Travel: Cool Columbia, Missouri

University towns like Columbia, Mo., have a personality all their own. Even if your college days are long behind you, they offer the chance to be swept up in an irresistible blend of cultural sophistication and youthful energy.

You might think of Columbia as Iowa City with a slightly southern twist - more barbecue restaurants, more people who say 'y'all,” and a warmer climate. But like its northern neighbor, Columbia has a vibrant downtown, fine restaurants, lively bars, funky stores, cozy coffee shops, and a lot of waiters who are working on graduate degrees.

The University of Missouri (affectionately known as Mizzou) gives Columbia much of its distinctive character. Founded in 1839, it's Missouri's largest public research university, with 35,000 students from around the world. The symbolic heart of campus is a set of Greek-style columns that were the only things left standing after a fire destroyed the school's main academic building in 1892. The columns anchor an expanse of lawn known as the Francis Quadrangle and provide the most frequent backdrop for photos at Mizzou.

From the Columns, you can explore the university's scenic campus, which is designated as an official botanic garden. Its thousands of trees, shrubs and flowers form a kind of living museum of plants. Take special note of the Jefferson Garden, which features a life-size bronze statue of the president who acquired the Louisiana Purchase (Mizzou was the first public university established in the new territory). Surrounding the statue are plants that Jefferson cultivated in his garden at Monticello and an obelisk that was his original grave marker.

'We love having visitors walk across our campus,” says Pete Millier, director of the Mizzou Botanic Gardens. 'The gardens serve an important educational function for a variety of academic programs, but they also provide wonderful green spaces for the public to enjoy.”

Other popular attractions include the Museum of Anthropology and Museum of Art and Archaeology on campus. And if you have children in tow, you may want to stop by the Reptile Exhibit in Stewart Hall at 9:30 on Friday mornings to see its 20 species of reptiles being fed.

The Mizzou campus adjoins downtown Columbia, whose nickname of CoMo gives a sense for its breezy vibe. Live theater and music thrive in this college town where Sheryl Crow and Brad Pitt hung out as undergraduates. The ornate Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts hosts nationally touring shows, while the appropriately named Ragtag Cinema screens independent and international films amid a hodgepodge of comfortable chairs and sofas (before the show starts, pick up refreshments from the neighboring Uprise Bakery). The most popular music venue in town is the Blue Note, known for its shows by up-and-coming indie artists as well as classic rockers.

From May through mid-September, one of Columbia's beloved traditions is an evening at the Maplewood Barn, a community theater under the stars. Playgoers bring their own blankets and chairs to an outdoor amphitheater in Nifong Park and settle in for an evening of entertainment ranging from Shakespearean tragedies to boisterous contemporary comedies.

In warm weather, you'll want to bring your bike to Columbia, for this is one of the Midwest's best cities for bicycling. The crown jewel of its trails is the MKT, which follows the old rail bed of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The route winds through a deep, wooded ravine for much of its length, so well-shaded that you will find it hard to believe you're in the middle of a city of 133,000.

The MKT connects to the famed Katy Trail, which follows the Missouri River valley for 225 miles across the state of Missouri.

'You can get on a bike in Columbia and ride all the way to either St. Louis or Kansas City on off-road trails,” says Janet Godon, who promotes non-motorized transportation in Columbia through the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

If hiking is more your style, visit Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. The 2,273-acre natural area has caves, sinkholes, a spring, and a natural rock arch, all examples of the karst topography for which Missouri is famous. Fifteen miles of trails wind through the property.

Columbia has a wide range of restaurants to satisfy hungry visitors. For breakfast, try the Broadway Diner, a classic greasy spoon, or Cafe Berlin for more upscale fare. Shakespeare's Pizza is a downtown landmark that's been serving up hot pies since the 1970s. The Flat Branch is the town's most popular brew pub, with outdoor seating on a tree-shaded patio during the warm months.

Before you leave town, one last Columbia tradition should be savored: an ice cream cone at Sparky's, a no-frills establishment where the walls are adorned with art so bad it's good.

Eat your sweet treat on an outside bench as you enjoy the people-watching in this laid-back gem of a city.

IF YOU GO

Overnight accommodations in Columbia include the boutique downtown hotel The Broadway and The Gathering Place, a bed-and-breakfast in one of Columbia's historic homes.

For more information, contact the Columbia Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-(800) 652-0987 or www.VisitColumbiaMO.com.