Download GPX file for this article
39.24028-76.83944Full screen dynamic map

From Wikivoyage
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Columbia is a planned city in Howard County, Central Maryland. It differs strongly from most notions of what constitutes a "city," as the planner divided the densely populated, but decidedly suburban in character, city into ten "villages," each of which are divided into several neighborhoods, leaving the city with a less obvious center.

Get in

Map
0°0′0″N 0°0′0″E
Map of Columbia (Maryland)

By plane

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI IATA) is approximately 12 miles from Columbia. As noted below, RTA operates bus service between the airport and Columbia.

By car

Columbia is easily accessible from both I-95 and US-29, which run parallel to each other near Columbia. From either of these roads, exit at either Route 32, Route 175, or Route 100. Route 175, which is called Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, connects to the city center and the Mall in Columbia.

By train

The closest train station to Columbia is BWI Rail Station, from where Amtrak and MARC Train operate service to Washington DC and Baltimore.

By bus

RTA offers hourly bus service on its Silver Route from the Mall in Columbia to BWI Airport and the BWI Rail Station, where further connections are available to Washington DC and Baltimore. At BWI Airport, catch the Silver Route bus outside Pier E, the International Terminal, on the lower level.

Dillon Bus Service operates commuter buses between Columbia and Washington DC and Silver Spring during weekday rush hours.

Get around

By foot

A well-kept network of walking paths winds through Columbia, mostly in wooded natural areas.

By car

Travel within Columbia is largely by auto, although the city was originally planned as a pedestrian and bicycle friendly group of villages.

By bicycle

Streets are winding and hilly; cyclists should bring their eighteen-speeds.

By bus

RTA operates several bus routes through the villages and connect to some adjacent communities. Most bus routes are hourly, with limited service on weekends.

See

For those interested in town planning and intentional communities, Columbia's layout and village centers preserve a good deal of James Rouse's 1960s-era vision of a diverse and harmonious setting open to residents of all backgrounds. Harper's Choice Village Center and Wilde Lake Village Center (which was the first to be built) have interesting small shops and public spaces.

  • 1 The Maryland Museum of African Art, 8775 Cloudleap Ct (downtown off Route 175). (updated Dec 2020)
  • 2 Columbia Art Center, 6100 Foreland Garth (Long Reach). (updated Dec 2020)
  • 3 Robinson Nature Center (James and Anne Robinson Nature Center), 6692 Cedar Ln Columbia, MD 21044, ☏ +1 410 313-0400. W-Sa 9 AM-5 PM Su Noon-5 PM The Center is closed Mondays & Tuesdays. Also closed Apr 5, Jul 4, Nov 26-27 & Dec 25, 2015. Adults $5, Children (3-17 yrs) $3, Under 3 free. James and Anne Robinson Nature Center (Q16899376) on Wikidata Robinson Nature Center on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2015)
  • 4 Lake Kittamaqundi, 10275 Wincopin Cir. Lake with walking trail around it. Lake Kittamaqundi (Q6476468) on Wikidata Lake Kittamaqundi on Wikipedia (updated Nov 2020)

Do

Concerts and theater

  • 2 Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy. A large amphitheater that hosts many concerts and festivals. (updated Dec 2020)
  • 3 Toby's Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Road, toll-free: +1-800-888-6297. 6:00PM for evening shows (5:00PM on Sundays) and 10:30AM for matinees. Box Office hours are 10:00AM to 9:00PM, daily. Award-winning musicals, with dinner! 

Festivals and events

  • 4 Lakefront Summer Festival, 10275 Wincopin Cir (Lake Kittamaqundi). Free outdoor movies and concerts every day during the summer. (updated Dec 2020)
  • Symphony of Lights Festivities (Symphony Woods). Annual drive-through festival of lights open at night from late December to early January. Proceeds benefit the Howard County General Hospital. 
  • Wine in the Woods. An annual wine festival during mid-May. 

Buy

  • 1 Second Edition Books & Music, 6490 Dobbin Rd. a nifty little used book store in the same shopping center as the MVA Express. You'll find books, CDs, DVDs, and vinyl. (updated Dec 2020)
  • 2 The Mall in Columbia, 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy. one of the largest malls in the area and sports several higher-end department stores such as Nordstroms and Lord & Taylor. Great for fine gifts and luxery items. Also attached to a movie theatre and several restaurants. 

Eat

  • 1 Maiwand Kabob, 6131 Columbia Crossing Cir. The best kabobs in Maryland. 
  • 2 Mango Grove, 8865 Stanford Blvd, ☏ +1 410-884-3426. Vegetarian Indian food. Daily lunch buffet and delivery. (updated Dec 2020)
  • 3 Pars Market LLC, 9400 Snowden River Parkway # 109 (Columbia, MD 21045), ☏ +1 443-259-0002. Best Ethnic Market in Columbia, Great Selection of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Foods 
  • 4 [dead link] Royal Taj, 8335 Benson Dr, ☏ +1 410-381-1111. Upscale Indian restaurant. Popular and often crowded, so call ahead. (updated Dec 2020)
  • 5 Sushi King Columbia, 6490 Dobbin Rd. voted best sushi restaurant in the area in 2010 and have absolutely delicious specialty rolls. (updated Dec 2020)
  • 6 [dead link] Asean Bistro, 8775 Centre Park Dr, ☏ +1 410 772-5300. (updated Feb 2016)

Drink

  • 1 Xitomate, 5850 Waterloo Rd Ste 100, ☏ +1 410-750-8787. Good Mexican food, great atmosphere. Lots of tequila. 

Sleep

Connect

Go next

Routes through Columbia
Baltimore ← Arbutus ←  N  S  → Laurel → Washington, D.C.
END ← Ellicott City ←  N  S  → Colesville-Burtonsville → Washington, D.C.



This city travel guide to Columbia is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?title=Columbia_(Maryland)&oldid=4099140"