SALUDA SHOALS PARK
Location: 5605 Bush River Rd., Columbia, S.C.
Price: $5 (entrance fee and parking) - $78 (parking, entrance fee, horseback riding and three-hour canoe rental included)
If you want a getaway adventure without a costly plane ticket, escape to Saluda Shoals Park. Rent canoes at this outdoor retreat, or bring an inner-tube to float down the river. What’s more relaxing than drifting through the sunshine to the sounds of melodious, babbling water? For more adventurous types, hike, bike or horseback ride through the park trails. These nature paths wind around draping oaks and lush hills on the edge of the waterway. For more passive rejuvenation, perch on the riverbank for a picnic, and let your troubles float away with the current.
BOTANICAL GARDEN AT RIVERBANKS ZOO
Location: 1300 Botanical Parkway just off S.C. Highway 378 at I-20 and I-26
Price: $11.75 (one person)- $23.50 (two people)
At the Botanical Garden at Riverbanks Zoo, walk the historical footpaths meandering through the forest or sit next to a waterfall and meditate among the peaceful sounds and cool mist. Take your significant other for a romantic stroll through the rose garden or (for you art majors) sit and sketch near the river bridge in the shade garden. For a little adventure, weave through the labyrinth of secret pathways. Check out the midnight garden, which overflows with flowers that blossom in the moonlight. Search for your own secret spot to revisit when life gets hectic.
BEANBAG ROOM
Location: Counseling and Human Development Center, Byrnes Building, Room 617
Currently available at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays
Price: Free!
University 101 classes have begun visiting this lesser-known campus getaway. At the beanbag room, learn the practice of self-hypnosis. Walk into the dimly lit room, sink into a comfy beanbag, and forget about your O-CHEM class. A trained professional guides students through the steps to renewal, beginning with deep breaths, then loosening rigid muscles until your body is at rest. Escape into a daydream, clear your mind and breathe. “Hakuna matata”—it means no worries!
