Visiting Columbus

Columbus isn’t necessarily one of the first American cities people think of as a travel destination, but it’s actually a large city with a surprising amount to explore. It’s the capital of Ohio and is divided into several districts and neighborhoods, each with its own character and attractions. I came here as part of my final trip to complete all 50 states, and Columbus ended up giving me much more to see than I had expected. Above is downtown Columbus at night, with a few more views of the city below.

Columbus is the capital of Ohio, and right in the center of the city is the Ohio Statehouse. Unlike the domed capitol buildings found in many other states, Ohio’s Statehouse has a distinctive Greek Revival design and was completed in the 19th century. The surrounding grounds contain several statues and monuments connected to Ohio history, including memorials honoring notable Ohioans.

Something I was looking forward to seeing was the Scioto Mile, a network of parks and trails following the Scioto River through downtown Columbus. Unfortunately, when I visited, major construction was taking place along the river and portions of the waterfront were closed. The river itself wasn’t particularly attractive at the time with all the construction and exposed dirt, but the fountain was still open. In the middle of summer it had no shortage of people cooling off, and had I been wearing swimming shorts I probably would have joined them!

Instead of avoiding the river entirely, I decided to photograph what it actually looked like during my visit. On the left you can see the low water level and construction along the banks. I also came across a banner explaining the development project while walking the trail. The Scioto Trail extends far beyond downtown, and the marker above shows mile four.

One of my first stops in Columbus was Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The most recognizable building here is the historic Palm House, built in the late 19th century and filled with tropical plants. I made the mistake of not going inside when I first arrived, and when I came back later to correct that mistake it was already closed! On the right are some of the gardens outside the Palm House. When I returned that evening, there was even a wedding taking place.

The surrounding gardens contain a huge variety of plants that change with the seasons. Since I visited during summer, flowers were blooming and the gardens were full of birds and insects. Above is a large bumblebee on the left and an oriole on the right. For some reason it had been almost ten years since I’d seen an oriole! Beyond the gardens and Palm House, the conservatory also has art exhibitions, educational programs, and other events throughout the year.

I was surprised by how many distinct neighborhoods Columbus had. Away from downtown, I came across several attractive residential areas with large older homes and tree-lined streets. These two houses were in the same general area as Franklin Park Conservatory.

Next on my list was the Ohio History Center, a large museum covering the state’s history from prehistoric times through the modern era. One thing I learned here was that no dinosaur fossils have ever been discovered in Ohio. That doesn’t mean dinosaurs never lived here, but the geology of the state hasn’t preserved their remains. Ohio does have an extensive Ice Age fossil record, including huge mammals such as the mastodon photographed above.

The museum also covers the Indigenous peoples who lived throughout what is now Ohio long before European settlement. Exhibits explained different cultures and ways of life and displayed artifacts recovered throughout the region. Above is a recreation of a village along with some of the artifacts in the museum’s collection.

Some of my favorite artifacts were these intricately carved pipes. Each had its own design, with many shaped to represent animals found throughout North America. Displays like these were a good reminder of just how much history existed in this region long before Columbus became a modern city.

There are far too many exhibits in the Ohio History Center to show everything on my website. Moving forward through the state’s history, there are exhibits covering periods such as the Civil War as well as everyday life in Ohio during the 1950s and 1960s.

By far my favorite part of the Ohio History Center was Ohio Village, a recreation of a 19th-century Ohio community with historic-style buildings you can enter and explore. I was lucky enough to visit on July 4th, when there were special historical programs taking place throughout the village. Costumed interpreters stayed in character while portraying residents of the era, making the village feel much more alive than a typical museum exhibit.

The July 4th celebrations included Civil War soldiers firing blanks, period music, and plenty of dancing. There were even vintage baseball players competing in one of the fields. Visiting during a major holiday definitely made Ohio Village one of the most memorable parts of my time in Columbus.

These are two completely random photos I took while walking around the city. I liked the design of the massive building on the left and only discovered as I got closer that it was a Hyatt hotel. On the right are giant turbines that had been placed on display outside a power company.

One of the liveliest parts of Columbus I visited was the Short North. The neighborhood had a little bit of everything, from casual bars to nicer restaurants, galleries, street art, and live music. There was a lot happening on the streets during my visit, including the band photographed on the left. I also couldn’t resist taking a photo of the woman painted completely green on the right.

The Short North had an informal street scene with people gathering outside, musicians performing, and all sorts of activity going on around me. At one point I came across what looked like an impromptu rap and dance competition, with a guy on the microphone encouraging people from the crowd to come up and participate. I’m not much of a dancer, so I was happy to remain safely behind the camera!

Street art was another noticeable part of the Short North. These were two of the murals I photographed while wandering around the neighborhood, adding even more color to an already eclectic part of Columbus.

Goodale Park was essentially my entrance into the Short North and provided a quieter contrast to the busy streets nearby. Later I had dinner at a restaurant with some great outdoor seating. I also came across the impressive apartment building above while walking through the neighborhood. After passing smaller shops and houses, it seemed to appear out of nowhere.

My final major neighborhood was German Village. At first I wondered whether I was actually in the right place because I had expected more obviously German architecture. Instead, I found a historic American neighborhood of brick homes and streets where the German heritage became more obvious through flags, restaurants, shops, and local traditions. German immigrants began settling this area in large numbers during the 19th century, and that history remains an important part of the neighborhood’s identity.

The German businesses aren’t concentrated along one single tourist street, so exploring the neighborhood involved wandering between residential blocks and unexpectedly coming across another restaurant or shop. That actually made German Village more interesting to explore because it still felt like a real neighborhood rather than a purpose-built tourist district.

At the southern end of German Village is Schiller Park, one of Columbus’s oldest parks. Established in the 19th century, it was eventually named for the German poet Friedrich von Schiller and remains an important green space for the surrounding neighborhood. A large bronze statue of Schiller stands in the park, reinforcing the German heritage that gives this part of Columbus its distinctive character.

Columbus ended up being a fitting place to complete my travels to all 50 states. What I expected to be a relatively straightforward visit turned into a trip through several very different parts of the city, from the Statehouse and Scioto waterfront to museums, historic neighborhoods, gardens, and the nightlife of the Short North. It was a good reminder that even after traveling across the entire country, there are still plenty of places close to home that can surprise me.