1. Summary 2. Highlights 3. Background 4. Getting Here 5. Getting Around 6. Weather and Climate 7. Health and Safety 8. Things to See and Do 9. Shopping 10. Nearby

To see a list of all the great authors who have contributed to this article, as well as previous versions of this article, visit the page history.

edit Columbus Travel Guide

The combination of Ohio Government and Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research enviroment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers. Columbus is evolving into a less formal City than days past, the blue suits walking the downtown streets on hot August days are giving way to open collars and more comfortable attire. On warm evenings the downtown eateries are bursting with outside diners and the sidewalks are bustling with activity. All in all, Columbus is a great American City!

edit Highlights

Franklin Park Conservatory - Beautiful sculpted gardens and indoor biomes make up this spectacular site. The conservatory hosts various exhibitions (such as Blooms & Butterflies each spring with live releases) and has a collection of Chihuly glass.
German Village - neighborhood built by immigrants in the 19th century
Ohio State Fair Largest fair of its kind in the world each August at the Ohio Expo Center. Famous for its yearly butter sculpture and all sorts of food "on a stick."

edit Background

Named after the Italian explorer who sailed under the Spanish flag (In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue), this city is the largest in Ohio in terms of population with 730,657 (1.7 million in the metropolitan area, which is third in size in Ohio behind Greater Cleveland and Greater Cincinnati) and the 15th largest in the country. A lot of growth has been fueled by government jobs (as the state capital), The Ohio State University (one of the largest student populations in the nation) and numerous Fortune 500 companies headquartered here (Cardinal Health, Nationwide Insurance, Limited Brands, etc.). It is a day's drive from one half of the U.S. population and is located at the intersection of I-70 and I-71.

edit Getting Here

By plane

Port Columbus International Airport (IATA: CMH) is served by all the major airlines, with direct flights to most major American cities. Aside from rental cars, the airport can also be reached by the #92 bus, or by taxi. A taxi ride to downtown is only 10 minutes and will cost approximately $25. Depending on your schedule and where you are connecting to, it may be worthwhile to check flights to Dayton as well, as they are often cheaper.

By train

By car

Major highways include I-71 & Rte. 315 (north and south), I-70 & I-670 (east and west), and the outer-belt, I-270. US Routes 33, 23, and 40 also converge downtown.

By bus

Greyhound Station, 111 East Town Street, +1 614 228-2266
Megabus - Service to Columbus from Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Fares start at $1. Buses arrive and depart downtown Columbus at the COTA Express Transit Terminal, located at West Spring Street and North Wall Street. Buses also serve Ohio State University from a stop at the north side of the Neil Drive loop next to the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Neil Drive is located northwest of Neil Avenue and West 12th Avenue.

By boat

edit Getting Around

By Car

True to the Midwest spirit, Columbus is built to be car-friendly. Parking is extensive (and reasonably priced) at almost all major destinations. Downtown is the only place where things may be a little tight. Try the parking beneath the City-Center Mall for reasonable day rates if you don't mind a short walk, or small independently-owned surface lots throughout the city. It has been joked that the Orange construction barrel is Ohio's real state flower (they do seem to pop up every spring), so be prepared for them to line the freeways for most of the summer. Current hot spots are 161 heading East past 270, and the north edge of 270 North 315 & 23.

By Mass Transit

The COTA bus service, while not by any standard one of the greatest in the nation, can take you to most important places in the city, which should be about 5 blocks away from any conceivable location you need to go to. This service costs $2.00 for an express bus and $1.50 for a normal bus. Transfers are free; ask for one from the bus driver when you pay your fare.

By Foot

The entire corridor of High Street (US Route 23) from Clintonville in the North to Merion Village in the South is extremely pedestrian-friendly, though it does pass through some less-than-scenic areas, particularly the few blocks between campus and the short north. Downtown Columbus is a walkable city with most attractions located within a 20 minute walk of each other. The Columbus Landmarks Foundation conducts walking tours, too.

edit Weather And Climate

edit Health And Safety

Police

Fire Department

Hospitals

Crime

Smoking

edit Things To See And Do

edit Shopping

edit Nearby

Deer Creek State Park and Resort & Conference Center, 3,100 acres of nature within a 45 minute drive from downtown, 22300 State Park Rd. No. 20, Mt. Sterling, Phone: +1 877 678-3777 or +1 740 869-2020, Fax: +1 740 869-4059.
Wayne National Forest is a 45 minute drive to the southeast.