As you're probably wondering, "what is so great about this landlocked city with no culture in the middle of the South?", well there's a lot to like. I was staying northeast of downtown off of Two Notch Road, a main artery in to and out of town. Upon driving in to the downtown area, the place looked like a small southern city a la Greensboro (doesn't the skyline look familiar?). However, the state capitol building is beautiful in the crescent evening.
The small town, southern feeling is enhanced with palm trees lining the streets. I know that South Carolina is the "Palmetto State," but Columbia is on the same latitude as Atlanta. Living in Atlanta for a few years, there's not a palm tree in site. I know that Columbia is closer to the coast, but it's not that close. How do these trees survive in a borderline tropical region?
Anyways, the downtown area (maybe 1 square mile) is bolstered by the local college scene from the University of South Carolina. Gervais Street, the main drag, is littered -- in a good way -- with classy bars and restaurants. Of course, there are the college dive bars and clubs as well, but for the most part, I like what I saw. I did venture into two places during my one night downtown. Liberty Tap Room, a great bar/restaurant on Gervais Street, featured 40+ taps, terrific bar food, and a wonderful beer drinking atmosphere. It doesn't hurt that the bar tenders were first class, and I even got a "free be" on a miss-pour. There's something about a bar that plays live music inside old brick walls.
Before the evening was over, my group ventured over to the Flying Saucer. I had no idea that there was a FS location in Columbia. The Official Beer Guru of The Less Desirables C. Jay Platt introduced me to this place in Charlotte. Talk about a lethal combination -- delicious food and one of the most impressive selections of beers that a restaurant can have -- I was in heaven. I tried some "far out" beers -- a Russian Baltic Porter, and a Brown Ale from Hawaii! There were plenty of other great places to choose from, such as The Blue Marlin, Back Porch on Gervais, Hunters & Gatherers (next time!), and more. The location of these places were a mere footsteps from the Congaree River, which snakes through the city from the north. All in all, a great set-up in downtown Columbia.
The points northeast of downtown were not worth anyone's time to see. Sure, there are some aesthetic "town center" places at Sand Hill and such, but you can find those anywhere. All in all, I wanted to use this space to highlight the small area downtown with the wonderful places sprinkled along Gervais Street. I was told by the locals that Thursday is the night for a wild scene. I now go back to Greensboro, my hometown for the last half decade and try to relate. Greensboro lacks a native charm, if that's a term. Where Columbia has the palms, the old town feel, and the southern charm, Greensboro does not. Liberty Tap, a melting pot for young professionals, is warm and vibrant. The closest place in Greensboro -- Natty Greene's -- has some "nice" brews, but that's all that they serve since they're a brewery. The 3-level place can be cavernous at times. Further, there's no "rhythm" downtown -- one lot is a restaurant, the next is an art gallery, the next is a bar, followed by a bank, etc. Give me a section of town where I can hang out, feel safe, and enjoy a night out. Apologies for the rambling and the tangent, but spending some time in Columbia made me realize (again) that cities need a square mile or two dedicated to "beer nightlife" -- a much different crowd than "club nightlife." I raise a glass to the planners and fine establishments that compose the wonders of Gervais Street in Columbia!
