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Author:
Jennifer Dienst
Welcome to the new, modern South where tradition and tomorrow are perfectly paired. Columbia, S.C. is a creative hub fed by university and capital city communities amidst natural beauty. Affordable and accessible with big-city amenities and a small-town feel, Columbia, S.C. is the ideal place for small to mid-size events. Its characteristic Southern charm (and food!) makes event attendees feel right at home. With evidence of renewal everywhere hinting at what’s next, Columbia, S.C. is a real Southern hotspot.
Space
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center (CMCC)
- 142,500-square-foot building located in the heart of downtown, within walking distance of 60-plus bars and restaurants
- 15 fully customizable meeting rooms with 57,000 total square feet of event space
- High-quality food & beverage made from a majority of regionally sourced products during growing seasons, and customized to the needs and budget of each group
Attractions such as Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia Museum of Art, and more also double as meeting space. The Columbia Marriott, Hilton Columbia Center, and DoubleTree by Hilton are a few of several full-service hotels in the area that offer their own conference space.
Hotels
There are nearly 12,000 hotel rooms available throughout the Columbia region, about 1,600 of which are located within one mile of CMCC.
Transportation
Getting here is straightforward with easy access to Columbia Metropolitan Airport, as well as I-20, I-26, and I-77 intersecting the city.
Who Knew?
Columbia sits on the center line of totality for the total solar eclipse happening on Monday, August 21. As the third-largest city in the country to be on this center line and clocking in at 2 minutes and 36 seconds, Columbia has the longest totality on the East Coast, making it one of the top viewing destinations in the nation, according to USA Today, Travel + Leisure, Forbes, Washington Post, Fodor’s Travel, and others.
Don’t Miss
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
Home to more than 2,000 animals, breathtaking botanical gardens, a three-acre interactive children’s garden, and adrenaline-pumping activities such as a zipline course and four-story vertical ropes course challenge, Riverbanks Zoo is the state’s No.1 gated attraction for a reason.
South Carolina State Museum
Situated inside the first electric cotton mill in the nation, this museum boasts four floors of art, history, and science, as well as an observatory, a planetarium, a 4-D theatre, and a telescope viewing terrace. This is the only facility in the country to have all of these offerings under the same roof.
Spirit Communications Park
Named Ballpark Digest’s Baseball Park of the Year during its inaugural year in 2016, this multi-use facility is home to Columbia’s minor-league baseball team, the Columbia Fireflies. Located on the historic Bull Street property, the design of the stadium pays homage to Columbia’s past through preservation and adaptive reuse.
Local Flavor
Definitely fit for foodies, Southern staples like shrimp and grits or chicken and waffles are off the charts. Columbia’s climate is conducive to year-round farm-fresh ingredients, and has attracted chefs from all over who know just what to do with them.
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