Auburn Football is back! The 2026 Season is just around the corner and it’s time to plan your trip to catch a game or two.

Why not stay in Columbus, Georgia?

We know there’s nothing quite like game day on the Plains. The traditions, the tailgates, the sea of orange and blue, and the excitement inside Jordan-Hare Stadium make an Auburn football weekend one to remember. But this season, we invite you to make the experience even more memorable by choosing Columbus, Georgia as your home base.

Located less than an hour drive from Auburn, Columbus offers a convenient place to stay with reasonable hotel rates, incredible local restaurants, nightlife, outdoor adventure, arts and entertainment, and plenty to explore before and after the game.

Drive to Auburn for the football but stay in Columbus for the ultimate weekend to remember.

Where to Stay

Finding the right place to stay is an important part of planning any football weekend, especially when thousands of fans are headed to the same destination.

Columbus offers Auburn fans convenience without sacrifice. Our variety of hotels and reasonable rates are just a short drive from the stadium. Settle into your Columbus hotel on Friday, enjoy an evening exploring the city, then make your way to Auburn for game day on Saturday.

Popular hotels in Uptown include Hotel Indigo, AC Hotel ColumbusDowntown, Hampton Inn Columbus Downtown, City Mills, or the Columbus Marriott. Other great picks across town are Country Inn & Suites Columbus North, Doubletree by Hilton Columbus, Hyatt Place Columbus North, and the Staybridge Suites Columbus Fort Benning. If you’d like to see a complete list of hotels in the area, click here.

Prefer a bed and breakfast? Try the Rothschild Pound House Inn located in the heart of the Historic District.

Once the final whistle blows, make the short drive back to Columbus where restaurants, nightlife, and plenty of ways to keep the weekend going are waiting for you. This is a city where it’s always a good idea to add an extra night. This way, you can sleep in and spend Sunday exploring the city before heading back home.

Make a New Game Day Dining Tradition

Some of the best game day traditions happen far beyond the stadium.

For Auburn fans who return to Columbus throughout the season, a favorite local restaurant can quickly become a traditional part of the whole experience. This season, we challenge you to come to Columbus and find the place your family visits every year.

Columbus has so many restaurants waiting to be the table your friends gather around on Friday night, or the breakfast spot you always kick off Game Day before heading to Auburn each year.

Arrive on Friday and kick off the weekend with dinner at one of Columbus’ locally owned restaurants. For a memorable night out, explore the city’s fine dining scene or enjoy dinner inside one of its historic spaces. Local favorites for a nice dinner out include EPIC, the historic Goetchius House, 11th and Bay, Gabagool, Millhouse Kitchen + Bar, The Animal Farm, Mabella's, Saltcellar, or Nonic at Highside Market.

Prefer to keep things casual? Grab some local barbecue at Country’s on Broadway, or enjoy neighborhood restaurants like Jarfly in Midtown, Chili Thai, or Bodega 1205 in Uptown, or the new Niaz Persian Kitchen at BANKS Food Hall. Staying out near North Columbus? Try Charred Oak Kitchen + Bar or Morten’s, both located in Old Town. No matter where your hotel is, Columbus offers plenty of options for gathering around the table, and there are restaurants to fit every budget.

On Saturday morning, grab breakfast, brunch or a cup of locally roasted coffee before making the drive to Auburn. (See our recommendations for local coffee houses here!) Then, after the game, return to Columbus for a late-night bite and enjoy one more meal for Sunday brunch. Great Sunday brunch options can be found at The Flying Biscuit at Highside Market, The Animal Farm, Saltcellar, The Goetchius House, and Denim & Oak at Hotel Indigo in Uptown.

With everything from elevated dining experiences to longtime local favorites, the hardest part may be choosing which Columbus restaurant(s) become a part of your Auburn football tradition!

Keep the Night Going After the Game

The game may be over in Auburn, but your night doesn’t have to be.

Head back to your Columbus home base and spend the rest of the evening enjoying the city. Grab a late-night meal, meet friends for a drink, find some live music, or simply enjoy being back in the heart of the city after a full day of football.

Depending on kickoff time, you may have an entire evening ahead of you when you return from Auburn. Planning your post-game destination in advance makes it easy to keep the fun going once you're back in Columbus. Make reservations and get ahead of the crowds so you can enjoy the city to the max with your travel team.

If you’re looking for some wonderful places to grab a drink, popular places in Uptown include Stirrup Trouble, Eighteen 85 Rooftop Bar at Hotel Indigo, or 18th Amendment - Columbus’ only speakeasy. We can’t give you directions, but just head to the only cigar shop on Broadway, and we’re sure you’ll find your way. (Try the Old Fashioned!) Not staying in Uptown? Any of the restaurants previously mentioned are all great options for a post-game hang or check here for some more great ideas around town. In Columbus, you won’t have to go far to find some high-quality fun no matter where you’re staying.

Turn Game Day into a Columbus Getaway

Football may bring you to the region, but don’t forget that there’s plenty to experience beyond the stadium.

Give yourself a little extra time in Columbus and discover a city filled with outdoor adventure, arts and culture, entertainment, history, and experiences along the Chattahoochee River.

Add a Little Adventure

The Chattahoochee River runs straight through the heart of Columbus, creating plenty of ways to spend time outside during your football weekend.

Take a walk, run, or bike ride along the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, explore the city on the Dragonfly Trail, or get out on the water for an entirely different kind of game-weekend adrenaline. Columbus’ riverfront provides an effortless way to enjoy the outdoors without traveling far from the restaurants, hotels, and attractions at the center of your trip.

Depending on the time of year and your weekend itinerary, you can turn a Saturday football game into a getaway that includes whitewater rafting or zip lining with Whitewater Express, a hike at nearby Providence Canyon, or catch a Sunday afternoon Columbus Clingstones game. It’s all here and waiting for you. Choose your own adventure!

Experience Columbus’ Arts & Culture

Don’t forget to save some room in your itinerary for Columbus’ incredible arts & culture scene, too.

Columbus is home to museums, galleries, live theatre, music, and a thriving local arts community. Spend part of the weekend exploring The Columbus Museum or the Bo Bartlett Center, catch a performance at the Springer Opera House or RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, or discover the many galleries and installations of public art found throughout the city. Special exhibitions and performances change throughout the football season, giving repeat visitors something new to experience with each trip.

See What’s Happening While You’re Here

No two Auburn football weekends in Columbus have to look exactly alike.

Before your trip, check out the VisitColumbusGA Event Calendar to discover what’s happening around the city during your stay. You may find a concert, festival, theatre performance, community event, or limited-time exhibition at one of Columbus’ museums or galleries that gives you another reason to extend your visit.

A little advance planning can turn a trip to the game into an entire weekend of experiences! 

Plan Your 2026 Auburn Football Weekend

Ready to start planning? Auburn’s 2026 home football schedule gives you six opportunities to base your game weekend in Columbus this season:

September 12

Auburn vs. Southern Miss

Kickoff on the Plains

September 19

Auburn vs. Florida

September 26

Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

Homecoming

October 24

Auburn vs. LSU

November 7

Auburn vs. Arkansas

Military Appreciation

November 21

Auburn vs. Samford

Your Auburn football weekend can be about more than what happens during four quarters. Make Columbus your home base and create a trip filled with great meals, comfortable accommodations, riverfront adventure, arts and entertainment, and time spent falling in love with a new city that’s just a short drive from the stadium.

Auburn may be where you’re headed for game day, but Columbus can be where the weekend happens. Just don’t forget to tell your friends about your new traditions and invite them along next time to enjoy the fun.

Ready to plan your trip? Request a Visitors Guide for even more inspiration and let us know how we can help you build a trip that’ll have you eager to come back for more.

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Itineraries / Trip Ideas