Destinations › Day Trips From Columbia
12 day trips from Columbia, sorted nearest first: what to do at each from the town's or operator's own page, with straight-line miles we computed (the drive is longer). Closest: Congaree National Park.
- Trips12on this page
- Regions2Midlands, Pee Dee
- Free3as the operator states
- CheckedOct 262026
The Short Answer
- Congaree National Park, the largest intact old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the southeastern U.S., charges no entrance fee. source
- Dreher Island State Park spans three islands on Lake Murray; the park page says it is 30 miles from Columbia. source
- Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site grounds are free; house tours cost $10 for adults. source
Every Trips on Our List
| Name | Where | What | When | Cost | Good to know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congaree National Park | Hopkins Midlands about 10 miles from Columbia (straight line) | National park protecting the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States; hiking trails and paddling on Cedar Creek. | Not listed | Free | Not listed | source |
| Goodale State Park | Camden Midlands about 23 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Park near Camden with a 3-mile cypress canoe trail on a Civil War-era mill pond, a 140-acre lake for fishing and a 1.5-mile sandy nature trail. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published | Not listed | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site | Camden Midlands about 23 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Revolutionary War park and colonial village at 222 Broad St. with the Kershaw-Cornwallis House, the Redoubt, and the Camden and Hobkirk's Hill battlefields; 2026 events include the Battle of Camden BBQ Festival (Nov 13-14). | Events published for fall 2026 on the home page | Not listed | Not listed | source |
| Poinsett State Park | Wedgefield Midlands about 25 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Park in the High Hills of Santee with 25.6 miles of trails for mountain biking, hiking and running (some linked to the Palmetto Trail), a 10-acre lake with johnboat rentals and a CCC coquina bathhouse. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published 9am-dark, year round | $3 adults; $1.50 SC seniors; $1 children age 6-15; age 5 & younger free | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Lake Wateree State Park | Winnsboro Midlands about 25 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Access to 13,800 acres of Lake Wateree with a 2-lane boat ramp, tackle shop, refueling dock, a playground and the 2.3-mile Desportes Island loop trail. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published | Not listed | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Dreher Island State Park | Prosperity Midlands about 38 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Three islands, 348 acres and 12 miles of Lake Murray shoreline with nature trails, fishing for striped and largemouth bass, and a tackle shop; the park page says it is 30 miles from Columbia. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published M-Su dawn to dusk | $6 adults; $3.75 SC seniors; $3.50 children age 6-15; age 5 & under free | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Santee State Park | Santee Midlands about 45 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Lake Marion park with 10+ miles of hiking and biking trails, 2 boat ramps, self-serve kayak rentals and pontoon boat tours of the flooded cypress forest. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published 6 a.m. – dark, daily, year-round | $3 adults; $1.50 SC seniors; $1 children age 6-15; age 5 & younger free | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Aiken State Park | Windsor Midlands about 52 miles from Columbia (straight line) | CCC-built park on the South Fork of the Edisto River with a 1.7-mile canoe/kayak trail, 4 fishing lakes and an artesian well near the launch. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published M-Su, 9 a.m. to sunset | $3 adults; $1.50 SC seniors; $1 children age 6-15; age 5 & younger free | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Landsford Canal State Park | Catawba Midlands about 55 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Catawba River park with remains of an 1820-1835 canal, a 1.5-mile Canal Trail, and the largest known stand of rocky shoals spider lilies. | Spider lilies bloom mid-May to mid-June (per park page; 2026 bloom dates not published) Daylight until dark, daily. | $6/adult 16 years and older; $3.75/S.C. senior; $3.50/child ages 6-15; ages 5 & under free. | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Woods Bay State Park | Olanta Pee Dee about 56 miles from Columbia (straight line) | One of the last remaining large Carolina bays, with a 1,150-foot boardwalk through a cypress-tupelo swamp (alligators often seen) and a 0.75-mile Mill Pond Nature Trail. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published 9 a.m. – Sunset, daily | Free | Access: 1,150 foot boardwalk; 0.75 mile loop trail. Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
| Aiken (city) | Aiken Midlands about 59 miles from Columbia (straight line) | City known for equestrian events (polo at Aiken and Wagener polo clubs on the 2026 calendar), Hopelands Gardens (free yoga listed Oct. 28) and the City of Aiken Visitors Center & Train Museum at 406 Park Ave SE. | Fall 2026 polo dates listed on the city tourism site | Not listed | Not listed | source |
| Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site | Beech Island Midlands about 71 miles from Columbia (straight line) | Hammond family house museum with 4,000+ artifacts, two circa 1857 slave cabins and a magnolia lane planted in 1861; the site interprets the lives of the enslaved and the plantation system. | Year-round per published daily hours; no separate 2026 season dates published Grounds: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., daily. Guided tours: temporarily on a limited schedule; contact the park. | Free | Dogs: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas on a leash not longer than six feet (state park rule). | source |
No rows match.
Distances are straight-line miles between Census town centre points, computed by us; road miles are longer. Hours, dates and prices are copied from each operator’s own page on the date shown; check before you go.
FAQ
Is Congaree National Park free?
Yes. An entrance pass is not required to access Congaree National Park. Campgrounds charge nightly fees. source
When do the spider lilies bloom at Landsford Canal?
The park says the rocky shoals spider lilies bloom from mid-May to mid-June, with peak in May and June. 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.
- Distances and drive times intentionally left out (computed by the site).
- County fields are filled from the published street address town (park DIRECTIONS / NPS mailing address); the pages do not name the county – verify if a county is displayed.
- Lat/lon left null: the official pages read do not publish coordinates in text.
- Goodale and Lake Wateree hours/admission not captured from park pages (fields left blank).
- Historic Camden hours and ticket prices not read (Hours & Directions page not read).
- Hopelands Gardens own page not read (hopelandsgardens.org did not respond); only the visitaikensc.com event listing.
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/fees.htm
- https://southcarolinaparks.com/dreher-island
- https://southcarolinaparks.com/redcliffe
- Congaree National Park
- Poinsett State Park
- Santee State Park
- Goodale State Park
- Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site
- Lake Wateree State Park
- Aiken (city)
- Aiken State Park
- Landsford Canal State Park
- Woods Bay State Park
Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Day Trips From Columbia, SC”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/day-trips-from-columbia/ (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.