“Welcome to the Capital - Columbia, SC

Being the state capital, Columbia, SC is a city filled with history. The main road that runs in front of the state capital building, Gervais St, was named after future State Senator, John Lewis Gervais, who created the bill for a new state capital in 1786. You can brush up on other historical facts such as this by taking a walk down Main St. and along the downtown area. Here you can read about important buildings, people, and events on signs displayed throughout the city.

The city is also rich in the arts; it’s filled with galleries, theaters, orchestra, and dance studios. In fact, just driving around the city, you can see the art of Blue Sky, famous since the 1970’s for his gigantic murals and sculptures such as Tunnel Vision, Busted Plug Plaza, and Neverbust.

Columbia, like most cities, also houses many colleges, such as Allen University, Benedict College, and of course the University of South Carolina, leading us to another tradition…FOOTBALL! The University of South Carolina is home of the famous Gamecocks. The state is divided however between their love of the USC Gamecocks and the Clemson Tigers. A bitter rivalry has been going on between these two in-state schools since the 1880’s. The football craze is big in Columbia, with stores dedicating gear to both college teams.

Not being from SC originally, the football obsession has not hit me just yet. Instead I turn to the tastes and culture that come from the areas many local restaurants. When friends and family come for a visit, I have a long list of favorites that I take them to. It is rare that I find a “bad” restaurant. My biggest warnings to those visiting the area are plan ahead. Call to make a dinner reservation or start off at a bar a little earlier on the weekends. Places usually fill up FAST and most will have some kind of musical performance on Friday and Saturday nights. If you get there early for dinner you can stay and hear the band for free but if you try to get in at 9 PM you’ll more than likely be charged a cover fee. Want to learn more? Check out my pages and get the inside scoop on the hottest restaurants and bars in our great city.