There are so many great cities in The Buckeye State of Ohio. You’ve got Cincinnati, Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Sandusky, and Athens, but the state’s capital, Columbus, is arguably one of it’s finest. There are so many fun and exciting things to do in Columbus that it’s difficult to even know where to start. This vibrant, bustling midwestern city has been rapidly growing and developing and has received a lot of national press in recent years.
Columbus is the 14th largest city in the US. The housing market is currently red-hot, the job market is prime, and people from all over the world are finally discovering all that Columbus has to offer.
In this video, you’ll find 20 fun sights to see the best things to do in Columbus, Ohio. There is something in Columbus for people of all ages and interests. From foodies to families and animal lovers to art aficionados, Columbus is a city that seems to have been made for everyone.
COSI
The Center of Science and Industry, or COSI for short, offers a ton of hands-on activities that those who are either young or just young-at-heart will love. There are plenty of permanent, interactive exhibits, but the center also features several seasonal and rotating exhibits and IMAX films every year.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
The Columbus Zoo has regularly been listed as one of the nations best zoos and that’s for very good reasons. The zoo is jam-packed fool of exotic animals and exciting activities to do for children and guests of all ages. Make sure you check out the fantastic Heart of Africa exhibit where you can hand-feed a real live giraffe.
Ohio History Center
Brush up on your Ohio History with informative and interactive exhibits. Special events such as the Night at the Museum sleepover are held throughout the year and are a big hit with families.
North Market
Ohio’s only public market can be found in Columbus and it’s well worth a visit. North Market first opened it’s doors In 1876 and is home to more than 30 vendors selling a fairly wide range of products from meats, produce, cheeses, flowers, crafts, and baked goods. On certain Saturdays, the market is expanded outside, and on Sundays in June through October, local artwork, furniture, and jewelry are on display.
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Huntington Park
Sports fans visiting Columbus should definitely catch a baseball game at Huntington Park, the home stadium of the minor league team, The Columbus Clippers. The atmosphere at the park is pleasant, and both the tickets and concessions are reasonably priced. The park can hold up to 10,000 guests, but most of the time it’s not very crowded. This means that you can walk around and explore various sections of the park if you want.
Ohio Village
Located next door to the Ohio History Center, Ohio Village shows visitors what everyday life was like back in the 1880s. While the mock village is only open regularly during the summertime, special events are held throughout the year. Come Halloween, the village is given a spooky makeover and during the holiday season, it’s painted with a coat of Christmas cheer.
Columbus Museum of Art
At the Columbus Museum of Art, you’ll find a mixture of permanent and rotating exhibits, classes, and special events. Make sure if you’re traveling with children to check out The Wonder Room, where your little ones can play and explore while learning about art and it’s history. The museum is also free on Sundays.
Franklin Park Conservatory And Botanical Gardens
If you want to see beautifully manicured gardens and displays featuring flowers, greenery, and Chihuly glass, then the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens should definitely be on your itinerary. The greenhouses here host more than 400 species of plants found in various climates and regions of the world. They also have several special exhibits scheduled throughout the year to shake things up. Two of the most popular ones are the ‘Blooms and Butterflies’ exhibit and the ‘Origami in the Gardens’ event.
The Scioto Mile
After years of careful planning, calculated organization, and meticulous environmental rehabilitation, the Scioto Mile finally opened in 2015. Spanning acres of parkland and featuring miles of trails that follow the Scioto River, this park is the perfect place to go for a walk, jog, or bike ride.
The 15,000 square-foot interactive fountain and splash pad at Bicentennial Park attracts younger guests while the park’s summer free-concert series draws in the adults. The Scioto Mile also has a free outdoor climbing wall, and guests can learn all about environmental and conservation issues over at the Audobon Center.
Columbus Food Adventure
From Harvest Pizza In Clintonville to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Columbus Commons, there are so many great restaurants, bakeries, and cafes in Columbus. One of the best ways to try a decent variety of great places in just one day is by taking a food tour with Columbus Food Adventures. They offer themed food tours like their breakfast tour, meat lover’s tour, and all dessert tour.
Wexner Center For The Arts
The Wexner Center, which is part of The Ohio State University, houses a collection of contemporary artworks. Here you’ll discover art exhibits, movie screenings, live performances, artist residencies, and educational programs. The exhibits are free on Thursdays after 4 pm and on the first Sunday of every month.
German Village
This Columbus neighborhood got it’s name from the German immigrants who settled in this area in the early 1800s. The majority of the neighborhood has maintained it’s Germanic heritage, and that’s evident by the architecture and cuisine that can be found here.
German Village’s Schmidt’s Restaurant and Sausage Haus dishes out delicious sausages, schnitzel, and cream puffs.
The neighborhood also holds an annual Haus and Garten Tour in the springtime and German Village Oktoberfest come fall.
Easton Town Center
After exploring the rustic, stuck-in-time aesthetics of German Village, head on over to Easton where you’ll find the most modern neighborhood in the city. It’s town center was built with contemporary architecture, and inside you’ll find a variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options.
Ohio Stadium
If you’re a big fan of college sports or if you simply want to tick off a Michigan fan, go catch a NCAA game over at Ohio Stadium, or “the shoe” as it has been endearingly nicknamed by locals. While the stadium is most closely associated with college football, it also supports other athletic events, concerts, and graduation ceremonies as well. If you’re visiting Columbus or merely passing through en route to somewhere else, making a stop to take in this impressive structure is well worth the visit.
Otherworld
Billing itself as an interactive playground, Otherworld is a relatively new immersive art experience that toes the line between being an art museum, a spaceship, and an escape room. After stepping into the building, you’ll be transported into an entirely new and bizarre world.
Otherwold was founded by Ohio Artist Jordan Renda in 2017. He has previously helped create other escape rooms and haunted houses across the country. Otherworld guests can find their way through 40 rooms packed with interactive art displays and hands-on exhibits. Practically everything in Otherworld was designed to be interacted with. That means you won’t get scolded by a man in a suit with a walkie-talkie if you reach out and touch the art. If anything, they’ll look at you like you’re crazy if you don’t.
Wagner-Hagans Auto Museum
This museum isn’t very big but it is certainly still worth a visit. They have a decent little collection of 12 cars restored to their original condition and numerous pieces of automobile memorabilia. Unfortunately, they don’t have regular hours and tours are by appointment only.
Ohio Theatre
The Ohio Theatre is a world-class venue located in the heart of Columbus. From classical music to their POPS concerts, the world’s best musicians perform with the Columbus Symphony at the Ohio Theater. Modern bands and musicians also regularly play at this 2,791-seat, historic theater.
The facility itself is beautiful. There’s a 21-foot-high chandelier, and it’s Spanish-Baroque architecture makes any night out at the Ohio Theatre a memorable one.
Over 100 performances are held here each year, making it one of the state’s busiest performing arts facilities. The theaters acoustics are also pretty remarkable, leaving little wonder why it’s been a favorite spot of performers like Carole King, Yo-Yo Ma, Yannie, Kenny G, John Denver, and Dan Fogelberg.
The Ohio Statehouse
This state capital building and seat of government for the US State of Ohio is located on Capital Square in Downtown Columbus and features Greek Revival architecture. The capitol building houses the Ohio General Assembly, consisting of the states House of Representatives and Senate. It also is home to the ceremonial offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, state treasurer, and state auditor.
Built between 1839 and 1863, it is one of the oldest functioning statehouses in the country. It’s prominent architecture has earned it several landmark designations. Most notably, it’s included in the National Historic Landmark registry. Every year, the building sees about a half-million visitors per year.
Topiary Park
This 9.2-acre public park and garden located in Columbus’ Discovery District is designed to depict figures from George Seurat’s 1884 painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte. It’s, in fact, the only park in the entire world to be based completely on a painting. The park used to be part of the campus of the Ohio Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, but today it’s owned by the city of Columbus and maintained by the parks department.
Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
This facility is a research library of American cartoons and comic arts affiliated with the Ohio State University Library System. It was previously called the Cartoon Research Library and holds the world’s largest and most comprehensive academic research facility dedicated to documenting and displaying original and printed comic strips, editorial cartoons, and other forms of comic art. And, in case you were wondering, the museum was named after the Ohio cartoonist Billy Ireland.
Well, here we are once again at the end of another video, but we’ve covered a lot of destinations and attractions, haven’t we? What do you think about our list? Did we miss any of your favorite spots in Columbus, or perhaps you have something to add about one of them? Either way, let us known in the comments section below.
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