Capital City/Lake Murray Country area named top destination.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country tourism region has been named a top Southern Destination of 2021 by Forbes.

The area, which encompasses Columbia and surrounding areas, joins Highlands, N.C., Dunwoody, Ga., Shenandoah Valley, Va., Birmingham, Ala., and Lake Nona, Fla., on the list.

"This is wonderful publicity for our region and it's a great time for our region to stand out from the rest," Miriam Atria, president and CEO of Capital City Lake Murray Country, said in a news release.

Capital City/Lake Murray Country's regional tourism board promotes tourism in Richland, Lexington, Saluda and Newberry counties.

The Forbes article noted the area's culinary, cultural and entertainment offerings, including Riverbanks Zoo & Garden and EdVenture Children's Museum.

"It's rare indeed to discover a region that artfully combines historic charm while bursting with every modern...