Many local attractions in the Chattahoochee Valley have reopened to the public and are the perfect way to fill a staycation or a homeschool field trip with fun learning activities.
The Columbus Museum offers families the opportunity to enjoy the artwork and the history of the Chattahoochee Valley for free. Activity books are available for families to enjoy as they explore the museum. The Bradley Olmsted Garden is also open to the public during museum hours. The museum is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from noon to 5 pm; Thursdays noon to 8 pm; Sundays 1-5 pm. Face coverings required. See our calendar for their two April events: Glassmaking Workshop and Spring Outdoor Market. The museum also offers free resources for educators that align with the state curriculum. https://columbusmuseum.com/
Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center in Columbus is open to the public from 9am to 4pm, Wednesday–Saturday and offers wildlife exhibits, a bird garden, nature trails and learning programs. The wildlife exhibits feature a variety of reptiles, amphibians and fish. Kids of all ages will enjoy learning about local wildlife and ecosystems, and the center is designed to be disability and sensory-friendly. The outdoor areas are open any time during Wed-Sat 9-4pm. Picnic tables are available and some of the nature trails are stroller-accessible. The center offers special kids programming on Saturdays and plans to offer summer programs too. Admission is free but you must reserve a timed ticket in advance unless you just plan to visit the outdoor spaces at oxbow.columbusstate.edu
Columbus Botanical Gardens offers garden tours for aspiring gardeners of all ages and is open from 8am – 8pm Tuesday – Sunday. Admission is free, though donations and memberships are encouraged. Due to the outdoor setting, face coverings are optional. Kids can enjoy a walk in the woods and learn about native tree species on the Joann Holt walking trail and watch pollinators at work in the Pollinator Garden. The Little Sprouts program for kids ages 0 – 5 is offered on the first Tuesday of every month from 10-10:30 am and is $5 per family. They will host an online plant sale April 16-18. The Sam Pate Naturalist Symposium is taking place May 1, with a special kids’ session on May 2 to include activities, storytime and more. Columbusbotanicalgarden.org
Historic Westville offers families the unique opportunity to experience what daily life was like in Georgia in the 1800s. The village is open to the public Thursday – Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Temperature checks and masks required. Interpreters in period costume provide information about the buildings in the historic village and demonstrate 19th-century crafts with activities for the kids. Saturdays will feature a ‘What’s to Come’ series of special demonstrations. Admission is free for ages 0 – 5, $5 for grades K-12, $10 adults, $8 for active-duty military/college students/seniors and $3 for participants in Museums for All (with EBT card and ID). westville.org
Coca-Cola Space Science Center offers families an opportunity to enjoy hands-on science activities and a planetarium show, all best enjoyed by ages 7 and up. Experience what it is like to be an astronaut and take a trip to the International Space Station, drive a rover on Mars terrain and test their piloting skills on a Cyber Fighter. The center is open Monday-Friday 12– 4pm and from Saturday 11am to 5pm. Buy tickets in advance if you plan to go on a Saturday since a limit is placed on tickets sold. Admission is free for 3 and under, $6 for kids 4-10, $8 for adults and $7 for military and seniors. Check out the Columbus Comic Book Show on April 18 and their summer camps. ccssc.org.
For more attractions: familyandkidsga.com/cat/attractions/
