Things to Do in West Columbia

With a passion for the great outdoors, the outfitters at Get Your Gear On provide equipment and instruction for navigating trails and waterways. While leading groups, expert guides glide through scenic locales in search of wildlife views and serene experiences. Their canoe trips drift along the warm urban areas and tree-littered landscapes that run along the Congaree River, and their stand-up-paddleboard rentals allow guests to view the banks of Lake Murray from a perspective previously exclusive to sightseeing mermen. They also offer cycling equipment and maintenance along with hiking gear for dry climates, snowy landscapes, and rooms where the sink has been left on all night.

With art degrees from the University of South Carolina, Tom Lockart and Mark Woodham teamed up to found One Eared Cow Glass, a glass-working studio and gallery. The duo started out in a rent-free Bishopville barn, according to Columbia Living, and named their enterprise after a carved wooden cow’s head that was nailed to the door. Much like Mike Tyson’s teddy bear, the cow had only one ear.

Today, at their studio location in downtown Columbia, Lockart and Woodham host live demos throughout the week. During these demos, the pair shape molten glass—which can heat up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit—into the translucent artwork that lines their gallery’s shelves. Their work ranges from vases to birdfeeders, though they specialize in indoor and outdoor light fixtures.

Manned by master artist Jana G. Gambrell, Palmetto Paint & Pour outfits its guests with all the necessary tools to channel their creativity into original paintings. Jana hosts BYOB paint parties for any occasion inside her studio or at the client's chosen locale, steering her pupils through easy-to-follow brush strokes that result in an acrylic opus. Her open-studio hours also allow attendees to compose their artwork in a more freeform setting. Jana welcomes patrons of all ages and artistic backgrounds, from complete beginners to professional American Gothic reenactors.

Palmetto Outdoor Center promotes the preservation of natural rivers and forests. Because awareness is the best way to maintain the environment and cultural heritage, Palmetto spreads knowledge of local gems with river trips and walking tours. These organized tours and vessels for rent allow amateur explorers to discover South Carolina's uncluttered riverbanks while learning about how they can be protected. Civil War walking tours illuminate the history of the region, and canoe and kayak rentals plunge into the tree-lined waterways of the Congaree, which flows through protected national parkland with the continent's largest old-growth floodplain forest.

A destination for paint-your-own pottery, The Pitter Platter is a place where visitors are free to express themselves, whether it's decorating a mug or painting a colorful canvas. Welcoming students ages five and up, the studio's shelves are lined with raw ceramic bisques, ranging from plates and bowls to heart-shaped boxes. During the summer, kids can fend off boredom and lingering textbooks during daily art classes that keep children engaged and occupied with a host of art projects.

Anchor Lanes houses a scintillating slate of activities that pleases laid-back guests and diehard competitors alike. In addition to bowling with traditional or bumper lanes, the alley fosters a festive atmosphere with its children's-birthday-party packages, which include food, bowling, decorations, entertainment, and cleanup. During Anchor Lanes's neon nights, the lights fade, the music revs up, and lasers cut through dense patches of fog like the headlights of a runaway roller-coaster car. When the lanes aren't illuminated in the cool blue hue of black light, dedicated bowlers of any age can hone and flaunt their skills during league play.