Riverfront Park Amphitheater — Attraction in Columbia

My wife and I, traveling from Charlotte, NC, decided to stop at the West Columbia Riverwalk Park and Amphitheater during our drive to Charleston, SC, for Christmas in December 2024. We were looking for a scenic and relaxing spot with benches, a natural setting, a water feature, and restrooms, and this park delivered perfectly.

Parking was a breeze, with plenty of open spaces in the lot. It was just a short five-minute walk from the parking area to the riverside bridge and the entrance to the riverfront walkway. The layout was intuitive, and the stroll to the river was both easy and enjoyable.

We enjoyed our packed lunch by the riverside while watching people pass by, which added a sense of liveliness to the tranquil atmosphere. After lunch, we walked about a mile along the beautifully maintained asphalt paths, which were straight and ideal for walkers, joggers, and runners alike. The path led us to a shaded overhang with picnic tables and benches, where we took in the peaceful view of turtles sunbathing on logs in the river—a delightful and calming experience.

The park felt family-friendly, with children also enjoying the serene views and the overall atmosphere. It’s clear this is a well-loved spot for locals and visitors alike. If I lived nearby, I’d make this park a regular destination for both relaxation and exercise.

Highly recommended for anyone passing through the area or looking for a peaceful retreat.

Note to Park Management: While the park was overall a wonderful experience, the women’s restroom was in poor condition during our visit, with several stalls dirty and unusable, potentially due to a prior incident. In contrast, the men’s restroom was spotless. We kindly suggest that park rangers check and clean the restrooms at least twice daily to ensure they remain welcoming and usable...

Absolutely loved this river walk! I was driving through from Virginia to Alabama and saw the water and decided I needed to stop. I am so happy I did! It was a beautiful walk and I loved that you could walk down by the river or up along by the canal trail. When I started walking I only planned for 15 minutes, but I so throughly enjoyed seeing the wild life I just kept walking. I was tickled to see an alligator out sun bathing. I ended up walking to the water treatment plant and loved that there was a green area with chairs and during warmer months hammocks. It was so peaceful to sit and watch the river, and seeing family’s out an about with their pets. I absolutely appreciated that there were bathrooms open at both ends of the walk. It was such a nice peaceful area to stop and stretch my legs after...

I come here mostly for fishing on my work breaks if time allows. The bridge is a good spot to try first and then decide from there if I need to go up or downstream. Sometimes you can see bald eagles dive down and show you where the fish are hiding (minus the one they've caught of course). There's a lot of tangled lines from other unsuccessful attempt which is frustrating for litter sake and it ruins your attempts as well. The further away from the bridge you go the less pressured it becomes and litter is not...