5 Great Dates in Columbia SC

1. Shopping for the Family
Holiday shopping is quite a task these days but now you can make it a learning experience, especially if you are early in the relationship. Head out to Harbison, Village at Sandhills or one of the other great places to shop in Columbia and spend an entire day getting your shopping done. It will amaze you what you can learn about your significant other and his/her family. Does he/she put a lot of thought into finding the perfect gift? Does he/she think a great gift is an expensive one? Are prices not a consideration when it comes to family? What about gifts for friends? Does he/she focus more on family's gifts or friend's gifts? How will you work together in large crowds? End the day over a nice dinner and rehash on the fun things that happened and that you experienced during the day.

2. I Got Your Back
Paintball is a great way to get some fresh air, keep warm (because you'll be running around) and realize that you have eachothers backs. Triggertyme (429 Koon Store Rd) in Columbia offers 7 different fields to play and some great group specials. Make it a double, triple or quadruple date and see which pair works best together. Plus, being alone in the woods with eachother with your adrenaline pumping makes for a truly exciting date! 803.786.4539.

3. A Spicy Night
Salsa Dancing is know as one of the hottest dances around. Exit the cold and enter a world of spice at Salsa Cabana (2005 N Beltline Blvd # 11). Whether you want to just enjoy some great food and watch the hottest Latino dancers around or get up and dance, this is the perfect place to do either. Are you completely unfamiliar with Salsa Dancing? No worries because they offer lessons on Fridays at 7 and 8 pm. Isn't it time for a spicy night? 803.787.1052

4. Skate Away Together
What better way to bring in the holiday season than with ice skating! Plex Indoor Sports (1019 Broadstone Road) offers public skate sessions every day. Bundle up, hold onto each other and see how you can handle the ice! 803.732.1900.

5. Join the Pickin' Party
Every Friday night, Bill's Music Shop & Pickin' Parlor (710 Meeting Stret) hosts a jam session where local bluegrass musicians gather to play, have fun and show off a bit. Come see howColumbia really parties! 7:30-midnight. 803.796.6477.

Other Great Dates to Experience in Columbia, SC!

Take the Next Step
With the sun shining brighter than ever, now is the time to switch up your routine, get in the sun and allow your endorphins to go into overdrive. "Hikes are great because...moving around and surveying the environment dissipates tension and gives you way more to talk about," notes one excursion operator. The Congaree National Park offers all kinds of guided walks and talks from the Tree Trek to the Owl Prowl. Check them out online for more information on what they have to offer. If you're looking for something more extreme like ATV trails, Horse trails or Mountain Bike trails, here is a link to all of the SC State Trails.

Let's Go Fly a Kite
Yes, I mean that literally. Pick up a $10 kite from Target (or a less expensive one from the Dollar store) and head to Finlay Park. With the large field, packed play structure, calming pond and beautiful fountain, you'll fit right in! Use this experience to find out more about your date. Does s/he have a sense of humor? A short temper? An outrageous competitive side? Or an absolute love for fun...no matter what you're doing? “It’s so fun seeing how people react to their success (or lack thereof) with a kite, and if it gets caught in a tree, who cares?!” said Katherin Scott, a dating coach.

Jazz It or Rock It Up a Little
Columbia is a hot spot for live music, especially during the Summer months. The Rhythm on the River Concert Series, Music at Sandhill and Finlay Park Sizzlin Summer Concert Series bring a wide variety of musical talent to Columbia. “There’s great energy [at a concert]. You’re sitting closer than you would if you just had dinner together, and since it’s at night, everyone looks better.” says Rorri Green, relationship consultant and president of Get the Girl. In addition, "the music gives you your own personal soundtrack as you two talk quietly about everything imaginable—and it offers a pleasant distraction when the conversation naturally lulls."

Let Your Hair Down
The best part of living in Columbia is that we are within a simple drive to the mountains, beach and horse country. Rent a motorcycle from Thunder Tower Harley-Davidson, let your hair blow in the wind and enjoy the luxury of changing the scene for the night. Use the mini road trip and fun of city hopping as the date and eat cheap once you've reached your destination!

Float Away
The Summer is here and we have so much water around us. Rent a tube, raft, kayak or canoe from Palmetto Outdoors and spend a leisurly afternoon floating down the river. Allowing nature to guide your date will let you relax and truly enjoy eachother's company. Or, take on some rapids and see how well you work and communicate as a team.

Experience the World Together with a Fork (or chopstix!)
Share the experience and excitement of trying foods from around the world! On www.hugerstreet.com you will find information on Japanese, Mexican, Greek, Vietnamese, Mediterranean and American restaurants. Choose several places--try the first for drinks and appetizers, another for your entrees and then go someplace else for dessert! You'll love the food...and love sharing it! To get more information about restaurants in Columbia SC, visit our dining page.

Rhythm on the River
Head to the Riverwalk in the afternoon, park by the bridge off Meeting Street in West Columbia and enjoy walking hand-in-hand along a nicely paved trail that meanders the west bank of the rock-strewn beautiful Congaree River. Make your own rhythm on the river...or stick around Saturday evenings (6-9 pm; April 25th-June 27th) as couples gather at the Riverwalk Amphitheater in West Columbia for some very cool outdoor concerts. The best part is that the concerts are free of charge, courtesy of the West Metro Chamber of Commerce. Groove to jazz, country, rock and more! www.myspace.com/rhythmontheriversc.

Lake Murray Skippered Cruises
Relax on a romantic sunset sail or come for a daysail to see more of the lake. Bring your picnic and be ready for life at a sail's pace! Your skipper can do all the work or you can take over the controls...with the skipper's supervision of course! Call 803-317-9070 to schedule your cruise or to get more information!

What's Your Impression?
Visit the Columbia Museum of Art and see Turner to Cezanne: Masterpieces from the Davies Collection, National Museum Wales - on view for the first time in the US! Ask your date how s/he feels about each piece within one of the most stunning collections of Impressionism in the world. See works by Renoir, Monet, Manet and other celebrated masters of Impressionism. An experience in art appreciation can do wonders for cultivating relationships as you learn what each of you like and dislike! Now through June 7. www.columbiamuseum.org

Gettin' Down and Dirty
30 minutes north of Columbia lies Carolina Adventure World, where you can rent an ATV or bring your own bike and travel over 100 miles of nature trails past babbling brooks, streams, waterfalls and even beside a beaver pond. The Blue Sky Zip Line allows you to glide over forests, stream beds and off cliffs! This is an awesome experience for those who are into intensive dating. www.carolinaadventureworld.net