It’s very easy to spend a day exploring Columbia.
I first went to Columbia more than a decade ago to visit the Polk Home and Museum. A real estate agent who sold a wood cabin down the street from me in Inglewood claimed President James K. Polk lived in it (it was later moved to this location). There is zero evidence that's true (believe me, I've looked). The only surviving residence from President Polk, besides the White House, is in Columbia. It features artifacts from the 11th president, including furniture and White House china. This house sits downtown, a block from Public Square, so it’s an easy educational stop before shopping or eating.
Columbia's charming central Public Square centers around the Maury County Courthouse. My favorite day to head to Columbia is First Fridays, the first Friday of the month, when shops stay open late and streets close so you can explore shops, food trucks, live music, and other entertainment.
Downtown also has a children’s museum, a record store, a bookstore, and a singing barbershop. I used to come down here to go to Hattie Jane’s Creamery before they opened closer to me in Inglewood and Donelson. There are coffee shops, breweries, and BriarWorks, a pipe-making factory where you can watch pipes being made, pick one to smoke, and hang out with a craft beer. The Mulehouse is a beautiful music venue.
Just a few minutes from downtown is the Columbia Arts District, across from the historic railroad depot, Union Station. Row & Co. is an incubator for small businesses, including a yarn store, hair salon, and a bagel shop. Bradley Mountain makes canvas and leather goods and sells them from a mercantile/coffee shop with outdoor seating in the back of Row & Co.
Around the corner is Mama Mila’s, a classic red sauce Italian restaurant. Unfortunately, I have yet to eat there, because whenever I go to Columbia I have to go to Gold’s Deli. It used to be a tiny shoebox in Row & Co. but recently moved across the street to a bigger space, still with the community vibe that owner George Kougias cultivated.
OG Nashville might miss Savarino’s, the Italian spot that used to be in Hillsboro Village. I’m happy to report that the family has a deli, take-out spot in Columbia. Toss a cooler in your trunk, so you can bring home fresh pasta or pasta-based soups, and other meals, plus treats from the baked goods case, including cannoli, seven-layer rainbow cookies, and black-and-white cookies.
