Columbus

Columbus is the capital of the American state of Ohio and is located centrally within the state as the core of the Greater Columbus area. Sited in an area where the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Farm Belt meet, Columbus is a fusion of many different parts of America. It is the home of the Ohio State University. The combination of Ohio Government and the Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research environment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of the Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers. It also ranked number 1 on About.com's list of the United States' Most Underrated Gay Cities.

Understand
Named after the Italian explorer who sailed under the Spanish flag, this city is the largest in Ohio in terms of population with 906,000 in 2021, and the 14th largest city in the United States—though with only2.1 million people, the metropolitan statistical area is relatively small (the 32nd 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.

By plane






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
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.

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 architectural 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:



Learn

 * 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.

Work

 * 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.
 * Healthcare- Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is a teaching hospital associated with The Ohio State University. Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the nation's leading children's hospitals with multiple specialties.

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



Eat
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.



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.

Drink
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Sleep
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.



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.

Stay safe
Dial 911 to get emergency (police/medical/fire) help. Natural hazards include tornadoes in the warm months and snowy or icy roads in the cold months. Flooding can occur after extended periods of rain.

Broadly speaking, the northwest quadrant of the city (north of I-670 and west of I-71, including Clintonville, Grandview, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Dublin, and Hilliard) is the safe zone from a crime perspective. The other three quadrants, especially along Broad Street (US-40) and Cleveland Avenue (OH-3), are overall less so, although German Village and Bexley are notable oases in the southeast. Outside the I-270 outer belt, the risk of crime diminishes greatly.

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.

Theft of vehicles themselves has achieved a great deal of notoriety in the 2020s. Kias and Hyundais are targeted because of a vulnerability that enables a knowledgeable thief to operate the vehicle without the key. Thieves are often juveniles who steal the cars for the purpose of joyriding, but they are still dangerous and you should never confront them. Police recommend that drivers of affected vehicles use a steering wheel lock to deter this type of crime; occasionally they give these out for free.

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. Conversely, the OSU campus is pedestrian-dominated, and drivers should be alert for jaywalkers.

Hospitals
Columbus has three major networks of hospitals, all of which offer a high standard of medical care. Each has many locations; the major hospitals are listed here, and others may be found on the district pages. Your insurance may not cover all three networks.

Wexner Medical Center (State)


The children's hospital is not part of any of the major networks, although it has some links to the Wexner Medical Center. It is particularly highly regarded.



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.

Go next

 * Lancaster - 35 minutes southeast. Hilltop views from Rising Park, the Ohio Glass Museum.
 * 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.
 * Chillicothe - 1 hour south on US-23. The first capital of Ohio, also home of the UNESCO heritage site Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks.
 * Dayton is about 1 hour west on I-70
 * Hocking Hills State Park is less than an hour southeast on US-33.
 * Athens is 1 hr 15 minutes southeast on US-33. Home to Ohio University.
 * Cincinnati is about a 1-hour, 45-minute drive south on I-71.
 * Portsmouth is 1 hr 45 minutes south on US-23. Home of Shawnee State University.
 * Wayne National Forest consists of 3 separate units throughout southeast Ohio.
 * Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton is about a 2-hour drive.
 * Wheeling is 2 hours east on I-70.
 * Cleveland is about a 2-hour, 15-minute drive north on I-71.
 * Huntington is less than 2 and a half hours south. Home of Marshall University.
 * Toledo is less than 2 and a half hours northwest
 * Charleston is 2 hours 40 minutes southeast. State Capital of West Virginia.
 * Pittsburgh is 3 hours east on mostly I-70.
 * Camp Chase Trail