Looking for a vacation, staycation or baecation, Baltimore’s neighbor to the south might just be the place to go. Columbia, once a midway point between Charm City and DC, was a place to see a concert at the Merriweather or make a stop at the Columbia mall. But now, Columbia is more than a stop along the way, it’s a destination with enough to keep you engaged.
Even if you are just a casual visitor, you can enjoy the more than 3,600 acres of open space, including over 100 miles of pathways for walking, biking and jogging maintained by the Columbia Association.
“Best of” Awards
Columbia has racked up a slew of awards for its workforce, walkability, safety, among the healthiest communities in the country, livability and one of the best places to live. The city almost always makes Money Magazine’s top places to live, even landing on the cover of the magazine in 2016.
Columbia also has its share of notable residents who were born or lived there including Oprah Winfrey during her time in the area; Laura Lippman, award-winning mystery author; Edward Norton, Academy Award–nominated actor and grandson of Columbia’s founder, James Rouse; Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and husband of tennis star, Serena Williams; and fashion designer Christian Siriano, who gained attention after winning the fourth season of the design competition show Project Runway.
A full Baltimore Fishbowl story of the rebirth of Columbia can be found here; and here’s a bunch of stuff to keep you busy if you visit, work or move to Columbia:
Restaurants
AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar, 6741 Columbia Gateway Drive – Classic Italian favorites, non-traditional entrees and small plates from a variety of culinary and cultural backgrounds, plus a wine bar.
The Ale House Columbia, 6480 Dobbin Center Way – Offering an elevated menu featuring house-made fare and 50+ craft beers.
BIBIBOP Asian Grill, 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy – Asian food chain.
Bon Fresco, 6945 Oakland Mills Road – sandwich shop, calling it the latest venture in bread.
Bonchon Columbia, 10100 Twin Rivers C-123 – chicken cooked-to-order
Busboys and Poets, 6251 Mango Tree Road – Busboys and Poets is a restaurant, bar, bookstore and community gathering place.
Cazbar, 9400 Snowden River Parkway – Authentic Turkish Taverna in Columbia, MD with weekend belly dancing shows.
Clove and Cardamom, 6000 Merriweather Drive – serves a variety of globally inspired enriched with subtle Indian spices.
Cured | 18th & 21st, 10980 Grantchester Way #110 – familiar concept of the neighborhood corner bar from a fresh perspective with classic comfort foods and bar.
Frisco Taphouse, 6695 Dobbin Road Ste G – eclectic American restaurant/brewpub specializing in made-from-scratch food and beers from around the globe.
GrillMarx Steakhouse & Raw Bar, 10175 Little Patuxent Parkway – casual steakhouse with a raw bar, steaks and fish cooked over a hickory wood-fired grill.
The Iron Bridge Wine Co., 10435 State Route 108 – small plate entrees, tapas-style appetizers, daily specials, wines in a cozy, farm-like setting.
The Kings Contrivance Restaurant, 10150 Shaker Drive – New American Cuisine with European and Asian influences.
la Madeleine French Bakery & Café, 6211 Columbia Crossing – French-inspired cuisine.
LongHorn Steakhouse, 8650 Snowden River Parkway – Grilled steaks, seafood, chicken and ribs.
Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway #3160 – Italian-American restaurant chain.
Neo Pizza & Taphouse, 8872 McGaw Road – Handcrafted food and a wide selection of craft beers and regional wines.
Rise Southern Chicken and Biscuits, 8874 McGaw Road – southern biscuits, chicken and sweet stuff served all day.
River Hill Grill, 6040 Daybreak Circle- food, craft beers, live entertainment with local sports teams broadcasted across multiple flat screens.
Roggenart Bistro & Café, 6476 Dobbin Center Way – food, pastries and coffee.
Royal Taj, 8335 Benson Drive – Indian cuisine.
Seasons 52 Fresh Grill/Wine Bar, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway – food prepared with seasonal ingredients using rustic techniques like oak-fire grilling and brick oven roasting.
Sushi Sono Japanese Restaurant, 10215 Wincopin Circle – traditional Japanese cuisine.
The Food Market Columbia, 10480 Little Patuxent Parkway – Started in Baltimore, restaurant provides updated takes on classics.
The Greene Turtle, 8872 McGaw Road – classic fare in a sports bar setting.
The Periodic Table Restaurant and Bar, 8808 Centre Park Drive – specializes in a unique fusion of American and international flavors.
The Turn House, 11130 Willow Bottom Drive – local and regional dishes.
Tino’s Italian Bistro, 8775 Centre Park Drive – classic Italian fare.
Touche Touchet Bakery and Pastry Shoppe, 10400 Shaker Dr. – old fashioned neighborhood bakery.
Victoria Gastro Pub, 8201 Snowden River Parkway – innovative twists on classic pub fare with n aextensive beer and wine list.
The Walrus Oyster & Ale House, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway – Chesapeake Bay inspired seafood.
Xenia Greek Kouzina, 8850 Columbia 100 Parkway – modern restaurant with an emphasis on Greek fare and fresh seafood.
Entertainment
Breakout Games, 8661 Robert Fulton Dr. – Escape room. Mystery-solving experience.
Candlelight Concert Society, 9030 Red Branch Road – Maryland-based concert presenter, offering professional world-class chamber music concerts, children’s programs, community outreach programs, master classes and pre-concert lectures and discussions.
Columbia Art Center, 6100 Foreland Garth – offers a wide variety of art classes and workshops for all ages and skill levels, plus exhibitions in the galleries showcasing the talents of local and regional artists, community events and a gift shop.
Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts, 6655 Dobbin Road #4 – classes to kids of all ages including special needs.
Columbia Festival of the Arts, 14075 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Road – ice skating with public sessions, lessons, hockey, figure skating and more.
The Columbia Orchestra, 8510 High Ridge Road – Orchestra performs classical, pops, and family concerts at the Jim Rouse Theatre, as well as chamber and outdoor concerts. The Columbia Jazz Band is the orchestra’s partner organization.
Columbia Pro Cantare, 8510 High Ridge Road – an auditioned chorus presenting a choral repertoire with professional soloists and instrumentalists.
Columbia Swim Center, 10400 Cross Fox Lane – 720 feet of twisting, turning, wet and wild fun. Also features a snack bar, rope swing and diving board along with two large pools.
DoodleHATCH, 8775 Cloudleap Ct – interactive, 15,000 square foot art installation pretending to be a department store for mythological creatures, time travelers and galactic tourists.
Historic Oakland Manor, 5430 Vantage Point Road – 19th-century historic manor boasts an elegant two-story home, scenic gardens, and a spacious outdoor patio large enough for a 40′ x 60′ tent. Historic Oakland is perfect for weddings, meetings and other special events.
Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center, Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway – now new virtual exhibition of student artwork that highlights the achievements, creativity, and resolve of students during the coronavirus pandemic.
L’ETOILE, The Russian Ballet Academy of Maryland, 9147 Red Branch Road – students are taught pure Vaganova syllabus, providing a Russian style of classical ballet.
Lost Ark Distilling Co., 9570 Berger Rd. Suite L – Howard County’s first craft distillery, producers of premium spirits – mashed, fermented, distilled, and bottled by hand.
Main Event Entertainment, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway #2520 – a haven for families to share in a variety of activities like laser tag, gravity ropes, arcade games, billiards and more all under one (very big) roof in the Columbia Mall.
The Mall in Columbia, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway – central shopping mall for Columbia with over 200 specialty stores and anchor stores AMC Theatres, Main Event Entertainment, Barnes & Noble, JCPenney, Macy’s and Nordstrom.
Movement Gyms, 7125 Columbia Gateway – rock climbing, yoga and fitness
Rep Stage at Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway – professional regional theatre in residence at Howard Community College.
Sapwood Cellars, 8980 Rt-108 – Columbia brewery and tasting room dually focused on barrel-aged mixed-fermented beers and fresh hoppy ales.
ShadowLand Laser Adventures, 9179 Red Branch Road – includes fog, specialty lights, sounds and music to combine for a sensory experience.
Stumpy’s Hatchet House, 6695 Dobbin Road – controlled throwing pit. Customers take turns hurling their hatchet to the target, honing in on their form and technique.
Toby’s Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Road – Award winning Broadway and original musicals with a buffet-style dinner.
Outdoor Activities
Atholton Park, 6875 Greenleigh Drive – A nine-acre park located behind Atholton Elementary School and offers two tennis courts, playgrounds and picnic tables and racquetball courts.
Blandair Regional Park, 5750 Oakland Mills Road – One of Howard County’s newer parks dedicated to sporting events. Once the final phase is complete, the park will be 300 acres.
Cedar Lane Park, 10745 Route 108 (East) – recognized as one of the finest and most popular sports complexes in Howard County. A .8-mile paved pathway connects the park’s two main areas, which cover 93 acres.
Colorburst Park, 6100 Merriweather Dr. – Park in new Merriweather District, referred to as the next regional hub for culture and commerce.
Columbia SkatePark, 5453 Harpers Farm Road – Columbia SkatePark is an outdoor facility, open year-round. The park features 15,000 square feet of ramps and includes a combination of elements found in both street and vert courses.
Columbia Sports Park, 5453 Harpers Farm Road – features an 18-hole mini-golf course with water features, batting cages, arcade games, a snack bar, a skate park and more. The sports park houses two 600 foot pavilions and a playground.
Dickinson Park, 7455 Eden Brook Drive – located within Columbia’s Village of Kings Contrivance. Park includes basketball courts, a ball diamond (permit use only), a natural grass multipurpose field (permit use only), and a .25-mile paved trail.
Fairway Hills Golf Club, 5100 Columbia Road – Smooth rolling bentgrass greens and bermuda grass fairways.
Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club, 11130 Willowbottom Drive – with over 7,000 yards from the back tees and 5,400 from the front, the course was built for the demanding local player.
Lake Elkhorn, 6800 Cradlerock Way – a 37-acre lake in the village of Owen Brown built in 1974 with a watershed of about 2,500 acres. The lake depth averages eight feet and is 15 feet at its deepest point.
Lake Kittamaqundi, 10221 Wincopin Circle – a 27-acre man-made lake with a maximum depth of seven feet. Its name, taken from the first recorded Native American settlement in Howard County, means “meeting place,” and often referred to as “the lakefront.”
Martin Road Park, 6701 Martin Road – The 6-acre Martin Road Park features a playground, .27 miles paved pathway, picnic tables, grill, basketball courts, and a multipurpose field (permit use only).
Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, 10431 Little Patuxent Parkway – Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods is a 51-acre arts and culture park located in Downtown Columbia.
Robinson Nature Center, 6692 Cedar Lane – nature education facility situated on 18 acres of land.
Wilde Lake, 10400 Cross Fox Land – a 22-acre man-made lake built by CA in 1967. The site was originally a low-lying meadow of rough grass featuring a small stream. The lake depth ranges from 13 feet at the back of the dam to nearly eight feet in the lake’s center. Wilde Lake flows downstream into Lake Kittamaqundi.
Museums
African Art Museum of Maryland, 8775 Cloudleap Court – Said to be one of only three museums of its kind in the country devoted exclusively to the art of Africa.
