Spring has sprung! Weather has been gorgeous on our Congaree National Park guided canoe tours, and we’re super excited for the 2023 tubing season to start up soon. Aside from getting out on the rivers/creek, here’s how Katie (Operations Director), Mike Mayo (Owner), Amanda (Operations Manager) and Andy (Senior Guide) would spend their perfect spring day in the Columbia area.

Breakfast/Coffee

Katie: SmallSUGAR cafe! I love their pain au chocolat. And they have this thing called a chai bun – so good.

Mayo: I’ll go to Piecewise for my morning coffee and drop by Café Strudel for some hash browns.

Amanda: I live in the Olympia neighborhood, so I love starting off my morning with a bacon, egg, and cheese from Enzo’s Spuntino located in the Olympia mill. They have good iced coffee too!

Andy: My favorite is a latte and a croissant from Indah Coffee.

Spring Day Activity

Katie: I’d rent e-bikes at Pedego in West Columbia and go down to the Timmerman Trail.

Mayo: Utilizing the green space situated next to the river. I’m either going biking or boating that day, whichever I’m in the mood for.

Amanda: I’m a fan of walking the riverwalks with my friends and their dogs. We love setting up our hammocks at the stands at Riverfront Park.

Andy: Canoeing cedar creek! Or whitewater canoeing Mill Race rapids.

Lunch

Katie: Duke’s Pad Thai – I get their spicy chicken tacos or any of their curries - and a papaya salad is so nice on a warm day.

Mayo: After I get a taste of the river hunger, I’ll head to D’s Wings.

Amanda: I’m forever a Groucho’s girl. The STP Dipper has my heart.

Andy: Bernie’s Chicken if I’m on my way back from doing a canoe tour at the swamp, and Zesto if not.

Shopping

Katie: Cherry’s Delight is a little gift shop near Savage Craft. She does the cutest custom gift wrap.

Mayo: Gardeners Outpost! They’re good people.

Amanda: There’s a new vintage clothing store in Five Points called Pannerpete. They’ve got some really cool stuff and the stock is always changing.

Andy: Mast General Store has lots of good gear in the downstairs area.

Evening Activity

Katie: Baseball season is soon, so I’d catch a game with my friend Kaitlin.

Mayo: Savage Craft Brewery with my buddies.

Amanda: I’m a reader, so an evening bookstore trip to Barnes and Noble or the new independent bookstore All Good Books.

Andy: I like to walk my dog at the West Columbia Riverwalk or along the Lake Murray Dam during sunset.

Dinner

Katie: Black Rooster rooftop! The food and the view can’t be beat.

Mayo: Sushi at Camon – I get the Camon 3 roll.

Amanda: The perfect spring dinner for me is going to Trader Joes and getting all kinds of meat, cheese, and crackers, then having a charcuterie board night with my friends.

Andy: Dano’s Pizza! Their house pizza is different every day.

Black Rooster in West Columbia - Photo Credit: Brookland

We hope you enjoyed reading about our perfect spring days and maybe got some inspiration for a new place to check out too! If you’re itching to get on the water now that it’s getting warmer, be sure to book a canoe tour with us soon, because spots are filling up fast. Happy Spring!

Our Perfect Spring Day in Columbia