Columbus Ohio is celebrating its 200th anniversary in this year! When our boys were younger, we lived in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus has many wonderful vacation spots. I love the sun and the proximity to the beach in North Carolina. Columbus is a great place to visit, whether you stay for ten days or two.
Places to Stay in Columbus
- The Westin Columbus. This historic hotel, built in 1897 (formerly known as the Great Southern Hotel), is located in a perfect downtown location. It’s a great place to begin your family holiday. Many of the best sites are within walking distance.
- Doubletree Suites By Hilton. The only downtown hotel with all suites offers you everything that you need and more! By covered walkway, the hotel is linked to the Huntington Center and Vern Riffe State Office Tower as well as the Capitol. This hotel has many amenities including an indoor waterpark.
- German Village guest house. Are you looking for something different? This unique guesthouse is located in the German Village district downtown, close to restaurants, shops and parks. Pet-friendly accommodation is available at the guesthouse, so that your dog can come along on vacation with you.
- The Blackwell Inn. The Blackwell Inn is located on the Ohio State University Campus. It offers modern rooms and apartments in a lively campus environment. The Blackwell Inn offers discounted rates to access the Recreation Center.
Things to Do in Columbus
- Center of Science and Industry. COSI, which was rated first in the United States among science museums that offer hands-on activities, offers interactive exhibits on space exploration, physics and the ocean. There are special areas for young children. Visit the museum for a whole day. Enjoy a “historical lunch” at the original Wendy’s, located just across the street.
- Columbus Clippers. Huntington Park is the place to cheer on the Cleveland Indians AAA team. A visit to the park is more than just baseball. It offers entertainment for all ages and delicious food. What could be more summery than a baseball match under the stars?
- Topiary Park. The Topiary Park is an “artistic and natural work”. Beautiful gardens are available to explore and enjoy.
- Franklin Park Conservatory. The conservatory has a number of exhibits that are included in the admission fee. Model railroad fans should visit the Conservatory and see the railroad themed on fairytales, designed by Paul Busse, in the Himalayan Mountain Biome.
- The Columbus Zoo . Visit Jack Hanna’s zoo! We had a membership to the Columbus Zoo when we lived in the region. It’s just that good! It’s that good!
- Zoombezi Bay Waterpark. This waterpark is located next to the Columbus Zoo and offers something for everyone in the family. Buy a two park pass to save money at the Columbus Zoo: Spend the first day with animals in the wild, and the second day letting your kids run wild.
- Schmidt’s Sausage Haus. Schmidt’s, located in German Village has been our favorite for decades. Every time we go to visit family and friends, we eat at Schmidt’s. Their German cream puff was so good that it was featured on Food Network’s “Best of Ohio” and on Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food.” It’s really that good!
- Graeter’s Ice Cream. Seriously, I should schedule another Columbus roadtrip. I’m drooling! Graeter’s has the best ice-cream in the world! I’ve eaten ice-cream in Paris and love a good, creamy gelato but, nothing tastes better than Graeter’s. Some of us have driven a few extra hours to get six pints and brought them home on dry ice. You can’t wait to give it a try? Order online and it will be delivered directly to your home. Chocolate chip (should be ginormous chunk of chocolate… chip is an understatement! I recommend mocha chocolate chips or Elena’s Blueberry Pie! YUM!
- Skyline Chili. I tried to replicate it. I’ve tried to duplicate it. Skyline Chili is the best chili. It’s from Cincinnati, Ohio. Period. Skylines fast-food restaurants serve chili “three ways,” “four ways,” or “five ways” (you can choose from beans, spaghetti, cheese, and/or onions). Order some coneys. You can’t go far wrong with any choice.
- Thai Orchid. This restaurant is located in Powell, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, near the Columbus Zoo. It offers great Asian food and friendly service. The Thai food is excellent, but the Chinese dishes are also good. Weekend evenings, the restaurant also offers live entertainment.
Shopping in Columbus: There’s Something for Everyone
- The Short North. The Short North is located just north of the downtown area, hence its name. It offers unique shops including imports, home decor, specialty foods, and “earth-friendly” items.
- Easton Town Center. Easton Town Center is more than just a shopping mall. It’s an experience. Spend a relaxing day in the spa. Watch a movie. Grab a bite to eat. Easton has it all.
- Greater Columbus Antiques Mall. Are you looking for something unique? This mall, located on South High Street in London, has five floors dedicated to antiques. It features more than 70 dealers.
Can you tell that I love my hometown? Columbus, a friendly midwestern city with something for everyone, is the perfect place to visit. This is not a comprehensive list. Visit ” to learn more about this hidden gem in Ohio. Experience Columbus Plan your trip.
Columbus Ohio is celebrating its 200th anniversary in this year! When our boys were younger, we lived in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus has many wonderful vacation spots. I love the sun and the proximity to the beach in North Carolina. Columbus is a great place to visit, whether you stay for two days or 10.
Places to Stay in Columbus
- The Westin Columbus. This historic hotel, built in 1897 (formerly known as the Great Southern Hotel), is located in the heart of downtown and offers a unique charm. It’s a great place to begin your family holiday. Many of the best sites are within walking distance.
- Doubletree Suites By Hilton. The only downtown hotel with all suites offers you everything that you need and more! By covered walkway, the hotel is linked to the Huntington Center and Vern Riffe State Office Tower as well as the Capitol. This hotel has many amenities including an indoor waterpark.
- German Village guest house. Are you looking for something different? This unique guesthouse is located in the German Village district downtown, close to restaurants, shops and parks. Pet-friendly accommodation is available at the guesthouse, so that your dog can come along on vacation with you.
- The Blackwell Inn. The Blackwell Inn is located on the Ohio State University Campus. It offers modern rooms and apartments in a lively campus environment. The Blackwell Inn offers discounted rates to access the Recreation Center.
Things to Do in Columbus
- Center of Science and Industry. COSI, which was rated first in the United States among science museums that offer hands-on activities, offers interactive exhibits on space exploration, physics and the ocean. There are special areas for young children. Visit the museum for a whole day. Enjoy a “historical lunch” at the original Wendy’s, located just across the street.
- Columbus Clippers. Huntington Park is the place to cheer on the Cleveland Indians AAA team. A visit to the park is more than just baseball. It offers entertainment for all ages and delicious food. What could be more summery than a baseball match under the stars?
- Topiary Park. This unique park in downtown is “a work of art and nature.” Visit and explore beautiful gardens.
- Franklin Park Conservatory. The conservatory has a number of exhibits that are included in the admission fee. Model railroad fans should visit the Conservatory and see the railroad themed on fairytales, designed by Paul Busse and constructed in the Himalayan Mountain Biome.
- The Columbus Zoo. Visit Jack Hanna’s zoo! We had annual memberships at the Columbus Zoo when we lived in the region. It’s just that good! It’s that good!
- Zoombezi Bay Waterpark. This waterpark is located next to the Columbus Zoo and offers something for everyone in the family. Buy a two park pass to save money at the Columbus Zoo: Spend the first day with animals in the wild, and the second day letting your kids run wild.
- Schmidt’s Sausage Haus. Schmidt’s, located in German Village has been our favorite for decades. Every time we visit family and friends, we eat at Schmidt’s. Their German cream puff was so delicious, that it was featured on Food Network’s “Best of Ohio.” The Travel Channel’s “Man V. Food” has also featured it. Food.” It’s really that good!
- Graeter’s Ice Cream. Seriously, I should schedule another Columbus roadtrip. I’m drooling! Graeter’s has the best ice-cream in the world! I’ve eaten ice-cream in Paris and love a good, creamy gelato but, nothing tastes better than Graeter’s. Some of us have driven a few extra hours to get six pints and brought them home on dry ice. You can’t wait to give it a try? Order online and it will be delivered directly to your home. Chocolate chip is my favorite (should be ginormous chunk of chocolate…chip is a modest term! I recommend mocha chocolate chips or Elena’s Blueberry Pie! YUM!
- Skyline Chili. I tried to replicate it. I’ve tried to duplicate it. Skyline Chili is the best chili. It’s from Cincinnati, Ohio. Period. Skylines offers chili in “three ways,” “four ways,” or “five-way.” (you choose: beans, spaghetti, onions, and/or cheese). Order some coneys. You can’t go far wrong with any choice.
- Thai Orchid. This restaurant is located in Powell, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, near the Columbus Zoo. It offers great Asian food and friendly service. The Thai food is excellent, but the Chinese dishes are also good. Weekend evenings, the restaurant also offers live entertainment.
Shopping in Columbus: There’s Something for Everyone
- Short North. The Short North Arts District is located just north of the downtown area, hence its name. It offers unique shops including home decor, specialty foods, imports, and “earth-friendly.” You’ll love a stroll in the area, whether you want to shop or window-shop.
- Easton Town Center. Easton Town Center is more than just a shopping mall. It’s an experience. Spend a relaxing day in the spa. Watch a movie. Grab a bite to eat. Easton has it all.
- Greater Columbus Antiques Mall. Are you looking for something unique? This mall, located on South High Street in London, has five floors dedicated to antiques. It features more than 70 dealers.
Can you tell that I love my hometown? Columbus, a friendly midwestern city with something for everyone, is the perfect place to visit. This is not a comprehensive list. Visit ” to learn more about this hidden gem in Ohio. Experience Columbus Plan your trip.