Columbia is situated in the center of Missouri between two of the state's largest cities, St. Louis and Kansas City, but it has plenty to offer on its own. The city of roughly 89,500 is home to the state's largest university, the University of Missouri, famous for its journalism and business schools.

Columbia has been named one of the best places to live by Money magazine, Men's Journal, and MSN.com and its citizens would agree. The city offers an eclectic mix of stores, coffee shops, music venues, and outdoor adventures for all ages. The hilly landscape and towering trees of Columbia make it easy to appreciate nature while traveling down the beautiful MKT trail connecting to the state's 225 mile Katy Trail State Park. The more adventurous can take a dive into Devil's Icebox, a wild cave in Rock Bridge State Park.

Visitors and locals can enjoy a taste of Columbia's traditions by visiting any of the year round festivals. For example, the annual Roots n' Blues n' BBQ Festival draws thousands into Columbia's downtown and serves up barbecue from local restaurants. During the holiday season, the city draws on its local charm to put on the "Living Windows" display where downtown shop windows spring to life with live performances.

In addition to the year round events, Columbia does an excellent job of keeping people entertained. Famous acts from around the world, like Elton John, Ben Folds, and Keith Urban, have stopped by Mizzou Arena while on tour. On a smaller scale, Columbia is sprinkled with smaller venues like The Blue Note, The Blue Fugue, and Mojo's.

Columbia supports an active and healthy community with the "Get About Columbia" program, inspiring residents to bike or walk to their destination. To promote this, the city is teeming with newly painted bicycle lanes and wider streets for commuters of all kinds to arrive at their destination safely. With so much to offer, it's easy to see why Columbia keeps residents happy and visitors frequent. The sense of culture, tradition, and community holds strong in this city and it doesn't seem to be dying down anytime soon.