Summer is coming, and that means activity on the Congaree River in West Columbia is about to intensify. From floating to educational walking tours, the river offers so much.
Dozens of tubers coming out of the river at the West Columbia Riverwalk, at the amphitheater, will soon be a common site.
“Our staff is energized,” said Michael Mayo, who owns Palmetto Outdoor Center.
Palmetto Outdoor bills itself as “West Columbia’s One-Stop Outdoor Adventure Shop.” It offers “a relaxing day on the river.” When the weather gets warm, Palmetto Outdoor has a daily schedule- seven days a week – of river trips down the Congaree.”
Palmetto Outdoor is now the largest kayaking and tubing outfitter, by volume, in South Carolina.
Mayo, a Lexington County native, said he remembers many white water trips with his dad from his childhood. He said his adventures have given him a great respect for the river. His opportunity to tie his livelihood to the river arose with the completion of the West Columbia Riverwalk, which provided public river access. Mayo then created his first river trip route between the Riverbanks Zoo and the West Columbia Riverwalk Park.
Tubing
Mayo said this is his thirteenth year of doing business in West Columbia. The river trips he offers attract visitors from Florida, New York, Ohio, along with plenty of locals, too.
“Last year we really got a lot of attention from the Maryland-Virginia-DC area,” said Mayo.
Palmetto Outdoors has a new employee to broaden the river-based business. Sierra Hylton is a biology major. She comes to Palmetto Outdoors from Missouri.
“I have worked with greenway development,” said Hylton and she said she really wants to help the ecology-based economy grow in West Columbia. Riverwalk and Palmetto Outdoors offers her the perfect opportunity for her to do that.
“We are looking for the temperatures to be in the 70s and 80s in the next two weeks,” said Hylton. And that’s when the season will really get started. But, she said, river floats have already been conducted.
“We had some walk-ups come up to go tubing during Kinetic Derby Day,” said Hylton.
But there needs to be consistently warm weather in order to kick off the summer tubing season. Hylton also said the flow of the river, and the amount of rain, is a factor for Palmetto Outdoor to begin their summer season routine.
Riverwalk Tours by Michael Mayo.
Palmetto Outdoor is also continuing its Riverwalk walking tours, in addition to the tube, canoe and kayak trips.
The free, kid-friendly, one-hour tours are history and regional information-based. They are conducted by Palmetto Outdoor tour guides. The tours begin at 11 a.m. And leave from the area of the restroom buildings at the Riverwalk Park. Subjects covered, Hylton said, include the Burning of Columbia, history of the bridges, the riverboat era and Confederate gold.
Another feature that Palmetto outdoor is offering in anticipation of the summer is the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily tour. Hylton said the spider lily tours begin around May 9. The rare spider lilies bloom for only a short period.
There is also a new snack-shack and information center at Riverwalk Park. It’s for visitors to get information about the area, and other businesses.
Mayo said he has expanded the idea of attracting visitors to enjoy the river, to an effort to feature West Columbia, and its River District, as a place to re-locate to.
With the development of the river, and the many activities that will be available this summer, West Columbia is a perfect destination.
River is a West Columbia focal point of activity in the summer
