Free & Cheap Things to Do in Columbia

Parks & Nature

One of only a handful of national parks with no entrance fee, Congaree protects the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the US. The boardwalk trail winds through towering ancient trees reflected in still floodplain waters — an otherworldly landscape rarely seen this close to a major city.

Address: 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061

Tip: The 2.4-mile elevated boardwalk is the most popular trail and is fully accessible. The ranger-led canoe tours ($10–$15) are among the best deals in the national park system — book early as they fill up fast. Bring bug spray in summer.

History & Culture

Four floors of South Carolina natural history, science, art, and cultural heritage inside a converted 1894 textile mill on the banks of the Congaree River. Highlights include a natural history gallery with a giant megalodon jaw, a digital dome planetarium, and rotating art exhibitions.

Address: 301 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201

Tip: Visit on the first Sunday of the month for $1 admission — the best deal in the state. The 4D theater and planetarium shows cost extra but are worth it with kids. Free parking in the adjacent lot on weekends.

Arts & Culture

A genuinely impressive regional art museum in the heart of downtown Columbia with a permanent collection spanning Renaissance masters, Baroque paintings, and American decorative arts. Rotating special exhibitions keep things fresh year-round, and the museum frequently hosts free events and community programming.

Address: 1515 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201

Tip: Bank of America cardholders get free entry on the first full weekend of every month — a great way to visit for free. The museum is closed Mondays. Thursday hours extend to 7pm (8pm on First Thursdays). Sits on Main Street steps from great cafés and restaurants.

History & Culture

South Carolina's 1855 sandstone State House anchors the heart of downtown Columbia — its dome scarred by six Union cannonball strikes from Sherman's 1865 march that are still marked with bronze stars on the exterior. Free guided tours walk visitors through the ornate marble lobby, the original House and Senate chambers, the rotunda murals, and the African American History Monument on the grounds.

Address: 1100 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201

Tip: Free guided tours run every hour on the half hour, 9:30am–2:30pm Monday–Friday — no reservation needed; call (803) 734-2430 for groups. Self-guided exploration of the grounds is free 24/7. The bronze stars marking Sherman's cannonball strikes on the west wall are the photo stop most visitors miss. Free street parking on weekends.

Parks & Nature

A 15.5-mile (and growing) paved riverfront trail system threading the banks of the Saluda, Broad, and Congaree rivers in Columbia, Cayce, and West Columbia. Designated a National Recreation Trail, the lighted paths feature elevated boardwalks, wayside history exhibits, picnic areas, restrooms, water fountains, and emergency call boxes. Bald eagles and great blue herons are common sightings along the Congaree section.

Address: Columbia Riverfront Park, 312 Laurel St, Columbia, SC 29201

Tip: Open 6am to sunset (Columbia Riverfront Park) or 6am-9pm (Cayce Riverwalk). Free parking at multiple trailheads. The Gervais Street pedestrian bridge over the Congaree is the marquee photo spot — best at dawn. Fully ADA accessible and dog-friendly. Pair with a stop at the South Carolina State Museum just upriver.

History & Culture

A small but powerful house museum in downtown Columbia that was home to the same free Black entrepreneurial family for nearly 130 years (1843–1970). Outdoor sculptural "ghost structures" mark the footprints of the family's bakery, restaurant, and other businesses that once stood here. Guided tours by Historic Columbia docents draw from extensive archival research and tell a rare African American urban history.

Address: 1403 Richland St, Columbia, SC 29201

Tip: Tours run Wednesday–Sunday with 3pm and other slots — buy tickets in advance at historiccolumbia.org. Free admission on the third Sunday of each month for Richland and Lexington county residents. Combine with the Hampton-Preston Mansion (one block south, $12) for a half-day Historic Columbia visit. Free street parking on Richland.

Parks & Nature

Columbia's signature downtown park — a 14-acre urban oasis that reopened in November 2025 after a major revitalization. New amenities include a 23,000-square-foot playground, a fitness center, pickleball courts, an outdoor concert venue, a splash pad, a landing station with rollerblade rentals and snacks, and a waterfall feature anchoring the lower lawn. Free events year-round.

Address: 901 Laurel St, Columbia, SC 29201

Tip: Open daily 6am–9pm. Free street parking and a free public lot on Laurel St. The new playground is the headliner if you have kids; the concert venue hosts a free music series most warm-weather Thursdays. Free WiFi throughout the park. Three blocks west of the State House.

Parks & Nature

A 1,400-acre state park on the northeast edge of Columbia centered on a 30-acre lake with a sandy swimming beach, splash pad, paddle-boat rentals, six miles of multi-use trails through pine forest, a 1756 log house preserved as a historic site, and a 2-acre dog park. The park's CCC-built 1930s features earned it National Register of Historic Places status.

Address: 9564 Two Notch Rd, Columbia, SC 29223

Tip: Open 7am-6pm winter and 7am-9pm summer. Seniors 65+ are $3.75. Splash pad is included with park admission — open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Paddle boats rent for $10/hour at the lake dock during summer. Free WiFi at the visitor center. Bring sunscreen — there's limited shade by the beach.