Let me kick off this blog by mentioning I may seem a touch biased because I LOVE rivers, as a kayaker and a mother. The ability to be in a down town atmosphere and get to enjoy the whitewater of the Rush South Whitewater Park has my cup overflowing without even considering all the other Columbus Georgia family activities.
Columbus Georgia Lodging
We travel full time in our Truck Trailer combo, and Columbus has great RV Parks and options just outside of town. The two RV Parks that are closest to downtown are Lake Pines and Camp David. As kayakers they have an option for parking along the river at the Piggly Wiggly on 13th St. Piggly Wiggly living isn’t for everyone but it’s amazing that the community has made the whitewater park so accessible.
For most I would highly recommend one of the dozen hotels right down-town, the Hampton, Marriott, Indigo, all are great options with varying price points. Most have pools and other great amenities. If you want to go the Airbnb route- there are a ton as it’s a college town and a military town, so lots of visitors and a ton of options within walking distance to the main street: Broadway.
Food in Columbus
I cant do a trip report without mentioning food… Food is a big part of our “vacations” and trips as I truly enjoy exploring new restaurants. Broadway has a ton of restaurant options, from Greek, Pizza, Mexican, Sushi, you name it. Our personal favorites as a family are:
Simple Greek- Light and easy to build your own bowl so the kids can personalize.
Banks Food Hall: the Poke Bowls are next level in the Food Hall and I could eat there every day if possible. The food hall also has a unique hot dog stand with odd variations of hot dogs including a BLT Hot Dog. The Mexican place is delicious very fresh and has the best nachos. The Ice Cream place mixes soft serve and sorbets so the kids asked for Ice Cream non stop, but Mom and Dad had problems saying No as we really enjoyed it as well.
Farm to Table
11th and Bay: Farm to Table (mostly local ingredients) This is a good date night or dressy dinner place. It has the very best Table Biscuits, Scallop and cut in house steaks. I would say more about the menu but as its local they have to change it often to match what’s in season.
Pizza
Your Pie: Build your own Pizza place, I have to mention it because it has gluten free crusts and dairy free cheese- so for me this was a huge win!
Dessert and Snacks
Veri Best Donuts- Do I need to say more? They have the most unique donuts, from Cinnamon Crunch or Fruity Pebbles ones, to Croissant Donuts? So much yum!
A Classic: The Dinglewood Pharmacy
Dinglewood Pharmacy: Yes it’s a pharmacy but it’s also a historical diner that is still serving food that the whole family will love, BLT’s Chicken Fingers, burgers and more. What makes this place special is the Scrambled Dog, served since the beginning, it has been served to celebrities including Prince Charles. The Scrambled Dog is a hot dog, with chili, oyster crackers and pickles. But don’t stop there- you can customize your Scrambled Dog with fritos, hot peppers, cheese and more. I was shocked (and a little scared) when I saw people creating their scrambled dogs but it was shockingly yummy…
Biscuits
Iron Bank: If you love biscuits, go to Iron Bank and get the Sweet Potato Biscuit or Herb. Both are absolutely delicious. They have great coffee, beer, sandwiches, salads and pastries. They also have pies and cobblers almost every day and I love to support them as they are very kind to the local homeless population.
Smoothies
Ride On Smoothies: Need some super greens or fresh pressed juice? They have a wide range of fresh juice and smoothies including Acai Bowls. I am an avid juice and wheatgrass drinker so I appreciated the clean juice after donuts and scrambled dogs.
Beer Tasting
Maltitude: Beer tasting anyone? A beer shop with a serious selection! You can order glasses on tap, or simply shop. We ended up trying beers as unique as a Pickle Beer, and yes it tasted like pickle juice and beer in one glass!
Columbus Family Activities
Rush South Whitewater Park: If you want to go Whitewater Kayaking, this Whitewater Park is World Class! So much so that they are hosting the World Championships for Freestyle Kayaking in October, 2023. If you don’t kayak, you can raft, ducky or more by checking out Whitewater Express who offers a wide variety of activities. You can also rent flatwater kayaks for below the whitewater or take a Fly Fishing lesson.
Museums
Columbus State University Coca-Cola Space Science Center
Say that 5 times fast! This place is GREAT for any kid that shows any interest in space, otherwise it’s a great educational center that has a ton of interactive shows, games and staff. My kids arrived with dozens of questions and left with a much more in depth understanding on not only what’s going on in Space, but travel and exploration of it as well.
Columbus Collective Museum
If you want to see 7 Museums under 1 roof, go check this place out. It has a full antique shop vibe (and it is an antique shop too). Our kids enjoyed making the Phonograph work, and the Lunch Box Museum. The Lunch Box Museum was a highlight for me as it has over 2,500 boxes and it was VERY cool to see what we popular throughout certain years.
Biking in Columbus Georgia
Riverwalk
The Dragonfly Trail System connects miles of River Walk and down town Columbus to give you a safe biking route for you and your littles. We enjoyed biking up and down the walk, but I also appreciated the walk for my morning walks- with a quick stop at Iron Bank for coffee : )
Sunset happens to hit the walk just right so if you prefer to walk in the afternoon- you’ll get beautiful evening lighting over the water.
Standing Boy Park
This is a short drive away but has to be mentioned. It has EPIC mountain biking trails and running trails. I went there as often as I could as there are easy to hard trails for miles and a ton of wildlife. Twice now I have seen wild armadillos!
Ziplining and High Ropes
Whitewater Express also offers Ziplining (it’s the only zip-line that crosses states) and a High Ropes course. Our kids were nervous to approach the Zipline this trip but we are excited to make it happen when we come back. The High Ropes course is step by step so it was great for the whole family and comfort levels. This was one of our favorite Columbus family activities!
Other Activities to Try
Rocket Fizz: This is an activity and food in one. If you love different specialty chocolates or candy, you must go. Fair warning they do have massive lollypops that cost $50, so be warned. My kids spent almost an hour choosing which candy they wanted.
Playground: Outside of WW Express or the Banks Food Hall is an epic playground. In the summer time it also has a splash pad.
Yoga: Multiple Yoga Studios including River Flow – sometimes Mom or Dad may need some solo bendy time and this studio is in a gorgeous location:
Best Time to Visit Columbus Georgia
You can visit Columbus, GA all year round, for water Columbus family activities I recommend March- November. But otherwise the town is well set up to be a year round destination. It is also worth checking out which months they have their weekly farmers markets, concerts, and other fun events!
If you liked this post covering activities for adventurous families, check out the post on our Family Adventure in Niagara Falls Ontario!
Fire pit: The Lavabox Tacana Twosome
Bikes: Bosch e-Bikes: Yuba Spicy Curry (Cargo)
Clothing: Cotopaxi Desert View Organic T-shirt, Cotopaxi Kids Teca Cálido Reversible Jacket
Camera: GoPro Hero 11
Kayaks: Jackson Fun Kids Kayak, Jackson Kayak Rockstar
Life Vest: NRS Zen PFD
Sunglasses: Wiley X
