South Carolina trip recommendations

#1
T

tonton165

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Messages
23
Likes
56
#1
My wife and I are making our first trip down to Columbia here in a few weeks to watch us officially stamp our ticket to Atlanta as the winner of the SEC East. We would love to get some recommendations on places to be sure to visit while we are there. Also, anyone planning on tailgating?
 
  • Like
Reactions: AllThingsTN, Volfan1000 and UT_Dutchman
#2
#2
I live in West Columbia but am having a hard time of coming up with much of anything to do in Columbia. The only attraction I can think of thats worth doing in Columbia is probably the Riverbanks Zoo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volfan1000 and BartW
#4
#4
Yeah, as has been said above Columbia isn't the most exciting city to visit. Depending on where you are coming from, may be better places to stay and visit than Columbia. Augusta, Greenville SC or Charlotte are all about an hour from Columbia and better places to visit depending which way you're coming from.

The Columbia/Upstate SC/Charlotte alumni chapters are trying to put together a tailgate before the game. Once that gets finalized, I'll post details.

FYI, the stadium is on the fairgrounds in an industrial area, there are VERY limited options to eat/drink at around the stadium.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeadVol77, volwindy, tonton165 and 1 other person
#6
#6
dobre_shunka said:
Yeah, as has been said above Columbia isn't the most exciting city to visit. Depending on where you are coming from, may be better places to stay and visit than Columbia. Augusta, Greenville SC or Charlotte are all about an hour from Columbia and better places to visit depending which way you're coming from.

The Columbia/Upstate SC/Charlotte alumni chapters are trying to put together a tailgate before the game. Once that gets finalized, I'll post details.

FYI, the stadium is on the fairgrounds in an industrial area, there are VERY limited options to eat/drink at around the stadium.
Click to expand...
I’m pretty sure the Charleston alumni chapter will be having one as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LadyVolette
#8
#8
Stay away from 5 Points.
It used to be nice but lots of petty drone and the occasional shooting there now.

Park on Bluff Rd. east of the stadium in one of the businesses' parking lot.
The locals are renowned for vandalizing the cars of visiting team fans. It's usually a bigger problem on the state fairgrounds end of the stadium.

Things to do...the Riverbanks Zoo and the Botanical Gardens. You can walk between the two in the footbridge over the river.

There's not much else.

Better food, better scenery, and better microbrews in Greenville.
Falls Park is spectacular. Lots of good food on Main Street. It's very walkable, too.

Bonus - Greenville is on the way back to Knoxville. A slight detour off of I-26 gets you there. I-385 dead e D's downtown. US-25 takes you back to I-26 through some nice scenery.
If you're into outdoor activities, check out Sunrift Adventures in Traveler's Rest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tbh, HeadVol77, scores4fun and 1 other person
#9
#9
tonton165 said:
My wife and I are making our first trip down to Columbia here in a few weeks to watch us officially stamp our ticket to Atlanta as the winner of the SEC East. We would love to get some recommendations on places to be sure to visit while we are there. Also, anyone planning on tailgating?
Click to expand...

Send Sherman in before you go that way you’ll have a warm welcome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Godfatha
#10
#10
tonton165 said:
My wife and I are making our first trip down to Columbia here in a few weeks to watch us officially stamp our ticket to Atlanta as the winner of the SEC East. We would love to get some recommendations on places to be sure to visit while we are there. Also, anyone planning on tailgating?
Click to expand...

If you’re staying downtown, go eat at Bourbon. Cool place on Main close to Gervais Street (kind of their “Strip”). If Late night is your thing, you need to visit The Whig on the corner of Main and Gervais but down some steps on the Gervais side. Plug it in your phone. Cool bar and good food. Stays open till at least 2am. Good vibe. Lots of stuff up and down or just off Gervais. Take a walk on gameday and see the caboose tailgate they do there. Pretty cool set up and an original. They shut down Main Street every Saturday morning into the early afternoon for street festival too. Lots of food trucks, coffee, etc., music and artist of all sorts hawking their wares. Definitely a people watching experiment and a nice way to spend your morning/afternoon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeadVol77 and TGVol
#12
#12
tonton165 said:
My wife and I are making our first trip down to Columbia here in a few weeks to watch us officially stamp our ticket to Atlanta as the winner of the SEC East. We would love to get some recommendations on places to be sure to visit while we are there. Also, anyone planning on tailgating?
Click to expand...
Charleston which is about 1hr and 15 minutes away. I drive it every week Monday and Friday to work and back from Greenville. Columbia is an armpit.
 
#13
#13
Have you ever been to North Carolina?

Well South Carolina is like the ugly sibling.

Best just to go somewhere in Tennessee…….if you have to…..just go to North Carolina.
 
#14
#14
Skip that trip… been to all 14 SEC stadiums, that experience weighs near the bottom for sure.
 
#15
#15
I enjoyed the stadium last time we went there. Took forever to leave though. Highlight of the trip was seeing what looked like 100 people in the back of a big uhaul drinking headed I guess to the frat house after the game. They went by the police and no one said a word lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LadyVolette
#17
#17
As others have said, if you're coming down I-26 keep driving to Charleston. Clemson has a home game that weekend; otherwise, I'd recommend you stay in Greenville.

If you do stay in Charleston, leave early for the game because I-26 between Charleston and Columbia can be maddening.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volfan1000 and MackDaddyVol
#18
#18
Palmetto_Exiled said:
As others have said, if you're coming down I-26 keep driving to Charleston. Clemson has a home game that weekend; otherwise, I'd recommend you stay in Greenville.

If you do stay in Charleston, leave early for the game because I-26 between Charleston and Columbia can be maddening.
Click to expand...
Let me introduce you to US 176 out of Goose Creek. Straight shot to Columbia and a LOT better drive than I-26.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Palmetto_Exiled
#19
#19
Vol737 said:
If you’re staying downtown, go eat at Bourbon. Cool place on Main close to Gervais Street (kind of their “Strip”). If Late night is your thing, you need to visit The Whig on the corner of Main and Gervais but down some steps on the Gervais side. Plug it in your phone. Cool bar and good food. Stays open till at least 2am. Good vibe. Lots of stuff up and down or just off Gervais. Take a walk on gameday and see the caboose tailgate they do there. Pretty cool set up and an original. They shut down Main Street every Saturday morning into the early afternoon for street festival too. Lots of food trucks, coffee, etc., music and artist of all sorts hawking their wares. Definitely a people watching experiment and a nice way to spend your morning/afternoon.
Click to expand...

They still doing a First Thursday on Main events?
 
#20
#20
scores4fun said:
I live in West Columbia but am having a hard time of coming up with much of anything to do in Columbia. The only attraction I can think of thats worth doing in Columbia is probably the Riverbanks Zoo.
Click to expand...

I used to work at the Knoxville Soo and can tell you that a soo is a very underrated cultural experience for a city to have.

A soo is a wonderful tourist attraction and you can find your favorite animals there.
 
#23
#23
Stay in Greenville or Charleston and drive in for the game.

Columbia does have a Halls steakhouse. But the original is in Charleston and so does Greenville.
 
#24
#24
Volfan1000 said:
I used to work at the Knoxville Soo and can tell you that a soo is a very underrated cultural experience for a city to have.

A soo is a wonderful tourist attraction and you can find your favorite animals there.
Click to expand...

Yeah soo what about a zoo?
 
#25
#25
I clicked into this thread thinking, "I've never heard anyone say anything nice about SC's stadium and Columbia." I still haven't.

The funny part to me is, if you wander over to one of their forums, they truly think Williams-Brice is an elite-level stadium, the gameday atmosphere in Columbia is #1 in the country, and playing sandstorm every 5 minutes counts as tradition.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top