Just an hour and a half south of Atlanta, Columbus is home to quirky spots and adventures
1. Visit the lunch box museum in Columbus
Visit the Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, Georgia
I thought I was the coolest when I got my Strawberry Shortcake lunchbox in the first grade. Little did I know that these lunch boxes would become a treasure. In Columbus, you can visit a museum, dedicated to these relics. The museum is housed just above a country-music radio station. Owner, Allen Woodall, who owns both the radio station and museum, began collecting the metal lunch boxes several years ago. The industry went plastic in 1986.
2. See a broadway show at the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia
Springer Opera House in Columbus, GA
One of the problems of a big city like Atlanta, is that you can never get tickets to a broadway show without paying through the nose for them. The Fox Theatre, while a beautiful venue, keeps prices sky high, and reserves the best tickets for corporate sponsors like Delta and Coca-cola, eliminating the possibility of many people being able to see a show. Not an issue at the Springer Oper House. This beautiful historic building features both broadway and off broadway shows. We saw a performance of Dream Girls. Upcoming shows include Newsies, The Great Gatsby, and West Side Story.
3. Go on a geocaching adventure in Columbus, GA
What is geocaching? It’s an outdoor activity where participants use GPS coordinates to find hidden items placed all over. Columbus has a fantastic geocaching adventure for those that love solving the mystery with clues.
4. Zip line from one state to another (Georgia to Alabama)
Zip line from across state lines
The coolest thing I did when I visited Columbus was zip lining. Yes, I’ve been zip lining several times before, but this experience was way different. We started in Georgia and I zip lined across the river to Alabama! How many people can say they’ve done that?
5. Go to space in Columbus
It’s possible to at least feel like you are in space at the Space Science Center in Columbus. Here you can experience what it’s like to be in a spaceship in a real life simulator. The simulator holds about 8 -10 people at a time and the space experience lasts about 10 to 15 minutes.
Not a replica! This is an engine nozzle from a real space craft.
It’s no coincidence that with Columbus State University being in the vicinity, the space center exists here. There’s definitely plenty for kids to see and touch, making it a terrific stop of families, but I found the shuttle simulator to be pretty neat to explore. We even got to do a simulation of of two teams: one in space and one on the ground. The teams work together to solve a space mission! How cool!
6. Have a spiritual awakening at Pasaquan near Columbus
Pasaquan community
You wouldn’t imagine that in the middle of a rural town in middle Georgia there exists a colorful wonderland of statues that spans acres. But more interesting than the art itself is the story of the infamous fortune teller turned prophet that built Pasaquan.
Self deporting from this rural town in the 1920, Eddie Owens Martin moved to New York where he felt more free to himself: a gay man who also was clairvoyant. He moved back to his family compound in the late 60s to build a commune for the Pasaquan religion. Though Owens died in the 80s, his legendary fortune telling skills are still eerie and draw visitors from all over to Columbus to this day.
7. Visit one of the last diner / pharmacy combos when in Columbus, GA
Dinglewood Pharmacy in Columbus, GA
So back in the day, there were these pharmacies that were so much more than simply a place to have your prescription filled. Here, you could shop for gifts and cards (I’m talking gifts beyond a key ring with their name on it), and even have a meal. At Dinglewood’s pharmacy, opened since 1918 in Columbus, this kind of nostalgic pharmacy is alive and well. You have to get their specialty hot dog when you visit this historic spot in Columbus, GA.
Now how’s that for quirky things to do? Have you ever been to Columbus, GA?
