Ideal city for vegans + great outdoor lifestyle
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6/30/2018
My expectation for Columbia were low after living in Seattle, NYC, the DC area and Raleigh NC. Fast forward 6 months and I absolutely love this pretty city called "Cola" by the locals! I am an umarried professional age 40, and find a ton to do. The downtown is walkable with broad roads, historic buildings and an amazing tree canopy. There are farmers markets, hip eateries and lots of fresh produce. Did anyone know that Columbia is currently a vegan and vegetarian paradise? The food is scrumptious and I've sampled the cuisine 25+ countries! The USC campus is gorgeous and there are all kinds of places to walk. In addition, there are art museums and a beautiful river. The city is full of low hills which makes it soothing to look out into the distance. I would love to see the city attract more performing arts (there is a small scene but it could grow) and more direct, lower cost flights. That said, this is a wonderful place to live. It is not currently jammed up with random people flocking in from everywhere like most other places. I was conflicted over even writing this review, but I decided to do so. It's not NYC but it is a down-to-Earth community, beautiful place with sunshine and clean air. I find the weather lovely - summers are hot but it's not hot year round. This city is highly underrated by the media. I totally love it.
Emily | Irmo, SC