Fort Benning, GA - Nearby Cities

Columbus, GA
Columbus is ranked as number four on the 100 best U.S. Best Cities list by Best Life Magazine. Located just nine miles from Fort Benning, the city is home to the National Infantry Museum, a museum that honors the history of the U.S. Army infantry forces. Many military personnel currently live in the Columbus area.

Apartments for rent in the area are numerous and a 2 bedroom, 1 bath unit will run about $640 a month. If you are looking for a home to buy, the average listing price in the area is $135,000 with about 3300 homes available for purchase. If temporary lodging is what you are in the market for, there are several moderate hotels in the area including the Howard Johnson and the Comfort In. Rates run about $89 a night and offer free high-speed internet and indoor swimming pools.

Columbus offers great shopping opportunities as it is home to the Peachtree Mall, a large indoor shopping complex, as well as an outdoor strip mall known as The Landings. The city is also home to several Gentlemen's Clubs in the downtown area. Columbus is easily accessed from I-185 to the East and the J.R. Allen Parkway to the North.

Smiths Station, GA
Smiths Station is a bedroom community of Columbus, Georgia with a population of 22,000 people. With its close proximity to Fort Benning only 18 miles away, the city boasts a huge Civil War Museum. The museum is a 40,000 square foot facility that features two American Civil War military vessels, uniform, and weapons from both the Union and Confederate navies.

Home prices in the area are slightly higher than surrounding communities with an average listing running between $399,000 and $525,000. Places for rent run between $475 and $675 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. Very economical hotels are close by as well including the Holiday Inn and the La Quinta Inn. Prices range in the $50-$60 a night category and offer free breakfasts and free internet access.

Smiths Station is close to nearby Columbus which is home to the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts offering many diverse forms of entertainment in three theatres. The center offers children's theater performances as well as adult plays and musical concerts. Located just 10 miles from Smiths Station, Columbus offers many outdoor recreational activities as well.

Phenix City, GA
Home to the beautiful Phenix City amphitheater on the banks of the Chatahoochee River, Phenix City is located about 10.5 miles from Fort Benning and about 84 miles from Montgomery, Alabama. The city has many major highways, and inland waterways that allow easy access to the city via many forms of transportation.

Homes for sale run in the $229,000 to $400,000 range with apartments for rent in the $490 to $600 per month range. Rentals are between 1-3 bedrooms and 1-2 bathrooms depending on the unit and location. Temporary lodging can be found in a variety of nearby hotels such as the Ramada Limited and the Holiday Inn Express.

Phenix City is also home to the Coca-Cola Space Science Center which houses the Apollo Capsule, a Space Shuttle, and The Mead Observatory. Nearby is the 14,000-acre recreational facility called the Callaway Gardens. It is an ideal place for outdoor enthusiasts boasting 19 tennis courts, fishing and hunting preserves and an expansive greenhouse conservatory.

Bibb City, GA
Bibb City is most famously known for its Bibb Manufacturing Co. mill that was the centerpiece of the city and the largest cotton mill in the United States. It was a major employer in the area but was destroyed by fire in 2008, and the cause was never determined. Due to the mill closure, the city was no longer able to obtain funding, and its charter was dissolved in the year 2000. Today, it is a neighboring community of Columbus and a fixture on the National Register of Historic Places.

With a population of about 550 people, homes for sale in the area run between $96,000 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath residence to $125,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath residence. The city is located about 12 miles from Fort Benning which makes it a quiet community for those wishing to live near the bigger cities of Columbus but still maintain that small-town neighborhood. Apartments for rent average $500 for a one bedroom, $571 for a 2 bedroom and for a 3 bedroom and up between $650 and $800 a month. There are several Holiday Inns in the area providing temporary quarters and offering breakfast buffets, high speed internet access, and outdoor swimming pools. Prices range from $69-$89 a night.

Cusseta, GA
The original courthouse in Cusseta is now an historic tourist attraction as it was built in 1854 by slave workers. The city was named for a Creek Indian town that used to exist nearby, but is actually the merging of the two counties of Muscogee and Marion and is still the only incorporated city in Chattahoochee County.

Homes for sale in the area range in price from $104,000 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath residence to $138,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. Rental properties in the area range from $585 to $720 for a 2-3 bedroom, 1-2 bath apartment. Cusseta is located 13.7 miles from Fort Benning and offers multiple temporary lodging facilities such as Howard Johnsons with outdoor pools, exercise room, 24-hour room service, and a nearby casino.

Cusseta is also home to the Labor Day Fiddlers' Contest in early September. Admission is free and the activities include traditional music, pottery, blacksmithing, and hearth-side cooking. Wagon rides are also available for the whole family. The area is also known for its local golf clubs.