied by Studio Willow. It’s looking for a local small business owner that loves the community. If you’re interested, email them at hello@piecewisecoffee.com for more details. 🏠

Sports

The SEC announced the start time for the Gamecocks vs. the Charlotte 49ers game happening on Sat., Sept. 24. Get ready to be under Williams-Brice’s ribbon lights once again for a 7:30 p.m. kick-off. The game will be televised on ESPNU + marks the first time UofSC will play the Conference USA team. 🏈

The Word

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): A treatment that can help alleviate the symptoms of multiple conditions (read: not just menopause). Prisma Health OB/GYN Jonathan Hufford, MD, explains which medical conditions can be treated with HRT + the side effects to watch for.*

Eat

Nothing says fall like a slow cooker recipe. Celebrate the first official day of fall (Thurs., Sept. 22) by trying this Chicken Crock Pot Taco recipe. Read: a warm + cozy (and easy) dinner.*

Drink

Buzz without the crash? Yes, please. This healthy coffee drink tastes like your fave latte, but contains zero grams of sugar and no artificial sweetener. Bonus: 10 grams of protein get you through the day without crashing. ☕ *

Correction

Yesterday, we wrote that “UofSC’s international business program ranked No. 1 according to U.S. News & World Report. This is the 24th consecutive year that the program has been ranked as the top international business program and the fourth year in a row that the program is ranked No. 1 for first-year experience.” We are extremely happy to clarify that this is the university’s fourth year in a row being ranked No. 1 for first-year experience — not the program.

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The underdogs face the Bulldogs 🏈

Georgia Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

Williams-Brice stadium during a day game.

Get ready to wave those white towels, Gamecock fans. | Photo by @jacobreevescreative

This past weekend the Georgia Bulldogs jumped to the top of the SEC + national rankings after shutting out the Samford Bulldogs 33-0, which means UofSC is coming into this weekend’s game as a big underdog.

Were breaking down some of the facts to provide insight before the underdogs face the Bulldogs.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, UofSC has a less than 10% chance of beating Georgia.
Coach Shane Beamer announced this week that Mohamed Kaba (linebacker) + Jordan Strachan (defensive end) both suffered season-ending ACL injuries last Saturday against Arkansas.
This will be the 75th time the Gamecocks play Georgia, making them UofSC’s second-most played team, second to Clemson.

Ok, so some of the facts look bad, right? But don’t discount:

The Gamecocks will have the home-field advantage.
In 2019, Georgia came into the game against UofSC undefeated, favored to win by over 24 points, and lost in Athens.

Who doesn’t love an upset? Here’s to hoping a similar story unfolds in William’s-Brice this Sat., Sept. 17 at 12 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN or you can buy tickets here.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Sam.

Editor’s pick: While we take a moment to celebrate Art Bar, Columbia’s local skateshop, Bluetile (621 Harden St.) has been open 21 years next week. Celebrate the 21st anniversary of the shop on Wed., Sept. 21 beginning at 7 p.m.

Bluetile is hosting a freestyle game of “SKATE,” a blue punch, other drinks, and a DJ. See how this community of skaters has impacted Columbia over the last 21 years. 🛹

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? See the repairs coming to the Columbia Canal here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Lindsey Rhinesmith | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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