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Visitors to the city will find excellent arts and entertainment, attractions, sports, shopping and great dining that combine to make the city one of the Midwest’s great destinations.
Many of Columbus’ performing arts groups can be found along Theater Row downtown at the Ohio, Palace and Southern theaters. The three historic theaters host the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Columbus Jazz Orchestra and BalletMet, among others. Broadway In Columbus also routinely brings touring shows to town, while Shadowbox Cabaret performs its unique mix of comedy, skits and rock and roll at Easton Town Center.
Those interested in the visual arts can head to the Columbus Museum of Art, the Columbus College of Art & Design or the Belmont Building downtown, temporary home of the Wexner Center for the Arts.
The Arena District – home of Nationwide Arena, the Arena Grand Theatre, PromoWest Pavilion music house and a long list of bars and restaurants – is one of the city’s most popular entertainment districts. Other hot nightspots include the Brewery District, Easton Town Center, German Village and Short North Arts District.
Columbus is home to a variety of family attractions, including the world-renowned Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where Jack Hanna serves as director emeritus. Other must-see attractions include COSI Columbus, the city’s interactive science center, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden, Jack Nicklaus Museum, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, Ohio Historical Center, Ohio Statehouse and Wyandot Lake.
Columbus is fast becoming a leading sports destination. Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, triple-A baseball’s Columbus Clippers and the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League are among the city’s professional teams. The Ohio State University also fields varsity teams in 31 sports – including football, which won the 2002 national championship. The PGA Memorial Tournament, LPGA Wendy’s Championship for Children and the Columbus Marathon are among major sporting events held in the city each year.
Shoppers have a variety of choices in Columbus. Easton Town Center on the northeast side, Polaris Fashion Place on the north side and Columbus City Center downtown all offer numerous shops and restaurants. Smaller specialty stores and boutiques can be found in the Short North, while nearby suburbs of Grandview Heights, Worthington and Westerville all feature quaint shops and restaurants.
Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and the 15th largest in the nation with a population of more than 711,000. Ohio’s capital city is one of few in the northeast quadrant of the country whose economy and population have grown steadily over the past three decades. Columbus covers 220 square miles, with most of the city located in Franklin County.
Visitors to Columbus can book travel packages or a hotel at the Experience Columbus web site at www.ExperienceColumbus.com, which also features an extensive Calendar of Events and a My Planner feature that allows visitors to build their own itineraries. Free visitors guides and maps also are available by visiting www.ExperienceColumbus.com or by calling the city’s tourism hotline at
1-866-EXP-COLS.
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