The greater Columbia area has a lot to offer and no matter how long you are in town, there are always new things to discover. I recently went to the Cayce Riverwalk for the first time, which is located on the Congaree River with multiple entrances just across town on the edge of Cayce, S. Car. It’s a popular spot, so it is strange that it took so many years for me to find my way down there, but if you were like me, and always heard about it but have never gone, then let me tell you now, you are doing it wrong. Take a stroll ASAP. Since my first time going, I have already returned twice in one week. 

The first big reason I would insist that you go is the ability to unwind. I often take trips to the mountains over the summer, and love to go hiking. The streams, the exercise and the forest are all great, and I cannot get enough of the atmosphere; the riverwalk has the type of atmosphere that reminds me of the mountains. Even though you are so close to civilization you can find yourself lost in the water flowing by and the trees surrounding you. It is the mountain-like atmosphere I love from my home state, without all the hills, and it is only minutes away from the city.  

Also, there is plenty to do once you are down by the river. I see several people attempting to fish; although I doubt you would find much success in those waters, people still try. It is a fantastic place for running or biking and pretty much half of the people who are down there are doing just that. In my pursuit of a halfway decent non-beer gut look for spring break, I will be running down by the river throughout the semester. Outside of using the venue to work out, there are also some ideal leisure spots where you can do one of my favorite things: hammocking.     

I have owned my Eno hammock for seven years, now. If you are unaware, an Eno hammock is one that you can basically pop up instantly in less than a minute and I am an avid fan of the product. I even spent an entire summer essentially living in one when I worked at a summer camp in high school. There are tons of spots to set up your hammock and watch the river, read, or one the greatest of activities of all: nap. Just today, I think I saw 15 different people set up across the edge of the water in their hammocks.

If I still haven’t convinced you to go hang out at the riverwalk then this last fact should, especially if you are a girl. The riverwalk is basically waterfront Pets Inc. There are so many dogs. Today, my favorite dogs were a pair of sheep dogs that could rival the size of The Sandlot beast. Some others that stuck out in my mind were also two Chihuahuas smaller than squirrels, two show poodle twins, a dog that looked like it could bench more than me (thing was jacked), and what I would describe as one of the rarest combinations, a corgi-Australian shepherd mix. 

With all of these reasons, I hope I convinced you to check out one of Columbia’s best spots: the Cayce Riverwalk.