Destinations › Midlands › Columbia With Kids
11 things to do in Columbia with children, each with what kids pay and any age or stroller rule the operator publishes. Of these, 2 are free.
- Places11on this page
- Regions1Midlands
- Free2as the operator states
- CheckedOct 262026
The Short Answer
- Riverbanks Zoo and Garden: children 2-12 are $24.95 online and children under 2 are free; parking is $3 online. source
- Entrance to Congaree National Park is free. source
- EdVenture Columbia is $15 for children and adults and free for children under 2. source
- At Columbia Fireflies games, children 2 and under do not need a ticket. source
Every Place on Our List
| Name | Where | What | When | Cost | Good to know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Fireflies at Segra Park | Columbia Midlands | Low-A Kansas City Royals affiliate playing at Segra Park, with a Kids Zone on the concourse. | Not listed | Not listed | Kids: Children 2 and under do not need a ticket (buy one if the child needs a seat). Kids Zone ticket $1 per bounce or play. Kids Club (ages 12 and under) includes a free ticket to every regular-season home game. Clear bag policy. Access: Segra Park is KultureCity sensory certified with a quiet room. | source |
| Columbia Museum of Art | Columbia Midlands | Art museum on Main Street. | Open year-round; Free Summer for SC residents ran May 22-September 6. Sun noon-5 p.m.; Mon closed; Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thu 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (to 8 p.m. First Thursdays). | Adults $15; 65 and over $13; college students $10; youth (7-18) $10; children 6 and under free (not for groups). | Kids: Children 6 and under free; youth 7-18 $10. | source |
| Congaree National Park | Hopkins Midlands | National park with a boardwalk and trails; Junior Ranger books at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. | Open year-round | Free | Kids: Junior Ranger program open to all ages; pick up a book at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and earn a badge. | source |
| EdVenture Children's Museum (Columbia) | Columbia Midlands | Hands-on children's museum at 211 Gervais Street with exhibits designed for ages 0-10 and a toddler area for ages 3 and under. | Hours listed run from September 8 until Memorial Day. Mon 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tue closed; Wed-Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun noon-5 p.m. | $15 for children and adults; $10 first responders, military and seniors with ID; free for children under 2. | Kids: Free under 2. Adults must have a child with them to enter. Children stay under adult supervision; shoes stay on. Access: Second-floor toddler area has a private nursing area and bathroom. | source |
| Historic Columbia gardens and house museums | Columbia Midlands | Public gardens at the Robert Mills House, Woodrow Wilson Family Home and Seibels House, plus house museums. | Public gardens 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Free | Kids: Free family Halloween event Monday, October 26, 2026, 5:30-7:00 p.m., in the Robert Mills House parking lot. | source |
| Riverbanks Zoo and Garden | Columbia Midlands | Zoo and botanical garden; the Dinosaurs Around the World experience is in the Botanical Garden. | Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Regular hours 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | Adults (13-61) $27.95 online / $30.95 at window; Children (2-12) $24.95 online / $27.95 at window; children under 2 free; seniors (62+) and military $25.95 online / $28.95 at window. | Kids: Children under 2 free. Strollers and wagons permitted but must be guided by an adult at all times. Home page calls Dinosaurs Around the World a FREE experience. Parking: $3/vehicle online or $6/vehicle at the ticket window. | source |
| Saluda Shoals Park and Saluda Splash | Columbia area Midlands | River park with ten miles of paved and unpaved trails, a children's theatre, dog park and the Saluda Splash zero-depth spray ground for children. | Park open year-round; Saluda Splash season not stated on the page read. 2026 park hours: Jan 1-Mar 7 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Mar 8-Sep 14 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sep 15-Oct 31 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Nov 1-Dec 31 7 a.m.-5 p.m. | Saluda Splash $4 per person or $55 for a 15-visit Splash Pass. | Kids: Saluda Splash is a zero-depth water spray ground for children. Parking: Car or minivan $7; 12+ passenger van or bus $15. | source |
| Soda City Market | Columbia Midlands | Weekly street market on the 1300-1700 blocks of Main Street. | Every Saturday, year-round, rain or shine. Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Not listed | Parking: Parking is free on Saturdays (street and Main Street District garages). | source |
| South Carolina State House | Columbia Midlands | State capitol at 1100 Gervais Street with guided tours that start with a 15-minute video. | Open year-round; Saturday tours except the Saturdays after Thanksgiving and Christmas. June-December tours on the half hour 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (none at 12:30). Saturday tours 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30. | Guided tours are free of charge; admission to the State House is free. | Kids: Group reservations recommended; Tour Desk (803) 734-2430. Parking: Private vehicles use metered spaces near the State House. | source |
| South Carolina State Museum | Columbia Midlands | State museum with four floors of exhibits, a planetarium, 4D shows and the Boeing Observatory. | Open year-round; some 2nd and 3rd floor exhibitions are closed for gallery renovation. Sun noon-5 p.m.; Mon closed; Tue-Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Adult $13; Senior (62+) $11; Children (3-12) $10. With one show: Adult $18, Senior $16, Children $15. With two shows: Adult $21, Senior $19, Children $18. | Kids: Children 3-12 are $10. Sensory-friendly morning Sat., Nov. 14, 9-11 a.m. with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. | source |
| Three Rivers Greenway | Columbia / West Columbia / Cayce Midlands | 15 1/2-mile and growing linear park along the Broad, Saluda and Congaree rivers; a National Recreation Trail since 2013. | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | source |
No rows match.
Hours, dates and prices are copied from each operator’s own page on the date shown; check before you go.
Under-Age Free Rules
- Riverbanks: children under 2 free. source
- EdVenture: free for children under 2. source
- Columbia Museum of Art: children 6 and under free. source
- SC State Museum lists Children (Ages 3-12) $10; the page does not say what under-3s pay. source
Strollers and Pets
- Riverbanks: strollers and wagons permitted but must be guided by an adult; pets not permitted. source
- Congaree: pets allowed on all trails including the boardwalk, on a 6-foot leash. source
FAQ
Is Congaree National Park free?
Yes. There is no fee to enter the park. source
How much is parking at Riverbanks Zoo?
$3 per vehicle online or $6 at the ticket window. source
Is the Saluda Splash spray ground free?
No. It is $4 per person, plus the $7 daily parking fee at Saluda Shoals Park. source
What We Could Not Confirm
Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.
- Finlay Park: columbiasc.gov did not load for us; reopening status, splash features and hours not confirmed.
- Congaree hours and boardwalk length: NPS hours page section was empty when read.
- SC State Museum price for children under 3 and parking: not on the hours-admission page.
- Saluda Splash 2026 season dates: not on the park page read.
- Fireflies 2026 kid ticket prices and Kids Club fee: not on the ABCs page.
- Three Rivers Greenway hours, dog rules and access points: not on riveralliance.org home page.
Sources
- https://www.riverbanks.org/plan-your-visit/visitor-information
- https://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/fees.htm
- https://www.edventure.org/visit/
- https://www.milb.com/columbia/ballpark/abcs-segra-park
- South Carolina State Museum
- Saluda Shoals Park and Saluda Splash
- Soda City Market
- Three Rivers Greenway
- Columbia Museum of Art
- Historic Columbia gardens and house museums
- South Carolina State House
- Strollers and Pets
Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Columbia With Kids”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/midlands/columbia-with-kids/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.