For those who are interested in exploring the great city of Columbus, here are some ideas of places you might want to see. All require transportation off of campus, which may be feasible by COTA bus, or may require a taxi, Uber, or Car2Go option. Many will also be within the Blackwell’s 3-mile radius towncar service. See the Travel Page for travel option details.
For a broader list of ideas, see Experience Columbus’ website (https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/things-to-do/).
- Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
- http://www.fpconservatory.org
- 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43203
- Columbus Museum of Art
- http://www.columbusmuseum.org/#/gallery/popular
- 480 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215
- The Ohio Statehouse
- http://ohiostatehouse.org
- 1 Capitol Square • Columbus, Ohio 43215
- Center of Science and Industry (COSI)
- https://www.cosi.org
- 333 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215
- Short North Arts District
- North Market
- http://www.northmarket.com
- 59 Spruce St., Columbus, OH 43215
- Central Ohio’s historic public market since 1876, featuring fresh and prepared foods, authentic ethnic cuisine, flowers, wine and beer, unique gifts and cookware.
- German Village
- Ohio History Center
- Easton Town Center
- com/
- 160 Easton Town Center, Columbus, OH 43219
- The Midwest’s premier destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. With its unique village setting, Easton is home to an eclectic assortment of restaurants, entertainment venues, exclusive retailers and a 30-screen movie theater.
- Columbus Ale Trail
- http://www.cbusaletrail.com
- Columbus’ beer scene is booming – more than half of the 37 breweries here have opened in the last five years and the Columbus Ale Trail is a fun way to explore them!
- Columbus Coffee Trail
- http://www.cbuscoffee.com
- Columbus has the best coffee scene in the Midwest. The 17 Columbus coffee shops on the trail are dedicated to quality and collaboration.
- Eldorado Scioto Downs
- 6000 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43207
- http://www.sciotodowns.com
- Hollywood Casino
- http://www.hollywoodcolumbus.com
- 200 Georgesville Road, Columbus, OH 43228
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
- https://columbuszoo.org
- 4850 Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065
- One of the top zoos in the country and home of our famed Director Emeritus Jack Hanna, the Zoo will be the site of our closing banquet.
If you are looking to vacation in Ohio while you are here, the Buckeye State offers many wonderful destinations to make your visit worthwhile. You can find a longer list here (http://www.ohio.org/things-to-do?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy5nSzseT1gIVC1YNCh0J8QBnEAAYASAAEgImbfD_BwE), but below is a small sampling of the most popular attractions:
- The Wilds, Cumberland
- https://thewilds.columbuszoo.org/home
- 9,000 acres of a safari-park zoo, this facility is managed in conjunction with the Columbus Zoo.
- National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton
- Hocking Hills State Park, Logan
- http://thehockinghills.org
- Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, this park features more hiking trails and natural beauty than one can see in a day. Plenty of cabins to rent though for a nice long-weekend!
- The Mansfield Reformatory, Mansfield
- https://www.mrps.org
- For fans of the film The Shawshank Redemption, this former state prison will look very familiar. Explore both the history of the prison and sightsee the set of the film.
- Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton
- Put-In-Bay
- Cedar Point Amusement Park, Sandusky
- King’s Island Amusement Park, Mason
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Stan Hwyet Hall and Gardens, Akron
- http://www.stanhywet.org
- One of the largest homes in the country, this 64,000+ square foot tutor was built by the founder of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
- Ohio’s Amish Country, Sugarcreek (Knox and Holmes Counties)
- Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Ross County
- Serpent Mount, Peebles
- Wine Country
- The northeastern counties in the state bordering Lake Erie are known for their extensive wineries, though Ohio in general has extensive opportunies for the production (and sampling) of wine.
- http://www.ohio.org/interests/wineries