Columbia, South Carolina. Home of the Gamecocks, southern charm, tons of great food and so many other amazing things to make it such a great home. I'm proud to call Columbia home -- I brag about it to anyone who will listen. So with a lot of thinking, I've gathered what are, in my opinion, the 20 best parts of life in Columbia.

1. It's the South Carolina state capital.

That means that big political movements are occurring here. I love to live in a place where I feel like things are happening. Protests are a frequent site, and everyone in this town freely expresses what they believe -- it's powerful. A frequent southern stereotype is that everyone votes red, but in Columbia, there is incredible political diversity. I think that the political openness of this southern city is beautiful.

2. It's home to an amazing university.

Whether you're college-age or not, it's great to live in a college town. They're safer, more pedestrian friendly and a lot more money goes into making the city "better for students" (AKA more amazing food and fun things to go do).

3. The weather is (almost) always amazing.

Aside from the occasional torrential downpour or hurricane winds, it's pleasant here pretty much most of the year. The weather is very mild in the "winter," and I never needed a real coat.

4. It's a rapidly growing city.

This makes me love Columbia so much. You feel like so many positive things are going on, and you can rest easy knowing that the city will only continue to get better!

5. You'll never be bored on the weekend.

This is the famous St. Patrick's Day festival in Five Points, a region of Columbia. This is one of many events that go on throughout the year. Columbia hosts the state fair each fall, there are several different 5K runs in the city and they also host a food truck festival along with several other weekend festivities that bring great variety to life here.

6. It has all the sweet southern charm you could ever need.

This includes the people. A large majority of the people you encounter here are genuinely kind. The population is charming, and so is the city. Again, it offers everything! Looking for the city feel? You've got it! Southern charm? The cute buildings and old mixed with new downtown style are sure to please!

7. There is so much history.

Not only did our state house get hit with six cannons (the cannon hits are marked on the side of the state house), South Carolina played an incredibly important role in the Civil War. This city has bones, and it feels almost comforting to live somewhere with so much history to explore. There is a SC state museum and a Civil War museum in Columbia, both of which are great to go to if you want to learn more about the state from its own perspective and not just your history teacher. Pictured above is the South Carolina state museum.

8. It's very pedestrian-friendly.

Being in a college town makes the town itself so pedestrian-friendly. Most drivers exercise caution because they know that thousands of people walk around through the city each day!

9. It's also very animal-friendly.

Lots of restaurants have outdoor dining because the weather is usually agreeable here, so seeing dogs laying under tables is a common sight. I love how friendly the animals and the people are here!

10. Speaking of animals, Columbia has a great zoo.

This is a photo of me feeding lettuce to a giraffe. Do I need to say anything else to convince you to go to this zoo? Didn't think so, but just in case: it's not very expensive and it is a very nicely done zoo! It's a great way to spend a sunny day in Columbia, and we have a lot of sunny days.

11. There is so much diversity.

Columbia has an incredibly noticeable variety of churches, as Christian is the dominating demographic. However, there is a lot of variety when one looks further. We have several synagogues, a mosque and I'm sure more that I haven't discovered. Columbia is also home to an amazing pride parade, which is one of my favorite events of the year. Again, I just love the diversity of Columbia. You can be whoever you want to be, and still have a voice.

12. Even though it's busy, there are great ways to relax and unwind, like the Riverwalk.

I personally love the Riverwalk. Slowing the pace and just enjoying a peaceful walk by the river is a great way to end the evening.

13. Columbia has a lot of nature to enjoy.

Congaree National Park is in Columbia, and it has beautiful trails that are great for exploring! It's also quite a nature-y city. The state house grounds are beautifully landscaped and there are several great parks right in the city that are perfect for relaxing or going on a run.

14. It's also located right between the beach and the mountains.

In case you didn't know where Columbia is, here's a great map. I love the location in the state, because if you're in the mood for a getaway you can choose beach or mountains, and both are only an hour and a half away! I personally love both terrains, so I switch it up a lot.

15. You can visit the Soda City Farmer's Market.

This is my favorite part of Columbia. Every Saturday, rain or shine, three blocks of Main Street are closed off from traffic and transformed into an amazing farmer's market. There are food trucks, street performers, a plethora of dogs and the streets are lined with local vendors. I go almost every Saturday, because it's my favorite way to spend a day -- trying new food with friends, petting dogs and exploring all that the market has to offer that day.

16. There's so much food variety.

As I'm originally from a small town, I've become so pampered with the food options Columbia has to offer. Columbia has multiple restaurants for the common cuisine, and unique restaurants for those who want to try new things. They have it all and it's incredible. My favorites? Cantina 76, Za's, Ramen House, Tsunami, Taziki's and tons more.

17. Specifically, I can't even count all of the amazing breakfast/brunch spots.

Pictured above are several cinnamon rolls from Cinnamon Roll Deli, my absolute favorite place to eat in town. However, I'm an extreme breakfast enthusiast, so I've eaten my fair share of breakfast food in Columbia. There are so many breakfast spots to choose from! My favorites are Cinnamon Roll Deli, Eggs Up Grill, DiPratos and Le Peep.

18. Also, for the inner hipster, there are so many coffee shops to discover!

I love studying around the smell of coffee, so I've done a lot of exploring in the coffee shop department. My favorites are Drip, Immaculate Consumption, Cool Beans and the Starbucks on both Main Street and Saluda Avenue.

19. We have phenomenal sunsets.

I've never captured a great picture of one, but that's OK because you have to see them in person to understand. Our sunsets are so amazing that people halt what they're doing at sunset time and go outside to sit somewhere and watch the sunset with their friends.

20. After the sun sets, Columbia has great nightlife.

Again, this is all thanks to being a college town. We have two areas, The Vista and Five Points. The Vista is more classy, whereas Five Points is definitely more of the college student feel. Both can be very fun, depending on what you're looking for. They're also both cute places to explore in the day time, with plenty of boutiques to visit and restaurants to try.

The bottom line is that no matter what you're looking for, Columbia has something for everyone. That's part of what makes this capital city turned college town so special. If you've never been, visit and you'll understand why I'm so proud to call Columbia home.

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