Columbia the Soda City

Columbia is the capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The name of the city of Columbia is a poetic term used for the US. It was derived from the name Christopher Columbus. The name of the city gets abbreviated as Cola which has given it the nickname “Soda City.” There are many things to do and see in this city.

The South Carolina Statehouse is one of the top visited tourist attractions. It is an impressive example of Greek Revival architecture. This is the design work of John Niernsee and it is amazing to see that the capital rises up to 180 feet high topped with a patinaed copper dome.

Visitors enjoy walking about the grounds where they can see:

The Revolutionary War Generals Monument

The American-Mexican War Monument

The African-American History Monument

The Confederate Monument

There are also other statuaries that honor George Washington, South Carolina Senators, and fallen State Law Enforcement Officers. There are five stars along the building’s exterior that highlight where Union cannonballs struck the facade during the Civil War. Visitors can get free tours.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is home to over 2,000 animals representing more than 350 species. At the African Plains, you can see giraffes, ostriches, zebras, African lions, and baboons. The Ndoki Forest offers gorillas, elephants, meerkats, Siberian tigers, and Komodo dragons live at the Asian display, and North American species represented are grizzly bears and California sea lions. The zoo also has a botanical garden.

Riverbanks Botanical Garden sits on the south bank of the Saluda River. It is connected to the zoo by a pedestrian bridge. This beautiful garden has more than 4,200 different species of exotic and native North American plants.

Robert Mills House and Gardens was built in 1825 in the Classic Revival style. It was the private residence of Robert Mills who designed the Washington Monument in the U.S. capital Washington, D.C. It is now a historic museum and features an extensive collection of period pieces and decorative arts. The gardens have been designed in the classic English style.

The Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens was built in 1818 as a private residence and home to the prominent Hampton family. Later on, the home served as a Union Army Headquarters during the Civil War and then it became the Governor’s Mansion. The house is surrounded by the Antebellum Gardens.

The Woodrow Wilson Family Home is the only presidential site in South Carolina. This is an Italianate-villa-style mansion that was once the boyhood home of the 28th President of the U.S. Woodrow Wilson.

EdVenture is an incredible one-of-a-kind children’s museum. There are many hands-on exhibits. When you get to the museum you’ll be greeted by Eddie, the world’s largest child. This is a statue of a 10- year-old boy that is 40 feet tall and weighs over 17.5 tons. Kids can climb all over him. There are plenty of different activities to keep kids busy. They can climb on a real fire engine and stock shelves in the Neighborhood Market among other fun things to do. The Carousel Cafe has lots of snacks and meals that kids just love.

The Columbia Museum of Art has over 25 galleries and is one of the most highly regarded art galleries in the southeast. Among the highlights is the Press Collection, a world-class assemblage of Renaissance and Baroque Art. There is also an impressive American art collection.

The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room is the third-oldest museum in South Carolina. It tells the story of the military history of the U.S. from the Revolutionary War to the present-day war on terrorism. A great deal of the collection focuses on the Civil War.

The South Carolina State Museum opened in 1988. It is spread out across four floors of a 19th-century mill. Visitors learn about the history of South Carolina through stories that include art, culture, science, and technology as well as natural history. The museum also has a planetarium and an interactive 4D theater.

At the Congaree National Park, the waters of the Congaree and Wateree Rivers overflow into a low-lying hardwood forest. This is one of the tallest deciduous forests in the world. More information is available at the Hampton Visitors Center.

You can hike the Boardwalk Trail with marked rails showing the numbers that correspond to a map available at the center.

Cedar Creek flows through the park and people enjoy canoeing and kayaking.

A popular urban park Columbia Canal & Riverfront Park stretches along the Saluda River and the Columbia Canal. Paved paths are for walkers, joggers, and bikers. There is an outdoor gym. Picnic tables are available with lovely river views.