As the parents of a high school junior, my husband and I have begun the whirlwind tour of colleges. First stop: the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio.
Before we headed to the Buckeye State, I reached out to Erie Insurance Agent Tom Dolbow at Dolbow Insurance. He works in a suburb just north of Columbus, and was eager to share what to do in Columbus.
The Great Outdoors
For an outdoors enthusiast like Tom, Columbus has all kinds of running and biking trails. A top pick is the Central Ohio Greenway Trails, which have more than 3oo miles of biking and walking paths.
If you’re looking to get around the city by bike, consider CoGo Bike Share. It’s a network of 300 bikes and 30 stations located throughout downtown Columbus. You can also rent canoes, kayaks and rafts from places like Hocking Hills Canoe Livery.
Family fun
Columbus boasts arts festivals, children’s museums and parks. There’s also the Columbus Zoo, which is home to more than 9,000 animals representing 650 species from around the globe.
Columbus also lays claim to sports teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets, the only NHL franchise in Ohio, and the Columbus Clippers, a Triple-A minor league baseball team affiliated with the Cleveland Indians. Check out these events and more in the Arena District, an area of town where all the major sports venues are located.
Good eats
For those like me who like to eat their way through a city, you will find Columbus to be both diverse and delicious. Whether you grab Mexican food from a truck, visit an upscale eatery or munch on bar grub over craft brews, you’ll find something to fit your tastes and your budget in Columbus.
Tom is partial to several restaurants in German Village, an historic neighborhood famous for its eateries. He likes Thurman Café, which claims to have “the tastiest burgers in Columbus”; Lindey’s, a highly regarded restaurant with an elegant bistro menu; and a Schmidt’s, a long running German restaurant situated in an old livery stable.
Another favorite is Spagio, which serves an eclectic European and Pacific Rim menu. In search of something sweet? Tom recommends Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, a tasty chain that got its start in Columbus.
Shopping
Tom gives a thumb’s up to Easton Town Center, a self-contained “village” with nearly 250 shops and numerous events throughout the year. Polaris Fashion Place, a two-story shopping mall with 200 shops, also draws crowds.
Prefer independent shops? Then check out the Short North neighborhood just north of downtown. It’s full of specialty shops and art galleries as wells as coffee houses, nightclubs and more. It’s also close to another Columbus favorite: Ohio State University, home of the Buckeyes.
Whether you visit for business or pleasure, Columbus is well worth the trip. “You name it, you can do it in Columbus,” says Tom.
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