Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
Zoo · Columbia, South Carolina
A zoo on one bank of the Saluda River and a botanical garden on the other, joined by a bridge, spanning two counties and included in a single ticket. The garden side is the half most visitors underrate and several return for: thirty-odd acres of planted ground around the ruins of an 1890s textile mill, with the river running through it. Opened in 1974 on the site of an earlier failed attempt, it is the most visited attraction in the state capital.
500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, South Carolina, 29210, United States
Open daily, generally 9 AM to 5 PM with extended summer hours and reduced winter hours, and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. ONE TICKET COVERS BOTH THE ZOO AND THE BOTANICAL GARDEN across the river. Parking is charged separately. Some habitats close in cold weather and animals are given indoor access in extreme heat, so a midsummer afternoon can be a tour of empty enclosures.
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