Timeline
18:44
Start at Finlay Park, Columbia's largest urban green space. It is the quietest time to wander the 14 acres before the evening crowds arrive.
19:14
Walk seven minutes to Beezer's for a cheap salad or sandwich. It is a local undergrad favorite with simple, decent subs, and it stays open late.
19:44
Walk to Melton Memorial Observatory on Greene St at Bull St. Arrive before the sky fully darkens to see the golden light hitting the campus buildings across from Russell House.
20:14
Stay for the Monday night viewing. The observatory is open to the public when the sky is clear, so look for planets, stars, and nebulae through the telescopes.
Local tip
The observatory is only open on Monday nights when the sky is clear. Check the weather before you go.
Check before you go
- Melton Memorial Observatory opens at 21:30 on Mondays.
- Beezer's is open Mo-Sa until 24:00 and Su until 24:00.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Columbia (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).