Why Columbus:
I found an $88 roundtrip direct flight between LA and Columbus. After two days road tripping around southeast Ohio, it was time to return to Columbus. I had last visited Columbus to go to an Ohio State football game with my friend Sarah.
March 3, 2024: O-H
Just before leaving Chillicothe, I purchased a last-minute ticket to the Ohio State vs Michigan basketball game. The drive from Chillicothe took about an hour. I parked my car at the Airbnb and waited to check-in. My place was not ready yet, so I parked on the street and hurried across the Ohio State campus to the basketball arena.
Despite leaving 20 minutes before the game’s start time and an estimated 39 minute walk to the arena, I made it just in time!
The University of Michigan and Ohio State University rivalry is one of the greatest in sports. Supposedly the rivalry between the two states stems from the 1835 Toledo War where militias from both states fought over control over the location of the boundary. The result of this conflict which only had one serious injury gave the city of Toledo to Ohio and the Upper Peninsula to Michigan.
While the rivalry between the schools is mainly football, the sport both schools care the most about, it has since spread to all sports. Men’s basketball, being the next most popular college sport, is probably the next best place to experience the rivalry.
The arena was packed and the Ohio State band and cheerleaders were whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
The game turned out to not be so competitive. Ohio State had a decent record, but Michigan was dead last in the Big Ten with a 8-22 record (they won the football national championship this year so I don’t think the fans care one bit).
By the end of the game, Ohio State was up by 26 points. At the last second, Michigan made a seemingly inconsequential three-pointer. While this did not change the outcome of the game, it made the total points bet a push meaning that everybody got their money back. The guy next to me thought he was going to win $200 but ended up making nothing. Scanning the crowd, many of the men aged 20-45 were aghast.
After the game, I headed to dinner in the German Village neighborhood. With brick-lined streets and historic houses, German Village is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in the entire US.
For dinner, I ate at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, a fifth generation family restaurant founded in 1886. The décor and staff outfits were kitschy as expected. I ordered their famous Bahama Mama sausage plate. Having been to Germany within the past year, I can say that the sausage was just okay.
For dessert, I had their famous giant cream puff which was not good.
Afterwards, I headed to another neighborhood landmark, The Book Loft. This bookstore founded in 1977 boasts its 32 rooms of books. I can vouch that there indeed are 32 rooms of books. Overall, the shop was really wonderful and every book sold was sold at less than the publisher’s price.
March 4, 2024: The Roof of Ohio
I stared the day with a trip northwest of Columbus to the town of Bellefontaine. Across from a Love’s Travel Plaza gas station is the campus of Ohio Hi-Pointe Career Center, a high school specializing in trades. On the campus of the high school is Campbell Hill, the highest point in Ohio.
The point is higher than the school buildings and ever so slightly higher than the surrounding storage facilities. Having been to 18 state high points, I would rank this the least scenic.
That said, the summit logbook box also contained certificates that were free to take. So, point Ohio.
About 20 minutes from the high point is Ohio Caverns, billed as the best cave in the state. Ohio is not know for caves so it’s not a huge achievement, but heck I’m already in the neighborhood.
The cave tour cost $25. As it turned out, I was the only person around, so it was a private tour. The guide said that in the summer, they typically receive 900 visitors per day.
According to the guide, Ohio Caverns is a cavern not a cave meaning that the hole in the ground was not originally open to the surface and that organisms did not live there until its discovery by humans in the late 1800’s. The cavern contains an impressive array of crystal and rust formations including columns, stalagmites and stalactites.
The largest formation was a stalactite called King Crystal.
Interestingly, the cavern did not have any large chambers but instead was a maze of narrow passageways connecting to short chambers. I had never seen a cave quite like this one before and felt it was worth the price of admission.
I returned to Columbus at noon just in time for lunch. I decided to visit Lindey’s, a fine dining American restaurant. Despite its reputation for being very expensive, I found the weekday lunch menu to be quite reasonably priced. My delicious chicken salad was $17 + tip/tax. Yes, that is a bit pricey lunch, but the restaurant was gorgeous, it included incredible fresh bread and a few months ago I bought a footlong subway sandwich for $16.
At the bar, I sat next to a high-powered lawyer. We got to chatting and he was so happy that I chose to come to Columbus as a tourist. He even thanked me on behalf of the city!
For the afternoon, I visited the Franklin Park Conservatory. This is an indoor botanical garden full of Chihuly glass works. The space was beautiful but, at $24, was expensive for the size of the experience. I stayed an hour but really stretched it.
That evening, I got tickets to see Columbus’s lone Big Four sports team, the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. The stadium is in downtown. To get there, I walked through a trendy area called Short North to get there.
Once outside the arena, I met up with my friend Rachel and her husband Johnny. I first met Rachel at the Ohio State football game 10 years ago but we have since seen each other in LA, Miami and New York. Rachel was there with a huge beer in her hands for me. That’s a good friend!
Before heading into the arena we stopped by the new stadium for Columbus’s MLS soccer team, the Columbus Crew of which her company is the naming sponsor of the stadium.
The hockey game itself turned out to be really fun. Columbus, despite having the worst record in the league and having fired two head coaches this year, managed to defeat the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. One player on the Blue Jackets got a hat trick and fans started throwing their hats onto the ice!
After the game, we got some snacks in a sports bar in Short North.
March 5, 2024: Peace, Love and Pancake Balls
This was my final day in Columbus and, due to the timing of my flight, I had time for one real attraction.
But first, it was time for my final meal. Based on the recommendation of my friends Sarah and Morrisa, I went to Katalina’s where I ordered their famous pancake balls which can be stuffed with a variety of sauces. I opted for the pumpkin apple butter…and it was as delicious as it sounds. The café had a real local energy too!
I then went to the Columbus Museum of Art, founded in 1931. Although the museum is small, I found its collection high quality and diverse. One entire room is dedicated to Cubism. For the record, while I enjoyed my time, the Cleveland Art Museum is a real gem and worth your visit.
With that it was time to head to the airport to head home.
Final Thoughts:
Columbus is a delightful Midwestern city. Although it has over 2 million people and a large downtown, it feels like a gigantic college town. Everybody is friendly and there is so much spirit for the Buckeyes and to a lesser extent the other pro teams. There are a few unique urban neighborhoods including Short North and the German Village.
While Columbus has less museums and mega attractions than other cities of its size, there is more than enough to do here over a weekend. The people in Columbus are so nice and you will feel the hospitality.
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