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, Uncle Julio's - Columbia (10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Ste 2530) and Corner Stable - Columbia (8630 Guilford Road) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Cazbar - Columbia (9400 Snowden River Pkwy Ste 122) and Homeslyce - Columbia (9400 Snowden River Pkwy) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Columbia.

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 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Columbia, followed by Acela. The train journey from Columbia to Philadelphia takes 2h 06m and costs around $11 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Newark, expect to pay about $22 for a 3h 16m 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 Bus, OurBus and Peter Pan Bus Lines. From Richmond, the bus ride to Columbia takes 110 miles and will cost you around $49. From Philadelphia, the ticket costs about $25 for a journey of 140 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 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Columbia, followed by Acela. The train journey from Columbia to Philadelphia takes 2h 06m and costs around $11 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Newark, expect to pay about $22 for a 3h 16m 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 Bus, OurBus and Peter Pan Bus Lines. From Richmond, the bus ride to Columbia takes 110 miles and will cost you around $49. From Philadelphia, the ticket costs about $25 for a journey of 140 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 (1,366 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,083 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,973 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,811 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,853 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,471 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,285 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,596 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,660 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,413 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,089 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,341 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,301 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,224 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,911 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,319 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (921 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (998 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,919 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (264 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Columbia

Most booked hotels in Columbia

See all
DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 672 reviews)
$134+
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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, 618 reviews)
$111+
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Staybridge Suites Columbia - Baltimore
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1070 reviews)
$118+
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Sonesta Select Columbia
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 801 reviews)
$89+
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Wingate by Wyndham Baltimore BWI Airport
2 stars
Good (7.9, 1825 reviews)
$92+
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Renting a car in Columbia

Renting a car in Columbia costs $54 per day, on average, or $215 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 23% cheaper than airport locations in Columbia.

Expect to pay $3.56 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 $42.70 and $56.93. 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 Intermediate rental cars (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) are, on average, 44% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Columbia costs $54 per day, on average, or $215 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 23% cheaper than airport locations in Columbia.

Expect to pay $3.56 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 $42.70 and $56.93. 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 Intermediate rental cars (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) are, on average, 44% 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.