I highly recommend visiting this park and exploring the area. It's really pretty here with beautiful views! read more

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The fountain and the fog machine are fabulous. It's quite a site and very enjoyable to sit here for a bit on a hot day. The kids playing and shouting were having a grand time too. The challenges are parking (it's not free) and not being the creepy old guy looking at kids playing in the fountain. [Review 1331 of 2024 - 250 in Ohio - 22354 overall] read more

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SUCH. a nice park with space for stage/ music setups, misters for hot weather and plenty of grass for seating / fun. read more

Bicentennial Park - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Ugh wish I had more time to explore because this area is beautiful! The deer are hilarious the whole mile area is gorgeous with pathways and I loved it all. read more

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This beaut is a sight for sore eyes, for any and all eyes really! Bicentennial Park, which hugs the Scioto River, is located between Rich and Main streets downtown. It's a great place to enjoy beautiful weather, the Columbus skyline, a picnic, a swing on a bench, you name it. Depending on the time of year you can experience some festivals and events thrown in the area, such as the Columbus Jazz and Rib Fest. My favorite is the Columbus Arts Festival which happens in June and includes art from all over, set up across the bridges and in the green space and streets surrounding the park. There's also a good bit of art scattered around the park for you to enjoy all year round. Oh, and you can't forget about the decorative fountains. If you're in Columbus and you don't get a picture with the infamous deer on the bridge, did you really visit Columbus? Recently I've even noticed love locks attached to the bridge, which is pretty sweet. Legend is if a couple crosses a bridge, they are to seal their love with a lock and toss the key into the water. I believe this started in Paris but the fact that this tradition has picked up in Columbus is cool. Why not spread the love even more?! Lately, there's been a lot of visitors to the park given the coronavirus pandemic. Be sure to keep your distance and be mindful of others while visiting. Six feet apart folks, six feet apart. Excited to come back with a blanket and a good book to read. Pro tip: There is parking nearby and bathrooms available. read more

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I love taking my kids here for a cheap and really fun summer play date. The spray pad is very interactive, there's a lot of music playing and the water isn't just continuous. It's on a loop which makes for a really fun experience. read more

I've been here a few times already to bike around. They also have festivals down here as well. Parking is easy to find if it's not busy. We found parallel parking with no issue. On a Sunday early afternoon, there weren't a ton of people around. Mostly families. I love seeing green spaces. It's beautiful to take walks, or for kids to play, or for taking out your dog. The bridges are beautiful! Small, but wonderful. Makes me love this city a little more. read more

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CUUUUUUUUUUUTE park! I moved here a few months prior to my visit so I had never been here. My boyfriend (at the time) took me here for a random summer evening jaunt on the town on the quiet Memorial Day Monday. We walked the park and up to some restaurant areas, stopped for a bite and then headed back down to the park. It was DEAD that evening due to COVID probably and also that it was Memorial Day evening, but that made it nice and quiet. I love that the park is close to the town, with tons of restaurant and shop options within walking distance. I also love that the park has tons of features (that were closed at the moment due to COVID, but great non the less) such as water features, an event stage and even a little walk up restaurant thing, which I can see how that would be such a cool feature when it's open! Proposal on the bridge made the evening SO romantic, as the environment here is GORGEOUS and MADE for romantic moments like those. Will be back quite frequently! read more

Always good to come too. Plenty of free concerts music in the summer. You have your little splash park, decent restaurants, clean bathrooms

Bicentennial Park could be the most beautiful park in Columbus. It has lots of competition but it has natural beauty and it's along the river. The roofed walkway is a great addition. It makes it even better. There's also the amphitheater with summer concerts, and there's the fountains for kids to play. If you are going there for the first time try walking the promenade. It's a mile of a roofed walkway. This is referred to as the Scioto Mile. It's got some interesting artwork along it, which may seem goofy at times. The fish sculptures are my favorite. Kids will beg you to go to the fountain. This is one of the biggest summer time attractions in Columbus and it's a great sight. Go play even if you're not a kid. The amphitheater is in the same area of the park. I would make sure anyone in Columbus the first time visits Bicentennial Park. It's a centerpiece of the city. The park always was great but it's even better with the restored river and the walkway. read more

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By far, my favorite place in Columbus. There are sooooo many things to do here: Sit by the Scioto River and take in the beautiful Columbus skyline (sunsets here can be breathtaking). Go for a walk along the river/walking paths. Attend a free concert. See a free movie. Look at beautiful lights at Christmastime. Go to tons of festivals in the summertime. Splash in the fountains/watch the fountain light shows in the summertime. When folks from out of town come to visit, Bicentennial Park is usually our first stop. What a great investment by the city. read more

This update is for the splashpad at Bicentennial Park. This is a really nice splashpad. It is large and spacious and has a variety of fountains and misters to enjoy. There are various seating options around, from benches to stone steps and the like. They have a few staff members on hand to keep an eye on it - their seats are kind of like lifeguard seats at pools, but lower. There is a 5 minute break at the end of each hour, when the fountains turn off and help encourage the kids to take bathroom and water breaks themselves. There are bathrooms located right onsite, up by the Milestone 229 restaurant. The operating hours are great - 7 am to 11 pm, perfect for hot days that start early. A great splashpad option! read more

Another beautiful green space in urban Columbus. So many things to appreciate, but these are what stand out for me... 1. Holiday decorations are simply beautiful, especially the reflection on the water from the bridge. 2. In the day I played lots of Pokémon Go with some great people here 3. Rhythm on the River is a wonderful series of events ranging from international acrobats to music of every genre to BalletMet. Free breath of fresh air. read more

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Great place, Columbus leaders "you did good". It was a beautiful sunset, plenty of kids in the fountain and the bar was packed. It will really be sweet when that crane is gone and you can see to the NW. The food is ok, the bar prices are reasonable; but the atmosphere is a 10. Looked like lots of people from Bexley, UA, Worthington, too. We need to support this place and encourage more businesses to be present and help out. read more

Bicentennial Park - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

THEE BEST spot for those EPIC views of downtown columbus skyline! Absolutely love coming to this park and to Main Street Bridge for some fun modern downtown engagement photos! It's the perfect spot! & it's a great location to walk and grab some food after or just take in the gorgeous view! Bicentennial Park is always very clean each time I visit and people are very friendly! It's one of my favorite spots in Columbus! (Photos by Julia Dobos Photography) read more

Bicentennial Park - couple taking in the downtown columbus skyline - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Probably the most cinematic place in the city, the colonnade of this stretch is pure cosmopolitain art deco and neo-classicism; it reminds one of old parkscapes of 1920-30s movies, fitting well with the surrounding offices built during the City Beautiful movement turn of the century. The cliche first date walk with snappy whit, the haughty art dealer strolling to Fur Elise, or the maligned heroan indulging in a sad lonely swing all could be well set here. I am not sure what the term Scoito Miles entails, I think it includes a couple of parks and the greenway below, all built since 2011, but this review will focus on the colonnade that now sits in what was one lane by where the mediocre Avenue of Flags flew. A 'can't believe I haven't reviewed yet' place, its virtues were in doubt the last couple of years as the city drained the river that once slushed up against it. The river, when it was wider, made the walkway a riverside stroll. I thought the greenway pushing the water from it would make it lesser. But it did not; and the smaller, cleaner river has lost the sulfer smell which was the walkway's only blemish. As the pictures show, the Scioto Mile is laced with copper fish fountains, garden boxes of flora, black street lights, and red and black brick underneath. Swings are available under awnings and multiple shelters with seating are dotted along the way. It is a nice lunch, play a game of chess, or enjoy a cool breeze spot. read more

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Amazing views if the city and the river. It was a peaceful walk on a beautiful morning. It was great to be there with not a lot of other people. I was a big fan! read more

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As another Yelper mentioned, I'm not sure where the Scioto Mile begins or ends, but I like it. I'm new to Columbus, but so far I like what urban planners have done with the downtown Columbus. I walked from the Arena district down to Bicentennial Park for the Latino Festival last weekend. It was a pleasant stroll thanks to the Scioto Mile. Even with the Scioto Greenways Project construction, I still appreciated the greenery and water mixed in with the urban landscape. I particularly enjoyed the stretch with swing seating and fish fountains. It does seem like a perfect place for an evening stroll with a date. Probably not an original idea, but hey whatever works. There's still a lot of work to be done with the dam removal construction, but I do see the big picture and I am a fan. While the weather is still nice, I need to drag myself out more often for a walk/jog. read more

Recently discovered Scioto Mile, thanks to a friend! It's beautifully constructed, the construction makes this scene lose it's beauty. The body of water just does not look that clean. It is a great place to sit and enjoy the city of Columbus while swinging on a swinging bench. Bring a book and you'll be set! I just wish there were more swinging benches compared to the regular benches on the path. read more

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so pretty and a great safe walk, and scooter friends lol as well as cute swings in the area read more

Bicentennial Park - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Fountains, River Vistas, & Biking This is a new park along the Scioto River in downtown Columbus. We started at the Bicentennial Park area. There are city bikes to rent. We rented those and road along the trail. It was very beautiful. Afterwards we had a glass of wine at a restaurant that overlooks the fountains. It was a relaxing afternoon! read more

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Amazing place to hangout regardless of the time of day. Its serene, peaceful and beautiful. Nice view of downtown buildings around the scioto river. Also there are fun events happening here all the time. Go here for a peaceful walk after dinner maybe.. read more

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I have to say this park is going rock! Opening night was pretty damn awesome! There was tons of people around, construction, and we didn't have a prob parking. Hoo Doo Soul Band was playing and they sounded really good. I was expecting some crappy echoing like normal bands in the park.. They even had the music playing through speakers as we walked up from Broad St. New little fountains, swinging chairs, and some patio seating along the way to. The misters in the park are a good touch. It was kind of hot when we got there. They dropped the temp down like 10 degrees easy! Watching the band, fountains, lights were cool. I can't wait to see what other good stuff comes out of this place.. Check it out! read more

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OK, time to update again! In the summer/fall the Mile gets 1.5-2 stars from me because of the pollution, the trash in the river, and the horrid smell of sewage. But in the winter, oh the winter! On brisk winter mornings, hardly anyone is out, even on Saturday/Sunday, the stench is hidden away under ice and snow (or maybe my nose was just frozen), trees are bare branches, and the icy sunlight reflects off the buildings. Though I must note, the water of the river still appears heavily polluted (you can't convince me that foamy stuff is a completely natural byproduct) and there is still plenty of trash along the river (I noted several deck umbrella stands[?!?], clothing, water bottles, books, food wrappers, boxes, etc). And the stairwell down to the waterfront access point is still cordoned off. read more

Bicentennial Park - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Amazing park - family friendly with lots of cool events! I love this park for a lot of reasons. Granted, I am having a bit of a love affair with all the Columbus parks; but, Bicentennial Park has its own little slice of my heart. The stage sees it's fair share of local music, dance, acrobat and other performances - free. Several festivals use this space throughout the year. The fountains offer hours of free fun for kids of all ages! Of course, by "kids of all ages" I mean that I like to run through them just as much as my kids do. This is a great photo opportunity, as is the view of the city line from this location. Bring a blanket, an ice chest, a kite or football, your swimsuit and have a great afternoon at Bicentennial Park - whether there is a show going on or not! read more

Bicentennial Park - Fountains - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Great water fountain area for the kids. I'd love to bring my babies here and have them play through the fountains. I took a ton of pictures so please check them out. read more

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The hubby and I stopped by the Scioto Mile this past Saturday night. We parked at COSI, walked across the Broad St bridge and then along Marconi St. down to the Scioto Mile. The nice part is that they added benches, swings and fish fountains along the way. The restaurant at the Scioto Mile was packed - duh, for a Saturday night! We walked around and we were able to take in some of the fountains without getting into them - hint: the mist from the fountains blowing our way. There were alot of kids there - both young and old having fun. We will definitely be back. Who cant beat not having to pay for parking AND a free place to go visit?!?! read more

I came here to have brunch in the park and I was excited to see the water fountains but when I arrive the fountains were off and gated so I couldn't get close enough to get a decent picture. The sculpture in the park was a good save but I'm still sill disappointed. Good views, great landscaping..no fountains! Not so humbly submitted King Michael C. read more

Bicentennial Park - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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My girlfriend and I went here and I smoked her on the scooters as she went to go cheat on me and take pictures with the deer

If you've lived in Columbus for a long time, as I have, you can't ignore how developments like the Scioto Mile have transformed our downtown. I pretty much just had the Best Sunday Ever walking the Scioto Mile, checking out Columbus landmarks (City Hall! The Santa Maria! The Leveque Tower! The World's Largest Gavel!) and soaking up the sunshine. I wasn't alone-- there were plenty of couples, families, joggers, and bicyclists out in the fresh air. Downtown. On a Sunday. When I was a kid, a riverfront walk might have included checking out river rats and homeless people. But we wouldn't have walked the riverfront. We wouldn't have even been downtown, except possibly to go to City Center. Downtown Columbus on a Sunday would have been a ghost town. It wasn't a great place to take the kids. I'm thrilled that our city is evolving into a place where people once again live and play downtown, and places like the Scioto Mile help make that happen. read more

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Being the only downtown Columbus water park area, I'm glad we now have BP! It's a double bonus that it's FREE! Whether you go to set up chairs and view a musical act on the desperate shaded stage, head there just to cool off in the giant water fountains and misting rings, or meeting friends there for a bite to eat, this newly city attraction is the perfect choice if you live, work or play downtown. Great views of Scioto River, and you're right smack downtown Columbus, in the thick of it all! read more

Bicentennial Park - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This is a nice park, but an even better spot of you want to do lots of walking by the river! The trail is long and the city did a good job renovating the trail and making the river walk look much nicer. There are benches and lots of nice grassy spots if you need to take a break. Basically at the end of the park/trail sits Milestone 229 and its a good spot to grab a snack or an adult beverage. There are also a lot of different festivals here in the spring and summer time which is pretty fun. read more

I stopped by here today after the Yelp on Two Wheels event with a couple of fellow yelpers. I kept thinking to myself (and saying out loud), wow, Columbus coming up. It almost felt like a real city down there! Tons of people were out, probably because it just opened, but downtown was lively on a Saturday. Who the fuck would have thought? The bar at Milestone 229 was posh looking. Long as hell, slightly curved, and begging to be sat at, I inquired about reservations and such, and you should be on the lookout for a UYE before long. I question the intelligence of having a massive set of fountains designed for kids to play in with a bar to preoccupy the parents right on the side. I can foresee a kid drowning while his mom/dad drowns in a martini. Still, amazing new park that really gives Columbus a bit more of a city feel downtown. read more

5-stars for the scioto mile, 0-stars for all the people (and I do mean all the people) glued to their cell phone playing Pokémon go or whatever. Enjoy the beautiful view, swing with your partner in one of the many swings, take a walk and breathe possibly some of the cleanest air in a major metropolitan area! Enjoy a well lit walk at night by the river. Leave the phone in your pocket or purse, go experience life through your eyes and not your device. One of the best parks I've been to! PS - go kayak or canoe the river too! read more

Bicentennial Park - View looking south - Parks Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Concrete, bird shit, flaky free Wi-Fi... yes, the Scioto Mile truly has it all! In fact, this park is quite wonderful and an absolute must-walk for all but the most agoraphobic. It's kinda romantic, absurdly disgusting, and noisy/quiet all at the same time. What can I say, such a chaotic, weird place is going to appeal to me in inexplicable ways, and I enjoyed the walk Lisa S. and I took along the trails and pathways on a recent day out and about in our tiny big city. To be honest, I'm not sure where the Scioto Mile begins and ends. I know I saw some signs for the thing, but then again I'm pretty sure we lost the plot when we ended up in the parking lot of a waterside restaurant, and almost ended up walking onto a highway. On the way there we passed under railway bridges that looked recently inhabited, and perhaps actively serving as somebody's home. On the other hand, we saw an egret (we think) multiple times, flying around the water. We saw the Santa Maria, which I had not yet seen. And we saw turtles! A woodchuck! All sorts of urban wildlife. What a fascinating little walk! All in all, our visit to Scioto Mile seemed to emphasize the place's split identities. A wonderful place for dates, who can stand the occasional whiff of sewage run-off and bird droppings. A great place to see some nature, if you can avoid being hit by bicyclists. Still, you can do a lot worse than walk around and just watch the river and contemplate the Ineffable, or watch the trains roll by, or sit and swing on one of those love-seat swings (that I am amazed are still in one piece!). I guess we have to get back at sunset and see what that's all about, watch the fountains light up and all that. And hey, maybe we'll see a bit less of the trash flying about, then, too! read more

I love walking the mile, sitting/having lunch on the swings on nice days, and especially love taking the granddaughters to the fountains in the summer. They are fantastic and kids have so much fun running through them. I don't know what they put on the ground, but they don't get slippery. There are restrooms/changing rooms separate from the restaurant, and there are city workers walking around offering band-aids if kids do get hurt running on the surrounding concrete. Keep in mind if you do accept a band-aid, you'll have to sign a waiver. read more

Romance 101 right here folks. Went here on a date and seriously it's the perfect spot. Start your evening off at Milestone 229, the newest restaurant on the mile. My recommendation would be to go at like 8:30 and get on the patio. That way you'll be set to watch the sunset over the majestic Scioto river.......Ok so that may be stretching it a bit with the "majestic" part......but hell it's a sunset over a body of water and all we have so roll with me here. Ok so after dinner and drinks and when the sun has gone down, you can take a nice leisurely stroll along the mile next to the river. Grab a swing and people watch, stare at Cosi, turn to look at the amazing views of the city and for heavens sake, if you're with a date, go in for the kiss under the "city of lights".................OMG I feel like I'm writing a script from a movie or something, but seriously, it is the perfect night time spot to give you that warm fuzzy city vibe. Agree with the others and that the city of Columbus got this one right. It's so pretty and is great to have things to do down by the water. Go check it out and see for yourself - you won't be sorry!!!! read more

Bicentennial Park is another recent Columbus gem making me proud to live here. It's easily accessible to the workin' stiffs and weekenders alike. Take a lunch break down here on a weekday (pack a picnic, or eat at Milestone 229), and you'll swear you're on vacation. Recently, I was walking downtown with some friends after dinner in the Brewery District. It amazed me how close everything really is down here in Cbus. We followed the sounds of a free Bluegrass concert to Bicentennial Park, but we could have easily walked a couple of blocks to the end of the Food Truck Festival at the Commons. After enjoying some Bluegrass for a few, we ambled across the river (easy with the new bridge!) to Genoa Park for more live music and the WaterFire display. You can hit three great urban parks with very little walking. Even better if they're simultaneously holding separate events. Speaking of events, Bicentennial Park seems to have quite a few of them! Besides concerts and such, I think they screen free movies here on summer nights. Pair that with the gorgeous stroll down the Scioto Mile (beautiful fountains, amazing plantings, swing benches!) and you've got yerself a cute little date night. Like Christina C., the children are a bit of a turnoff for me, but I understand that's just personal preference. Kids will love playing in the splashy fountains. The larger "hoop-like" fountains are almost never on when I'm there. I wonder why? Too powerful for the little childrens? Come on downtown, bring your out-of-town guests and relatives! read more

My only complaint when I moved to Columbus was lack of places to go, things to see, etc. along the water. Growing up on Lake Erie, I just don't see how to survive any other way. So naturally, I was so excited when I learned about the plans for Scioto Mile - and the rest of the waterfront development Columbus is planning surrounding it. I was finally able to check out the area today -- I've seriously been looking forward to it all week -- and I could not have designed a more perfect space! The view is unbeatable: the river, the skyline, the bridges, etc. Love the fountains in Bicentennial Park and cannot wait to play in them later this summer. The amphitheater is also gorgeous, and they've got a really diverse line-up of shows/entertainment planned in the coming months. I see myself spending a lot of time here in the future, more than likely with a book and/or drink in hand. (One side note: Beware of small, soaking wet children running around post-fountain, and a mildly disastrous parking lot. I recommend one of the garages nearby, or a metered spot on the street if you can find one.) read more

I love controlled nature. That's what I consider Scioto Mile. A man made mecca of outdoor delights. The asthetics are lovely. I find the environment to very peaceful sans the screaming kids in the fountain. I think they should have adult only days at the mile. I think that'd make a lot of people happy. Anyway, I think the mile is a great addition to improving downtown and I highly recommend it! read more