Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Columbia travel guide

Columbia Tourism | Columbia Guide

You're Going to Love Columbia

With a population of 99.615, Columbia is a must-see destination in Maryland, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Columbia has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Columbia

If you’re looking for affordable options, Glenwood's - Stanford Grill: Columbia (8900 Stanford Boulevard) and The Food Market - Columbia (10480 Little Patuxent Pkwy) are great picks.

When to visit Columbia

Columbia in August
Estimated hotel price
C$ 186
1 night at 3-star hotel
Columbia in August
Estimated hotel price
C$ 186
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Columbia

Plane

When flying to Columbia, you’ll arrive at Baltimore/Washington Airport (BWI), which is located 17 km from the city centre The shortest flight to Columbia from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 1h 29m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Columbia, followed by Acela. The train journey from Columbia to Philadelphia takes 2h 01m and costs around C$ 15 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about C$ 30 for a 3h 17m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Columbia is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 298 km from Columbia. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Columbia, including Bus, OurBus and Washington Deluxe. From Richmond, the bus ride to Columbia takes 225 km and will cost you around C$ 41. From Philadelphia, the ticket costs about C$ 66 for a journey of 257 km. Columbia’s bus station is located 4 km from the downtown.

Plane

When flying to Columbia, you’ll arrive at Baltimore/Washington Airport (BWI), which is located 17 km from the city centre The shortest flight to Columbia from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 1h 29m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Columbia, followed by Acela. The train journey from Columbia to Philadelphia takes 2h 01m and costs around C$ 15 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about C$ 30 for a 3h 17m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Columbia is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 298 km from Columbia. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Columbia, including Bus, OurBus and Washington Deluxe. From Richmond, the bus ride to Columbia takes 225 km and will cost you around C$ 41. From Philadelphia, the ticket costs about C$ 66 for a journey of 257 km. Columbia’s bus station is located 4 km from the downtown.

Airports near Columbia

FDKFrederick
FMEFort Meade Tipton

Airlines serving Columbia

KLM
Good (1,517 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,984 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,451 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,370 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,219 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,588 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,731 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,571 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,723 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,778 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,056 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,191 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,396 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,252 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,332 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,439 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (12,377 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,976 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (307 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (211 reviews)
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Where to stay in Columbia

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Extended Stay America Select Suites - Columbia - Gateway Drive and Extended Stay America Suites - Columbia - Columbia Corporate Park.

Where to stay in popular areas of Columbia

Most booked hotels in Columbia

See all
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Columbia Fort Meade Area
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
C$ 164+
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Hampton Inn & Suites Columbia South
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
C$ 151+
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Hampton Inn Columbia
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
C$ 150+
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Embassy Suites by Hilton Baltimore at BWI Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 188+
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DoubleTree By Hilton Hotel Baltimore - BWI Airport
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
C$ 153+
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La Quinta Inn & Suites By Wyndham Baltimore Bwi Airport
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
C$ 117+
View

Renting a car in Columbia

Expect to pay C$ 1.74 per litre in Columbia (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 20.79 and C$ 27.72. The most frequently booked car type in Columbia is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Class Commercial Truck or similar) are, on average, 73% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Expect to pay C$ 1.74 per litre in Columbia (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 20.79 and C$ 27.72. The most frequently booked car type in Columbia is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Class Commercial Truck or similar) are, on average, 73% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.