Posted August 4, 200816 yr So I am in Columbus for the next couple of days for an OEA conference. Can anyone recommend some things to do / see while I am down here? I have never really been to the city, so feel free to recommend anything non-osu related.
August 4, 200816 yr no offense jar3232, but could this be moved to the travel & relocation forum for future reference?
August 4, 200816 yr No problem, seemed more like chit-chat to me than anything else specific or useful converstation...
August 4, 200816 yr Take a walk around German Village and check out The Book Loft - http://www.bookloft.com/bltour.htm
August 5, 200816 yr Get on 71 SB, drive for about an hour and enjoy the time of your life. yeah... he can browse the wares at the Wilmington Super Wal-Mart
August 5, 200816 yr Plenty. Depends what you're looking for. Tell us what you're looking for. For starters: Short North and German Village are the obvious choices. Arena District and Brewery District (less active than the former and centered on High and Front streets). Parsons between Broad and Bryden (one of the best restaurants is there, a hipster bar and local gay bar). Gay St Downtown and 3rd Ave in Harrison West also have a sprinkling of quality options. Grandview Ave in Grandview (north of 1st Ave) and Bexley for their Main St (not for nightlife). Off the beaten track: the two new coffeeshops in King Lincoln on Long & 17th and Long & Hamilton. My blog has some neighborhood maps w/ pics.
August 5, 200816 yr Some areas of interest... Short North Location: Along High Street north of the Convention Center Things to See: multiple art galleries, fine restaurants and boutique stores Things to Do: socialization, window shopping, dining Recommendations: catch up on literature while sipping a latte and indulging in dessert at MoJoe Lounge on the Caps, savor one (or five) of over a dozen unique beers on tap along with some of the best pub food around at the small and funky Betty's Fine Food and Spirits, wine tasting (and if your up for it and want to make a return trip to Columbus, make your own private reserve) at Camelot Cellars, or take in Columbus' gastronomic prowess at Rosendale's, Black Olive, or R.J. Snapper. Arena District Location: Northern fringe of downtown Things to see: Nationwide Arena, Mc.Phearson Commons and the arch to Columbus' original Union Station Things to do: Sporting events and concerts, gathering place Recommendations: stroll along the recently completed North Bank Park and up to Mc.Phearson Commons, check the concert listing at Lifestyles Communities (the "LC") Pavillion, gather with fellow conference attendees at Gordon Beirsch, O'Shaughnessy's Public House, Bucca di Beppo's, or Frog, Bear, and Wild Boar. The North Market Location: A block west of the Convention Center, north of the Arena District Things to see: wide variety of prepared foods and fresh meats, seafoods, and produce Things to do: eat Recommendations: stop by for a tasty, yet inexpensive lunch. Vendors and tastes are many and vary from Mediterranean to Thai, to NY-style deli, so just pick whatever suits you best, just make sure to stop by Jenni's Ice Cream for dessert (a Columbus staple). Park Street Location: Across from the North Market and north of the Arena District Things to See: people Things to Do: be seen, live music, drink Recommendation: walk through the gates of Goodale Park in the late afternoon to get a picture-perfect skyline view from behind the trees with the lily pond in the foreground, bar-hop and check to see if a local band is playing (sub recommendation: Park Street Tavern), dress in your most chic garments and indulge in overpriced drinks at Sugar or Spice Lounge. The Ohio Statehouse Location: Capitol Square, downtown Things to see: the politicians we all know and love Things to do: ask the eternal statehouse question to the tour guide: "why no dome?" Recommendations: take the free guided tour of the statehouse, heckle politicians COSI (Center Of Science and Industry) Location: across the Scioto River from downtown in Franklinton Things to see: skyline view, cube tree, COSI building Things to do: lift a car, ride a high-wire unicycle, see the closest thing to the ocean in Columbus Recommendations: general admission is $12.50, though the center closes at 5PM. Visit "Ocean," "Space," and "Life." Columbus Metropolitan Library Location: Discovery District in the southeast section of downtown Things to see: admire the original 1907 building's marble facade, the topiary garden, the Deaf School Things to do: read (duh :wink:) Recommendations: walk through the Andrew Carnegie-built structure through the lobby to the atrium of one of the finest public libraries in the country. Browse through the extensive collection as well as the historical archives. Franklin Park Conservatory & Chiluly Collection Location: Olde Town East neighborhood, east of downtown Things to see: variety of plant life, Chihuly glass, butterflies Things to do: see the Glass Palm House (built in 1895), walk the park grounds Recommendations: general admission is $7.50 and the conservatory closes at 5PM, though is open until 8PM on Wednesdays. See the works of Dale Chihuly installed throughout the conservatory, see the bonsai exhibit, visit the relics of AmeriFlora '92. German Village Location: directly south of downtown, east of High Steet Things to see: Schiller Park, The Book Loft, walk down multiple historic and quaint streets Things to do: buy a cream puff from Schmidt's, try eating a burger from Thurman's, get lost in the Book Loft Recommendations: just walk throughout this grand neighborhood and visit all the shops, cafes, and confectionaries while admiring the gardens, brick homes, and quiet streets of the area. Enjoy fine dining at Barcelona, G. Michael's, or Lindey's, or more casual fare at Schmidt's, Thurman's, Katzinger's, or the original Max & Erma's. Other areas/attractions in Columbus and vicinity: The Columbus Zoo/Dublin Grandview Heights Bexley Inniswood MetoGardens Easton Hoover Resevoir/Uptown Westerville/Otterbein College
August 5, 200816 yr Go to North Market! Schmidt's in German Village is great too. Don't go to our art museum. I hate to say it, but it really is sh!tty. I wouldn't even bother. If you have any particular interests (golf courses, dance clubs, upscale restaurants, malls, etc) we could better help you.
August 5, 200816 yr Don't go to our art museum. I hate to say it, but it really is sh!tty. I wouldn't even bother. I didn't bother including the CMA since the OP is from Cleveland, so it would likely be a pretty big disappointment in comparison. Though I wouldn't go as far as to say it's "shitty." The collection is small, partly due to lack of space, but excels especially in modernist and impressionist art, including pieces from Degas, Renoir, Monet, Matisse, and Picasso. The original 1931 building is also of worthy note. Columbus also enjoys the distinction of housing a seperate contemporary art gallery at the Wexner Center for the Arts, which coincidently, will be hosting the only North American exhibit of the newest Andy Warhol exhibit. However, bringing up the CMA reminded me to include another Discovery District fixture: The Columbus Metropolitan Library.
August 5, 200816 yr When I went to the Columbus Art Museum I didn't see any Monet's or Picassos. There might have been a Degas but he's boring so I probably missed that. I went a few years ago so maybe things have changed.
August 5, 200816 yr I remember them being in the southwestern quadrant of the building, past the early masters collection (room, lol) but before entering the early 20th century American art.
August 5, 200816 yr Are you serious? I don't have the best memory but I'm pretty sure that when I went there with my friend (graphic design major who I was trying to impress when I took him to my hometown) there wasn't a single painting we saw that was by a renowned artist. There wasn't even a Van Gogh (my favorite artist because the paintings are so vivid, intense, and full of texture when viewed in person). The whole experience was just dull and I was kind of embarassed because I suggested the d@mn place. Columbus is a great city otherwise - don't get me wrong. Just saying, you'll probably be disappointed with this 'cultural amenity'.
August 5, 200816 yr Since I haven’t been to Columbus in ages I’m probably the last person qualified to answer this question, but if you can get in without having to attend a performance there (I imagine they have tours), by all means try to see the Ohio Theater across from the Statehouse. Beautifully restored and expanded (to accomodate ballet) over the years (and sadly, possibly the soon-to-be abandoned home to the going-out-of-business Columbus Symphony) the Ohio has got to be one of the most spectacular and opulent of the old style movie palaces in America. Trust me, it’s worth a tour if you can do it. http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
August 6, 200816 yr From here: http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8018 <b>The Top 10 Things to do While Visiting Columbus, Ohio</b> 1) Stroll Through the Short North - Everyone seems to universally agree. The Short North is THE neighborhood to visit when you're in Columbus. Go during a Gallery Hop if possible (first saturday of every month) but any day or night is a great time in the Short North. Be sure to hit a few of the art galleries, a few of the stores, and a few of the restaurants and bars. Special mentions go to Betty's Fine Food and Spirits, The Surly Girl Saloon, the Bristol Bar, Skully's Music Diner, Rosendale's, and Goodale Park. 2) Lunch at the North Market - A short walk south of the Short North you'll find the North Market. A great spot to shop for food, gifts, and try a variety of ethnic foods for lunch or to go. Special mentions to go Jeni's Ice Cream and Pure Imagination Chocolatier. 3) Stroll Through German Village - This historic community on the southern end of downtown Columbus is filled with beautifully restored homes as well as a few well placed shops, stores, restaurants and more. Special mentions to go the Bookloft, Schiller Park, Banana Bean Cafe, and First Watch. 4) Tour the Franklin Park Conservatory - Located on Broad street a few miles east of downtown, the Park Conservatory is a great stop on any afternoon. Botanical exhibits feature a mix of plant-life and modern art. Attend during the summer months if possible for the annual butterfly exhibit. 5) Visit Easton Town Center - This shopping destination pioneered the "Lifestyle Center" concept and is still one of the most prime examples of it's type anywhere in the country. Located just a few miles east of downtown, Easton combines standard shopping mall stores with a pedestrian-friendly outdoor setting. A mix of dining options, entertainment venues, and outdoor performance art during the summer makes it one of a kind stop in Columbus. 6) Tour the Ohio State University Campus - Columbus is home to one of the largest universities in the nation, and the campus is full of interesting activities for non-students and visitors. The commercial strip along High Street is famous for it's stores, shops, and food options. Special mention also goes out to the Wexner Center for the Arts, where you can attend an event or view an exhibit while on campus. 7) Visit the Columbus Zoo - The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is located approximately 20 miles north of downtown, but well worth the drive. Many of it's exhibits have received national acclaim, and current expansion plans will increase the size of the zoo to make it one of the largest in North America. 8 ) Bar Hop in the Arena District - If you can visit Columbus during the winter hockey season you can take in a Blue Jackets game at Nationwide Arena, but the bars and restaurants in the Arena District are hopping all year long. All flavors of nightlife can be found through this area including sports bars, dance clubs, lounges, summer patios, local breweries, cocktails, DJs, live bands, national acts, local talents, and everything in between. 9) Visit the Columbus Museum of Art - The Art Museum is located right downtown and features a large collection of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American and European modern art. There are also rotating exhibits featured as well. 10) Go Out to Eat Constantly - Dining in Columbus gets it's own special mention. Columbus may not be known for specific types of cuisine, but the sheer variety of options (most of which are very affordable) means that you should never been dining at home while visiting this city. The results of this poll showed that everyone's got some pretty strong favorites. Some were already mentioned up above, and some others include M, Cap City, Spagio, Basi Italia, Northstar Cafe, Jack & Benny's, Due Amici, and Latitude 41. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
August 6, 200816 yr From here: http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8018 <b>The Top 10 Things to do While Visiting Columbus, Ohio</b> LOL, I swear I didn't know that list existed when I wrote mine!
August 6, 200816 yr Walker Evans has a great list! If you enjoy parks I would suggest Schiller in German Village and Goodale in Victorian Village. If you like taking morning jogs or something, it would be the perfect place.
August 8, 200816 yr I can't take all the credit for that list. It was group-compiled by anyone willing to pitch in their two cents on CU. :D
August 10, 200816 yr Yep. It's a chain, but the only store in Ohio is in Columbus. ;) https://www.threedog.com/
August 10, 200816 yr Yep. It's a chain, but the only store in Ohio is in Columbus. ;) https://www.threedog.com/ I see Japan is well represented.
August 10, 200816 yr Alot of sniping between the three C's on here lately. Too bad. I always enjoy my time in Columbus, but everything I know of has been touched upon already.
August 11, 200816 yr Best thing to do in columbus: leave. Not helping the OP. But good job on being on the internet and all.
August 11, 200816 yr So sassy. That was enough to elicit a chuckle. On a serious note, I wish the city had better signage pointing to things of interest within a neighborhood and to neighboring ones. It wouldn't render a thread like this totally unnecessary, but would give a great overview without much research.
August 11, 200816 yr everything begins and ends on high st in columbus, so i would also add high street along campus and north of campus: first and foremost, when built (relatively recently) the wexner center easily became ohio's best modern art museum bernies bagels. a favorite basement level high st campus dive for breakfast bagel sandwiches at all hours and music. out-r-inn & larry's. more classic osu campus area pub fun. north of lane is the blue danube. the fried bologna sandwich is perfect. further up high st is the old hippy joint whole earth, if it's still around. i always liked the whole wheat pizza. also up on high is a real unique columbus institution -- the tiny, quirky nancy's home cooking diner. they only have a couple hearty choices and you can get seconds. come hungry. way up high in downtown worthington is la chatelaine. cute inexpensive french, which is rare for ohio where otherwise usually they tend to think french food must be fancy and expensive: http://www.lachatelainebakery.com/ since you probably visited already, what did you end up doing?
May 4, 200916 yr I am going to be in Cbus from the 6th to the 9th. Anything special going on in town this week?
May 4, 200916 yr There's always plenty going on in Columbus. ;) Del the Funky Homosapien will be at Skully's on May 6th: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/del-the-funky-homosapien-may-6th-skullys If you're in town through Saturday Night, Hercules & Love Affair along with 1/2 of LCD Soundsystem will be performing at BoMA: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/hercules-038-love-affair-lcd-soundsystem-boma-50909 You can catch "Refefer Madness - The Musical" on Friday & Saturday nights: http://www.centerstageplayers.com/ Madlab is currently doing "Theatre Roulette" so you can catch different shows there on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/madlab-theatre-presents-theatre-roulette-2009 If you want something a little classier, The Columbus Symphony Orchestra will be doing a low-cost show called "Anatomy of an Orchestra" at the Palace Theater on Friday: http://www.columbussymphony.com If you want to do something really fancy, Taste of the Independents is on Thursday May 7th. it's $75 a ticket, but you get to eat at 40 of the top independent restaurants in Columbus. It's a fundrasiser for the Buckeye Ranch, so it's for a good cause too. Details: http://dineoriginalscolumbus.com There's a cool food/music event every Thursday at Dragonfly called Vegetate. $4 cover, but good local djs and the restaurant is nationally acclaimed for their plant-based cuisine: http://shopmilkbar.blogspot.com/2009/04/vegetate-tomorrow-at-dragon-fly.html If you're up for some good house/lounge music, DJs@11 happens at Eleven on the Cap on Friday and Saturday nights: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/djseleven-on-the-cap-begins-this-friday
May 4, 200916 yr Aside from that (I'll vouch for Dragonfly/On the Fly which is just down the street and the latter makes excellent vegan fast-food) it depends on the scene you're looking for. You can always grab The Other Paper for events. There's Tip Top (great bar/restaurant popular with cyclists) and Skylab (check to see if there's an event going on while you're here) Downtown on Gay, while 5th St north of Long is all gay bars, Carabar (hipster), AWOL (gay) and Black Creek Bistro on the strip of Parsons south of Broad along with Chop Chop Gallery (again, check their schedule), Cafe Bourbon Street, The Summit, and Kafe Kerouac are all hipster hangouts north of Lane Ave (the latter is a cafe during the day). So, there are lots of interesting hubs of activity all over. If you have any questions...
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