Columbus, Ohio: The Heart of Buckeye Beauty, History, and Culture
The Arena District: Piccadilly Circus, Buckeye-Style
The Arena District lies in the west-central section of downtown. This 95-acre spread is the Cool Happenin’ spot for the city’s singles and professionals. Revitalization in this area has been going on since 1998 to bring in more tourist and convention business as well as apartments and condos for the city’s residents. A 31 foot by 18 foot outdoor screen for corporate advertising beacons visitors to this area to enjoy the array of clubs, indoor/outdoor concerts, and fine dining. Reserve a seat in the Arena Grand Theater’s Club levels, where you can relax in extra-wide French leather seats while watching the latest Hollywood release. Watch a Columbus Blue Jackets (National Hockey League) home game at The Nationwide Arena, which is the conspicuous centerpiece for the Arena District.
The Red Star Tavern has a great atmosphere for sports fans, casual diners, and Ohio State University co-eds alike. Their fine selection of pub grub includes the Red Star’s “Sweet Fries”, which are sprinkled with sugar, and loaded with great taste. I am an avid brownie eater, so I feasted on their dessert called the Warm Brownie Sundae, which has a big scoop of ice cream served over a hot tasty, gooey brownie that’s glazed in caramel and chocolate and served on a small meat-sized platter. I give this dessert an A+! As for draft beers, I would advise travelers of legal drinking age to order a pint of their “Blue Moon” draft, which is a wheaty-style brew chased with smooth citrus flavoring.
Arena Grand Theater: 175 W. Nationwide Blvd. 614.470.9900. Admisson charge for movies. www.arenagrand.com.
Red Star Tavern: 191 W. Nationwide Blvd. 614.228.0055. www.redstartavern.net/columbus/homeCO.html.
Enjoy Delicious Food From North Market
North Market is more than a city fruit and vegetable stand. It was built over an old cemetery in 1876, but now only lively fresh fruit, produce, and vegetable merchants “haunt” the venue on a daily basis to the delight of over one million visitors a year. North Market also features goods for sale from soy candles and lotions to honey that tastes like the scent of wildflowers. Ethnic cuisine ranging from sushi bars to delights of India can be savored here. To show its true farmer’s market roots, the oldest business at North Market happens to be Dorothy Gatterdam’s Eggs, whose eggs are truly “jumbo”, and have been a prime ingredient of hearty breakfasts since 1916. The congenial Bill Thompson, one of Ohio State football’s biggest fans, will tell you anything you want to know about eggs, but can tell you even more about vacuum cleaners, a field he spent his working life in. Other merchants include Pure Imagination Chocolatier, whose handmade confections are so artfully created, you may want to display them rather than eat them! I had the best-tasting popcorn in my life here at a stand called Pam’s Market Popcorn. I’m talking about her Chicago Style Cheddar Popcorn, doused perfectly in cheddar flavor.
North Market: 59 Spruce St. 614-463-9664. Free admission. North Market Vendors’ information can be accessed at: www.northmarket.com.
Franklin Park and its Conservatory
Franklin Park is the city’s grand centrally-located venue for picnics, romantic walks, and contains an awesome display of plant life. General Sherman gave his famous “War is Hell” speech at this venue in 1880. Franklin Park is packed with 88 acres of eye pleasing greenery and flowers. The park’s showpiece is its conservatory, which has 57.000 square feet of greenhouses and classrooms. This conservatory is so serious about plants, that during the Christmas season, it proudly displays some 100-plus varieties of Poinsettias. Visitors can walk through different virtual geographical environments like the Himalayas, a desert, and a tropical rainforest. In this “jungle”, visitors just may hear the strange and bizarre sounds of real Blue and Gold Macaws, which are a part of the parrot family. My favorite section of the conservatory was the Garden Railway, where scale models of trains are laid out to run through the landscapes that make up the state of Ohio.
Franklin Park Conservatory: 1777 E. Broad St. 800.214.PARK. Admission Charge, but the rest of the park grounds are free. www.fpconservatory.org.
No Requirement to Speak Deutsch in Order to Enjoy The German Village
The German Village is a sprawling 233-acre neighborhood district just south of downtown. When immigrant Germans arrived in droves in the early 1840’s, hoping for a better life, they brought with them the ingredients to become an integral community for the city. Many breweries were established to the west of the residential areas that provided steady employment for many in Columbus. But then World War I came and changed everything. German Americans, of which the vast majority loved America dearly, literally became outcasts overnight due to political grandstanding, fear, and mistrust. Many moved out after threats and/or persecution, and with it, the soul of the neighborhood was deeply wounded. Prohibition and the Great Depression would follow, driving more people out.
The end result was a virtual slum for this once great neighborhood. It wouldn’t be until the 1950’s that fortunes for the German Village would begin to change for the better. A visionary by the name of Frank Fetch saw a brighter future for this down, but not out, neighborhood. Fetch began organizing a conglomerate of private funding to restore the area to its former glory. Since then, families and quaint business have been established here. In the present, the German Village is made up of well-kept homes and beautified yards. Many of the once cobble-stoned streets have been restored as well. As a matter of fact, the renowned Haus and Garten Tour draws thousands of visitors when many German Village property owners open up their homes and gardens to the public one special day each June.
The Visitors Center at the Meeting Haus on Third Street is a great place to begin your tour here. The center offers village information, group tour packages, including jaunts through the German Village and the Brewery District. One of the most popular shops in the village is The Book Loft, which contains some 32 rooms full of books and numerous gift items for anyone on your shopping list, many of which can be bought for just a few dollars. When your exploring at the German village is through, why not stop at another village icon for a great meal? Known as Katzinger’s Delicatessen, this eatery has served tasty breakfast, lunch, and dinner items since 1984. President Bill Clinton visited here in 1994, and had a sandwich named after him, called “President Bill’s Day at the Deli”, which is still available. The Katzinger’s Rueben has become a legendary sandwich of choice in Columbus, but they also offer dozens of tasty sandwiches, traditional Jewish fare, cheeses, and spreads. As for desserts, I had another slice of brownie heaven when I ate a Katzinger’s Stealer, full of peanut butter and caramel!
German Village Society Meeting Haus/Visitors Center: 588 S. 3rd St. 614.221.8888. www.germanvillage.org.
The Book Loft: 631 S. 3rd St. 614.464.1774. www.BookLoft.com.
Katzinger’s Delicatessen: 475 S. 3rd St. 614.228.DELI www.katzingers.com.
Great works of art in Columbus, Ohio? You bet your Buckeyes there are!
Since 1878, the Columbus Museum of Art has been giving the city a great place to enjoy a variety of art work. The “Renoir’s Women” Exhibition created quite a buzz in Columbus, as over thirty-five of the Impressionist’s works with women as the principal theme were on display through early January 2006. Until June of 2006, an exhibition featuring around 75 American Impressionism paintings by such artists like Mary Cassatt, Robert Blum, and Theodore Butler will be on display.
Very noted works from George Bellows’ paintings and lithographs to a sampling of Monet’s and Degas’ paintings can be pondered and enjoyed here. The gallery’s specialties are American and European art from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s via Impressionism, Cubism, and German Expressionist works. The museum features interactive exhibits, too. One is called “Eye Spy: Adventures in Art”. The largest public collection of wood carvings by Elijah Pierce is to be viewed at this middle America art mecca.
Columbus Museum of Art: 480 E. Broad St. 614.221.6801. Admission charge. www.ColumbusMuseum.org.
Travel Information:
Getting To
The main airport for flying into Columbus is the Port Columbus International Airport (www.port-columbus.com), of which all the major US carriers fly into as well as Air Canada. This airport offers free wireless internet access for travelers with wireless-ready handheld devices and laptops! How many airports in this world can boast that?
For drivers, here’s a link that will direct you to an online roadmap of the Columbus area:
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/map1/ohiomap/
Bedding Down in Ohio’s Capital City
Staying in downtown Columbus may be a bit pricey for the budget-conscious traveler. This city hosts many conventions and events related to Ohio State University, so at times, getting a room in central downtown may be quite a challenge anyway. But for travelers desiring to be close to the downtown action, they can check out the Hyatt Regency Columbus (http://columbus.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp) or the Crowne Plaza Columbus- Downtown (http://crowneplaza.columbus.ichotelsgroup.com/?_IATAno=99204313) for special package deals. Both these hotels are within easy walking distance to the Arena District and North Market. Also check travel sites like www.hotels.com or www.travelocity.com for lodging deals.
