How to Spend the Perfect Day in Columbus, GA
Two residents share their ideas on how to have fun in Columbus.
Whether you’re looking for a full day of outdoor adventure or to split your time between quiet urban neighborhoods and bustling downtown activities, Columbus, Georgia, has you covered.
Livability spoke with Columbus native Katie Bishop as well as Michigan transplant Becca Zajac about how they’d spend a weekend day with no obligations. The consensus: There’s no shortage of activities, and spending time outdoors is a given. Here are a few great ways to have fun in Columbus.
Having Fun in Columbus: Ready Player One
“I live in the historic district in the downtown area,” Bishop says. “An ideal off-work day would be waking up and having coffee on my front porch while listening to the birds sing. It’s super quiet.”
Bishop loves the original brick streets and historic homes in the neighborhood, as well as its peaceful vibe despite the fact it’s just blocks away from Columbus’ lively Uptown area. After getting her daily dose of caffeine, Bishop says, she’ll stroll down to Market Days on Broadway to pick up typical farmers market fare: meats, flowers, and arts and crafts.
After stocking up on provisions, there’s a brunch at the Animal Farm, where Bishop often orders her favorite cocktail: the Wicked Witch, a blend of mezcal, tequila, fennel and citrus. Brunch is followed by an afternoon working in her expansive vegetable garden or relaxing on the Chattahoochee River.
The river runs straight through downtown and offers both challenging whitewater rapids as well as relaxing flats. “It’s really cool, because it’s very unusual to be rafting down a river and see both a bald eagle and a tall historic building.”
While Bishop and her fiancé – and their dog – are such avid rafters they own their own raft, RushSouth Whitewater Park offers guided rafting, ziplining, paddleboarding and kayaking experiences for novices. And if Bishop isn’t in the mood to navigate rapids, she’ll break out the rod and reel for some fly fishing.
After dinner with friends at her house, Bishop loves to visit The Loft for live music. The venue has a full-service restaurant (sister restaurants Saltcellar and Mabella Italian Steakhouse are on the same block) as well as multiple spaces for live music.
“They mainly play blues, country and jazz, and word on the street is they’re very close to renovating the old Bradley Theatre,” says Bishop, who’s excited at the prospect of another live music venue in the city.
A Great Day in Columbus: Ready Player Two
A day of fun in Columbus often starts outside. “The best way to start the day is by hitting the trails,” says Zajac, who touts Columbus’ trail system as the second largest in Georgia.
She’d gather a group for a bike ride up Dragonfly Trails to Fort Moore, and, upon her return to town, stop by Banks Food Hall. “It has a great coffee shop (Fountain City Coffee Co.), which also has a location on Broadway, or I’d grab a beer at Maltitude,” she says.
After refueling, Zajac likes to get her dogs Boulder and Woodford in on the action.
“I would grab my dogs and go back on a walk on the trails to check out what’s going on downtown,” she says. “It’s so active. The RiverWalk is our main trail. It’s a 15-mile linear park, and it’s always full of people and activities. There’s always going to be some music or festival going on.”
Fetch Park – an off-leash dog park with a bar where humans and their furry friends can socialize – is also a favorite for Zajac and her pooches, thanks to events like trivia nights and live music, as well as its proximity to Scofflaw Brewing.
“I’d end my day by going to Nonic Beer Bar & Kitchen,” says Zajac, who’d follow dinner with a show at the Springer Opera House or RiverCenter for the Performing Arts or line dancing at Broadway Saloon.
“It is a little bar that only plays country music and everyone line dances – no other types of dancing,” she says. “Normally, this would not be my go-to scene, but I absolutely adore it. On Tuesday nights, they have lessons!”
Choose Your Own Adventure
Ready to have some more fun in Columbus? To start your perfect day, here are a few more ideas: Get a caffeine-and-sugar rush at Iron Bank Coffee Co. or Tim Hortons, as well as at the 69-year-old Veri Best Donuts, Golden Donut or Columbus’s Best Donuts.
Spend the afternoon at the Bo Bartlett Center, an art gallery less than a block from Woodruff Riverfront Park, or get a fix of military history at the National Infantry Museum or the National Civil War Naval Museum.
For must-try bites and drinks throughout the day, visit casual sandwich shop Parker’s Pantry or go upscale at 11th and Bay Southern Table, Millhouse Kitchen & Bar, Morten’s at Old Town or Charred Oak Kitchen & Bar.
Get to Know Columbus
Want to learn more about living and working in Columbus, GA? Check out the latest edition of Livability Greater Columbus, Georgia.
