Columbus, OH Road Trips

Named after the Italian explorer who sailed under the Spanish flag, this city is the largest in Ohio in terms of population with 906,000 in 2021, and the 14th largest city in the United States—though with only 2.1 million people, the metropolitan statistical area is relatively small (the 32nd largest in the nation and the 3rd of 4th largest in Ohio). Major area employers are state government (as the state capital), Ohio State University (the largest student population 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. Generally arranged in a really big wheel, Columbus is the central hub to many nearby cities including (clockwise from the north): Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Indianapolis. 1 Experience Columbus Visitor Center (Downtown), 277 W Nationwide Blvd, Suite 125, ☏ +1 614 222-6135. M-F 8AM-5PM, also open May-Sep: Sa 8AM-5PM. (updated Jul 2019) 2 Experience Columbus Visitor Center (Easton), 188 Easton Town Center (first floor of Easton Station building), ☏ +1 614 416-8080. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. (updated Jul 2019) Columbus has a humid continental climate. Winters are cold with some snow. Summers are warm to hot and humid.

Columbus has over 170 notable buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and four historic districts on the outskirts of Downtown: German Village, Italian Village, Victorian Village, and the Brewery District. The Ohio Statehouse and other buildings in the downtown core serve as distinct architectural landmarks. The city's primary art museum is the Columbus Museum of Art, which focuses on European and American art up to early modernism. Another prominent art museum in the city is the Wexner Center for the Arts, a contemporary art gallery and research facility operated by the Ohio State University. Most Columbus museums are located near Downtown, or near the Ohio State University.

There are many events and festivals held in Columbus such as the Ohio State Fair, one of the largest state fairs in the country, the Columbus Arts Festival, and the Jazz & Rib Fest, both of which occur on the Downtown riverfront. During the last weekend of June, Goodale Park hosts ComFest, an immense three-day music festival marketed as the largest non-commercial festival in the U.S. Around the Fourth of July, Columbus hosts Red, White & Boom! on the Scioto riverfront downtown, featuring the largest fireworks display in Ohio. Check the districts articles for more information. The Columbus Blue Jackets play in the National Hockey League at the Nationwide Areana in Downtown Columbus. The Columbus Clippers play AAA Baseball Minor League Baseball at Huntington Park in Downtown Columbus. The Ohio State Buckeyes are the athletic teams representing Ohio State University, and are one of the city's (and state's) greatest sporting institutions. The most famous Buckeye team is the American football team, playing before regular sellout crowds of over 100,000 at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes pay in venues in the University Area. The Columbus Crew play Major League Soccer Lower.com Field in Downtown.

The City of Columbus issues approximately 6,000 licenses for a variety of types of food vendors, Franklin County issues about 3,000 for the remainder of the county and the suburban area. A major test market for most major chain restaurants (though this is not as true as it once was), Columbus has a large density of national chain restaurants, some even having multiple venues in a single neighborhood. That being said, Columbus has a growing ethnic and upper class dining scene thanks in part to continued immigration (from Africa, especially Somalia and Ghana, Southeast Asia, and Latin America) and the continued gentrification of the downtown area.

Columbus is a convention city, with a large well established business and manufacturing base, as well as an education foundation that attracts many visitors. Downtown accommodations tend to be a little more expensive than those scattered near the interstate exits. But, there usually is lodging available in most price ranges.

1 John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH IATA formerly known as Port Columbus International Airport), 4600 International Gateway, ☏ +1 614 239-4083. Served by all the major airlines, with direct flights to most major American cities and a few international cities. Aside from rental cars, the airport can also be reached by the #7 or AirConnect buses, or by taxi. A taxi ride to downtown is about 20 minutes, depending on traffic, and will cost approximately $20-50. Depending on your schedule and where you are connecting to, it may be worthwhile to check flights to Dayton as well (estimate one-hour drive to Columbus), as they are often cheaper. (updated Jul 2019) 2 Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK IATA). A smaller international airport farther from the city core. A small number of passenger airlines and charter flights use this airport. This airport services a small number of general aviation flights. A former US Army, and later Air Force base, it was named after World War I fighter ace and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker and still hosts a small military presence. (updated Dec 2018) Ohio State University Airport (OSU IATA), 2160 West Case Rd. The Ohio State University Airport is a public general aviation airport. 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. 3 Barons Bus, (office) 1330 McKinley Ave (McKinley Ave & Central Ave), toll-free: +1 888 378-3823.

The COTA bus service 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 $2.75 for an Express bus and $2.00 for a Local/Crosstown bus. Transfers for a Local/Crosstown bus are free, but transfers between bus types, such as from a Local to an Express route, are subject to an upcharge. Ask the bus driver for a transfer when you pay your fare, and you'll be given a transfer pass that you use when boarding the next bus. You cannot use a transfer pass to board a bus on the same line that travels in the opposite direction (i.e. you cannot get off a bus line and use the transfer pass to board a bus going the other way). The CMAX bus rapid transit line travels from Downtown Columbus northeast to Westerville. Most of High St (US Route 23) from Clintonville in the north to Merion Village in the south is pedestrian-friendly, and while areas between campus and the Short North had been fairly rough, gentrification and the growth of student housing, boutique shops, and restaurants has created a fairly continuous stretch of safe by-foot travel. Downtown Columbus is a walkable area with most attractions within a 20-minute walk of each other. The Columbus Landmarks Foundation conducts walking tours, too. Columbus is a car-centric city, with usage of a car required outside of the areas directly surrounding downtown. Parking is extensive (and reasonably priced) at almost all major destinations. There are many surface lots and garages around the city.

Dial 911 to get emergency (police/medical/fire) help. Natural hazards include tornadoes in the warm months and snowy or icy roads in the cold months. Flooding can occur after extended periods of rain. Broadly speaking, the northwest quadrant of the city (north of I-670 and west of I-71, including Clintonville, Grandview, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Dublin, and Hilliard) is the safe zone from a crime perspective. The other three quadrants, especially along Broad Street (US-40) and Cleveland Avenue (OH-3), are overall less so, although German Village and Bexley are notable oases in the southeast. Outside the I-270 outer belt, the risk of crime diminishes greatly. Visitors to the area should be aware that the theft of laptop computers, phones, and other items from automobiles is a common occurrence. Always store valuables in the cargo compartment of one's car and make sure it is locked. Theft of vehicles themselves has achieved a great deal of notoriety in the 2020s. Kias and Hyundais are targeted because of a vulnerability that enables a knowledgeable thief to operate the vehicle without the key. Thieves are often juveniles who steal the cars for the purpose of joyriding, but they are still dangerous and you should never confront them. Police recommend that drivers of affected vehicles use a steering wheel lock to deter this type of crime; occasionally they give these out for free. Motorists who drink and drive will face stiff penalties if one's blood alcohol concentration is above the legal limit (0.08%).