Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Albany, Georgia

Welcoming Albany is situated in southwest Georgia, 187 miles south of the state capital of Atlanta.

As part of the American ‘Black Belt’ known for its fertile soils, Albany is enveloped by agricultural land that historically favored cotton plantations.

Established in 1836 following the displacement of the Creek Native Americans, this city became a critical port on the Flint River for paddle boats and later evolved into a significant rail hub.

Blending a rich history with numerous outdoor activities, Albany serves as an excellent base for exploration of the surrounding areas.

Here are the 15 premier attractions in and around Albany, Georgia.

1. Thronateeska Heritage Center

Occupying the former Union Station rail depot established in 1913, the Thronateeska Heritage Center at Heritage Plaza consists of several buildings that form Albany’s primary museum complex.

Named after the Creek Native American term for the Flint River, this complex includes a history museum, science museum, rail museum, and planetarium.

The Wetherbee Planetarium features a 40-inch full dome high-definition system, renowned as the first of its kind globally.

The history museum highlights Albany’s heritage, showcasing major exhibits both indoors and outdoors, while the science museum presents everything from dinosaur remains to contemporary technological advancements.

Among the rail exhibits, Locomotive 107 stands out as an imposing steam engine that historically serviced the route to and from the city.

2. Albany Museum of Art

Founded in 1964, the Albany Museum of Art comprises six galleries, alongside an interactive gallery for children and an auditorium.

Its permanent collection encompasses American and European paintings, drawings, and sculptures primarily from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Highlighted pieces include ten hand-colored silk screen prints by Andy Warhol and works by American impressionist artist Edward Henry Potthast.

Additionally, the museum displays one of the largest collections of African tribal art within the region, featuring an array of masks, ceramics, and gold artifacts.

3. Flint RiverQuarium

This expansive 5,000 square meter aquarium is situated on the banks of the Flint River, narrating the river’s journey from its origin to the sea, located over 340 miles away, through its diverse tanks and exhibits.

Housing approximately 100 distinct species, its largest tank is an open-air structure approximately 6.5 meters in depth, containing over 600,000 liters of water and showcasing the diverse life forms native to the river.

In addition to the aquarium tanks, the RiverQuarium features displays that highlight the cave systems of the Flint River, an alligator enclosure, and an aviary that showcases local bird species.

4. Riverfront Greenway Trail

For those wishing to explore the river firsthand, the Riverfront Greenway Trail offers a spacious paved pathway extending 3 miles along the Flint River from Riverfront Park in downtown Albany to the Cox Landing Boat Ramp.

Generally going northward from the city center, the trail tends to be bustling with walkers, joggers, and cyclists, yet it retains its charm.

Marked by distance indicators every half mile, the route features benches and observation decks, notably around the Oxford Environmental Park situated roughly halfway along the trail.

5. Civil Rights Institute

Housed within the historic Old Mt Zion Baptist Church established in 1906, the Albany Civil Rights Institute serves as a museum that utilizes artifacts, documents, and narratives from Georgians to illustrate the ongoing struggle for civil rights.

The confrontation against racial segregation is poignantly illustrated through the reconstruction of separate waiting rooms for various races at a recreated bus station.

The museum discusses voter disenfranchisement—a continuing and contentious method of limiting access at polling places—alongside nonviolent protests and economic boycotts.

6. Zoo at Chehaw Park

In contrast to the Flint RiverQuarium, which emphasizes species indigenous to the Albany region, the Zoo at Chehaw Park serves as a living encyclopedia of global fauna, featuring numerous species that are either endangered or facing extinction.

Guests can partake in the African Veldt Ride, which traverses the zoo’s largest exhibit, where seven African species form natural herds.

Among the over 70 species exhibited are black rhinos and cheetahs, while attractions extend to a cypress swamp representative of Georgia’s southwestern landscapes.

7. Ray Charles Plaza

Positioned along the left bank of the Flint River, and easily accessible from both downtown and the Riverfront Greenway Trail, Ray Charles Plaza features a life-sized sculpture of the iconic musician performing on a grand piano in his signature style.

Enhancing the allure, the sculpture is mounted on a rotating base, beneath which water cascades into a reflective pool surrounded by benches designed to resemble piano keys.

A pioneer of soul music, Charles was born in Albany in September 1930 and composed the official state song—Georgia on My Mind.

8. Jimmy Carter National Historic Site

The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site is located in Plains, approximately an hour’s drive northwest of Albany.

This site preserves several historical buildings associated with the 39th president of the United States, including his residence, school, and a rail depot that served as headquarters during his successful 1976 election campaign.

These locations gain added significance as Carter and his wife returned to Plains after departing the White House in January 1981, where they continue to reside.

Plains High School now hosts the site’s museum and visitor center. Its exhibits feature the president’s 2002 Nobel Peace Prize medal, awarded for his lifetime dedication to peace negotiations and poverty alleviation.

9. Old St Teresa Church

Located in the heart of the downtown district, Old St Teresa Church represents the oldest church building in Albany and is the oldest Catholic Church still conducting services in the state.

Constructed in 1859, it was erected on land contributed to the church by Nelson Tift, who established Albany two decades prior.

Remarkably, the bricks employed in the construction were handcrafted by enslaved individuals in nearby Newton. The church served as a field hospital for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, even prior to the completion of its interior.

10. Radium Springs

Recognized as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia, Radium Springs is situated on the southeastern outskirts of Albany, approximately 5 miles or a ten-minute drive from the downtown area.

As the largest natural spring in Georgia, Radium Springs features striking deep blue waters that contain trace amounts of naturally occurring radium, famously first identified by Marie Curie in 1898.

This spring emits an impressive flow of 265,000 liters of water per minute, which subsequently feeds into the Flint River.

Nearby, visitors will also discover the Radium Springs Country Club and Golf Course, originally designed in 1927 by noted architect John Law Kerr.

11. The Bridge House

Also known as the Albany Welcome Center, The Bridge House represents a historical structure that precedes the Civil War.

This building was designed by Horace King, an African American architect who earned his freedom shortly before its construction in 1858.

The house was originally located adjacent to a covered bridge across the Flint River, financed by Nelson Tift.

During the Civil War, the basement was converted into a butcher shop to sustain Confederate soldiers, while the upper level was lavishly adorned with intricate frescoes and was historically used for hosting Ku Klux Klan meetings.

12. Confederate Memorial Park

Across from Chehaw Park and the zoo, Confederate Memorial Park is a serene green space featuring lawns and mature trees.

This park also accommodates a stone monument dedicated to the soldiers of the Confederacy, relocated to this site in 2000 after several previous relocations.

While the statue’s presence can evoke controversy due to the Confederate legacy of slavery, it remains a part of Albany’s extensive history, accompanied by a solemn dedication that reads, ‘They Fought Not For Conquest, But For Liberty And Their Own Homes.’

13. Wild Adventures Theme Park

Wild Adventures describes itself as a zoological theme park, merging eight roller coasters and numerous thrilling attractions with a water park, zoo, and concert venue.

Spanning 67 hectares, the park offers a total of 34 rides suited for visitors of all ages.

Among these are the multiple inversion loops of the Boomerang roller coaster and the Swamp Thing ride that propels thrill-seekers over the park’s swampy areas inhabited by an alligator nicknamed Twister.

Wild Adventures is conveniently located off Interstate 75 in Clyattville, near the Florida state border and approximately 90 miles (1.5 hours) from Albany.

14. Lake Chehaw

Despite being an artificial lake created for hydroelectric power, Lake Chehaw remains one of Albany’s premier outdoor destinations.

Recognized for its recreational fishing and boating, it lies at the convergence of the Flint River with the Muckalee and Kinchafoonee Creeks.

Approximately a century old, the lake encompasses over 550 hectares, ensuring that even on the busiest days, visitors can find tranquil areas to enjoy, including a covered picnic space by the dam or along the canoe trails.

This lake is located just north of downtown Albany.

15. Andersonville National Historic Site

Individuals with an interest in history should consider the Andersonville National Historic Site while visiting Albany.

This location marks the site of the Civil War-era prison known as Camp Sumter, where approximately 40,000 Union soldiers were detained, with an estimated 13,000 never returning home, now interred in the national cemetery situated on the premises.

Managed by the US National Park Service, Andersonville is also recognized as a national monument and museum dedicated to U.S. Prisoners of War, including notable figures such as author Kurt Vonnegut and Senator John McCain.