Fodor's Expert Review German Village

German Village, the 233-acre enclave of preserved cottages and town homes six blocks south of the Ohio Statehouse, has its roots in an 1814 addition to Columbus's south side. It developed in the 1840s as Germans fled from wars, famine, and poor living conditions in their home country to this ethnic pocket in Ohio. After barely surviving the wrecking ball in the years after World War II, German Village has been protected as a historic area since the 1960s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. Its narrow brick streets are lined with charming old homes, gardens, and shops. There's a lively Oktoberfest in September and Shakespeare in Schiller Park in summer.