Missouri’s Centerpiece—Columbia, a College Town for the Ages

Columbia, Missouri, is a dynamic three-college town in the Midwest’s rolling prairies. It baffles me that more holidaymakers don’t take advantage of American college-town fun during their yearly four months of offseason calm. Lively Columbia, also affectionately referred to as “CoMo,” offers charming buildings, endless cultural opportunities, a strong educational focus, helpful locals, a wide variety of live music and cuisine, and no shuttered storefronts. The walkable, ultra-affordable “Athens of Missouri” has been rockin’ it since 1821. 

A Lively College Town

The downtown is surrounded by three campuses, all within walking distance of one another. The University of Missouri (1839), also known as “Mizzou,” claims recognition as the first public university west of the Mississippi and home to the world’s first journalism school. Gorgeous Columbia College is a historic liberal arts women’s college that became coeducational. Founded in 1833, Stephens College is the second-oldest women’s college in the U.S. and is heralded for supporting global opportunities to study abroad.

With Columbia’s easy walkability, I chose not to rent a car while exploring the city, and I didn’t need one. This is where academic prestige meets liveability. 

Classy Digs

Take a step back in time a the Tiger Hotel (aka voco The Tiger Hotel), a luxury boutique property. It opened in 1928 ripe with 1920s glamour which still remains. It makes for an excellent launch point for all things Columbia. The hotel’s iconic rooftop neon sign is an established Columbia centerpiece. The property’s upscale rooms feature mammoth soaker tubs. Its labyrinthian lobby segues into four in-house business delights. The comfortable Twain–Missouri BBQ & Taproom features booze sourced solely from Missouri. The Vault, an underground speakeasy-style bar specializes in refined cocktails in a swanky setting. Glenn’s Cafe offers up Southern-inspired food in a charming well-lit atmosphere. Wilder Coffeehouse serves artisanal brews coffee and fresh, local fare.

Floating in Missouri

Columbia also boasts a wellness edge. I experienced pure bliss at the Clarity Float Spa where I floated in a limited sensory environment “tank” upon warm, very salt-dense water. The intense but incredibly relaxing experience renders you completely weightless in an almost zero-gravity state where your mind slowly dissolves into tranquility. This unique relaxation space allows your body and mind to rest and heal. It provides an instant goodbye to stress, muscle tension, and pain. I’m serious. Try it. Situated nearby, the spacious and appealing Moon Yoga studio, provides a hub for Columbia’s ever-growing yoga community.

Music Everywhere

The Columbia music scene ranges from classical to heavy metal, with plenty of everything in between. The acoustically dynamic and intimate Blue Note is a historic live music venue with a tiered floor, balcony seating, and two bars. Before heading to the famed Blue Note to see a blues band, I met University of Missouri’s professor of composition Stefan Freund who acts as the artistic director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative. He refers to Columbia as a “self-made music empire.” 

The founding cellist of the new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound, Freund’s cello performances include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Met Museum. Columbia is no stranger to heavy hitters in the music world. “Columbia is at the center of a state that was pivotal in the development of American music,” said Freund. “Because of its relatively small size and the strong musical traditions of the area, it is a necessary privilege that Columbia residents make music for themselves and for the community. Mizzou’s New Music Initiative extends this tradition by providing Missouri composers with opportunities to create and have their work performed.”

Arts & Crafts

The non-profit Columbia Art League (1959) is the oldest gallery in Columbia. It promotes local art through exhibitions and classes for kids and adults. Here, artists and supporters exhibit work and sell their art. Executive Director Kelsey Hammond, who is from “a long lineage of community problem solvers,” also noted that “Everyone is an artist.” This cultural fine art hub for mid-Missouri features diverse media, showcasing both emerging and established artists in the downtown gallery. An ultra-miniature farmstand by local 18-year-old talent Isabella Shah caught my eye. 

Restaurants Galore

Columbia’s 200-strong restaurant scene represents many corners of the globe. As a New Yorker free from noise and long queues, I stuck mostly with classic Americana. Tellers is a busy, refined saloon that doubles as an art gallery. This mature townie-lair features a host of options, including a brined pork chop (rosemary cream, sweet mashes, seasonal veggies $22), healthy salads, and martinis. A former gas station, warehouse-resembling Cafe Berlin offers a community center feel. Think tasty diner meets pub and performance space. Ernie’s “Cafe & Steakhouse” is a classic diner (1934) and 70s memorabilia haven where, for $10.99, you can enjoy a breakfast loaded with a five-ounce chicken breast, eggs your way, hash browns, and toast.

Booches, a self-described place for feasting, imbibing, and debauchery, offers a burger ‘n dogs bar and extensive pool hall. This place dates back to 1884 and still includes a working pay phone. On the other side of the dining spectrum is Nourish Cafe + Market’s organic, nutrient-rich unprocessed food made from scratch. Perhaps my favorite hangout was a melding of establishments housed in a former Coca-Cola bottling building built in 1937—another would-be community center and listening room. The overlapping businesses there include Uprise Bakery for soup, sandwiches, and drinks at the bar, Ragtag Cinema’s two mini-theaters with large, comfy seats, and Hitt Records, an enduring locally owned music store with new and used records, CDs, cassettes, and audio equipment. And last but not least, Klik’s dive bar is the place for pool, darts, discussions, and $2.50 Miller High Life bottles.

Outdoor Adventures

Locals and visitors enjoy more than 70 city parks. CoMo’s green spaces include spots like Stephens Lake Park and Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, which provide great hiking and leisure options. Check out the MKT Trail. It links up nine miles south of Columbia with the statewide Katy Trail, the nation’s largest rails-to-trails project.

Columbia, a beacon of university-style small-town diversity, overflows with grassroots organizations like Peaceworks. I also enjoyed a local radio show on KOPN.org called Accent on Swing, which is not just the swing era–30s and 40s roughly–but any music with swing rhythm. 

CoMo is much more than just a college town. You can do it all here! As a veteran travel writer, I enjoy offseason everything, including making my NYC concert nights out exclusively on Mondays or Tuesdays. Offseason Columbia is a prime example of an affordable American vacation. Check it out via Visit Columbia MO. 

 

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