Discover
Columbus,
Georgia
The Fountain City on the Chattahoochee
Straddling the Georgia-Alabama border where the Piedmont meets the Coastal Plain, Columbus is a city built on the power of the Chattahoochee River. From its 1828 founding as a frontier trading post to its current identity as a whitewater destination and cultural hub, this is a city that turns its river into an urban playground and its textile mills into art galleries.
Population
206,922
Founded
1828
State Rank
3rd Largest
River
Chattahoochee
What defines Columbus
A city that punches well above its weight
World-Class Whitewater
The longest urban whitewater course on Earth runs through downtown Columbus on the Chattahoochee River.
State Theatre of Georgia
The Springer Opera House, a National Historic Landmark since 1871, produces world-class theatre year-round.
Arts & CultureFree World-Class Museums
Both the Columbus Museum and National Infantry Museum offer free admission — rare for institutions of their caliber.
Things to DoRich 200-Year History
Founded in 1828, Columbus hosted the last major land battle of the Civil War and became the "Lowell of the South."
City historyThe river runs through it
Outdoor Adventures
The Chattahoochee River defines Columbus. In 2013, the city removed two century-old dams to create the world's longest urban whitewater course — 2.5 miles of rapids cutting through the heart of downtown. Class II to V rapids draw paddlers from across the country.
Beyond the river, the 22-mile RiverWalk trails the banks from the historic district through Oxbow Meadows. A 1,200-foot zipline crosses the rapids, and flat-water kayaking stretches south toward Fort Moore.
Explore outdoorsCulture runs deep
Arts & Heritage
The Springer Opera House has anchored Columbus's cultural identity since 1871. Designated the State Theatre of Georgia by Governor Jimmy Carter and a National Historic Landmark, it still mounts a full season of productions in its original Victorian hall.
The Columbus Museum — the largest art and history museum in the Southeast outside of Atlanta — is free. Downtown's Uptown district is a canvas of murals, and the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts hosts everything from the Columbus Symphony to touring Broadway shows.
Arts & CultureThe case for Columbus
Why Columbus
Georgia's third-largest city is an unlikely convergence of outdoor adrenaline, Southern arts heritage, and military tradition. It's the kind of place where you kayak Class IV rapids before lunch, visit a free world-class museum after, and catch live theatre in a 150-year-old opera house that evening.
- World's longest urban whitewater course — 2.5 miles of rapids through downtown
- Home to Aflac — Fortune 500 headquarters and major employer
- 22-mile Chattahoochee RiverWalk connecting parks, trails, and history
- State Theatre of Georgia — the Springer Opera House, a National Historic Landmark since 1871
- Two free world-class museums — Columbus Museum and National Infantry Museum
- Gateway to Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) — one of the largest military installations in the world