Columbus
The capital of Ohio, a student city of 900,000 people, hides behind its office blocks a German quarter of brick streets, an avenue of galleries lit by arches and a covered market where an ice cream maker that went national was born. An hour to the south-east, the gorges of Hocking Hills carve caves and waterfalls into the sandstone.
By PierrickLocal Guide ★8 · 14M+ views on Google MapsBy PierrickLocal Guide ★8 · 14M+ Maps views
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Columbus · Photo Chris F / Pexels
Things to do in Columbus in 5 days
Day 1
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The 19th-century German immigrants' quarter south of downtown, saved by its residents from 1960, with red-brick houses and pavements, Schiller Park and The Book Loft, a bookshop of 32 rooms.
💡 Pick up the neighbourhood map at the German Village Society visitor centre on South Third Street, then lose yourself in the rooms of The Book Loft. Lunch on a sausage and a giant cream puff at Schmidt's Sausage Haus. Price: free to stroll.
Pythaglio / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)Learn moreMore
A riverside promenade below the downtown towers linking parks and gardens, with the Bicentennial Park fountain and the spiralling, grass-covered National Veterans Memorial and Museum across the river.
💡 Hire a CoGo shared bike and follow the river to the Short North along the Olentangy trail, or south to Scioto Audubon park. On summer evenings, bring a picnic from the markets. Price: free.
Ɱ / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Day 2
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The science centre in a 1924 former high school facing downtown, with hands-on exhibits on the ocean, space and the human body, a planetarium and life-size dinosaur casts, ideal on a rainy day.
💡 Check the opening calendar on the website, as opening days vary with the season, and buy online, which is $5 cheaper. Price: $30, about €26, from age 13; $25, about €22, for ages 2 to 12, online.
Antony-22 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)Learn moreMore
Columbus's public market since 1876, now in a former warehouse by the Short North, with dozens of counters from butchers to Ethiopian and Vietnamese food, and the first Jeni's ice cream shop.
💡 Have lunch here on a weekday, before noon, before the workers from the nearby offices arrive. The market opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Price: free entry, allow $12-18, about €10-15, for a meal.
WalrusWaltz / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Day 3
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An 1895 Victorian glasshouse recreating rainforest, desert, Himalayan cloud forest and Pacific islands, with a major collection of Dale Chihuly's blown glass set among the plants.
💡 Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The community garden and the outdoor lawns can be visited freely after the glasshouses. Price: $25.20, about €22, for adults, cultural tax included; $17.33, about €15, for ages 3 to 12.
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The stretch of High Street between downtown and campus, turned into a district of galleries, designer shops and restaurants beneath illuminated arches, with a Gallery Hop on the first Saturday of each month.
💡 Come on the first Saturday of the month in the late afternoon for the free Gallery Hop, then have dinner there; book at weekends, as the good tables get taken. Price: free.
Ɱ / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Day 4
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One of the largest zoos in the United States, made famous by Jack Hanna, with African savannah, Asia, Australia, polar bears and a Florida coast where rescued manatees swim.
💡 Arrive at opening time, 10 a.m., and start with the savannah, when the animals are active. The price changes with the date: buy online. Price: from $34.95, about €30, for adults; $27.95, about €24, for ages 3 to 9; parking $12, about €10.
loganrickert / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Day 5
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Sandstone gorges, waterfalls and vast rock shelters south-east of Columbus, from Old Man's Cave and the horseshoe-shaped Ash Cave to Cedar Falls and Rock House, all free to visit.
💡 Set off early at weekends, as the Old Man's Cave car parks fill before 10 a.m. in October, the busiest month for autumn colours. The trails close at nightfall, and hiking shoes are useful, as the rock stays slippery. Price: free entry.
See1,Do1,Teach1 / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)"Book" (hotels) and "via GetYourGuide" (activities) are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide). Prices, times and distances are approximate.
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Good to know before you go
🍽️ Must-try food
Burgers and barbecue
brisket and ribs cooked low and slow, done differently in every state.
Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl
the classic lunch on the San Francisco waterfront.
Mexican food
tacos from a truck in Los Angeles, a Mission burrito in San Francisco.
Pancakes and weekend brunch
a national habit, generous to the point of excess.
Craft beer, and California wine from Napa and Sonoma.
Dishes to look for in the good places: Columbus.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Tipping is not optional: add 15 to 20% in restaurants and bars.
- Prices on menus and in shops exclude sales tax, which is added at the till.
- Do not plan more than four or five hours of driving a day: the distances are larger than they look on the map.
- Never travel without health insurance. A night in hospital can cost thousands of dollars.
- In summer, do not hike down into the Grand Canyon in the heat of the day: the climb back out is where people get into trouble.
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The little details that make all the difference once you're there.
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📄 See the full guide: Columbus, detailed month-by-month weather, budget, what to avoid and FAQ.