5 itineraries, 1 perfect summer night in Columbia

Don’t you dare complain there’s nothing to do around here.

These long, hot evenings mean we’ve got more hours for having fun – and there are plenty of ways to do it in Columbia.

Make a date with the gang or with “the one” and choose one of these itineraries for the perfect summer night.

Adventure Carolina ‘River Draughting’ and ‘Paddle for Pints’ tours

Meet up at River Rat Brewery on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. or at Craft and Draft on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. and caravan to the Congaree for a 3-mile kayak tour down to Rosewood landing. Paddlers of any skill level are welcome, including beginners. For $50 a person, you get your river gear for the day and two pints of beer back at the bar. Call Kevin Geddings at 803-447-3327 to reserve your spot. At least six people have to be signed up to make the tour a go.

Before: Grab lunch in the Vista to boost your strength. We recommend Twisted Spur Brewing for a unique beer with your meal – the Lemongrass Kolsch sounds perfect to kick off a day on the water. From there, it’s just a hop, skip and a paddle to the river.

After: Wind down with drinks at River Rat Brewery or Craft and Draft. Try River Rat’s Broad River Red Ale (fitting for the day’s activity). While you’re at it, try everything else on tap as you spend the rest of the evening out on the lawn playing cornhole and chasing cute dogs.

Shag dancing at Bill’s Music Shop & Pickin’ Parlor in West Columbia

If you’re not so light on your feet, catch a shag lesson before everyone hits the floor every Thursday night. Bill’s also has line dancing and two-step lessons some Thursdays and Saturdays and free-for-all dancing to live country music on Saturday nights. See their calendar at www.billsmusicshop.com.

Before: Loosen up with drinks and appetizers or dinner nearby on State Street at Cafe Strudel, Terra or 116 State Espresso and Wine Bar (they’ve got Thursday wine specials!).

After: Finish off a fun, wholesome night at Zesto’s for a classic soft-serve cone and maybe even a burger and fries.

Bowling at the new Petro truck stop on Bluff Road

Really, it’s a lot cooler than “Hey, meet me down at the truck stop!” sounds. Nothing says romance and summer fun like bowling with some truckers, you know? Pleasantly affordable, casual yet very cool, clean and without the hassle of downtown parking, it’s a great place to pass a few hours. Plus, it’s a one-stop night of fun, with drinks, food and an arcade, too.

Before: Sip some pre-game drinks at not one but two bars here, and have a few wings at the Quaker Steak & Lube. Of course, the libations don’t have to end when the bowling begins; servers will keep the food and drinks coming right to your lane.

After: Take your bowling game on over to the Skee-Ball machines in the arcade and spend the rest of the night racking up tickets. Don’t stop ’til you’ve got enough to come away with something cool from the prize counter.

Escape room

Save the city from a bomb, defeat an evil wizard, escape a cult or overcome your fear of the dark at Escape Plan Columbia or The Final Door. You’ve got one hour to solve puzzles and escape the room. Don’t let your adrenaline get the best of you.

Before: You want to be clear-headed and energized going into your escape scenario. Drink coffee. Meet up at your favorite coffee house and strategize.

After: Calm your nerves and recap your adventure with drinks at some place mellow like The Whig.

Drive-in movie

The summer pop-up movie series at Historic Columbia Speedway in Cayce is playing “The Shining” this Saturday, July 22. The next showing will be “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” on Saturday, Aug. 12. Or, catch a double feature every weekend at The Big Mo in Monetta.

Before: Pick up your movie snacks! Get popcorn and boiled peanuts from Cromer’s, candy from the Peanut Man and burgers and shakes from Rosewood Dairy Bar.

After: Most ice cream shops will be closed by the time the movie ends. So sip a grown-up milkshake at Kaminsky’s, which stays open until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 5:08 PM with the headline "5 itineraries, 1 perfect summer night in Columbia."