Columbia — South Carolina's Capital City

Ninety minutes south of Charlotte, the South Carolina capital of Columbia rewards two unhurried days of history, art, and gardens. Day one centers on the grand South Carolina State House — a Greek Revival statehouse still marked by the bronze stars where Sherman's cannon struck it in 1865 — and the leafy historic districts around it, from antebellum mansions to the University of South Carolina's storied Horseshoe. Day two pairs culture with the outdoors: the Columbia Museum of Art's fine collection of European and American work, followed by the nationally ranked Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, a lush combination of wildlife park and botanical garden straddling the Saluda River. A night in the walkable Vista or Main Street district ties the two days together before the return north.