Travel: Columbia, South Carolina

Distance from Greenville: 101 miles
By car: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Let’s be honest—the capital city doesn’t have it easy. While doing its best to represent the entire state, it also has to create and maintain its own identity. But somewhere between the Statehouse and Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia figured it out. The city has a niche for everyone, making it a diverse and relaxed destination, perfect for weekend escapes.

When you coast into Columbia, check into the storied Chestnut Cottage Bed and Breakfast. The five-room inn’s owners are friendly and the furniture lovely, but the city’s eclectic array of cuisine will tempt you downtown for dinner.

Downtown at night makes an interesting portrait, light spilling onto the street from restaurant windows. Have dinner at Motor Supply Company Bistro, where the intriguing menu changes twice daily, handwritten and posted a mere thirty minutes before service. Afterward, if you’re still craving something sweet, stroll a few steps to Nonnah’s, a popular café renowned for incredible desserts, and try the Peach Amaretto Cake.

The next morning, focus your taste buds in one direction: Café Strudel. Situated in growing West Columbia, a window table will deliver a stellar view of the city’s skyline. The humble star of the menu is Southern Living’s award-winning Hangover Hashbrowns. A hangover isn’t necessary to appreciate this ingenious combination of banana peppers, sweet onion, tomato, eggs, hashbrowns, and cheddar. Since the coffee is bottomless, linger over several mugs of the dark, fresh brew.

After breakfast, mosey to an antique mall just down the street. Before you cross back over to Gervais, be sure to browse the broad selection at Ed’s Editions, Columbia’s standout used bookstore. Then, select fare for a picnic in Finlay Park at the downtown Publix (located in a restored factory that once printed Confederate currency), but you’ll probably get distracted in the Vista—an area brimming with unique shops and art galleries.

Round out your day with an early dinner at SakiTumi, an excellent sushi bar and grill, then dash to the Nickelodeon, a small cinema that shows independent and art-house films. Before you head home, stop by Cool Beans for a Perfect Woman—soymilk, espresso, whipped cream, and two flat disks of dark chocolate to garnish. You’ll be back.

Eat

Café Strudel
Euro-inspired café serving a variety of soup, sandwiches, salads, breakfast items, desserts, and beverages.
18 State Street
(803) 794-6634, cafestrudel.com

Cool Beans Coffee Company
Tucked in an old house, the laid-back coffee shop is a common study spot for USC students, offering a variety of coffee selections as well as a small, but solid, café menu.
1217 College Street
(803) 779-4277

Motor Supply Co. Bistro
Since 1989, this lively restaurant has been one of Columbia’s freshest culinary traditions. The menu changes daily for lunch and dinner, so you’ll have a unique experience every time.
920 Gervais Street
(803) 256-6687, motorsupplycobistro.com

Nonnah’s
This downtown hotspot has been voted "best desserts" every year since 1998—and for good reason. We dare you to resist the dessert menu.
930 Gervais Street
(803) 779-9599, nonnahs.com

SakiTumi Sushi Bar & Grill
Award-winning sushi, innovative grill selections, and a serene, modern atmosphere make this restaurant a downtown favorite.
807 Gervais Street
(808) 931-0700, sakitumigrill.com

Sleep

Chestnut Cottage Bed and Breakfast
Five-room inn with nineteeth-century furniture, quiet rooms, and a full breakfast.
1718 Hampton Street
(803) 256-1718, chestnutcottage.com

Clarion Town House Hotel
Constructed on the site of Major General Sherman’s Columbia headquarters, the hotel offers immediate access to Gervais Street.
1615 Gervais Street
(803) 771-8711, clariontownhouse.com

Seek

Adventure Carolina
Rent kayaks, canoes, or tubes to take a trip down the Congaree, or catch a guided group tour down the river.
1107 State Street
(803) 796-4505, adventurecarolina.com

Ed’s Editions
Lose track of time when you browse the rich selection at Columbia’s best used bookstore.
406 Meeting Street
(803) 791-8002, edseditions.com

Finlay Park
Beautiful 18-acre park of wide, grassy areas, a waterfall, rocks, playground, and plenty of space to roam. Assembly & Taylor streets
(803) 345-7275

The Nickelodeon Theatre
Independent and art-house films with concessions, as well as wine and beer.
937 Main Street
(803) 254-8234, nickelodeon.org

Old Mill Antique Mall
Great antique shopping at this two-story space filled with vintage treasures.
310 State Street
(803) 796-4229