The Blythewood area lacks decent parks, but Doko is a very nice place with a very nice nature…read moretrail, nice restrooms, an excellent playground, a cafe in the rebuilt train station, an amphitheater for concerts, lots of open grass fields, a picturesque pond and a venue for special events. The annual July 4th event is the biggest in the area and is great for families. The park also features a farmer's market one day a week, and other events featuring food trucks and vendors. There is ample parking, picnic tables and a historic town hall. One event that is fun for the kids is the painted rock hunt. People have painted rocks and have scattered them throughout the area kids can pick them up as they see them, take pictures of them, and hide them for others to find. This is a great park!

Great place to enjoy the outdoor and relax. Went there for their Fourth of July celebration and was…read morevery impressed with the firework show that was displayed. Returned a week later to ride my bike. Great trails with an even prettier pond. Awesome job to whoever designed this park.

It was a beautiful day. Very nice walk. We pushed a stroller without problem. Loved seeing the…read moreturtles and even got to see a snake and egret. Just bummed that a large part was closed so wasn't able to get all my steps in.

Beautiful park. We were able to take a nice afternoon walk. There are some nice spots to take…read morepictures.

Impressed with the intentional use of space!…read more We made a day trip to Columbia, SC and needed to stretch our legs and burn some energy. Finlay Park offers a GREAT playground with slides, rope ladders, climbing limbs, splash pad, and turf slide. Plenty of room to relax or log a few steps. There is a beautiful water fountain, grotto and pond where they offer sailboat rentals . There is also 2 miles of sidewalk and pathways for walking or taking advantage of the roller skate rentals they offer. Not to mention pickleball courts, ping pong, soccer goals, and fitness court. A round of applause to the City of Columbia for this amazing recreational and public space.

This went from an unsafe blight on our city to a polished jewel. Our experience was beyond…read moreexpectation, tons of art and sculptures to gaze upon while visiting Finlay Park. Park rangers diligently worked cleaning the paths this morning. Several families were here soaking in the fun. Great park to for walking or to play on the pickle ball courts. Nice Sunday morning outing today !!!

In Columbia on business and needed to get out and exercise. I am so thankful to have found this…read moretrail on Yelp. It is a safe environment with plenty of people out walking, plus it's dog friendly. Beautiful scenery and homes along the trail and not to mention you're surrounded by water and the sound of the stream will keep you going. I did see a few people out riding bikes as well. I'm a biker myself, but didn't think that the trail was large enough for large groups on bikes. But then again, are most trails ever?? If you're in the area please do plan to check it out and go for a stroll. Parking is limited, but also available down the street.

It's such a beautiful park the paths are sidewalks so I could get thru with my wheelchair, the…read morecarvings are beautiful and the rest of the art on the walk is beautiful, it's the perfect park!

This is a great family outing…read more The lights are always well done. About half way through, you can stop for a hay ride ans race your kids down the hill on the slide. Kids can write letters to Santa and buy hot chocolate and snacks. It was a nice warm 48 degrees when we went there. Get out have some fun and make a few memories.

If you love Christmas lights, this is one of the best spots to be. The trail is 4miles long, and we…read morewere able to stroll through for the annual Sleigh Bell Trot. The light displays don't really change year after year, so if you've been last year, there aren't any new surprises this year. Still a fun night out! Safe and clean!

Pine Island State Park is beautiful, but we aren't sure if you could call it a state park. It's…read moremore like a city park or a recreational area. There are no actual hiking trails at Pine Island, but rather a sidewalk that goes along part of Lake Murray. They have multiple picnic tables (large enough areas to hold a birthday party or other event), benches, a miniature beach with kayaks, a playground, and a new and clean restroom. They do charge you a fee of about $6 or $3.50 depending on the age of the visitor(s). Pine Island has many amenities that most South Carolina state parks do not have, but once again does not feel like a state park. It would be nice if they construct an actual hiking trail.

Beautiful addition to SC state parks. Just know that it is a very small park and there aren't…read moretrails like other state parks. There is one paved walking path, but there are full grassy areas to walk around in the open sun, so it can get hot for a stroll. Plenty of covered picnic spots or swings to take in the beauty of Lake Murray.

The park has a nice swimming area, with picnic shelters and grills. (You must bring your own…read morebriquettes etc). The water is clean and refreshing and lovely for swimming. Even though it was the weekend it was not too crowded. Parking is a bit tricky. Unless you have a reservation, you have to let them scan a QR code to your phone, and provide an email address so they can send a link to a payment portal. All of this pretty cumbersome, and the time it takes means that cars get backed up at the entrance. Add extra time for confusion if older people are trying to figure this out! Best to prepare by either having a digital native ready to take charge, or pay in advance. After all this is sorted, parking is easy and you can relax and have fun.

I spent a wonderful afternoon here. Parking does cost, however there is plenty of seating, grills,…read moreand swim areas. I especially loved the beautiful view of the lake! This is a great place for families, dates, or self care. The only downside was no dogs allowed.

Lake Murray Dam walkway, travel down Lake Murray Blvd will run into it…read more I come here to run occasionally as it is scenic, breezy, straight, and runners frequent. I just started parking on the Irmo side, parking to left of guard house is free. On a weekend I can see this lot filling up quickly it's not a lot of spaces free. I do think this side is more stretching friendly than the Lexington side. Speaking of Lexington side I always parked there with larger overflow lot but there was construction there last time that closed half the spaces. The walkway across dam is wide enough for about three people walking side by side but for runners it can get hard to pass the more populated. I've seen roller skaters out there, strollers, dog walkers although there is no grass only concrete so pick up the doo. The mileage is about 3.4 miles across and back; there isn't any man made shade except the short barrier wall between lake and walkway. If you come during the day will be in full sun so recommend morning or evening for shadier walks/runs. It's an easy run across, is windy certain spots so make sure hat is tight or you will lose it. Worth visiting.

Beautiful public park next to a dam - today's local adventure. My fur friend Cleo and I were out…read moreand about exploring neighboring cities and happened upon this smaller park area. The lake views are gorgeous! There's a small pier people fish from. Although windy, some people were picnicking in a couple spots. Geese and butterflies greeted us as we strolled by the water for a bit. Was a lovely, relaxing morning in local nature before the storm rolled in.