| The City of Columbia was founded in 1818 and is an | | | | which brings relief to the hot summer months. Shelter |
| economical and recreational core for Mid-Missouri. | | | | Gardens is Columbia's award-winning five acre garden |
| Columbia is located along Hwy 70 and Hwy 63 and is | | | | featuring over 300 varieties of trees and shrubs as |
| 90 minutes west of St. Louis, Missouri and two hours | | | | well as over 15,000 annuals and perennials. |
| east of Kansas City, Missouri. As of 2006, Columbia's | | | | The Activity and Recreation Center, locally known as |
| population was 91,877 and the combined population, | | | | the ARC, gives residents a chance to splash in the |
| which includes the surrounding area, was 153,283. The | | | | pool, exercise and enjoy many other activities. A fun |
| city has been ranked as high as the #2 best place to | | | | way to take advantage of the outdoors is at |
| live in the US by Money Magazine and is regularly | | | | Shyrocks Callaway Farms corn maze, an outdoor |
| listed in the top 100. | | | | maze cut into more than 12 acres of corn. The |
| Making Columbia, Missouri a major educational center | | | | Perche Creek Golf Club has mini-golf and nearby |
| are many colleges and universities including the | | | | public golf courses are Gustin Golf Course, LA Nickell |
| University of Missouri, Stephen's College, Moberly | | | | Golf Course, Columbia Public Golf, Lake of the Woods |
| Area Community College and Columbia College. Also | | | | Golf Course and Eagle Knoll Golf Club. |
| nearby are Lincoln University, Westminster College, | | | | Columbia's dining experience is a diverse cuisine, |
| Central Methodist College, William Woods University | | | | offering nearly every type of food the world has to |
| and Kemper Military School. The city's nationally | | | | offer. Some of the most popular and well-known |
| recognized public school system and educational | | | | restaurants, bistros, bars and café³ are 63 |
| institutes make Columbia one of the most | | | | Diner, Addison's, Applebee's, Bennigan's, Booche's, |
| well-educated cities in America. | | | | Boone Tavern, Buckingham Smokehouse Bar-B-Q, |
| Columbia, Missouri maintains a consistently low cost | | | | Buffalo Wild Wings, Chuck E. Cheese's, CJ's |
| of living and has endless employment opportunities. | | | | Restaurant, Cold Stone, Cracker Barrel, Dairy Queen, |
| The largest employers to Columbia and the city's | | | | El Maguey, Felini Restaurant, Flat Branch Pub & |
| surrounding area are University of Missouri- Columbia, | | | | Brewery, Formosa Chinese Restaurant, G&D Steak |
| University Hospitals & Clinics, Columbia Public Schools, | | | | House, Grand Cru, Hardee's, Harpo's, Heavenly Ham, |
| Boone Hospital Center, City of Columbia, State Farm | | | | Imo's Pizza, Jack's Gourmet, Jimmy John's, Longhorn |
| Insurance Companies, Shelter Insurance Companies, | | | | Steakhouse, Main Squeeze Natural Foods Café |
| MBS Textbook Exchange, Columbia Foods Inc, 3M, | | | | ¦ Juice Bar, McDonald's, Murry's, Ninth Street Deli, |
| Boone County Government, Dana Corporation, | | | | Old Chicago, Olive Garden, Panera, Red Lobster, |
| Columbia College, Square D, Boone County National | | | | Sake` Japanese Bistro, Shake's Frozen Custard, |
| Bank, Tribune Publishing Company, Collins & Aikman, | | | | Shakespeare's Pizza, Sophia's, T.P.'s Bar & Grill, |
| MFA, Summit Polymers, ABC Laboratories Inc., and | | | | Truman's Bar & Grill, and more. |
| CenturyTel. | | | | Columbia, Missouri is a focal point of shopping |
| The city offers a rich exploration of culture, | | | | opportunity with stores like Bass Pro Shops, Best |
| entertainment, recreation, dining, and shopping. The | | | | Buy, Old Navy, Macy's, Wal-Mart, Pier 1 Imports, |
| District is Columbia's most sought after venue, | | | | Circuit City, Kohl's, Tuesday Morning, Hobby Lobby, |
| boasting 110 unique shops, 70 bars and restaurants, | | | | Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and more. The local |
| 40 live performances a week as well as its beautiful | | | | Columbia Farmer's Market is a great place to |
| historical architecture, sidewalk cafes and street | | | | purchase locally made and grown goods. The Root |
| musicians. | | | | Cellar and Clover's Market also sell organic foods and |
| Residents and visitors alike enjoy the cultural | | | | other products. |
| experiences given by the Missouri Symphony at The | | | | The District, located in downtown Columbia, has |
| Missouri Theatre, the Columbia Civic Orchestra and | | | | unique gift boutiques, jewelry stores and retail shops |
| the University of Missouri Concert Series, which has a | | | | such as 9th Street Bookstore, Aardvarx, A La |
| broad selection of opera, ballet, orchestra, chamber, | | | | Campagne, Allen's Flowers, Alpine Shop, American |
| jazz, popular, modern dance, Broadway and more. | | | | Shoe, Bermuda Gold, Binghams, Britches Clothing, |
| The city's famous Maplewood Barn Theatre is a | | | | Buchroeder's Jewelers, Butterfly Tattoo, Calhoun's |
| delightful outdoor theatre set under the stars at | | | | Accent Furnishings, Candy Factory, Cool Stuff, |
| Nifong Park near HWY 63 and AC. | | | | Dryer's Shoe Store, Gotcha, Makes Scents, Merle |
| Entertainment can be found in The District at the | | | | Norman Cosmetics, Mud Room, My Secret Garden, |
| Déª Vu Comedy Club. Columbia's nationally | | | | Slackers CD's & Games, Top Ten Wines, Tucker's |
| acclaimed comedy club has seen the likes of Tim | | | | Fine Jewelry, Villager on Broadway and Wren's |
| Allen, Tommy Davidson, Dennis Leary, Bobcat | | | | Birkentstock. |
| Goldthwait, George Lopez and Drew Carry. The Blue | | | | The Columbia Mall is a hub of stores ranging from |
| Note is Mid-Missouri's finest and most popular live | | | | Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, American Eagle |
| entertainment venue. Columbia is also home to local | | | | Outfitters, Ann Taylor Loft, Barnes & Noble, Bath & |
| artists and various live bands. | | | | Body Works, Buckle, Champ Sports, Christopher |
| Columbia has a full schedule of year round festivals | | | | Banks, Claire's Boutique, Coldwater Creek, Deb, Deck |
| including the True/False Film Festival, Twilight Festival, | | | | the Walls, Dillard's, EB Games, Eddie Bauer, Express, |
| Hot Summer Nights, Central Missouri Renaissance | | | | f.y.e., Finish Line, Gap, Gymboree, Helzberg Diamonds, |
| Festival, Concert Series with the Missouri Symphony | | | | Hollister, Hot Topic, Hurst Diamond Shop, JCPenney, |
| Orchestra, Art in the Park, Columbia Earth Day | | | | Kay Jewelers, Hallmark, Limited Too, Motherhood |
| Celebration, Ninth Street Summerfest, The Blind | | | | Maternity, New York & Company, Payless |
| Boone Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival, First Night | | | | ShoeSource, Sears, The Shoe Department, Spencer |
| Columbia, Living Windows Festival, Columbia Festival | | | | Gifts, Talbots, Target, The Children's Place, Things |
| of Arts and the Boone County Heritage Festival. | | | | Remembered, Vanity, Victoria's Secret, Yankee |
| The plentiful scenery of Columbia and Mid-Missouri is | | | | Candle Co. and Zales Jewelers. |
| emphasized with a bounty of parks such as Oakland | | | | Columbia, Missouri is a well-rounded city and is second |
| Park, Cosmopolitan Park (Cosmo), Grindstone Nature | | | | only to Rochester, Minnesota, in patient capacity per |
| Area, Finger Lakes State Park, Nifong Park, Capen | | | | capita. The city facilitates hospitals and clinics including |
| Park, Rockbridge Memorial State Park and the | | | | Boone Hospital, University of Missouri Hospital and |
| Missouri Katy Trail. The Bear Creek Trail runs east | | | | Clinics, Columbia Regional Hospital, Harry S Truman |
| and west through Columbia and is accessible from | | | | Veterans Hospital, University of Missouri Children's |
| Oakland Park and Cosmo. The Hinkson Creek Trail | | | | Hospital, Mid-Missouri Mental Health Center, Rusk |
| can be accessed from Capen Park and the MKT Trail. | | | | Rehabilitation Center, and Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. |
| The coolest place to hang out is "The Devil's Icebox" | | | | |