Historic Columbus, on the banks of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, has numerous claims to fame, including being the birthplace and childhood home of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tennessee Williams; home of Mississippi University for Women; and the training ground for one-third of U.S. Air Force pilots at Columbus Air Force Base.
Trotter Convention Center has 15,000 square feet of meeting space with a capacity of 1,500 guests in its largest space; the venue recently completed interior renovations and added a new outdoor meeting space. Plymouth Bluff Center, which sits on 190 acres, features an 11,700-square-foot conference building with multipurpose and conference rooms, an auditorium, audiovisual capabilities, and kitchen facilities. Other components include 20 guest rooms, an outdoor pavilion for 36 guests, and extensive nature and fitness trails. Also on the premises is a small interpretive cultural and natural history museum for guests to enjoy.
Columbus hotels with meeting space include Courtyard by Marriott Columbus, which has 3,375 square feet of event space for a capacity of 220 guests in its largest space. A nearby Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbus offers 1,200 square feet of event space for a capacity of 70 people. For even smaller events and additional lodging options nearby, there is the 88-room Hampton Inn & Suites Columbus and the 85-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites Columbus North.
Frances Glenn, director of Tourism for the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau, says Columbus is a hub for excellent dining options. “Visitors and groups have their pick of local favorites, such as Harveys, Zachary’s, and J. Broussard’s. New restaurants include Main Street Thai and Munson and Brothers Trading Post, which has a beer garden and serve brick-oven pizza,” Glenn says.
Post-meal, diners can stroll along the four-mile Riverwalk path, starting downtown along the Tombigbee River. Roger Short Soccer Complex connects to the Riverwalk and includes a playground and exercise trail. It is also within walking distance of multiple restaurants, a beer garden, the Hitching Lot Farmers’ Market, and shopping. The county also recently constructed a new sportsplex with eight baseball and softball fields, a playground, a hospitality suite, and family zones. For other activities, Lake Lowndes has campgrounds and biking and walking trails.
Popular Columbus events include the annual Spring Pilgrimage, attracting thousands of visitors in the first weeks of April, and Catfish in the Alley, celebrating the savory farm-raised Mississippi icon, also held in April. The Market Street Festival, in May, features arts, crafts, food, music, and other activities in downtown Columbus.
