Fall means cooler temps, great style – and weekend road trips to explore + and experience new things. The ideal time to visit Columbia is Fall, IMHO – it’s cooler and walkable downtown for an urban weekend spent eating + drinking all the Fall things, and it’s a good time to get outside – hike, kayak, camp or boat – and not sweat it out.

We’ve compiled your ultimate Columbia SC Fall weekend trip so you can head up/down the road for ~1.5 hours and have a whole new S.C. experience. Columbia is growing like crazy, and it’s not the college town you might remember.

#MustDo’s for Fall in Columbia, S.C.:

🍻Have a welcome drink. There’s so much to do for Oktoberfest – from the classic German experience to a riverfront festival to a party on Main St. – or go the coffee route with Fall-inspired drinks to warm you up in the early morning.

👟 Get some exercise in. This is footrace season (for good causes) and, like we mentioned, the ideal season to trail hike or bike at Congaree National Park, Sesquicentennial, Harbison State Forest, or out on Lake Murray at Dreher Island State Park. See drive-time for each here.

🍠Do at least one nice dinner at a local spot that uses farm-to-table ingredients, like Motor Supply, Cellar on Greene, Hunter-Gatherer or Bourbon. ‘Tis the season of roasted squash, fire-grilled local meats + cozy cocktails.

🎡 Visit the S.C. State Fair – if only for the neon Instagrams + fried cookie dough.

🏈 Do a traditional college football gameday. Tailgating and all – there’s nothing quite like it. Here’s your guide to becoming a Gamecock fan for a day, and here are 3 must-see games this season.

🎤 See a show. There’s a music venue for everyone, and someone you recognize is probably playing. This month, check out concerts at The Senate and Township Auditorium or smaller, local shows at New Brookland Tavern and Art Bar (the latter for pre-Christmas vibes).

This content was created in partnership with Experience Columbia SC.