A significant number of parents frequent the West Columbia Riverwalk to exercise with their children. If you sit and watch on any morning, you’ll see a barrage of strollers rolling up and down the trail that runs beside the Congaree River.

There are also just as many who populate Riverwalk with their fur-babies on a leash. 

“We come here almost every day,” said Brana Hime of West Columbia. She had her two-and-a-half-year-old son with her. She was also pushing her seven-month-old in a stroller.

“We love the long walkway, Hime said. “We love the length of it. It’s good for my son to ride his bike.”

In addition to the trail, Hime said Riverwalk is a good place to exercise and she said she loves the view of the river and the breeze. “We get in the water sometimes.” 

When Hime’s six-year-old son is not in school, the family sometimes will cross Alexander Road and go to Carraway Park at the Riverwalk.  “We can spend a day here,” she said.

Natalie Horne lives in Sandy Run. She and her friend Kaitlin Swearingen first came to Riverwalk on Monday. The two liked it so much, they came back Wednesday. Horne brought her two grandchildren, ages two and one. Swearingen had her two-year-old daughter with her. 

“It’s just an easy place to walk with the strollers,” said Horne. Swearingen said she likes the shade. “And it’s so pretty, too.” Both said Riverwalk is definitely a place they will continue to come back to, now that they have discovered its beauty and convenience. 

While there are many strollers with tots in them rolling on the river, there are fur babies, too.  Brianna Johnston came from Northeast Columbia to walk her dog named “Beauty.” 

“We see lots of dogs when we come here,” she said. “Beauty likes to run and this is a good place to run.  Johnston said she goes to many parks, but the Riverwalk is her favorite because of the closeness to the river. She said she has been tubing in the river, too. 

Doug Kell visited Riverwalk for the first time on Wednesday. He moved to Lexington from Phoenix in June to be closer to his family. He was walking his poodle named “Loki.” 

“I found out about the West Columbia Riverwalk on TripAdviser,” Kell said. “So far, I like what I see.” He also said he’ll be coming back to the Riverwalk.

Soon there will be more dog-walking options in West Columbia. In June, West Columbia City Council accepted a bid from Southern Vistas to build the West Columbia Dog Park at a site on Augusta Highway (US-1.) Ground has been broken for the anticipated dog park just past the LownTown Shopping Center. When the park is completed, it will be another option for dog lover West Columbia residents and visitors.

West Columbia offers plenty of opportunities to get outdoors with your babies or your pets. Make sure you take advantage.