A trip to Albany is not complete without a visit to Radium Springs Gardens, considered one of Georgia’s “seven natural wonders”. Photo by the Georgia Photography Fanatic
At the center of Southwest Georgia, Albany is where you will find plenty of outdoor activities, arts and culture, shopping and dining options for all ages.
This Georgia town woos visitors with historical sites like the Albany Civil Rights Institute (ACRI) and Thronateeska Heritage Center.
Located in the restored 1906 Old Mt. Zion church, the ACRI contains oral histories, photographs, documents and artifacts, and educational exhibits to detail civil rights struggles. The institute also serves as a center for ongoing research, school programs, and public forums and lectures.
The Thronateeska Heritage Center serves to preserve historic preservation and science education throughout the region. The center’s campus includes separate history and science museums, a rail car display, and a planetarium.
Along the Flint River, visitors can view a life-size sculpture of Ray Charles, the legendary musician that spent part of his childhood in Albany. In 1960, Charles first recorded “Georgia on My Mind,” a song written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell. In 1979, Charles performed the iconic song before the Georgia General Assembly; later, it became the state’s official song.
Come face-to-face with creatures of the deep at the Flint RiverQuarium, where the fascinating story of the Flint River and the mysterious blue-hole springs is told. The 175,000-gallon, 22-foot-deep RiverQuarium Blue Hole is filled with fish, reptiles, and plants native to the Flint River’s ecosystem.
A trip to Albany is not complete without a visit to Radium Springs Gardens. Considered one of Georgia’s “seven natural wonders,” the springs pump 70,000 gallons of clear, 68-degrees water per minute from an underground cave.
Stay a few days and add Chehaw Park & Zoo and the Albany Museum of Art to your list of must-see attractions.
Visitors can view a life-size sculpture of Ray Charles, Georgia’s legendary musician. Photo exploregeorgia.org
Looking for some places to eat, the locals will tell you a trip to Albany is not complete without getting a hot dog on a toasted bun from Jimmies. Considered a mainstay in the community, Jimmie’s has been serving their famous hot dogs since 1940. A no-frills set-up, the hot dogs come with a choice of chili, cheese, coleslaw, relish, mustard, and onion—and if you can handle it, order it “all the way.”