The Perspective of a Fort Benning Military Wife and Mother

One of the hardest parts of being a military wife here in Columbus, Georgia is that our extended families are not here. We find ourselves trying to keep in touch with out of town family but even with modern technology it can still be hard. Lucky for my husband and I both our families are within driving distance so we are constantly entertaining family. This brings up the problem of trying to find new and interesting things to do in Columbus without spending too much.
One thing that we found to be entertaining was to go for walks on the scenic trail at the Columbus Botanical Gardens. This was especially nice for our grandparents and parents. They enjoyed getting out doors and being able to see the beautiful flora and fauna. My stepdaughter Ana, who is five, said she loved seeing all the pretty flowers. The best part was that it is free. This is nice if you are looking to get out of the house but don’t want to break their budget.
Another good place that we like to go that is also free is Cooper Creek Park. This is a favorite of our children. They have multiple playgrounds, picnic tables, grills, and a beautiful lake view. Our favorite outing is to take picnic food and have dinner at the park. The park also has walking and fitness trails. If you like getting out but feel guilty leaving the family pet, after all they are part of the family too, this park is pet friendly. This is our favorite park but there are many beautiful parks in Muscogee County.
A place that is slightly more expensive but worth the trip, is Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, Georgia. This gives families a chance to experience wildlife that is not native to the area up close and personal. We visited Animal Safari one weekend when my in-laws were in town and my niece Sylvia (3) loved it so much that every time that she comes to visit she asks if we can go back. This outing is pricy but it is fun to go if you are looking for something unique to do with family and don’t mind the splurge.
If the outdoors is not your cup of tea there are other options here is Columbus. The Columbus museum of art is also a great place to take the family. While it is not free it is fairly inexpensive. There are so many programs for adults as well as families. The museum has everything from Egyptian art to Architecture. They also have a restaurant so you can eat and then take a tour of the museum. This is one of my personal favorites for a family outing.
Hollywood Connection is my stepdaughter’s favorite place to go on a family outing. This is a family friendly movie theater and more. Most of the movies that are shown there are family movies which is nice for us because we have two children under 6. Not only is there movies but there are also amusement rides as well as movie snacks.
There are many things to do here in Columbus. I find that getting out when family is in town helps us all to have a better time. Sometimes it can be overbearing to have a house full of family and it helps to alleviate that stress by getting everyone out of the house. It also helps to tire out children who may be over stimulated by the extra people in the house. Columbus is a great place for families and we have found it to be a great place to be stationed.
C.J.