Hi!

I may soon be a first-time Ohio resident, possibly relocating to the northern Columbus area. Any advice on which communities are the best would be much appreciated.  Thanks!

welcome to the forum, however i don't even know where columbus is on a map. so, i changed the title to let others with more expertese be aware.

Isn't it a suburb of Mansfield?

 

 

 

 

(yeah, I never get tired of that joke...)

Now that the comedy has been said, how far north of Columbus are you planning to move to?

Ohio State University area (aka University and Clintonville)

Northern Suburbs (Dublin, Worthington, Westerville, New Albany)

Neighboring counties (Union, Delaware, Licking)

Exurbs (aka Countryside: Marion, Morrow, Knox)

Not sure what in my original title was funny, but I'm glad I made you smile!  :-D

I'm looking around the Maryville or Dublin area, but am willing to expand my horizons.

I'm hearing that Dublin has great schools, which is a high priority for our family. Housing looks a little pricey though. But the whole recreational parks/trails amenities appeal to us as well.

 

This is a nice forum for information. I'll be hanging out here quite a bit, I'm sure! Are there other discussion boards I should check out as well?

Dublin is definitely considered one of the best suburbs of Columbus and it's a quick on US33 from Marysville.  Hilliard is a little further south along I-270 than Dublin, but it's a little more affordable, but still has good schools.

 

Just out of curiosity, where do you live now?

Northern Wisconsin. Brrrr. I'm hoping Ohio is just a bit warmer.

Hmmmmmm....  I didn't origianlly post about Columbia, did I?  :oops:(blush!)

Not sure what in my original title was funny, but I'm glad I made you smile!  :-D

I'm looking around the Maryville or Dublin area, but am willing to expand my horizons.

I'm hearing that Dublin has great schools, which is a high priority for our family. Housing looks a little pricey though. But the whole recreational parks/trails amenities appeal to us as well.

 

This is a nice forum for information. I'll be hanging out here quite a bit, I'm sure! Are there other discussion boards I should check out as well?

 

As you said, Dublin is pricey but has nice amenities for families (good schools, etc).  I personally recommend Worthington, as it is closer to the city, has a wonderful downtown area, very walkable, nice parks, and good school system.

I agree about Worthington over Dublin.  The town center area is great and it's a very walkable town.

 

Were you looking at Dublin or Marysville because of your work location?

And Powell, and Shawnee Hills, and Ostrander.

 

This is a nice forum for information. I'll be hanging out here quite a bit, I'm sure! Are there other discussion boards I should check out as well?

 

As to other parts of this site, City discussions (look up "the dirt" on various communities in the state) and Ohio Photos (get a notion of how most locals in Ohio actually look).

Thanks for the responses everyone. Yes, I'd like to be about 20 minutes or less to Marysville where the job is.

What other kinds of qualities are you looking for in a place to live?  You mentioned schools and the recreational amenities... anything else in particular?  I don't have useful insights, but some of these other folks could probably help point you further in the right direction with regard to any other things you're looking for.

 

By the way, welcome to the forum, and (if you are coming) to Ohio!  Or I guess I should say goodbye from Wisconsin first.  We'll call it a trade- I've come to Wisconsin, you go to Ohio. :-)

Thanks for the responses everyone. Yes, I'd like to be about 20 minutes or less to Marysville where the job is.

 

You'd like small towns (Plain City, Ostrander, or even in or around Marysville)

Or be connected to the "big city" (Hilliard or Dublin which are adjancent to the westside of Columbus)?

 

We do have photos of Marysville http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=742.0

Some....interesting shots of Dublin http://www.roadfan.com/moredub.html

I know no one has taken any photos of Ostrander (last check, population 472) and I don't see photos of Plain City on the site here either.  :oops:

Just checking in again, as Ohio is becoming more of a possibility than ever.

Question: What do you Columbus-area folks have for boatable lakes/rivers?

I love being around water and don't like the idea of having to sell our boat to move to Ohio. We're camping people too! 

^Drive it up to the Lake Erie Islands on the weekends.  Its a boating mecca.

Just checking in again, as Ohio is becoming more of a possibility than ever.

Question: What do you Columbus-area folks have for boatable lakes/rivers?

I love being around water and don't like the idea of having to sell our boat to move to Ohio. We're camping people too! 

 

As mentioned previously, there's the big lake, a 4 hr drive north from Central Ohio.

Smaller lakes within eyesight of Marysville include Indian Lake, northwest in Logan County, and Delaware and Alum Creek Reservoirs just to the east in Delaware Co.

Hiking & Camping - default answer is the Hocking Hills, a 2 hr drive SE of Columbus.

four hour drive? where are you going, port stanley?

^ It's really more like 2-2.5 hours to get to the sandusky area.

 

And don't forget about Buckeye Lake (just south of Newark).

As mentioned previously, there's the big lake, a 4 hr drive north from Central Ohio.

 

When leaving Columbus, do you drive thru Dayton before heading north to the big lake?

Boating should be no problem in Central Ohio.

 

Alum Creek Lake and Hoover Resevoir are both located in Columbus' northern suburbs and boast a large amount of water activities, parks and recreation, and camp grounds.

 

Alum Creek Lake:

http://www.ohiodnr.com/parks/parks/alum.htm

 

The lake features the largest inland state park beach with a length of 3,000 feet. Alum Creek Lake and State Park is Ohio’s 2nd most visited park within the 74-state park system.

 

Alum Creek Lake is a highly popular central Ohio boating destination as it affords many opportunities to enjoy different types of boats that include sailboats, runabouts, bow riders, cruisers, pontoons, bass boats and other fishing boats, JetSkis and ski boats. The lake has a large expansive area south of Cheshire Road that offers unlimited horsepower and plenty of room for water skiers. The area of the lake north of the Ohio Route 36 Causeway is a no-wake zone and contains tree-lined shores, shale cliffs and sheltered inlets highly suitable for paddlers.

 

Alum Creek Lake also is a popular destination for sailboats and is home to the Alum Creek Sailing Association. In partnership with the Central Ohio Safe Boating Council and Ohio Department of Natural Resources the sailing association co-sponsors the annual Alum Creek Boating & Fishing Festival held each June.

 

Hoover Reservoir:

http://recparks.columbus.gov/rentals/docks.asp

I forgot to mention Buckeye Lake. However, if you're going to be residing in the Marysville/Dublin area of the city, Buckeye Lake is essentially in the opposite direction in Licking County. Here's some information about it anyways:

 

Buckeye Lake:

http://www.ohiodnr.com/parks/parks/buckeye.htm

 

Buckeye Lake, constructed as a canal feeder lake in 1826, is Ohio's oldest state park. The park has long been a popular vacation spot and today offers endless water-related recreational opportunities including swimming, skiing, boating and fishing.

 

The 3,100-acre Buckeye Lake is designated as an unlimited horsepower lake, but pontoons, sailboats, canoes and rowboats are also common. Access to the lake is available at several public launch ramps.

 

If boating is a major concern, you should consider Cleveland. :wink:

As mentioned previously, there's the big lake, a 4 hr drive north from Central Ohio.

 

When leaving Columbus, do you drive thru Dayton before heading north to the big lake?

 

We're not talking about flying up I-71 in a sports car.  Try towing a boat on roads without a 65 MPH speed limit.  Cleveland isn't the only port along Lake Erie.

^my ranger is a sports car!

^my ranger is a sports car!

 

You mean this ranger?

^ I need to talk to that guy.  There's this bear who's been stealing my pic-a-nic baskets...

not only are people in ohio helpful, we also have a great sense of humour!

I see that! Your humor alone makes me feel that becoming an Ohioan may be fun.

Live in Cincy or Cleveland if you like outdoor activities they have a bunch to offer and are within a much shorter drive to many nearby lakes, rivers and trails. Unfortunately columbus is pretty flat and there are not many natural outdoor recreation activities. But you can still have fun in Cbus too.

The Hocking Hills alone is enough "natural scenery" near Columbus to appease anyone seeking it.

welcome.

 

i would suggest westerville because i know it has the best schools vs those mentioned and i am biased, but also if boating is important you have alum creek and hoover reservoir around.

 

if you live on the north side of columbus, you can easily go up to lake erie on the weekends for real boating.

 

if you want to camp as mentioned hocking hills is sort of nearby and thats the place.

I will definitely check out Hocking Hills and Westerville too.  I guess in terms of priorities, schools should be more important to us than the boat!  (right???)  ;)

well thats what i was assuming....  :-)

 

the three northern burbs of dublin, worthington and westerville all have fine schools, but really westerville gets the slight edge there imo.

How come? What are the cool things Westerville has over the other two? I'm asking because a word-of-mouth opinion is of great value when I move to a new area.

Westerville does have a nice downtown district, has Otterbein College, and is pleasant.  I don't know if Westerville has a better school district than Dublin (I've heard Dublin being in the top 5 of the state, but not sure), but it is quite comparable to Worthington (from what I've read in the Dispatch online).  If you do want boating, Westerville is the best choice of the three, but I advise you that it is a longer distance to Marysville versus Worthington and Dublin.

^ On that distance note, it's probably also worth mentioning that a commute to Marysville from Westerville (and Worthington to some extent) takes you across that northern section of 270 which is just about the busiest stretch of highway in Ohio.  So annoying traffic is a possibility.

Back to your original comment (back on page 1 of this thread), anything east of a line from Dublin to Delaware will give you a commute time longer than 20 minutes.

We should know by next week if we will become Ohioans. My mother is from Dayton (Miamisburg, actually) and said that it is more proper to say Buckeyes. I say only if you are a Buckey fan. I don't go around calling her a Badger after our Wisconsin mascot after all! :)

We should know by next week if we will become Ohioans. My mother is from Dayton (Miamisburg, actually) and said that it is more proper to say Buckeyes.

 

Actually, I've never been called a Buckeye, only an Ohioan. Maybe I'm just hanging around with an uncouth crowd. Regardless, using one term or the other will likely draw as much attention as using the wrong fork for your salad. :wink:

 

Welcome!

My Pennsylvanian relatives call us "Oheesians," which I really dig...

Okay to help you out a little bit more.

 

Columbus controls most of the immediate metro area. In other words, many parts of Columbus, the newest sections that have been developed, are the city of Columbus, but a suburban school district. With the exception of Dublin, the actual city limit area of the suburbs is relatively small.

 

So keep in mind that you will want to look for areas that are surrounding the suburbs, but actually Columbus.

 

The areas off of Sawmill Rd (NW Columbus) go to either Dublin or Worthington schools. The Worthington "area" is a good choice, because you are close to High ST. ( Columbus' main urban commerical street)

 

I love the Clintonville and Beechwold neighborhoods (which are considered Columbus.) These areas are just south of Worthington and are close to some of the better schools in the Columbus district. Many wealthier families do send their kids to private schools in the Clintonville/ Beechwold area. Both of these neighborhoods are right along High ST. and are very walkable and family friendly.

Thanks for the tips, seanguy I'll check those out as well.. I can't wait to become an oheesion. (sounds kind of bloody!)

Allow me to add to the voices for Clintonville.  I've lived here for 20 years and we love it.

 

Great old neighborhood with a good mix of families, young professionals, singles.... a diverse housing stock..... a very small-town atmosphere along our portion of North High Street, with lots of small shops and several "new urbanist" style retail developments with more small shops and restaurants.... enough coffee shops to feed the caffiene habit of most of Columbus.... and very centrally located..... on at least four different bus routes (including the #2 North High.... which is COTA's busiest route.

 

We've also got one of the best bike and jogging trails in the city that runs from downtown north along the Olentangy River and beyond the I-270 outbelt.

 

Where up north are you coming from?

I'm in northeast Wisconsin. not too far from Lambeau field.  :lol:

Ah.... the frozen tundra.  Welcome.  Ohio will seem downright balmy in winter.

You still get snow, don't you? What are the temps like at their worst?

My husband arrives for his final interview next week. He'll have time to look around a bit and get a first impression of the areas some of you mentioned.

Columbus gets snow, but not as much as Cleveland.  It's almost a different climate down here than it is two hours north.  We're out of range of the lake-effect snow and only end up with a few inches each year.

 

As far as the temps, I'd say that we hit single-digits for about 1 week every year.