Columbus: Riverside Meetings
What you should know
Columbus is riverfront town in Southwest Georgia. It has several interesting historic attractions, unusual museums, performing arts venues and military attractions, many of which are connected by the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, a 1.5-mile park.
What will surprise you
Getting here is fairly easy, thanks to daily flights between Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and the Columbus Metropolitan Airport, which also serves private and corporate jets. For those traveling by car, Columbus is an hour-and-a-half from both Atlanta and Montgomery, Ala., and roughly two hours from the Florida state line.
Want to surround your group with culture?
The historic Springer Opera House is the State Theatre of Georgia; rental facilities include a 700-seat main theater, a blackbox theater, reception areas, meeting rooms, classrooms and the Player’s Saloon. The Columbus Museum has exhibits of American and regional art, and history, and is one of the largest museums in the Southeast.
Want a day trip?
The SAM Shortline Excursion Train, which connects several regional attractions and historic towns, is available for private charters. Attractions along the rail line include the Andersonville National Historic Site, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Little White House in Warm Springs, and the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Plains. Habitat for Humanity’s interactive Global Village and Discovery Center in Americus is a good launching pad for service-oriented projects.
Want unusual activities?
Experience a simulated voyage to Mars at the Challenger Learning Center at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center. Hold a reception at the National Infantry Museum or the Port Columbus Civil War Naval Museum. Create an outdoor program at Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon,” Providence Canyon State Park. Stroll back in time in Warm Springs Village or Westville. Reserve a luxury box or picnic tables for a Columbus Catfish minor-league baseball game.
Want to follow in famous footsteps?
See where Ma Rainey grew up, Carson McCullers wrote and American battleships fought to preserve our nation. The Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau has several brochures on themed itineraries ranging from military heroes to African-American history. The Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians can help organize a literary tour or themed event. The Historic Columbus Foundation gives daily tours of Heritage Corner historic sites.
Want to dine?
The Meritage Café and Gallery has three dining environments: a tapas restaurant, a European-style deli and a fine dining room. Ezell’s Catfish Cabin serves up Southern-style fried seafood in all-you-can-eat buffets. Country’s BBQ has three locations: Country’s on Broad is inside an antique 1946 Greyhound bus, the restaurant on Mercury looks like a general store, and the Main Street restaurant has ski-lodge décor. There is an amazing variety of restaurants in the historic downtown district; on the weekends, many double as nightclubs with live music and dance floors.
