We are going to Columbus for a weekend in February, to see a hockey game. We've never been in the area before, any suggestions on cool things to see and do in the area, interesting, (not expensive) places to eat, etc. Thanks for the input.

You should get on a search engine and type in 'Columbus Ohio tourism.' You'll probably geta lot of ideas from that. I haven't been there in years, but there are a lot of things to see and do.

Hello A --


While you're waiting to hear from other Fodorites, you might want to check out our coverage of Columbus, which Fodor's chose in 2001 as one of 10 underrated destinations. We have some info, and there is a link to the Columbus tourism association on one of the pages. Here's the link to our copy:
http://www.fodors.com/features/nfdisplay1.cfm?name=si/001113_si_fc_columbus

And here's a link to our destination guide to Columbus:

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=columbus@611

Danny Mangin
Editorial Director
Fodors.com

I went to Columbus once. Once is enough. The only interesting thing about the town is the German Village. Try and stay there if you can.

http://www.germanvillage.org

Definitely, check out German Village. One of the better historic preservations I've seen outside of Boston, DC and SF. There is a restaurant there, can't remember the exact street, but it's called Thurmans. In all my travels, it has to be the biggest and best burger I've had.

If you are into shopping check out Easton Town Center, great place to shop and they have some good restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory and Brio's (Italian.) The Short North (on High St. north of the convention center) has some funky art galleries. Rigsby's is a great restaurant there. In German Village, Lindey's is good and if you like German Food try Schmidt's. The Brewery District and the Arena District has some nice clubs if you are into the club scene. The Columbus Museum of Art is decent as is the Science Museum (COSI).

I agree with the above posters who recommend German Village. If in the area, we stop by just to visit the bookstore. Don't know the name of the street it's on but anyone there could tell you. It's unique in that there are, at last count, I think, 32 rooms. Small little rooms that just lead from one to another...you can actually get lost. Books on anything! It's a treat to just walk thru it.

Check out this article for some ideas.

http://www.freep.com/features/travel/colum5_20010805.htm

You'll be going to the game in the Arena District which has a lot of restaurants. The Short North area has good eats too and is nearby.

There's a Wexner Center for the Arts exhibit in the Belmont Building in the Arena District right now. Go to www.wexarts.org for more info.

If you get really cold (it's windchill below zero this weekend), you can warm up at the Franklin Park Conservatory on Broad Street.

Don't forget Ohio State University and the horseshoe stadium, home of the national champion Buckeye football team! The campus is a nice place to stroll. Grandview Ave. is a fun area with several Italian restaurants in a block. Second the notion that Easton is nice. Polaris, north of the city, is another mall with 2 good restaurants.

What kinds of things do you like to do? How long will you be here? Im from columbus and have lived here for 20 yrs. There really is alot to do here. I agree with the poster who recomended thurmans, its cheap too. It is on Thurman ave, off of High st in german village. high st is the main street in columbus. The book store is called the book loft or 32 rooms. It is off of third st in german village. If you are going to the arena to see a game you will pass Frog bear and wild boars, which is a fun bar that alot of people go to before and after the games. Including the players.(tough looking guys in suits with wet hair = blue jackets.) Reply back with what kinds of things and food you like and i will give you more suggestions.

Hi Whirldwid,

Thanks for the offer. We will be arrive late afternoon on Friday, no plans as of yet. We will be going to the hockey game on Saturday night. No plans for Sunday. We are interested in places, restaruants, and sites unique to Columbus.

I was looking at the German Village website yesterday. Is this a gated preservation site (closed at certain times or days) or an actual town/village? I would like to go there on Sunday but I'm still trying to understand what is there, layout, access, etc.

We are interested in the Jack Nicklaus museum at Ohio State, my husband is a golfer, thought it might be fun for him, and perhaps one of the art museums if the weather is bad. If the weather is good we like to walk around, the Short North sounds goods like a good place. Are there any other areas / neighborhoods worth finding in Columbus?

What are the favorite foods in Columbus?

We will be traveling from Pittsburgh if you know of any interesting sites from the east that would be great.

Thanks again, looking forward to seeing the area.

Alicia

I live in Milwaukee but I have relatives in Columbus and my sister is a grad of THE Ohio State University. (That's what it's called!)

I find it funny that when someone posts a questions about a place like Milwaukee or Columbus or even somewhere in No. Dakota, responses come flying in that there is NOTHING TO DO THERE...pass on by. However, when another New Orleans, Manhattan, Vegas, or Hawaii question is posted, they respond to do a search because that question has been done over and over. I was in Columbus last summer and the shopping was GREAT. Was there for a wedding so all I had time for was shopping for a wedding gift but I've definitely made note of all these other things to do when I go back!

For those of you who have dissed Columbus...

Harmut Handke of Columbus placed 6th overall in the prestigious Bocuse d'Or international competition pitting the best chefs in the WORLD against each other. Handke 6th place is the best finish for an American chef in the competition ever. Handke also received an award for the best meat platter in the competition. Columbus has a world class chef and restaurants!

Handke's Restaurant is at 520 S. Front St. in the Brewery District.

Visiting Columbus is like visiting the dentist. We have to do it once in awhile, but it's no cause for celebration.

German Village is not gated. You can go there anytime of day.

Food: Thurman's is the only non-chain restaurant I can remember but it's really a small bar type restaurant. Probably good to do before or after the game.

You should also be able to find a cool place at the Brewery District, which I think borders the beginning of German Village just off of downtown. Man, now I feel like visiting...

OSU Class of 1995

Hello alicia, German village is not a gated community, in fact its not that big of deal so dont have your hopes to high. With that said, Its a nice neighborhood just south of downtown. Most streets are brick and there are a plethera of restored homes. Saturday may be a good day to go there. Do the bookstore and thurmans. Thurmans is definantly a HOLE IN THE WALL. BUt it is neat, its been there for almost 100yrs and they have never removed any memorabilia from the walls since it opened. Be sure to look at the ceiling. And the best part are the food portions, Ive never seen anything like it. In german Village there is a really nice bar called the round bar. The building is round. Its kind of neat and the local crowd goes here alot before and after the bars. Its a trendy upbeat place. Its attatched to the clairmont motor inn on high st.

We did the Columbus art muesem a month ago and the exhibits are really nice. Easton is a neat place if you want to shop or see a movie. This is a developement that the owner of vics. secret Les Wexner and arnold schwartznager built and it is a site to see. If you have been to california and seen some of the open air malls this will remind you of that. There is also a great movie theater downtown next to the hockey arena called "the arena grand" If you want to see a movie go there. You will be impressed. The golf musuem at ohio state is something ive wanted to do. If you go let me know how it was. The short north is neat, there are alot of neat art galleries and shops there.

Food reccomendations, At easton there is a great restaraunt called the ocean club. Amazing meals but expensive, The trick is to go at lunch and the menu items are half price for the same thing you get at dinner. $10 a meal
Other great restaraunts in the area. The original bravo is at the end of bethel Rd off of 315(main highway in town)10 minutes from downtown.Excellent italian food at great prices. If you go there - go to the location on hayden run rd. Its beautiful. the fish market is awesome if you like seafood, mitchells steak house is a great one, very upscale. Brio at easton is a nice place. there is a million other great retaraunts that are local. Two other great resources for things to do and places to eat are the "other paper" and the "alive" You should check and see if they have a website. you can find them everywhere here in cols. If you have trouble there is a coffee shop next to the book loft in german village that always has copys. Good luck and have a great time. Post a reply and let us know how your trip was.

Lived in Colimbus years ago when it was considered a "cow town" before it became the "cosmopolitan city it is today. I now live on the east coast, but still visit occasionally. My two favorite restaurants are ethnic: Talitas, a Mexican "Brownsville,TX" style..has been there years, usually a good sign. It is on High Street in the university area. The beef burrito is very good and cheap. It's always crowded. It's in Clintonville near OSU. Another restaurant is the Japanese Steak House, also on High Street in the OSU area with very good japanese and korean dishes...inexpensive. Both restaurants are full of locals and students.

German Village is worth a visit but not a long one. I like Schmidt's Sausage House, the Bahama Mama is good and they have huge cream puffs. The Short North is interesting with lots of art galleries and trendy restaurants. Enjoy!

I concur with someone who said German Village is nice, but not to much to write3 home about. I kind of like

please don't judge hockey by the blue jackets-they suck immensely. being from pittsburgh you probably already knew that.

German Village is much nicer than some are letting on & easily walkable. If doing this on Sunday, have breakfast @ Katzinger's (a legit deli). The best restaurants are also in that area &/or the Short North. The Short North has galleries, coffee shops, etc. I also recommend Thurman's, Schmidts or perhaps The Olde Mohawk for lunch. I've not been to the area where the hockey arena is but there is supposed to be an 'entertainment area' there as well. The Brewery District is adjacent to the Village. After the hockey match try Planks as they (used to anyway) have sing-alongs & good German food on Sat. nights. COSI is also interesting. Try columbus.org also. A former German Village resident.

I would definitely recommend going to Easton. It is a very unique shopping center. I go there every chance I get. There are lots of great restaurants there as well: Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, Max and Erma's, Chipotle - none of these are too expensive.
In German village area, Schmidt's and Thurman's are both famous.
Another excellent restaurant near downtown/German village is Barcelona (a little more expensive though).
The Columbus Museum of Art is also a worth a visit.
Whatever you do, Columbus is a very easy city to get around!
Have fun.