Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Columbia travel guide

Columbia Tourism | Columbia Guide

You're Going to Love Columbia

With a population of 99,615, Columbia is a must-see destination in Maryland, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Columbia has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Columbia

If you’re looking for affordable options, Coho Grill (11130 Willow Bottom Drive) and Bertucci's - Columbia (9081 Snowden River Parkway) are great picks.

When to visit Columbia

Columbia in December
Estimated hotel price
$131
1 night at 3-star hotel
Columbia in December
Estimated hotel price
$131
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Columbia

Plane

When flying to Columbia, you’ll arrive at Baltimore/Washington Airport (BWI), which is located 10 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Columbia departs from Miami and takes around 2h 30m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Columbia. The train journey from Columbia to Baltimore takes 0h 27m and costs around $6 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $11 for a 2h 02m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Columbia is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 185 miles from Columbia. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Columbia, including Greyhound, Bus and FlixBus. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Columbia takes 140 miles and will cost you around $25. From New York, the ticket costs about $49 for a journey of 270 miles. Columbia’s bus station is located 3 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Columbia, you’ll arrive at Baltimore/Washington Airport (BWI), which is located 10 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Columbia departs from Miami and takes around 2h 30m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Columbia. The train journey from Columbia to Baltimore takes 0h 27m and costs around $6 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $11 for a 2h 02m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Columbia is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 185 miles from Columbia. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Columbia, including Greyhound, Bus and FlixBus. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Columbia takes 140 miles and will cost you around $25. From New York, the ticket costs about $49 for a journey of 270 miles. Columbia’s bus station is located 3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Columbia

FDKFrederick
FMEFort Meade Tipton

Airlines serving Columbia

KLM
Good (1,372 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,104 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,954 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,826 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,846 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,287 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,590 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,418 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,692 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,093 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,222 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,366 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,312 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,914 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,324 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (1,000 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (929 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,910 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (266 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Columbia

Most booked hotels in Columbia

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Merriweather Lakehouse, Autograph Collection
4 stars
Excellent (9, 101 reviews)
$311+
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DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 675 reviews)
$143+
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Live! Casino And Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 536 reviews)
$236+
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Hampton Inn Columbia
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 619 reviews)
$110+
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Staybridge Suites Columbia - Baltimore
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1071 reviews)
$117+
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Sonesta Select Columbia
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 808 reviews)
$96+
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Renting a car in Columbia

Renting a car in Columbia costs $61 per day, on average, or $242 if you want to rent if for 4 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 14% cheaper than airport locations in Columbia.

Expect to pay $3.52 per gallon in Columbia (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $42.25 and $56.33. The most frequently booked car type in Columbia is Full-size (Nissan Pathfinder or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Class Commercial Truck or similar) are, on average, 71% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Columbia costs $61 per day, on average, or $242 if you want to rent if for 4 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 14% cheaper than airport locations in Columbia.

Expect to pay $3.52 per gallon in Columbia (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $42.25 and $56.33. The most frequently booked car type in Columbia is Full-size (Nissan Pathfinder or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Class Commercial Truck or similar) are, on average, 71% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Car rental agencies in Columbia

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Hertz

Hertz
Find car rentals in Columbia

Columbia Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Columbia city guide for the best Columbia travel tips. To help you organize your Columbia trip ideas, this Columbia visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.