Family fun
Written by Lawrence Conneff
Less than a three-hour drive from Hilton Head Island, Columbia is a good place for a day trip. Here are some of the best things for families with kids to do on a visit to South Carolina’s capital city.
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
Visitors can observe more than 2,000 animals, according to Riverbanks officials. Attractions include the Spots & Stripes Railroad, Sky-High Safari, Giraffe Overlook, Koala Knockabout, Kangaroo Walkabout, Wild Adventures Rock Wall and Endangered Species Carousel. A 70-acre botanical garden features a children’s garden with tree houses and a splash zone.
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is open daily, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $24.99 plus tax for those 13 and older, $21.99 plus tax for kids 2 to 12 years old, and free for kids younger than 2. Admission with a military or senior citizen discount is $22.99 plus tax (ID required). Pets, food and beverages are not permitted.
For more information, go to www.riverbanks.org.
South Carolina State Museum
The state’s largest museum houses exhibits that showcase South Carolina art, natural history, culture, and science and technology. The planetarium provides astronomy shows, films and laser-light shows. The 4D theater pairs “high-definition 3D digital projection movies with physical features to provide multisensory, interactive experiences for guests.”
The Boeing Observatory offers the public solar sky viewing in the afternoons.
The South Carolina State Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission is $8.95 for adults, $6.95 for kids 3-12, and $7.95 for seniors 62 and older. Planetarium and 4D shows can be added to general admission tickets. For pricing, go to
www.scmuseum.org/visit/hours-admission.
EdVenture Children’s Museum
EdVenture has been described as the largest children’s museum in the Southeast, offering all kinds of hands-on learning experiences for kids. There’s a cooking lab, bio lab, aeronautics exhibit, the World of Work, and a lot more. It has nine “world-class” exhibit galleries, a library, learning laboratories, and resource centers. EdVenture has 92,000 square feet with more than 350 individual hands-on exhibits.
EdVenture Children’s Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $13 for adults and children, and free for kids under 2. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. For more information on EdVenture Children’s Museum, go to www.edventure.org.
Columbia Marionette Theatre
Shows to entertain all ages are presented weekly at the Allie Scollon Puppetry Center near Riverfront Park. The theatre says it works “to entertain and educate children and adults through the long-standing tradition and artistry of puppetry.”
The theatre features puppets from a few inches tall to over 5 feet, appearing on a 30-foot stage. It hosts daycare and school field trips any day of the week.
The Columbia Marionette Theatre presents shows at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. every Saturday and at 10 a.m. every third Monday. General admission tickets are $7. For more information, visit cmtpuppet.org/.
Sesquicentennial State Park
State park officials say Sesquicentennial offers campsites, a lake, splash pads, a dog park, and 12 miles of hiking and biking trails. Go to southcarolinaparks.com/sesqui/things-to-do for a list of activities, including scavenger hunts. The park includes a 100-foot-long aluminum bridge which spans a misty marsh area with a “babbling brook,” its website says. The two-mile Sandhills Trail is a park favorite.
Sesquicentennial State Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $3.50 for children ages 6-15, $3.75 for South Carolina seniors 65 and older, and free for kids 5 and younger. For more information, go to southcarolinaparks.com/sesqui.
Frankie’s Fun Park
The family-friendly activities offered at Frankie’s include three mini-golf courses, go-kart tracks, batting cages, an arcade, bumper boats, laser tag, a drop tower ride, and a virtual-reality attraction. Frankie’s Fun Park is open throughout the year, but it says “hours of operation for the park and certain attractions vary throughout the year. Please call before you visit for specific hours of operation.” Admission to the park is free and guests “pay per activity you choose to play.”
As of early spring, mini golf is listed at $10, go-karts start at $8, and laser tag (two-level apocalypse themed world) is $9.
For more information on Frankie’s Fun Park, go to frankies.com/columbia/.
