Columbus

Named after the Italian explorer who sailed under the Spanish flag, this city is the largest in Ohio in terms of population with 787,033, and the 15th largest city in the United States—though with only 1.7 million people, the metropolitan statistical area is relatively small (the 31st 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.

Visitor information

• Experience Columbus Visitor Center

  phone: +1 614 222-6135
  address: 277 W Nationwide Blvd, Suite 125

• Experience Columbus Visitor Center

  phone: +1 614 416-8080
  address: 188 Easton Town Center

By plane

• John Glenn Columbus International Airport

  phone: +1 614 239-4083
  address: 4600 International Gateway
  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.

By car

• 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.

By bus

• Barons Bus

  address: (office) 1330 McKinley Ave

• Go Bus

  phone: +1 614 228-2266
  address: Greyhound bus station at 111 E Town St
  Goes towards Wooster, Athens and Coolville in several routes.

• Greyhound

  phone: +1 614 228-2266
  address: (Bus station) 111 East Town St

• Jaguar Inc

  phone: +1 917 288-6888 or +1 347 203-2209
  address: (Bus stop) Mobil gas station at 213 E Rich St
  From New York to Louisville, KY via Columbus, Springfield, Vandalia, Cincinnati, and Dayton, OH,

By bus

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).

By foot

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.

By car

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. There are only a few areas of the city, like the Short North, where parking can be hard to come by; those locations feature abundant valet parking at $5 per vehicle. U-turns are illegal citywide in Columbus.
Downtown is a short drive ($20-50 taxi fare) from the airport via I-670W. Uber and Lyft are also available, and tend to run on the lower end of that $20-50 range.
Columbus is notorious for aggressive towing companies, especially downtown, on campus, and in the Short North. Before you park somewhere, make sure that it does not have a "Private Parking" or "Tow Away Zone" sign nearby.

By bike

• CoGo Bike ShareA bike sharing program with stations in downtown; pick up a bike at any station and return it to any station. A pass enables unlimited 30 minute trips.

Museums

Most Columbus museums are located near Downtown, or near the Ohio State University.

Architecture

The Ohio Statehouse and other buildings in the downtown core serve as distinct architecural landmarks.

Notable Neighborhoods

The neighborhoods on the outskirts of Downtown are usually very distinctive. These include the German Village, The Short North, the Victorian Village, and others.

Festivals and events

These are a few of the larger or major events in Columbus:

• All American Quarter Horse Congress

• The Arnold Fitness ClassicHeld once a year in early March at the Columbus Convention Center. Many competitions ranging from martial arts to cheerleading to bench press, plenty of "fitness babes" and free supplement samples, and speeches by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

• Asian FestivalAnnual event. May. Food, games, market place, health screening. Great location!

• Columbus Arts FestivalJune (annual event) ARTS, crafts, food, music, entertainment. Big event.

• Columbus Jazz and Rib FestJuly. Expect 500-700,000 people at this fun food and music event held each year.

• ComFestJune. Music, arts, culture, shopping, fair food, beer & bare feet. Who's who of Columbus musicians and those from elsewhere!

• Festival LatinoHeld on the downtown River Front in the middle of June each year. Billed as "The largest Hispanic/Latino event in Ohio". Lots of food, fun, entertainment and feista. Free admission.

• German Village OktoberfestSeptember.

• Good Guys ColumbusOver 6,000 rods, customs, classics, muscle cars, street machines and trucks thru 1972. July.

• Ohio Expo Center

  address: 717 E. 17th Ave
  Home to the Ohio State Fair. Each month, a variety of shows, expositions and competitions are held at the Ohio Expo Center, over 175 events per year. These range from shopping for antiques to boxing, there is something for everyone at the Ohio Expo Center.

• Origins International Game ExpoOrigins is run by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) as one of their two shows for the adventure gaming industry. (The second show, the GAMA Trade Show, is for game manufacturers and retailers only.) Origins is specifically chartered to serve adventure gaming in general, including wargames and miniatures gaming, which tend to be less well represented at Gen Con and Dragon

*Con. Board games, trading card games, and role-playing games are also popular at Origins. It is usually compared in size with E3 and GenCon, and is famous for its Origin Awards. The Origins Award is commonly referred to as a Calliope, as the statuette is in the likeness of the Muse of the same name. Academy members frequently shorten this name to "Callie."

• Red, White & BOOMTake a bus, traffic is as bad as it gets in Columbus for this event. Billed as The biggest and best Independence Day fireworks celebration in the Midwest. July.

Sports teams

• Columbus Blue Jackets - NHL HockeyIce hockey.

• Columbus Clippers - AAA BaseballThe team plays AAA Minor League Baseball at Huntington Park.

• Ohio State BuckeyesThe athletic teams representing the Ohio State University are one of the city's (and state's) greatest sporting institutions. Members of the Big Ten Conference along with 10 other schools in the greater Midwest region, Penn State in central Pennsylvania, and Maryland and Rutgers on the east coast, the Buckeyes frequently contend for national honors in a wide variety of sports. The most famous Buckeye team is the American football team, playing before regular sellout crowds of over 100,000 at Ohio Stadium. Some of the many legendary figures to wear the scarlet and gray of Ohio State include Jesse Owens (track), Jack Nicklaus (golf), and Bob Knight (who played basketball at OSU and became far more famous as a coach in that sport).

• Columbus Crew SC - Major League Soccer

  address: One Black & Gold Blvd

Factory tours

• The American Whistle Factory

  phone: +1 614 846-2918
  address: 6540 Huntley Rd
  The only manufacturer of metal whistles in the United States

• Anthony-Thomas Candy Co.

  address: 1777 Arlington Gate
  Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30AM-2:30PM.

• Graeter's Ice Cream Factory

  phone: +1 614 442-7622
  address: 2555 Bethel Rd

• The Krema Nut Company

  phone: +1 614 299-4131
  address: 1000 W. Goodale Blvd
  One of the oldest peanut butter makers still manufacturing in the United States today! And PB & Jelley Sandwich shop.

Mature audiences

• Scioto Downssouth of Route 270 on Route 23 South (High Street). Harness racing and betting.

===Other===,

• Magic Mountain Fun Center East

  ,

• Magic Mountain Fun Park Polaris

  - located in Columbus

• The Ohio State University is a large college, bordered on the south by West 9th Avenue, on the north by Lane Avenue, and on the east by North High Street. The university owns most of the property within these bounds, up to Olentangy River Road on the west, and some properties west of Olentangy River Road.
• Columbus College of Art and Design is an art school headquartered at 60 Cleveland Avenue in downtown.
• Columbus State Community College is a community college located at 550 East Spring Street in downtown.

• Government - Columbus serves as the capital city of Ohio, and government is one of the city's largest employers.
• Insurance - Several large insurance companies are headquartered in Columbus, including Nationwide Insurance Company, which is headquartered in downtown Columbus.

Columbus has many vibrant shopping districts downtown, and the surrounding suburbs offer shopping malls and chain outlets.

• Short NorthA neighborhood of galleries, restaurants and cafes lining High Street, which is the main north-south thoroughfare in the downtown. The Short North lies just north of the downtown on the north side of I-670. The Short North runs until about Third Avenue. The overpass of I-670 has a "cap" over the freeway with restaurants and shops. Check out the Gallery Hop the first Saturday of every month when the galleries stay open late and the streets and bars are definitely hopping.

• Wholly Craft!

  phone: +1 614 447-3445
  address: 3169 North High St
  Craft shop featuring handmade clothing, jewelry, gifts, recycled artwork, soaps, and anatomically themed knittery. Designers are from all over the country, but many are in Ohio; thus making this a good place to find Ohio souvenirs because of its showcasing of local artists' merchandise.

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.

• The North Market

  phone: +1 614 221-7237
  address: 59 Spruce St
  Liège-style waffles at Taste of Belgium. Homemade sauces at Pastaria. BBQ or Vietnamese, sushi or rice balls, the biggest problem is choosing what to eat, and it's all relatively cheap.

Budget

• Rubino's PizzaLocal pizza joint that boasts the thinnest crust in existence. Famous for great sauce, 60¢ sodas, and vintage arcade games.

• Raising CanesFive locations in the Columbus area. Fast food chain that serves excellent chicken fingers in a tasty dipping sauce. Try the box combos that include fries, cole slaw, and Texas toast.

• City BarbecueChain that is primarily in Columbus, with locations in a few of the suburbs. Incredibly good pulled pork, with tastes for anyone interested in BBQ cooking.

• PiadaFast-growing new chain spread throughout Columbus. Italian quick service, specializing in piadas (Italian flatbread wraps) and pasta. Also has a selection of Italian sodas and teas.

• Yau's China BistroThis is an unpretentious, but incredibly good Chinese restaurant on North High Street, part of the campus area. Very authentic and reasonably priced.

• Udupi CafeExcellent, inexpensive, entirely vegetarian South Indian restaurant.

• Mi Mi Cafe

  address: 5858 Columbus Square
  Very nice Vietnamese sandwiches and noodle dishes. Iced coffee and billiards too.

• Bangkok Grocery & Restaurant

  address: 3283 Refugee Rd
  On the East Side. Thai restaurant and connected grocery store serving the usual Thai, Laotian, and Chinese fare. Very large portions.

• Wendy'sHeadquartered in nearby Dublin, Ohio. The original Wendy's restaurant is downtown at 257 East Broad St but has closed, and the building has been re-purposed.

• El ArepazoVenezuelan faire. Delicious and cheap.

• Lunch wagonsCalled loncheras, or lovingly referred to as "roach coaches" which cater to a Latino labor force, are becoming a common sight around town and are very popular with those in the know. Similar to the lunch wagons so popular in Hawaii, but with a Latino twist. They are subject to inspection by the health dept. and should not be feared but enjoyed.

• Taco trucksAll over Columbus. Cheap and tasty Mexican fare. Check out the Taco Truck tracker website.

• Tensuke Market Cafe

  phone: +1 614 451-6002
  address: 1167 Old Henderson Rd
  A well-kept secret for Japanese food, and budget alternative to its posh neighbor, Akai Hana. Features several kinds of Japanese noodles, tempura, gyoza, teriyaki, and potato croquettes.

• White CastleScattered throughout Columbus, you will find the popular White Castle burger franchise. Fries, burgers, shakes, breakfast. Most are open 24/7 and offer some of the most inexpensive eats in town.

• Whole World Natural Restaurant

  phone: +1 614 268-5751
  address: 3269 North High St
  Entirely vegetarian with many vegan options. New soups and specials every day, as well as vegan pastries, cookies, and cakes sold at the counter.

Mid-range

• Max & Erma'sThe quintessential 'burgers and stuff' sort of place got its' start here, and you can find one almost anywhere in town, including the original restaurant in German Village. Adventurers are recommended to try their Garbage Burger, while those with a sweet tooth should get a pan of cookies made fresh for them, or try the sundae bar!

• Schmidt's Sausage Haus

  address: 240 E Kossuth St
  This family run restaurant serves up some of the best German food in Columbus. It is famous for their Bahama Mamas and their large cream puffs. Schmidt's has been featured on the food network and on the Travel Channel's "Man V. Food". Try a little bit of everything to experience the authentic German cuisine.

• Jeni's Splendid Ice CreamThis ice cream shops features exotic flavors that will you keep you coming back. Jeni's has won many awards and has been featured on numerous shows on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. All of the ingredients are organic and most of them come from local farms in Ohio.

• My Momma's Sweet Potato Pies

  phone: +1 614 444-4282
  address: 813 East Livingston Ave
  Authentic sweet potato pie.

• Columbus Brewing CompanyFine food at a good price.

• Akai HanaColumbus' most authentic source of excellent Japanese food and sushi. Located at Old Henderson & Kenny, in the Japanese part of town next to the Japanese gift shop, Japanese bakery, and Japanese market. It's a bit hard to find, tucked in a strip mall behind 'The Ski Shack'. Also provides carry-out. This restaurant used to be known as Restaurant Japan.

• Skillet, Rustic. Urban. Food.

  phone: +1 614 443-2266
  address: 410 E Whittier
  Seasonal menu from local farms. Small, walk-up to counter joint. Excellent brunch with a unique take on traditional comfort foods.

• Eddie George's Grille 27

  phone: +1 614 421-2727
  address: 1636 North High St
  Great American food and atmosphere for watching sports. Located in the South Campus Gateway. This sports-themed restaurant is owned and named after the Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State.

Splurge

• Alana's

  phone: +1 614-294-6783
  address: 2333 North High St
  The best place to indulge in a nice bottle of wine with dinner, as the mark-up on her amazing selection is practically non-existent. With a new menu hand-picked by Alana herself every night and an on-site sommelier (her husband), Alana's is a great place to enjoy fine food in a non-pretentious atmosphere.

• Cameron Mitchel RestaurantsFor better or for worse, a majority of the fine dining in Columbus is owned by the same parent company. For a predictably pleasant (if unadventurous) night out you can choose from Molly Woos, The Columbus Fish Market, M (high-end), Cameron's (steak), or Cap City Diner. Cameron Mitchell's Ocean Club at Easton is somewhat of a hidden treat on the second floor of the main Easton Station.

• Spagio

  address: 1295 Grandview Ave
  European and Pacific Rim Cuisine. They have excellent wood-fired pizzas.

Dives

For the mid-west, Columbus has its share of ethnic and domestic eateries that shelter culinary artists throughout the city and offer outstanding meals at sometimes bargain prices, in locations that may be carry-out only, limited seating or maybe small bars that offer outstanding food. Places that are well worth the effort to find, which is part of the adventure.

• Chef Butcher's Creole Kitchen

  phone: +1 614 228-7588
  address: 777 E Long St
  Creole for the lunch crowd.

• Ena's Caribbean Kitchen

  phone: +1 614 262-0988
  address: 2458 Cleveland Ave
  Limited seating, great food, family operation. Daily specials.

`

• The Arena DistrictHome of the Columbus Nationwide Arena. Bars include Frog Bear Wild Boar, Brother's, Gaswerks, and the Lodge Bar, each containing a different personality and young 20-somethings atmosphere. Cabs are easy to flag down, parking is cheap, and each bar has incredible happy hour specials. Don't miss Brothers Thursday mug night, an Ohio State student favorite.

• The Char BarAcross the street from the Greater Columbus Convention Center is a nicely low-key place to get good drinks, many different types of beer, and relax.

• Old Bag of Nails Pub

  phone: +1 614-252-4949
  address: 18 North Nelson Rd
  Perfect place for happy hour! Landmark in Bexley community of Columbus. Styled after an English Pub this is a great place to hang out and test many different beer selections. The beer-battered pickles and fish-n-chips are excellent. Great for Happy Hour (2/7PM) to sit on their back patio overlooking the bridge and water with a fun jazz band playing every Thursday 7-9PM.

• The Short NorthArea, on N High Street above Goodale street combines art galleries with bars. First weekend of the month is "Gallery Hop" and places are open later.

• Barley'sA microbrewery in the Short North that is known for its high-quality beers.

• Wyandotte Winery

  address: 4640 Wyandotte Dr
  A family run winery located in a cozy neighborhood setting in northeast Columbus. Wyandotte has produced fine grape and fruit wines on premises since the 1980s. Visit the wine shop and tasting room, enjoy a taste of the current wine offerings, and browse the wine related items in the gift shop.

• Brothers Drake Meadery

  phone: +1 614-388-8765
  address: 26 E 5th Ave
  Wines made from honey and local ingredients to create a distinctly local Columbus mead. Stop by to sample signature recipes, enjoy local art and live music.

• SideBar 122

  phone: +1 614-228-9041
  address: 122 E Main St
  Sidebar offers classic cocktails and a Mediterranean inspired small plates menu with the flavors of South America. Behind the bar you will find bartenders shaking drinks with house-made syrups and juices. There's a dining room with exposed brick and candlelit tables. Opens Monday through Saturday at 4PM and begins offering dinner service at 5PM. Check out the Piano Bar on the lower level Saturday nights for live Jazz performances.

Music

• Lifestyle Communities Pavilion

  address: 405 Neil Ave
  In the Arena District. A mid-sized venue seating 2,200 patrons indoors and 4,500 outdoors.

• The Basement

  address: 391 Neil Ave
  Known for showcasing local bands.

• Newport Music Hall

  phone: +1 614-294-1659
  address: 1722 North High St
  America's longest continually running rock club, but also showcasing alternative and electronic music.

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.

• The Wayfaring Buckeye Hostel

  phone: +1 614-754-0945
  address: 2407 Indiana Ave.
  Inexpensive lodging that doesn't skimp on the fun. Bar crawls, cookouts, movie nights, city tours, live music, etc.

• Cambria Suites Columbus/Polaris

  phone: +1 614 841-9100
  address: 9100 Lyra Dr.
  NEQ of Lyra Dr. & Gemini Dr.

• Best Western Columbus North

  phone: +1 614-888-8230
  address: 888 E. Dublin Granville Rd.
  Great location off Interstate 71, near Ohio State University, Nationwide Arena, the Schottenstein Center, and Crew Stadium. Hotel features onsite health club with Jr. Olympic sized indoor pool, and complimentary breakfast.

• Courtyard by Marriott

  phone: +1 614-228-3200
  address: 35 West Spring St

• Days Inn Columbus North

  phone: +1 614-885-9696
  address: 1212 E. Dublin Granville Rd.

• Hampton Inn & Suites Columbus Downtown

  phone: +1 614-559-2000
  address: 501 North High St

• Residence Inn Columbus Downtown

  phone: +1 614-222-2610
  address: 36 E. Gay St
  In the heart of downtown, this all suite hotel is a converted historic bank. Hotel features a variety of amenities and services with the comforts of home.

Newspapers

• The Columbus Dispatch. Columbus' daily newspaper, and has the standard News/Sports/Arts/Classifieds mix. Perhaps because Columbus is the state capitol, the Dispatch usually carries more news about state politics than most of the other Ohio dailies. In addition to the standard vending machines, the Dispatch can also be purchased on some COTA (public) buses by depositing an extra $0.50 into the fare box.
• Columbus Alive. While not as colorful or notorious as The Other Paper, Columbus Alive is another good source for entertainment schedules, and may be less jarring to those with conservative sensibilities. It is also provided free at local businesses and libraries.

Religious services

Broad Street in Downtown Columbus is home to a number of Christian churches of considerable historic and architectural interest, including First Congregational United Church of Christ, where Washington Gladden, a pioneer in the Social Gospel movement, preached from 1882-1918. Both First Congregational and the nearby Catholic cathedral, St. Joseph's, offer a range of special services and concerts throughout the year.
Jews can attend services at Congregation Beth Tikvah, while Muslims can attend the Islamic Society.

Dial 911 to get emergency (police/medical/fire) help.
Although down somewhat in recent years, crime is still a problem in certain areas of the city. Most violent crime occurs in areas that would not be frequented by tourists. 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.
Motorists who drink and drive will face stiff penalties if one's blood alcohol concentration is above the legal limit (0.08). Police routinely set up checkpoints along major roads where all drivers must pass through and show their license and registration to check for intoxicated people.
Vehicles are required by law to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. However, the law is not universally followed. Take care to watch for turning traffic when crossing streets.
Areas on the east side of the city along the streets of Livingston Avenue, Main Street, and Mount Vernon between Parsons and Alum Creek sometimes see violent crime. These areas should be avoided at night. Additional areas to avoid at night include Cleveland Avenue between I-670 and SR-161 and the area east of High Street near the OSU campus.
On the west side of town, a sliver of neighborhoods around Broad St. and east of I-270 South are relatively safe during the day, but not at night. Generally, areas outside of the I-270 loop (the Outerbelt) are safer and more peaceful than areas inside, although the area around Brice Road and I-70 is not safe. Safe areas inside I-270 include the Arena District, the Short North District, Clintonville, Northwest Columbus, Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights, Worthington, Dublin, much of German Village and Bexley.

Hospitals

Though not as significant as its neighbor to the North (Cleveland), Columbus does have medical tourism business that attracts domestic visitors and visitors from all over the USA. Those who accompany patients can expect assistance from the facilities (if you are insistent and have a little patience) in the form of long term discount lodging and local transportation to and from the facility to see the patient.

• Center for Eating Disorders & Psychotherapy, 445 E Dublin Granville Rd. +1 614 293-9550.
• Grant Medical Center, 111 S Grant Ave. +1 614 566-9000.
• Ohio Hospital Of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 880 Greenlawn Ave. +1 614 449-9664.

• Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University

  phone: +1-800-293-5123
  address: 410 W. 10th Ave.
  The Ohio State University's Medical Center is one of the largest and most diverse academic medical centers in the country.

• Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital

  phone: +1 614 293-8000
  address: 480 Medical Center Dr.
  Ranked among the top 10 for rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report. The place for recent brain injuries and muscle atrophy treatment.

• James Cancer Hospital

  phone: +1-800-293-5066
  address: 300 W. 10th Ave.
  National top 25 cancer hospital (US News and World Report 2017-18).

• Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital

  phone: +1 614 293-8000
  address: 452 W. 10th Ave.
  Adjacent to Ohio State University. National top 25 heart hospital (US News and World Report 2017-18). Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute.

• Mount Carmel West

  address: 793 W State St

• Mount Carmel East

  phone: +1 614 234-6000
  address: 5959 East Broad Street

• Nationwide Children's Hospital

  phone: +1 614 722-2000
  address: 700 Children's Dr

• Riverside Methodist Hospital

  phone: +1 614 566-5000
  address: 3535 Olentangy River Road

Law enforcement

In the Columbus area, you will find a variety of law enforcement that includes Ohio State Patrol, Columbus Police, Franklin County Sheriff, local Police depts., in Dublin, Westerville and other local municipalities. Usually, they are what one would expect from law enforcement as far as being professional, polite and helpful. They are well trained and compensated, very good at crowd control and traffic control. Be polite, respectful and you will have few problems with them. Most have cameras in cars, do not offer any bribes of anything and keep in mind you are likely being video recorded.

Smoking

Smoking is banned in most public areas with very few exceptions. Some hotels, motels, or other lodging facilities may have special smoking rooms that are permitted under the new law. The law forbids restaurants and bars from allowing smoking on premises, unless they have an outdoor patio. Some private clubs, such as AmVets, Eagles, Moose, and similar establishments have been slower to enforce the smoking ban, especially in the outskirts of the city.

Visitor information

• Easton Visitor Information Center: 188 Easton Town Center, +1 614 416-8080. On the first floor of the Easton Town Center mall; two free parking garages are at either end of the mall.
• Downtown Visitor Information Center: 277 W Nationwide Blvd, +1 614 221-6623. On the corner of Nationwide Blvd. and Neil Ave. in the Arena District; parking is free for the first fifteen minutes in the lot across the street.

Wi-fi access

• Stauf'sPossibly the best coffee place in Columbus.

• The Waiting Room

  address: North High St

• Cafe Kerouac

  address: North High St
  A funky neighborhood coffee shop that also has books and magazines.

• Cup O' JoeSeveral locations throughout the city including North High St, German Village, Bexley and Olentangy River Rd. Coffee roasted by Stauf's.

• The ShiSha Loungue

  address: 2367 N. High St
  Cafe, hookah bar, live music, DJs

• PaneraThe nation's largest free Wi-Fi provider, has many locations in malls, on High St, and in the suburbs.

• Scottie MacBean'sLocation in Worthington on High St.

• Arena DistrictAnywhere in the green spaces of the Arena District.

• Newark - The site of many prehistoric earthworks and some interesting architecture, 45 minute drive north east.
• Deer Creek State Park and Resort & Conference Center, 3,100 acres of nature within a 45-minute drive from downtown, 22300 State Park Rd. No. 20, Mt. Sterling, +1-877-678-3777 or +1 740 869-2020, Fax: +1 740 869-4059.
• Wayne National Forest is a 45-minute drive to the southeast.
• Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton is about a 2-hour drive. Go north on I-71 and then go east on US-30 into Canton.
• Cleveland is about a 2-hour, 15-minute drive north on I-71.
• Cincinnati is about a 1-hour, 45-minute drive south on I-71.
• Camp Chase Trail