Summer in Columbus 2027: camps, pools and splash pads

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Pool and splash pad details come from Columbus Parks and Recreation’s own pages, linked below. The city has not posted 2027 pool opening dates or camp registration yet; we add them when it does.

Muscogee County students finish school Friday, May 21, 2027, and return Monday, Aug. 2, on the district calendar. Columbus Parks and Recreation runs four outdoor pools, an indoor aquatics center and two free splash pads, and Uptown Columbus adds a free splash pad by the river from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.

Who to call

• Columbus Aquatics Center: 706-225-3980
• Uptown Columbus: 706-596-0111
• Columbus Public Library: 706-243-2669
• City services: 311
• Emergency: 911

City pools

The outdoor pools are closed Monday and Tuesday. Admission is charged by age, with lower rates for Muscogee County residents, and family memberships are sold; each pool’s page lists the current rates. The Columbus Aquatics Center is indoor and open year-round for swim lessons and fitness, closed Sundays. Details are on the city’s Pools & Splash Pads page.

The hours above are the ones the city posts today. Opening and closing dates for the 2027 outdoor season are not posted yet.

Splash pads

• City Services Center Splash Pad, 3111 Citizens Way, and Carver Park Splash Pad, 6665 Hunter Road: free and open daily during the summer, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (city splash pad listing).
• Uptown splash pad and playground, by the RiverWalk: free, opening the weekend of Memorial Day and closing after Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. It closes in bad weather (Uptown Columbus).

Camps and programs

• Columbus Parks and Recreation runs youth programs at its recreation centers and takes registration online through WebTrac. The 2027 summer programs are not listed yet.
• Historic Westville, 3557 S. Lumpkin Road, added Sunday hours, 1 to 5 p.m., in June and July 2026, with costumed interpreters and demonstrations (2026 listing).
• The Columbus Museum’s Summer Festival, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026, offered art making, gallery activities and live music for all ages (2026 listing).
• The Springer Theatre Academy runs classes for young performers; its programs are on the Springer’s Academy page.

On the river

Uptown Columbus says the RushSouth whitewater course runs family-friendly low-flow rafting in the morning and class III to V high-flow trips in the afternoon, with guided kayak tours, a treetop zipline and disc golf nearby (RushSouth page). The city’s RiverWalk rules ban swimming in the river (RiverWalk page).

Frequently asked questions

Where are the public pools in Columbus, Georgia? Columbus Parks and Recreation runs four outdoor pools, Double Churches, Psalmond Road, Rigdon Park and Shirley Winston, plus the indoor Columbus Aquatics Center at 1603 Midtown Drive, open year-round.

Are the Columbus splash pads free? Yes. The City Services Center splash pad at 3111 Citizens Way and the Carver Park splash pad at 6665 Hunter Road are free and open daily in summer from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Uptown Columbus’ splash pad is also free.

What days are Columbus city pools open? The outdoor pools list Wednesday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (7:30 p.m. at Double Churches). They are closed Monday and Tuesday.

When does school get out in Muscogee County in 2027? The last day for students is Friday, May 21, 2027, and the 2027-28 school year starts Monday, Aug. 2, 2027.

What this means for you

• Outdoor pools close Mondays and Tuesdays; use a splash pad or the indoor Aquatics Center.
• Ask the pool what proof of residence it accepts for the Muscogee County rate.
• Do not swim in the Chattahoochee; book a guided trip instead.

Related: kids’ activities in Columbus, Memorial Day in Columbus and Father’s Day in Columbus.