A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Columbia vs. Mystic for Attractions, Families, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Columbia or Mystic?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Columbia or Mystic? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Columbia

Columbia is a suburban, friendly, and welcoming city. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, shopping, and museums.

Mystic

Mystic is a quaint, laid back, and charming town. And you can't forget about the beaches, shopping, and museums.

Columbia and Mystic: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Columbia or Mystic?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Mystic. Although Columbia and Mystic are popular destinations, Mystic has more sights and attractions for tourists. Mystic is more touristy than Columbia and is popular for its New England charm and local character. It is also well known for the Mystic Seaport Museum. Columbia is famous for its southern hospitality and friendly people.

How is Columbia different from Mystic?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Mystic and Columbia. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Columbia or Mystic?

Mystic is a well-known place for its sights and museums. Also, Columbia is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its museums and history.

Mystic offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. There's a decent selection of museums around town with some of the favorites being the Mystic Seaport Museum, the Mystic Museum of Art, the Denison Homestead Museum, and the Old Lighthouse Museum, The Mystic Aquarium is also a popular destination.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Columbia. As the state capital, there are some decent museums around town like the Columbia Museum of Art, the South Carolina Military Museum, the South Carolina State Museum, and the U.S. Army Basic Combat Training Museum.

Is the Food Better in Columbia or Mystic? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Mystic is a popular place for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Columbia is not a good city for its restaurants.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Mystic. As a coastal town, you'll find no shortage of seafood at many restaurants. Popular dishes include oysters, shrimp, or fish. There are also many casual restaurants that serve comfort food for classic American favorites like mac and cheese, pasta, or burgers.

Columbia may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. Barbecue and other southern favorites are among the more local dishes, but the city is also filled with fast food joints and other major chain restaurants.

Is Columbia or Mystic Better for Nightlife?

Both Columbia and Mystic are nice when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Columbia. You'll find live music venues as well as low key bars and more trendy cocktail lounges.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Mystic. Head downtown for the most interesting bars and breweries. You can sip wine or enjoy a cocktail at a laid back pub with friends or family.

Is Columbia or Mystic Better for Beaches?

Mystic is a well-known place for the beache. However, Columbia is not a beach destination.

Mystic is considered a top beach destination. The beaches are accessible from town and offer a laid back setting that's not overly developed. Families will like Ocean Beach Park but Williams Beach Park is one of the easiest beaches to access. If you're willing to drive a bit out of town, you should check out Misquamicut State Beach.

Columbia is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Columbia or Mystic?

Mystic is a well-known place for its shopping opportunities. Also, Columbia is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its shopping areas.

Mystic is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. Head downtown for scenic shopping streets with boutiques, artisan craft shops, and jewelry stores.

Columbia has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. You'll find independent and locally owned shops along Devine Street and in the Five Points area. Also interesting are the Vista, which is a warehouse district, and Trenholm Plaza.

Is Columbia or Mystic Better for Families?

Mystic is a well-known place for its family-friendly activities. Also, Columbia is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its kid-friendly activities.

Mystic is a very kid-friendly town. Animal lovers will enjoy wandering around the many trails at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center or visiting the famous Mystic Aquarium. You can also visit the shops around Olde Mistick Village or dine at one of the many kid-friendly restaurants.

Columbia is a family-friendly city. Around town you'll find parks, playgrounds, and kid-friendly restaurants. There's a zoo in the area as well as a nice state park - Sesquicentennial State Park. There's also EdVenture Children's Museum, which is filled with hands-on exhibits.

Is Columbia or Mystic Better for Couples?

Mystic is a popular place for its romantic activities. However, Columbia is not a good city for couples.

Mystic makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Check out Mystic Seaport or drive down the coastline and visit the lighthouses. You'll also find breweries around town as well as many fun or romantic restaurants.

Columbia is not always the best place to visit for a couple. You'll find parks to explore and some nice restaurants that make for a good date night.

Is Columbia or Mystic Better for Students?

Columbia is a good destination for its student-friendly activities. However, Mystic is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Columbia. The University of South Carolina, and other nearby colleges all bring in a decent student population.

Mystic is not popular with students.

Is Columbia or Mystic Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Columbia is a decent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Mystic is lacking in options for its public transit.

Public transit is mostly limited in Columbia. The COMET is the bus system through town, but you really must have your own car to enjoy the city.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Mystic. There is a bus but it has limited stops and only runs on weekdays.

Is Columbia or Mystic a more walkable city?

Mystic is a moderate town for its high level of walkability. However, Columbia is not a good city for its ease of walking around.

Mystic is generally not very walkable. While parts of town are very walkable, you'll need a car if you want to see the sights that are a bit further away.

Columbia is not a very walkable city. It's filled with suburban-style development and is generally very car dependent.

For even more information, also check out Is Columbia Worth Visiting? and Is Mystic Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Mystic or Columbia?

How long in Columbia or Mystic?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Columbia and Mystic. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Mystic than in Columbia. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Columbia, and 2-3 days is enough time in Mystic.

Families should spend more time in Mystic than Columbia. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Mystic, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Mystic than Columbia. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Mystic that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Columbia than Mystic if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Columbia.

One day in Columbia or Mystic?

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Columbia. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

The town of Mystic offers food and shopping. Most people come for the beaches. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Columbia or Mystic?

Columbia is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Mystic is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Mystic, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Columbia or Mystic?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Columbia. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Mystic is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Columbia or Mystic?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the suburban destination of Columbia. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Mystic is a great place to explore. It's also a great beach destination, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Columbia and Mystic, we can see that Mystic is more expensive. And not only is Columbia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Columbia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Columbia and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Mystic would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mystic than you might in Columbia.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Columbia Expensive? and Is Mystic Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Columbia or Mystic?

Columbia has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Mystic. When comparing the sizes of Columbia and Mystic, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Columbia or Mystic?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Columbia or Mystic in the Summer?

Both Mystic and Columbia during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Columbia for the family-friendly experiences during these months. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Mystic because of the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Columbia is generally a little warmer than Mystic. Daily temperatures in Columbia average around 82°F (28°C), and Mystic fluctuates around 73°F (23°C).

In Mystic, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Columbia. In the summer, Columbia often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Mystic. Columbia gets 293 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Mystic receives 293 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Columbia. Columbia usually gets more rain in July than Mystic. Columbia gets 4.6 inches (116 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 2.8 inches (72 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Columbia or Mystic in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Columbia and Mystic. The autumn months attract visitors to Columbia because of the shopping scene. Furthermore, the shopping scene are the main draw to Mystic this time of year.

Columbia is much warmer than Mystic in the autumn. The daily temperature in Columbia averages around 64°F (18°C) in October, and Mystic fluctuates around 53°F (12°C).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mystic this time of the year. In Columbia, it's very sunny this time of the year. Columbia usually receives more sunshine than Mystic during autumn. Columbia gets 230 hours of sunny skies, while Mystic receives 211 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Columbia usually receives less rain than Mystic. Columbia gets 3 inches (75 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Columbia or Mystic in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Columbia as well as Mystic. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Columbia this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Mystic for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Mystic. In the winter, Columbia is much warmer than Mystic. Typically, the winter temperatures in Columbia in January average around 45°F (7°C), and Mystic averages at about 28°F (-2°C).

In the winter, Columbia often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Mystic. Columbia gets 171 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Mystic receives 170 hours of full sun.

Columbia usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Mystic. Columbia gets 3.7 inches (93 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Columbia or Mystic in the Spring?

Both Mystic and Columbia are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many visitors come to Mystic in the spring for the beaches.

In April, Columbia is generally much warmer than Mystic. Daily temperatures in Columbia average around 64°F (18°C), and Mystic fluctuates around 48°F (9°C).

It's quite sunny in Mystic. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Columbia. Columbia usually receives more sunshine than Mystic during spring. Columbia gets 273 hours of sunny skies, while Mystic receives 225 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Columbia usually receives less rain than Mystic. Columbia gets 2.8 inches (72 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.7 inches (94 mm) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Mystic and Columbia