Summer Field Guide to Columbia: Get outside and beat the heat with these activities
Welcome back to The State’s Summer Field Guide to Columbia.
We’ve already shown you a few of our favorite pet-friendly bars and restaurants in and around Columbia. Now that you have eaten and drunk your way through the city, it’s time to get outside and get active.
If you’re looking for fun outdoor activities, look no further. Here are some of our favorite places to soak up the sun in the summer.
Congaree National Park
Congaree is one of the few national parks you’ll find in the Southeast (there’s also Everglades National Park in Florida and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina), and the only one you’ll find in South Carolina. Fun fact: the park got its name from the indiginous southeastern Congaree people who lived in now-central South Carolina along the Congaree River.
The park features 10 hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty. There’s also canoeing and kayaking, fishing and camping. Make sure to check out the park’s website before you go for the most up-to-date information regarding trail conditions, park regulations and reservations. Oh, and make sure you bring bug repellent — you’ll thank us later.
Harbison State Forest
There are more than 18 miles of trails at Harbison designed for walking, jogging, hiking and bicycling at varying difficulty levels. The forest’s location alongside the Broad River also makes it a convenient place for kayaking and canoeing.
The Harbison Environmental Education Center is a great place to go to learn about natural resource protection and other forms of environmental education. Every year, children and adults alike enjoy the educational programs offered at the center.
Visit the park’s website for more information regarding park hours, directions, latest news and the environmental center.
Saluda Shoals Park
Saluda Shoals Park offers tons of outdoor activities for the entire family. Kids will enjoy monkeying around in the inclusive playground and learning about the environment in interactive lessons throughout the park. And your four-legged friends will enjoy running around in the “Barking Lot Dog Park.”
The park has more than 10 miles of paved and unpaved trails that are perfect for walking, jogging and biking that offer beautiful views of the Saluda River. Canoe, kayak, tube and bike rentals are available at the park, as well.
Check out the park’s website for the most updated information and to start planning your visit.
Tubing on the Saluda River
The South Carolina heat can be brutal, especially during these summer months. If you’re looking for ways to beat the heat but still stay outside, we’ve got you covered. Palmetto Outdoor specializes in water activities that are sure to keep you entertained and will also help to keep you cool.
One of the best ways to do this is to float down the river on your own raft. Your trip includes the tube and life jacket rental and even the shuttle upstream, so all that’s left for you to do is relax. (If you’re planning for your family, be aware that children must be at least 10 years old to participate.)
To learn more about the experiences offered and to book your trip, visit Palmetto Outdoor’s website.
Water activities on Lake Murray
Maybe you like the idea of being on the water, but you’re not looking to deal with currents. We get that, and we’ve still got you covered. Lake Murray is just outside of Columbia and features tons of water activities.
Looking for boat rentals? How about paddleboard rentals? Kayaks? They’ve got it all — check out Lake Murray Boat Rentals, Better Boating and California Republic, among others, to start planning your lake day.
Riverwalks
Heading back to dry land, we can’t neglect to mention all of the riverwalks in and around the city. Columbia’s location at the junction of the Broad and the Saluda rivers — which come together to form the Congaree River — lends itself to an abundance of riverfront parks with beautiful and relaxing views.
The Saluda Riverwalk runs over 7 miles alongside the Saluda River. The West Columbia/Cayce Riverwalk is a paved and boardwalked path running for about 8 miles on the western bank of the Congaree River. Finally, Columbia Riverfront Park is a paved, 4-mile path running between the Columbia Canal and the eastern bank of the Congaree River. All of the riverwalks offer great views of the water and are perfect for a walk, jog or bike ride.