The new additions to riverbanks zoo + other Kid-friendly columbia adventures
We knew we wanted to visit Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia this year so we got that booked ASAP then filled in the rest of the long weekend with a few other fun and kid-friendly things around town. Here are some notes about the new additions to Riverbanks Zoo and what else we enjoyed in Columbia!
Address: 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia. About 2.5–3 hours from most parts of the Grand Strand.
Prices: $24.99 for 13+ and $21.99 for ages 2–12. Other discounts for military and senior citizens. Note that $5 is collected at the ticket window for parking.
Zoo + Gardens (Splash Park): The admission includes access to the gardens and Waterfall Junction area too. This is cool and worth saving some time for.
Best For: All ages. You could probably get through the zoo in 2 hours, if you move quickly. We spent 5 hours to really see everything, circle back to a few things, and also experience the gardens.
What to know about the zoo
IT’S LAID OUT WELL | The zoo has a single main entrance and follows a simple loop with exhibits on either side of the pathway. The pathway/tram pickup to go over to the Gardens is just past the entrance so you’ll likely want to cover the zoo then come back for the gardens.
IT’S A BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED ZOO | The zoo has beautiful landscaping, sculptures, and other attractions woven in (gardens, play structure, photo ops, etc).
BENCHES & BATHROOMS | Yes, there are plenty of them in convenient places. The restaurants are spread out nicely and well-shaded. Overall the zoo offers plenty of shade and enclosed spaces to cool off.
THE NEW AQUARIUM & REPTILE CONSERVATION CENTER | This is the biggest and newest attraction which just opened in March of 2023. It is a 20,000 square-foot facility showcasing tropical, desert, and coastal habitats. You’ll see many varieties of snakes, lizards, birds, and fish. Some of the conservation rooms are also visible through windows and it’s fun to catch glimpses of what goes on behind the scenes in a facility like this.
BOTANICALS GARDENS & WATERFALL JUNCTION | You’ll want to save a little time for this! You can walk over to catch the tram or drive your own vehicle. This is a neat space with some cool features: a large splash pad area, treehouses, an open lawn with games, a dino dig area, tiny houses, nature trails, gorgeous gardens, and more. This is an area with much less shade so be prepared for it to be hotter than in the zoo.
Krystin from the Dean Team Adventures has been a pass holder for 6+ years and she’s got some other pro tips.
favorites for us
We had some clear favorite spots: the giraffes are excellent (they get so close), the indoor sea lion viewing area and the cool treehouses at the gardens. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed the zoo and think it is an excellent value given all the extra features you get to enjoy (aquarium, gardens, splash pad, etc).
what else we did in columbia
We wanted to maximize this visit so we also visited these spots:
SC State House Grounds | Beautiful grounds that kids will love exploring because of all the paths, statues, and stairs. Parked on the street in metered parking.
SC State Museum | 4 floors of SC history, but we only managed to get through floors 2 and 3 before kids lost a little of their momentum and needed a change of scenery. Note that the first Sunday of the month is $1 tickets!
EdVenture Columbia | We didn’t do this but it is a lot larger (and from what I hear, more impressive than our MB location). Right beside the SC Museum.
Carraway Park at the Riverwalk | This is a nice park near the riverwalk –– we did both of these at different points in our trip. This West Columbia area looks like a neat area with some nice restaurants. Parking sorta limited.
Congaree National Park | This is about 30 minutes outside Columbia but we stopped on the way into town. If you have the time while in Columbia then I recommend driving out to this national park. It has an easy but very cool 2.2-mile boardwalk and an activity book for kids.
food
We got lots of great recommendations but was only able to eat at one of them :'( We just crammed our days too full, snacking through lunch and by dinnertime none of us were in the mood to sit politely at a restaurant. But here are some places we WISH we had been able to try:
Cantina 76 (ate here, was good), Cafe Strudel, Pawleys Front Porch, Zesto’s, Cinnamon Roll Deli, and Savage Craft Ale Works (wasn’t recommended but caught my eye as a super kid-friendly but also adult-pleasing place and it’ll be top of list if we’re able to come back!)