Things to Do in Columbus, GA: Whitewater Rafting, the National Infantry Museum, the RiverWalk and Providence Canyon, With Prices (2026)

The National Infantry Museum is free (a $5 donation is suggested) with free parking, the 22-mile Chattahoochee RiverWalk costs nothing, and the Columbus Museum is free. Whitewater Express rafting on the Chattahoochee costs $49.95 a person for the 2-hour Classic Trip (minimum 7 years old or 60 lbs) and $64.95–$79.95 for the Class V trips (ages 12 and up). The outfitter says it rafts year-round and closes only on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Every price, hour and rule below comes from the operators’ or the city’s own sites (checked September 21, 2026). We found no official mileage from Atlanta. Visit Columbus, the city’s tourism bureau, lists the drive as 90 minutes, and Explore Georgia, the state tourism site, says “just over an hour south of Atlanta.” They don’t agree, so allow the longer one.

How much do things cost in Columbus, GA?

Prices are per person unless noted and are before tax where the operator says so (checked September 21, 2026).

Can you go whitewater rafting in Columbus, GA in the fall?

Yes. The Whitewater Express FAQ says “We raft year round and are closed only Christmas and Thanksgiving,” with retail hours of 9 a.m.–6 p.m. seven days a week (checked September 21, 2026). The trips run on the 2.5-mile whitewater section of the Chattahoochee between the North Highlands Dam and the Columbus Trade Center, and the outfitter says flow levels there change with releases from the dam. Visit Columbus and Explore Georgia call it the longest urban whitewater course in the world; that’s their claim, not an independent ranking.

• The Classic Trip ($49.95, about 2 hours): rapids up to Class III+. The trip page says “Minimum 60 lbs or 7 years old”; if your child meets only one, ask when you book.
• The Challenge Trip ($64.95, 2.5 hours): up to Class V, including the Class V rapid Cutbait. Minimum age 12.
• The Carnage Trip ($79.95, 2.5 hours): up to Class V, with 4 guests per boat and repeat runs of the big rapids. Minimum age 12.
• Inflatable kayak, or “ducky” ($61.95, 2 hours): you paddle your own boat on the Classic route, up to Class III+, with guides in separate boats. Minimum age 12.
• Blue Heron Adventure zipline: $69.96 a person as listed ($62.95 each for groups of 10 or more), ages 10 and up and 70–265 lbs. One line crosses the river into Alabama.
• Logistics: trips leave from 1000 Bay Ave. Arrive 30 minutes early, wear shoes that stay on your feet (not flip-flops), and cancel at least 24 hours ahead. The outfitter points to free public parking decks less than a block away.

Not confirmed by the operator. We couldn’t view Whitewater Express’s booking calendar, so we can’t confirm which trips (especially the Class V ones) run on a given fall 2026 date. Explore Georgia’s listing shows different, lower prices ($39.95 Classic, $49.95 “High Water”) from the operator’s own pages, which we used. Checked on chattahoochee.whitewaterexpress.com and exploregeorgia.org. Call 706-321-4720 before you drive, as of September 21, 2026. Tell us if you know more.

Is the National Infantry Museum free, and what else costs money?

Admission is free with a suggested $5 donation, and “There is no fee to park,” its visit page says (checked September 21, 2026). It’s open Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. It’s closed on Mondays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It has 190,000 square feet of galleries on a 200-acre site “just outside” Fort Benning’s Maneuver Center of Excellence.

• Holiday changes: closed Nov. 26 and Dec. 24–25, 2026 and Jan. 1, 2027; short hours on Nov. 25, Dec. 18 and Dec. 31.
• What’s inside: era galleries from 1775 to the present, the walk-through Last 100 Yards ramp, the Hall of Valor, and outdoor World War II Company Street.
• Giant Screen Theater: documentaries cost $8 general admission, $7 for military, students and seniors, $6 for ages 4–12, and nothing for under 4. Hollywood films cost $2 more.
• Virtual reality simulators: shooting range $7; Humvee, Black Hawk and paradrop simulators $10 each; two for $15 or three for $25. Open Wednesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday noon–4 p.m.
• Access: free manual wheelchairs and a limited number of free strollers from the Info Desk. Only service animals are allowed; pets can’t be on campus or left in cars.

Visiting Fort Benning for a graduation?

The post is called Fort Benning again. The Army says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on March 3, 2025 renaming Fort Moore after Cpl. Fred G. Benning, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I (checked September 21, 2026). The museum’s graduation guide says One Station Unit Training (OSUT) graduations take place “nearly every Thursday and Friday morning” on Inouye Field, next to the museum. They start at 10 a.m. from October to March and 9 a.m. from April to September; arrive 30–45 minutes early. Your soldier’s company sends the exact time and rain plan.

Going onto the post is a separate process. Fort Benning’s gates page says everyone 18 or older in a vehicle without a DoD ID needs a background check and a visitor pass. The Lindsey Creek Visitor Control Center is open 24 hours, and U.S. citizens can pre-register online. The museum’s pages don’t say you need a pass to visit the museum itself.

How long is the Columbus RiverWalk?

Columbus Parks and Recreation calls the RiverWalk “a twenty-two mile linear park,” and Visit Columbus gives the same 22 miles, from the Victory District through Uptown to Lake Oliver (checked September 21, 2026). It’s free, and Visit Columbus calls it an accessible trail for walking, biking, skating or scooters. The city bans motorized vehicles and requires pets to be leashed.

What are the best museums in Columbus besides the Infantry Museum?

• National Civil War Naval Museum (1002 Victory Drive): $12 adults, $10 seniors and military, $8 students, free for ages 6 and under, plus tax. Open Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Sun 12:30–4:30 p.m.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It shows the remains of the warship CSS Jackson and replicas of the USS Hartford and CSS Albemarle,, plus what it calls “the nation’s largest array of Civil War naval-related flags.”
• The Columbus Museum (1251 Wynnton Road): free. Open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays; closed Mondays and holidays.
• Coca-Cola Space Science Center (701 Front Ave.): $10 adults, $8 seniors 55+, military, first responders and educators, $6 ages 4–12. It holds what it calls Georgia’s largest collection of NASA Space Shuttle artifacts. Its homepage says the Omnisphere planetarium theater “is currently down for maintenance.”
• Springer Opera House (103 10th St.): the theater calls itself the State Theatre of Georgia and dates itself to 1871. Building tours cost $10 a person with a 5-person minimum and are booked by email (tours@springeroperahouse.org) or by phone at 706-256-0943. Ghost tours are $25 (45 minutes, recommended for ages 12 and up).

Not confirmed by the operator. The Space Science Center’s homepage still lists planetarium showtimes but says the Omnisphere theater is down for maintenance, with no reopening date. Checked on ccssc.org, as of September 21, 2026. Tell us if you know more.

Is the Ma Rainey House open?

No. The city’s parks department page says “MA RAINEY HOUSE CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE” (checked September 21, 2026). When it’s open, the hours are Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Visit Columbus says Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, the “Mother of the Blues,” moved into the house at 805 5th Ave. in 1935 after retiring and lived there less than five years; she died on Dec. 22, 1939, at 53.

Not confirmed by the operator. Explore Georgia still lists the Ma Rainey House as open with weekday hours and free admission, but Columbus Parks and Recreation and Visit Columbus both say it is closed for renovations. Neither gives a reopening date or an admission price. Checked on parks.columbusga.gov, visitcolumbusga.com and exploregeorgia.org. Call 706-641-5933 before you go, as of September 21, 2026. Tell us if you know more.

Day trips from Columbus: Providence Canyon and Pine Mountain

Providence Canyon State Park is in Lumpkin, Stewart County. Georgia State Parks calls it “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon” and says its gullies, “as deep as 150 feet,” were caused by poor farming practices in the 1800s (checked September 21, 2026). Parking is the standard $10-per-vehicle ParkPass, and an annual pass is $70. From September 15 to April 14 the park is open 7 a.m.–6 p.m., and the visitor center 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Dogs are allowed on the trails on a 6-foot leash. Stay behind the fences; the park warns that canyon edges may collapse. The park page gives no distance from Columbus. Our Andersonville, Plains and Providence Canyon loop strings it together with the two historic towns.

Pine Mountain and Warm Springs, north of Columbus, have Callaway Gardens, Wild Animal Safari and Roosevelt’s Little White House. Our Pine Mountain and Warm Springs guide has this fall’s prices and the Little White House renovation closure.

When is the best time to visit Columbus?

Our Georgia weather by month page uses the Columbus airport station’s NOAA 1991–2020 normals. October averages a high of 78°F and a low of 57°F with 2.78 inches of rain, and November averages 68°F and 46°F. July averages 93°F. Rafting runs in every season, but fall is milder for the RiverWalk and Providence Canyon.

What should you do in your situation?

• With kids: Do the Classic Trip ($49.95, ages 7 and up or 60 lbs), then the Space Science Center ($6 ages 4–12). The Infantry Museum is free and lends strollers. Under-12s can’t do the Class V trips or the kayak.
• An adventure weekend: Saturday on the Challenge ($64.95) or Carnage ($79.95) trip, both ages 12 and up, plus the Blue Heron zipline into Alabama ($69.96 as listed, 70–265 lbs). Sunday, hike Providence Canyon’s rim ($10 per car) or go north to Pine Mountain. Call the outfitter about fall Class V dates first.
• A military family at graduation: Fall and winter graduations start at 10 a.m. on Inouye Field next to the museum, which has free parking. If you’ll also go onto Fort Benning, every adult in the car needs a visitor pass, and online pre-registration is open to U.S. citizens. The museum is closed Mondays.
• On a budget: The Infantry Museum, the Columbus Museum and the 22-mile RiverWalk are all free. Visit Columbus says public garage parking in the city is free. Add the Civil War Naval Museum ($12, or $8 for students) or a $10 Springer building tour if you have a group of five.
• With a dog: The RiverWalk and Providence Canyon’s trails allow leashed dogs; the Infantry Museum allows service animals only.

For more two-night trips, see our weekend getaways from Atlanta. Our things to do in Macon guide covers another historic-south city.

FAQ

How much is whitewater rafting in Columbus, GA?

Whitewater Express lists the 2-hour Classic Trip (up to Class III+) at $49.95 a person, the 2.5-hour Challenge Trip at $64.95 and the Carnage Trip at $79.95 (both up to Class V), and a guided inflatable kayak trip at $61.95. The Classic Trip requires riders to be 7 years old or 60 lbs; the others require age 12 (checked September 21, 2026).

Is Columbus whitewater rafting open in the fall and winter?

Yes. Whitewater Express says it rafts year-round on the Chattahoochee in Columbus and closes only on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The operator doesn’t publish which trips run on specific fall dates, so call 706-321-4720 (checked September 21, 2026).

Is the National Infantry Museum free?

Yes. Admission to the National Infantry Museum in Columbus is free with a suggested $5 donation, and parking is free. The theater ($6–$10) and simulators ($7–$10) cost extra. Hours are Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. (checked September 21, 2026).

How long is the Columbus RiverWalk?

The Chattahoochee RiverWalk in Columbus is 22 miles long, according to Columbus Parks and Recreation and Visit Columbus. It runs from the Victory District through Uptown to Lake Oliver, is free, and allows leashed pets but no motorized vehicles.

Is it Fort Benning or Fort Moore?

Fort Benning. The Army says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum on March 3, 2025 renaming Fort Moore as Fort Benning, this time honoring Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a World War I Distinguished Service Cross recipient.

How far is Columbus, GA from Atlanta?

No official source we found gives a mileage. Visit Columbus lists the drive from Atlanta as 90 minutes, and Explore Georgia describes Columbus as “just over an hour south of Atlanta.”

How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on September 21, 2026. Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.

Sources

• Whitewater Express Chattahoochee — Home
• Whitewater Express — Chattahoochee River rafting trips
• Whitewater Express — The Classic Trip
• Whitewater Express — The Challenge Trip
• Whitewater Express — The Carnage Trip
• Whitewater Express — Inflatable Kayak Trip
• Whitewater Express — The Blue Heron Adventure
• Whitewater Express — FAQs
• Whitewater Express — Chattahoochee River flow and features
• National Infantry Museum — Plan your visit
• National Infantry Museum — About
• National Infantry Museum — Exhibits
• National Infantry Museum — Giant Screen Theater
• National Infantry Museum — Virtual Reality Simulators
• National Infantry Museum — Graduation Day Guide
• U.S. Army — Hegseth restores Fort Moore to Fort Benning
• Fort Benning — Gates and visitors
• Columbus Parks and Recreation — Riverwalk
• Columbus Parks and Recreation — MA Rainey Home
• Visit Columbus — Chattahoochee RiverWalk
• Visit Columbus — Whitewater Express
• Visit Columbus — “Ma” Rainey House & Blues Museum
• Visit Columbus — The Ease of Getting to Columbus, GA (drive times, free garage parking)
• Explore Georgia — Columbus featured destination
• Explore Georgia — Whitewater Express listing
• Explore Georgia — Ma Rainey House and Blues Museum listing
• National Civil War Naval Museum — Home
• National Civil War Naval Museum — General admission
• National Civil War Naval Museum — About
• The Columbus Museum — Know before you go
• Coca-Cola Space Science Center — Home (hours, admission)
• Springer Opera House — Home
• Springer Opera House — Building tours
• Springer Opera House — Ghost tours
• Georgia State Parks — Providence Canyon State Park
• Georgia State Parks — ParkPass
• It’s Georgia — Georgia Weather by Month (NOAA 1991–2020 normals)

About Hank Whitlock

Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.