The Active Traveler’s Guide to Columbia, Missouri

Home to three colleges and perhaps a heightened sense of self, Columbia, Missouri, punches well above its population.

It’s the kind of campus town where historic brick streets lead to chef-owned restaurants, indie music venues, and breweries that take their tap lists as seriously as their syllabi.

CoMo also knows how to throw a party. The internationally acclaimed True/False Film Fest (March 5-8) turns the city into a pop-up cinema each spring, while the Unbound Book Festival (April 16-19) and Pedaler’s Jamboree (May 23-24) prove that Midwesterners can debate literature and ride bikes with equal passion.

Toss in SEC sports, gravel races, marathons, and the Show-Me State Games (June 11-14, July 17-19, and July 24-26), and the calendar stays packed year-round.

But the real flex? How quickly the noise drops away. Within minutes, Columbia trades crowds for creeks, limestone bluffs, caves, and shaded trails.

With dozens of city parks, nearby conservation areas, and three state parks at its doorstep, getting outside here requires little more than a plan — and maybe a post-adventure beverage.

Add these adventures to your CoMo itinerary and see why this higher-education hub refuses to stay indoors.

 

PARKS & TRAILS

Hike and bike at Rock Bridge Park
Located five miles south of Columbia is Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, where you can hike along some of Missouri’s most popular trails. The 2,272-acre park features a namesake rock bridge, sinkholes, and an underground stream in its seven-mile-long cave system, the Devil’s Icebox. The park also has 14 miles of mountain bike trails, and the Gans Creek Wild Area includes a rugged 8.5-mile trail surrounded by high bluffs, making it a favorite among trail runners.

Paddle at Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes State Park, located north of Columbia along Highway 63, was once an active strip mine. The narrow lakes of the repurposed mining site offer an experience more like a scenic river float than an open-water paddle. The setting is ideal for beginners, as there’s no moving current. The 4.5-mile water trail can be completed in two hours, leaving time to explore the park’s hiking and biking trails.

Climb at Capen
For outdoor climbing in mid-Missouri, Capen Park is a staple. It offers over 40 routes that range from slabby face climbs to overhanging roofs, providing a variety of experiences for climbers of different skill levels. The tallest crag stands 50 feet tall, with routes rated up to 5.11c.

 

Cruise the MKT Trail
Walk, bike, or run along the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail, voted the second-best urban trail by USA Today readers. The MKT starts downtown at Flat Branch Park and spans nine miles on crushed limestone through shaded woods and over old steel-and-wood railroad bridges, linking to the 240-mile Katy Trail near McBaine. Highlights include a “Voices from the Past” self-guided cell phone tour, a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial garden, and a mountain bike skills course.

Compete at Cosmo Park
Columbia’s Cosmopolitan (Cosmo) Park is a hub of athletic activity, hosting the annual Show-Me State Games and many other sporting events throughout the year. It’s also wildly popular with cyclists. The five-mile Bear Creek Trail is a flat path perfect for relaxed rides, while the park’s mountain bike skills course offers tougher challenges. Nearby, Rhett’s Run Mountain Bike Trail is a rugged four-mile loop. And Cosmo’s new cyclocross course regularly hosts adrenaline-charged races.

 

EAT & DRINK

Head down to Hittsville
It’s rare to find a bakery, bar, independent cinema, and record store all under one roof, but at 10 Hitt Street in downtown Columbia, that’s exactly what you’ll discover. Uprise Bakery specializes in made-from-scratch sandwiches, soups, salads, and pastries, and it has a well-stocked bar that stays open late. Ragtag Cinema shows the latest and greatest indie films (and yes, you can bring your food and drinks from Uprise into the theaters!), while Hitt Records offers two floors of collectible vinyl albums, CDs, cassettes, stereo systems, and merchandise.

Play in the Arcade District
Located northeast of Columbia’s downtown, two business areas — the Stockyards and the Arcade District — offer a variety of cool entertainment, dining, and drinking options. The Stockyards features Logboat Brewing, Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar, Pasta La Fata, and Walt’s Bike Shop. A stone’s throw away, the Arcade District is home to Irene’s BBQ, Beet Box, Six-Miles Ordinary Distillery, B-Sides Records, Tokyo Club Arcade, and Witches & Wizards Arcade. Plus, there’s Sentinel Park, where you can enjoy live music and outdoor movie nights on summer weekends.

 

Sip and sample at microbreweries
If locally crafted beverages are your thing, you won’t go thirsty in Columbia. Flat Branch Pub & Brewing is the city’s original brewpub, offering a wide variety of house-made beers and hearty food. Broadway Brewery features a rotating list of 12 craft brews, along with locally sourced produce and meats. Bur Oak Brewing Company has a seasonal selection of draft beers, including favorites like Big Tree Double IPA and Old 63 Pilsner. Trail Stop Brewery offers 10 beers on tap, wood-fired pizzas, and pickleball courts. Logboat Brewing Company features an extensive selection of beers and hard ciders, a large patio, and a great outdoor space.

Get bougie at Les Bourgeois
Les Bourgeois Vineyards, one of the largest winemakers in the state, is situated 15 miles west of Columbia near the small town of Rocheport. Les Bourgeois provides a stunning panoramic view of the countryside from the large picture windows and patio of the upscale Blufftop Bistro, and from the expansive, tiered decks of the casual A-Frame Wine Garden, which offers snacks and picnic plates to enjoy while overlooking the Missouri River.

 

WHERE TO STAY

Unwind at Cooper’s Landing
Cooper’s Landing Riverside Resort & Marina, located south of Columbia along the Katy Trail, has been welcoming guests from all over the country for years to experience a taste of mid-Missouri life. Visitors can enjoy fresh eats from a rotating lineup of Columbia’s food trucks, cold drinks from the newly renovated general store, and relax in comfortable camp and glamp sites. Just a short walk down the trail, you can view “BoatHenge,” central Missouri’s version of Stonehenge.

Sleep on Broadway
The Broadway is a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel in downtown Columbia, offering modern amenities and a lively experience from the ground up. It also features the upscale 11Eleven restaurant and possibly the best views of downtown from The Rooftop bar. Plus, it’s a short walk to downtown restaurants, cafes, and shops.

 

WELLNESS & FITNESS

Keep reaching at CoMo Rocks
As one of three indoor climbing gyms in the area, CoMo Rocks distinguishes itself by focusing on building community and empowering everyone who walks through its doors. Whether you’re a first-time climber or a seasoned vet, the routes here offer a fun and rewarding challenge. The gym also provides personal instruction along with yoga and fitness classes.

Leave it all on the mat
If you’re looking for a good stretch and a solid sweat, check out Sumits Hot Yoga on the south side of town. The certified instructors specialize in teaching Vinyasa Flow, Bikram, and Ashtanga yoga in a welcoming and non-judgmental environment. Sumits also features a retail boutique for mats, towels, and yogi apparel.

Toss a disc
Harmony Bends Championship Disc Golf Course is a bucket-list destination for serious and casual players alike. Designed by world-renowned disc golf architect John Houck and opened in 2016, the course was named the best disc golf course in the country just a year later. It has since hosted the Professional Disc Golf Association’s U.S. Masters tournament. Spanning 18 holes, Harmony Bends features multiple creeks, unique terrain, and scenic vistas that demand both precision and nerve.

Author: Kyle Wayne Stewart is a frequent contributor to Terrain.

Top image: The District in downtown Columbia. (Visit MO)