Are your kids excited to search out some colorful Easter Eggs at the Easter Egg Hunts in Columbia, SC this year? Maybe you’re looking for more Easter things to do, like catching up with the Easter Bunny for a special bunny photo. Or, maybe an Easter craft activity is more to your liking. Either way, we have a totally huge list of Columbia’s Easter Egg hunts and Easter events to help you out.
We hope it’ll help you make the most of the Easter season in Columbia, SC with your family!
We’ll be adding to this list throughout the Easter season, so check back soon for all the best Easter events in Columbia, SC!
April 8, 2023: 10 am to 1 pm- Children’s Easter Egg hunt that includes a cow train, wagon rides, bubbles, playground, obstacle course, and photos with the Easter Bunny. Tickets are $15 or $10 for those not participating in the egg hunt.
And now for a different kind of egg hunt! Visit Lexington parks and match each egg to the correct location.
Print your form or pick one up at the Lexington Town Hall.
Submit your form by April 10th for a chance to win!
More Egg Hunts in Columbia, SC
Easter Bunny Photos: Columbia, SC
Photos with the Easter Bunny are a time-honored tradition. Where can you can get a photo with the Easter Bunny in Columbia, SC?
Visit these events to snap a picture with the Easter Bunny.
Easter Bunny Photos at Columbiana Centre
100 Columbiana Circle, Columbia, SC 29212 Bunny Photo Experiences run March 17th, 2023 through April 8th, 2023 Photo package costs range from $40 – $50. You need to either pay $20 at booking and select photo package at your appointment or select the desired package at booking. (Your $20 booking fee will be applied toward the package purchase.)
Free Easter Bunny Photos at Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops
Head up to Greenville, SC or Charlotte, NC for an opportunity to get a free professional, printed 4×6 photo with the Easter Bunny at Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops. Registration opens March 25th, 2023, and you will definitely want to register in advance.
Who doesn’t want to have breakfast or brunch with the Easter Bunny himself? Or maybe you can catch the bunny and share a special cupcake, cookie, or Easter treat.
Make plans to head to one of these places and you can spend some time with the Easter Bunny and enjoy some yummy food, too!
More Easter Events: Everything happening for Easter in Columbia, SC
Easter Egg Hunt Tips For Families
Choose Your Egg Hunt Wisely.
Choose a hunt that fits the age of your children and their temperaments. A fast, competitive child might enjoy a free-for-all egg hunt, but some children might find the same hunt frightening and sadly leave without a single egg.
No one wants tears at an Easter Egg hunt, right?
So, find out . . . What are the rules for this egg hunt?
What are the ages of kids hunting together?
Is there a limit of eggs per kid?
How large is the event? (The larger the number of kids hunting at the same time, the greater chance there will be some aggressive behavior from the kids hunting.)
How much waiting is involved?
Dress Appropriately
Easter is mid-April this year which means the day could rapidly go from a cool early morning to a hot late morning or afternoon depending on the weather.
Think layers. Keep them on if it’s cooler, or take off a layer if it gets warm or if your kids get hot from running around.
Remember the sunscreen. The UV index can catch you by surprise this time of year.
Footwear should be something kids can run in. Tennis shoes are best. Keep those toes covered so they don’t get stepped on or bit by ants.
Many of the public hunts offer bounce houses for the kids to play in so be sure your kids wear socks.
Plan ahead
Plan time to park. Give yourself at least 30 minutes before the hunt is scheduled to begin for parking and registration. If your egg hunt has an age requirement for a specific time, your child will likely only be allowed to hunt at that time.
Bring water and snacks if you think the kids will get hungry waiting for the hunt to start.
Stash some backup eggs in the car. If your kiddo isn’t able to collect any for whatever reason, you’ll be glad you did!
Looking for free activities in Columbia, SC? You can fill up a day in Columbia without spending a dime! We’ve compiled a list and it is packed full of free and cheap ideas for you. Grab your family and make some fun-filled memories together for free. Here’s our list of free things to do in Columbia, SC with kids!
Go on a walk: Head to Columbia’s Riverwalk for a walk with your family. With more than 20 miles of riverwalk and trails, it’s the perfect place to enjoy the outdoors. You can find shade under the trees and bridges, and parking is free!
Have a picnic at the Horseshoe at the University of South Carolina:The Horseshoe at USC is a perfect place to have a family picnic and spend the afternoon. Bring some outdoor toys and bikes and enjoy the weather together. While there’s plenty of shade, you will need to bring a little money to park.
Cool off at a pool or splash pad: One of the most fun things to do in the summer is taking your kids to a pool or splash pad. While the Maxcy Gregg and Greenview Pools have a small fee ($3 – $4 depending on age), the splash pads and spray pools are free and open to the public.
Play at one of the local parks or playgrounds: What kid doesn’t love to run around at a cool playground? There are plenty of beautiful parks with great playgrounds in the Columbia area.
If you are looking for a great park with shade to avoid those famously hot Columbia days, Hollywood Park is an excellent choice. For the days you’re wanting to be more immersed in nature, check out Doko Meadows Park.
If you are needing an all-inclusive playground, then Leo’s Landing is definitely the park to go to.
In West Columbia, Carraway Park has an amazing playground space!
Carraway Park
Sesquicentennial State Park has lots of amenities, including $5 kayak rentals. Park admission is required unless you have SC State Park Annual Pass. If you do, admission is free.
Ride bikes: Grab your bikes and go on a bike ride. Download the Sprocket app, an app created by The Cola Town Bike Collective, to help you find the perfect, safe bike route for you and your family.
Go Swimming at Lake Murray: Pay $5 to park at the closest parking lot or use the free parking and walk. Either way, enjoy the beach and swimming area on a sunny day with your family.
Lake Murray Park
Go see an outdoor movie: The Icehouse Amphitheater in Lexington shows movies every now and then. Be sure to check their schedule for upcoming shows and other events. You can also enjoy a summer movie for free at Doko Meadows park.
Head out for a hike: There are plenty of hiking trails in Columbia. From paved multi-use trails to longer, more rugged trails, you’ll find something for you and your family to enjoy. Check out our list of some of the best hiking trails with free admittance in the Columbia, SC area.
Cayce Riverwalk | Main Entrance: 201 Naples Avenue, Cayce, SC
Columbia Canal and Broad River Trail | 312 Laurel Street., Columbia, SC
Saluda Riverwalk | Candi Lane, Columbia, SC
Guignard Clay Quarry Loop | 634 Old State Road, Cayce, SC
Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve | 883 Peachtree Rock Road, Lexington, SC
Congaree National Park Hiking Trails | 100 National Park Road, Hopkins, SC
Stroll down Main Street for Soda City Market: Every Saturday from 9 am – 1 pm, vendors gather on Main Street for a European-inspired street market for the Soda City Market. Everything sold is unique, hand-crafted, and produced in the Southeast. While strolling and perusing what the vendors have to offer, you’ll hear music and be able to do a lot of people-watching.
Throw a frisbee around at one of the disc golf courses: Grab your disc golf frisbee and play disc golf for free. Udisc has a list of courses in the area.
Go on a public art tour: You can treat this as a scavenger hunt if you’d like, but there are plenty of public art installations around Columbia that you can visit for free. One Columbia has an interactive map for you to find art spots.
The art in Columbia includes the “world’s largest fire hydrant” sculpture located on Taylor Street in Columbia, SC, between Marion and Bull Street.
Grab the family and head to one of the many Columbia area farmer’s markets! One of the most popular, The Soda City Farmers Market in Downtown Columbia, has tons of vendors and is a lot of fun for the entire family. You can also check out The Market at Icehouse, located at the Icehouse Amphitheatre in Lexington.
First Thursdays on Main: First Thursdays on Main include free live music and even free admission to cultural venues, like the Columbia Museum of Art on select First Thursdays. Food and other items are available for purchase.
Attend a FREE event at Congaree National Park, like the Ranger Guided Owl Prowl hike. You might get a chance to see or hear one of these amazing creatures in the wild! But even if you don’t, you’ll learn a lot and have some fun!
Play pickleball: Pickleball has become quite a popular hobby in the last few years! There are several public pickleball courts all throughout Columbia that operate on a first-come, first serve basis:
Go Geocaching: Have you ever been geocaching? We can assure you that this is an activity that your whole family will get hooked on! Geocaching is an outdoor game, very similar to a treasure hunt, where you use GPS to locate different “treasures” hidden by others.
Richland County has set up an interactive geocaching game where you can learn how to keep our waterways clean, experience local art, and hunt for geocaches! Start by downloading a “Drains Aren’t Dumps Passport” and you will quickly be on your way to discovering awesome treasure.
Decorate, Hide, and Find Painted Rocks: Most of us are familiar with discovering painted rocks hidden throughout the city, but what you might not know is that there is a Facebook group called Columbia-SC Rocks! People will post pictures of their decorated rocks and give hints as to where they can be found. Along with hunting for them, it’s super fun to paint a few with your kiddos, go around to some of their favorite places, and hide them for others to enjoy.
Visit the Sandhill Children’s Garden: The Sandhill Children’s Garden is located near the Farmer’s Market on Clemson Road, across from the Sandhill Shopping Center. Here you will find beautiful gardens, birdhouses, neat flowers, and much more. There are sometimes even small events that take place here. Looking to introduce your children to volunteer work? The Sandhill Children’s Garden is almost always looking for new volunteers to keep the gardens looking spectacular!
Eat Free
Kids Eat FREE in Columbia: While you’re out and about on your free things to do adventure, grab a cheap meal by taking advantage of these kids eat free deals.
Free Things to Do Inside in Columbia, SC
Go Bowling: There are several bowling alleys in the Columbia area where kids up to age 15 can bowl for free in summer. You’ll still need to rent shoes or bring your own.
Grab a free DIY Kit from Home Depot: Home Depot has free Kids Workshop kits that you can pick up on the first Saturday of each month from 9 am – 12 pm while supplies last.
Participate in a DIY-U Lowe’s Event: Lowe’s has both in-store and online DIY workshops that are completely free! Workshops for kids usually take place once each month and are led by Red Vest experts. This is a GREAT hands-on activity that your kids will love! Be sure to register in advance for these events!
Tour the South Carolina State House: Want to get a little education with your activity? Head to the State House for a free guided or self-guided tour. Tours are given every half hour from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm Monday through Friday when the chambers are not in session. The State House is also open for tours each Saturday. You do not have to make a reservation, but you can call ahead if you’d like to.
Visit Fort Jackson’s military museum at the U.S. Army Basic Combat Training Museum for an educational trip in disguise. Guests can directly interact with soldiers, ask questions, and learn about the history and evolution of combat training.
Bonus! Are you a homeschooling family? The SC State Museum offers FREE admission to homeschooling families. The South Carolina State Museum is a great place to go explore and learn something new!
Free Events in Columbia, SC
What’s free and happening soon in Columbia, SC? This is a list of upcoming events that are free! That means there is no admission cost to attend these events, and may mean there are free crafts, entertainment, food, and more! However, there may be charges and fees for activities or food at some of these events so do check event websites for details.
Just click on each event for more information.
Bonus: Cheap Things to Do in Columbia, SC
Looking for a few more fun things to do for cheap? If you’re looking for some great family activities that won’t break the bank, we have a couple more ideas for you!
Petting Zoo Meet & Greets
Ready for animal fun? Bring the family to Two Girls and a Farm for just $20 for a family of 4. That even includes a bag of animal feed.
Need to have your child’s car seat checked in Columbia, SC? It’s true what they say, “you can never be too safe”, especially when it comes to your children! And car seat safety is absolutely no exception!
I’ve been there, trying to make sense of the manuals, all the straps, struggling to get everything pulled tight…it’s stressful to say the least. If you’re expecting, or even if you’ve had a car seat installed in your car for years, we’ve got all the info you’ll need to have your seats double-checked by the experts and set your mind at ease.
Would a Christmas day trip help your family enjoy some holiday spirit? There’s a bunch of places you can head for the weekend or just the day to enjoy some holiday fun away, just a short drive from Columbia, SC.
Check out our list of popular destinations for day trips during the holiday season. From train rides to giant light displays, and towns all decked out for Christmas there are some fantastic ideas on this list!
Thinking about a trip to the South Carolina Aquarium? This aquarium in Charleston, SC is truly an educational adventure the whole family can enjoy. Here are some tips for your visit and all the information you’ll need when you visit the South Carolina Aquarium.
