Fun family weekend at Spakleberry Fair in Columbia: cool rides, yummy food and exotic petting zoo

Sparkleberry Fair is the best spring festival in the Midlands. It is held every year the last weekend in April near Sandhills Village and Carolina Children’s Garden in northeast Columbia. Parking is $5, rides are $3-$5 (unlimited rides stamp is $25, excludes bungee jumping and water balls), food items are $4-6, while the petting zoo [...]

Hello Columbia! Most adorable baby baboon is playing at Riverbanks Zoo

“I want to hug her!” my daughter kept yelling. That’s when you know you found cute. C’mon look at these big ears, little pink rump pads and round sparkling eyes! Yara, the baby baboon is the new Hamadryas star at Riverbanks Zoo, which hasn’t had one for over 25 years. While mom Imi and dad [...]

Bad girls at sea…the amazing story of Mary Read, Anne Bony and Calico Jack

John Calico Jack Rackham was an English pirate who ravaged the Caribbean shores at the end of the Golden Age. His nickname stemmed from the colorful calico clothes he wore. He is famous for being the only known captain with female crew members and for his skull and crossbones Jolly Roger, nowadays most popular piracy [...]

All about Pirates! Jolly Rogers, medicine, crime and punishment (State Museum attractions)

Call them sea thieves, entrepreneurs, mischievous warriors, or wild creatures…For centuries pirates have ruled the high seas, terrorized merchants, ran havoc along the coast and sprung countless myths and legends. Love them or hate them they are here to stay. This post sheds some light on the pirate lifestyle: flag designs and symbols, how they [...]

New at Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia wild fun thing to do!

I haven’t been to Riverbanks since the “Lights Before Christmas” event. Last Saturday my daughter and I braved the crowds and the heat to see what’s new at the zoo. Newest exhibit: Kangaroo Walkabout Although is hard to replace the feisty sea lions (remember Big Boy?) the kangaroos and wallabies held their own on the [...]

Kids get ready for a fun Country Adventure on a farm!

This Halloween weekend we had a fantastic Pumpkin Patch experience at the super friendly Country Adventures farm in Blythewood. The 22 acres family farm is USDA licensed and very well maintained. We paid $7 per child and $3 per adult for a tour of all farm animals and petting zoo, a comfortable hayride around the [...]

Columbia fun activities for kids – Arts, nature and fairy tales all for FREE!

In downtown Columbia kids learn to appreciate arts and history and to discover Mother Nature’s little treasures. My 4 years old and I had a great time interpreting sculptures at the Columbia Museum of Art, then “chasing” the waterfalls weave their way into the Finlay Park’s lake and finally “taming the wild things” at the [...]

Fun, free and affordable weekend things to do with kids in Columbia

Wonder where to go with the kids and what’s interesting to see while visiting Columbia? Here is a list of really fun, educational and healthy things to do during the weekend. UPDATE! I’ve added more lovely places from recent 2009 and 2010 experiences. Free family activities 1. “Tame the wild things” at the Public Library, [...]

Harbison Forest Biking Trails Details and Photos (mountain bike in Columbia)

Ready for some biking fun under the sun? At Harbison State Forest park there is a trail for everyone from the novice to the occasional bicyclist to the passionate mountain biker. Things to know before you go 1. If this is your first visit start your biking adventure at the Education Center on the versatile [...]

EdVenture: Going through the fire tunnel video (scary)

Ever wonder how fire really feels like? Guess no more. At Edventure Children Museum in downtown Columbia you can go through the “fire tunnel” and experience few seconds of complete darkness. Very spooky indeed. That will really teach kids not to play with matches Happy family fun in South Carolina!