Things to Do in Columbia, SC on a College Visit

Things to do in Columbia, SC on a college visit start on the University of South Carolina campus, then spread to downtown past the State House, the Vista and Five Points. Below are the places Max, our Campus Lead in Columbia, points families to, plus the official sights worth an hour. Our private, student-led tours of Columbia walk the same ground with a current USC student.

What is there to see on the University of South Carolina campus?

The five places most worth seeing on the University of South Carolina campus are the Thomas Cooper Library fountain, the Horseshoe, the South Caroliniana Library, Russell House and the Darla Moore School of Business.

Thomas Cooper Library and its reflecting pool, 1322 Greene Street. Max calls it "the blue pond looking thing" and says "a lot of the tours will start off like right there."
The Horseshoe, the original campus of South Carolina College, founded in 1801. Only 12 buildings form its U shape, and it is on the National Register (Historic Horseshoe).
The South Caroliniana Library, on the Horseshoe, which the university calls "the oldest freestanding academic library in the United States."
Russell House, the student union at 1400 Greene Street, just east of the library. Max's version: "all the on-campus food is right there."
The Darla Moore School of Business, at Greene and Assembly Streets, which Max calls "the big square." Its student ambassadors give building tours of about 30 minutes, booked at 803-777-3176 or tours@moore.sc.edu.

The official campus tour starts at the Visitor Center, temporarily at 1311 Pendleton Street as of November 2026, according to the university's Individual Visits page. The university's Tour Tips page says that tour does not show Greek Village, the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center or the athletic facilities, so plan time for those on your own. To fit all of this into one day, start from our one-day Columbia visit plan.

What is downtown Columbia like, past the State House?

Downtown Columbia is the district just past the State House, north of campus, with the city's tall buildings and Main Street. Max's description: "Take them right there, right just past that is downtown... you have the skyscrapers... popular restaurants or hangout spots downtown."

He puts it at about 10 minutes from the business school. For going out, students head elsewhere: downtown has "some popular apartments," Max says, "but that's not really a bar scene."

The State House itself, at Gervais and Main Streets, takes walk-ins. Weekday tours run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and on Saturdays the building opens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with tours at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30 and 2:30, except the Saturdays after Thanksgiving and Christmas (State House hours, as of October 2026). Groups larger than 10 should call ahead at 803-734-2430.

Where do University of South Carolina students go out in Columbia?

University of South Carolina students go out in Five Points and on Devine Street, the district east of campus around Harden, Devine, Saluda and Greene Streets. "That's where all the bars are," Max says. "That's where everyone's going to go out tonight on a Thursday. There are some restaurants there."

The bars are for students 21 and over. By day, Five Points is a village of shops and restaurants around a fountain finished in 1997, and the Five Points Association calls it "the oldest non-Main Street shopping center in South Carolina." St. Pat's in Five Points, which the association calls the state's largest one-day festival, falls on Saturday, March 20, 2027, and fills the district that day.

On foot, the Five Points fountain is about 17 minutes from the Thomas Cooper Library fountain, by OpenStreetMap walking directions. From the business school it is farther, a walk Max calls "kind of far." Walk times from five spots on campus, parking and St. Pat's are in our guide to Five Points in Columbia.

If you drive, Experience Columbia lists the Pavillion Street lot at 812 Pavillion Street as free, and the city's meters in Five Points still charge on Saturdays (Experience Columbia parking, as of October 2026).

Where should we take our student for a nicer dinner in Columbia?

For a nicer dinner in Columbia, take your student to the Vista, the district west of Assembly Street toward the river. Max described it on a call in September: the Vista has "all your main restaurants," and "if your parents come in town, you're going to go to a nicer restaurant in that area."

Experience Columbia describes the Vista as art galleries, upscale dining and shopping. Most of the downtown hotels sit there too, on Gervais and Lady Streets (Congaree Vista Guild), so a family staying in the Vista can walk to dinner. Parking, walk times and Vista Lights are in our guide to the Vista.

What can we do in Columbia on a Saturday with no home game?

Three good things to do in Columbia on a Saturday with no home game are Soda City Market on Main Street, the riverfront trails, and Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, with Congaree National Park if you have the afternoon.

Soda City Market, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round and rain or shine, on Main Street, with about 200 vendors a week. Go early: it closes at 1.
The Three Rivers Greenway, about 15.5 miles of riverfront trail, and Congaree National Park, about a 30-minute drive from Columbia, according to the Moore School's Columbia guide.
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, with more than 2,000 animals and giraffe feeding at Giraffe Overlook, per Experience Columbia's list of the city's top things to do.

Plan the campus part of a Saturday yourself, because the university's Tour Tips page says it does not offer guided tours on weekends. A private tour with a current USC student costs $150 for your family for 60 to 90 minutes, seven days a week, early or late, around your visit.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Columbia, SC from Charlotte and the airport?

Columbia, SC is about an hour and a half by car from Charlotte Douglas airport and 15 to 20 minutes from Columbia Metropolitan, according to the university's Explore Columbia page. Max puts it the same way: "Charlotte is right here, like an hour and a half up the road." Interstates 20, 26 and 77 all run through Columbia, per Experience Columbia.

When are the last University of South Carolina home football games in 2026?

The last University of South Carolina home football games of 2026 are Saturday, November 7 against Texas A&M, which is Homecoming, and Saturday, November 21 against Georgia, time to be announced (2026 schedule, as of October 2026). Williams-Brice Stadium seats 77,559, and after a game all lanes of Assembly Street carry stadium traffic, per the athletics department's game-day plan.

How hot is Columbia during a college visit?

Columbia is hot in summer: the normal high at the Columbia airport is 92.7°F in July and 90.8°F in August, from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals. April's normal high is 76.7°F and October's is 76.5°F, which makes spring and fall the easier months for a walking visit.

Can we see Greek Village on a visit to Columbia?

Yes, you can see Greek Village from the Blossom Street sidewalk, though the official campus tour does not include it. Greek Village is university land and counts as on-campus housing, so our tours view it from the street. Our guide to Greek life in Columbia explains rush and the houses.