Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544721
B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 37 when it's time to reset. Evenings of open air, live music, and leisurely conversations linger along the Riverwalk. COLUMBUS The Chattahoochee River sets the pace in Columbus, shap- ing a destination where your agenda can move between her- itage, culture, and open-air experience. You can trace that story through the city's Black Heritage Trail and spaces like the Columbus Black History Museum, where local narratives resound with clarity and depth. It's a setting that invites reflec- tion without slowing momentum—a feeling your attendees will notice as they move between sessions and shared experiences. And don't forget the Gertrude "Ma" Rainey House and Blues Museum, which honors the local heroine who gained fame as the "Queen of the Blues." Meetings can find a natural home at the Columbus Georgia Convention & Trade Center, where the restored mill architec- ture brings character into the space. Just beyond, the Uptown area — which is actually Columbus' downtown — keeps mul- tiple dining, shopping and leisure attractions within reach of the Columbus Marriott or Hotel Indigo Columbus at Riverfront Place, where river views and walkable streets make for smooth transitions. It's easy to build a flow here, from morning sessions to afternoon exploration to lively evenings. That exploration often leads back to the river. Along the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, your group can stretch the day with a walk, a ride, or simply time to gather outdoors. For something more energetic, whitewater rafting ramps up the tone from meeting to memory in a matter of minutes. It's the kind of con- trast that works especially well for incentive travel and multi- generational groups. Uptown's nighttime energy sparkles. Performances at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts or the Springer Opera House draw you into the city's creative life, while music venues, comedy clubs, craft breweries and billiard parlors keep the good times going. In Columbus, history, culture, and recreation are all within reach, allowing you to shape an experience that is both grounded and fully engaged. EAST POINT East Point moves at a pace where your group can settle in quickly and still stay connected to Atlanta's metropolitan ener- gy. For starters, it's close to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Meetings at the Georgia International Convention Center flow smoothly, with the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway and Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel keeping everything within reach. That proximity shapes the experience, giving you more time to focus on connection, collaboration, and shared moments beyond the agenda. Outside the meeting space, the city reveals its character through its neighborhoods. Community life rolls out along the Main Street corridor, with local markets, public art, and gather- ing spaces that invite you to engage. Cultural programming at the East Point Auditorium adds a live element to your evenings, while nearby restaurants and locally owned spots cre- ate opportunities for relaxed, communal dining. Soul food ven- ues in and around East Point include Lickety Split Southern Kitchen and Par and Orethea's at the Pont. For something more active, you can shift the tone at the out- door Dick Lane Velodrome, nestled in Sumner Park. Whether you're watching a bike race or incorporating it into a group out- ing, it adds a jolt of energy that's distinctly East Point (fun fact: it was the training facility for cyclists during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta!). Parks and green spaces offer a counterbalance, giving your attendees room to reset. If, after your time in East Point, it feels like you'd already been there, maybe that's possible - if you've ever seen Black Panther, Hidden Figures, or any of the many other film and TV projects filmed there. Some of those were shot at Tyler Perry Studios on the city's northern border, on the site of the former Fort McPherson. The East Point experience is built through access, communi- ty, and a tangible sense of place. LAGRANGE Columbus Museum East Point velodrome Visit LaGrange, Oakfuskee Exterior