Walhalla Ravine was a saving grace for me and my family all 7 years that I lived in Columbus. This…read moreis a sacred and divine place, and no ghost story or urban legend of a single person's violence can have dominion over the beauty and sanctuary of this forested gem. Every spring, this land supports new life in abundance. Every autumn the leaves put on a magnificent show. Its cool and gentle presence in the summer heat is a gift of the Earth. Winter makes a real-life snowy postcard. PSA: Please drive slow past this rare beauty in the spring and summer as there are breathtakingly sweet deer that cross with their babies. The City of Columbus won't put up a deer crossing sign until there are 5 car accidents at the Walhalla-Indianola intersection. How do I know? I asked for a sign after witnessing a near-collision between a car and a fawn. They told me no. In conclusion, this is really a slice of Fólkvangr on Earth.

As others have mentioned, Walhalla Ravine is most well known for two things: being a lovely and…read moreunique natural feature near the city and having ghost stories in its history. We decided to visit to enjoy the leaves changing in the beautiful ravine, and less so because of the ghosts, though we did joke about them when we first arrived. That may have been our mistake, because, halfway through our walk on Walhalla, after passing the Calumet Street Bridge (which plays a significant role in some of the ghost stories), we heard the loud, unmistakable sound of a large tree cracking echoing throughout the ravine. In what was probably 10 seconds, but felt like time extended into slow-mo, we identified the extremely large falling tree and barely managed to avoid being struck by it as it collapsed across the road, jumping just beyond its reach. Other walkers who had been further back but saw everything even exclaimed over how close of a call it was. The ravine itself is beautiful and has some interesting geology. There were some great sections of potato chip shale that were really neat to look at. A stream meanders down one side of the street, most of which is on private property. Many of the houses have unique architecture and some are historic, and quite a few folks have added some really fun art to the yards - we especially enjoyed a large dragon sculpture made of metal that was decorated with OSU gear, the cute painting of a mama duck and ducklings, and a fun deer sculpture made of wood. The leaves were absolutely lovely and managed to hang on despite the wind we had a few days prior. So, go enjoy a lovely walk, but don't make fun of the ghosts and avoid their retribution!

Stumbled upon this place with a friend and was instantly intrigued. We were able to pull over and…read moreget a closer look at the sculptures. Each ear of corn looked unique and they were about 6ft tall. I really enjoyed this small side quest to learn about something new and see a piece of Ohio history up close

This art installation is a great concept. I love what it represents. What don't I love? The lack of…read morecolor. I wish the ears of corn were actually painted. It's a free experience and cool to see, but kind of underwhelming once you get out there. The details on the corn is pretty awesome though.

I mean it's just a statue but the kids liked hanging on it and taking goofy pics. If you like silly…read morethings as this you will enjoy.

Find this infamous Arnold Schwarzenegger statue right outside of one of the Convention Center…read moreentrances on High St. It's sort of tucked away in a nice little gathering spot that includes a grass area with some tables and chairs. Right inside the doors are a few food/drink options, so this serves as a lovely escape on those long convention days. The statue itself was made in 2012 and donated by the International Sports Hall of Fame in honor of the famous athlete. It's made of bronze, is about 8 feet tall, and 600 pounds. You might be asking why Columbus, Ohio? Well this is where he won Mr Olympia for the first time. Throw in that the Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition is held here and it's a no brainer. There's a plaque just below it that shares the meaning and history behind it. Overall, with the Short North being an arts district it makes total sense for this to be here and it's a cool addition to the space. It's not the steps in Rocky, but worth checking out if you're on a stroll.

I wish I could write more about this building but because it's private you can only see the…read moreexterior. However I think it's still worth a stop if you're in the area. It's an absolutely beautiful house with charm, elegance and beautiful design. I can tell you that what you can see from the street is absolute craftsmanship.

I've walked by this mansion several times a week for years and I had no idea this piece of history…read morewas on Yelp. Would ya look at that?! Being that I live so closed, I've looked into its background and it's pretty cool. It's history is long and rather weird, starting way back in 1895 when circus owner Peter Sells asked a well known Columbus architect to build a home for his wife. This architect was Frank Packard and he designed the one-of-a-kind home with gothic, tudor, chateauesque styles mixed with his own personal flare, even adding circus-like touches throughout. Fun fact - This same architect build the Ohio Governor's Mansion, the Jeffrey Mansion, and at least one other in the city. The Sells mansion was on the market for quite some and it started to go a little down hill. However, it was finally purchased in 2020 and I've noticed the new owners are doing what they can to renovate and bring it back to life.

Jeffrey Park is huge, and includes the mansion (which Sweetie has been in, and Baby K and I walked…read morealongside,) the pool (which seems great- and crazily crowded on a hot summer day,) and more. Several parking areas, many wooded areas. At least one very nice shelter with bathrooms. And: a playground, our main goal. A great playground. Four separate playsets plus swings. Loads of things for kids to do. One area is fenced in, to corral small kids. Plenty of benches all around, plenty of shade. Only drawback is it's a bit of a walk from the nearest parking lot to the playground. Not as fun for the old guy with bad knees. But, a pleasant walk, and a destination worthy of it.

I came here for an event with Bexley's Parks and Rec Department…read more I'd heard about this place for a while from a friend who said to check it out. It's a historical home that has tons of trails at the back and other facilities for recreation. Along with housing Parks and Rec, it is also a preschool! I didn't get to see the whole of the inside but it's cool to see a historic home that is maintained very well for multipurpose use. They even do chair yoga classes in here!

A neat sight in the middle of the city. Take a stroll to the top of this ancient mound and reflect…read moreon its history.

It's always wonderful to find preserved history, and that's exactly what is here in the small…read moreCampbell Memorial Park. You can't miss it: it's a large cone shaped mound in the center. The park is just off the street - parking is literally a pull off with room for just a few cars. There's a small stone entrance way, and then the mound in the center of a grassy area. There are some trees and a few benches around, along with a few plaques and a historical marker that share some history about it. It is a burial mound built by the Adena people approximately 2000 years ago, which is just amazing to think about. I'm so glad this one is still around today to appreciate. Well worth a stop.

What a cute area in Ohio! I stumbled upon this area when searching for things to do on Yelp. When I…read morewas planning to visit, I did not have any particular place in mind to visit; I just planning to stroll and pop into places if they looked enticing. We had our dog with us so we did not do an abundance of walking around. From what I saw, there were no places that welcomed pets in the businesses. It makes sense and it was no biggie, I just did not spend as much time as I would have if pets were welcome. I stopped into what I thought was a deli but more like a restaurant with a counter, hoping to purchase goodies for home. There are several stores for shopping, which were fun to browse. I only purchased some chocolates in a candy store, which apparently were made in house. I definitely want to visit here again with more research.

This is a lovely historic neighborhood just a couple miles south of downtown Columbus. If you have…read morea free afternoon and the weather is nice, it's well worth a visit to Schiller Park (dog-friendly with benches) which has a garden and statue dedicated to the German poet Schiller. I took COTA Bus #5 from downtown Columbus (Ohio Statehouse) and explored the area just north of the park. The brick houses and cobblestone alleyways provide a glimpse of life in the 1880s and early 1900s when this area became a central hub for the German-American community. I don't think there are too many kid-friendly activities or museums nearby - but it makes a pleasant excursion if you're stuck at the Convention Center for a conference in downtown Columbus. Street parking looked a bit challenging. If Bus #5 is running slow on your return trip from the German Village back to the downtown area (it can be up to a 30 minute wait if you just missed the last bus), consider taking an Uber/Lyft taxi instead.

One of Columbus's best kept secrets. I love homes that don't destroy the footprints of the land…read morethey were built on. I wish they would do a tour a let us see some of the insides of these lovely homes!

This is a very intriguing neighborhood to walk or drive through, in regards to the architecture…read more The style was strongly influenced by the design of Frank Lloyd Wright (though none were actually designed by the architect himself) - the actual architect was one who had worked on some of Wright's buildings, Theodore Van Fossen. The initial home and the idea were that of the Wakefields, with Martha getting the credit for the idea and her husband Richard for the construction, per the signage in the neighborhood. While a close-up tour would be fascinating, these properties are privately owned and lived in, so being mindful and respectful of that is appropriate. Nonetheless, you can still definitely get the vibe and vision from a nice stroll. The homes were designed to work with each other visually, as well as with the landscaping, which includes ravines. I heard they did have organized tours at times pre-pandemic, and that would certainly be something interesting to do should those start up again.

This is a very impressive old statehouse, or capitol, and it is well worth visiting. If you can,…read moretry and take one of the free guided tours. It's only one hour long and, if you have the right guide, it is very much worth it. Our guide was outstanding. There is a lot of history here, and trivia and entertainment, too. But you won't feel like you're taking a history class unless you just come and stare at the exhibits. Well worth a visit but especially if you can take the tour.

Construction began on the flat domed Ohio State house in 1839, and was completed at the opening of…read morethe American Civil War. In some states upon returning from the war soldiers pushed to have rounded domes placed on top of their state houses. It was not the case in Ohio, and the original Greek revival architecture remains. The building is a showpiece and focal point at the center of the capital city. It has been restored to its original grandeur and is carefully maintained to ensure historical accuracy. The grounds are well manicured and contain a variety of historic themed statues. There is an active and thriving bee apairy located on the north side of the grounds. Beneath Capitol Square, and the statehouse there is a multilevel parking facility. Be aware that the maximum height of your vehicle may be too tall for this garage. There are warning indicators at the entrances, but pay attention to the height nonetheless. Security is of Paramount concern, as this is a working capital for the statewide officeholders, including the governor, and both houses of the general assembly, Senate and House of Representatives. It is not just a museum, or a ceremonial building. This is the actual working seat of government for the state of Ohio. it is necessary for all visitors to be screened by security prior to entrance. And an active and robust security presence is maintained by the Ohio Highway Patrol. Throughout the halls can be found portraits of governors and legislative leaders, statutory representing the history of Ohio as well as large paintings of historic events in the rotunda. Of important historic note, after his assassination, the Ohio Statehouse was a location where President Lincoln lay in state and for days tens of thousands of Ohio's paid their respects. Lincoln spoke here on occasion, and actually received official word that he had been elected president, while visiting here. A brass marker is placed at the location where he spoke to the public in the atrium between the main Statehouse building and the Senate building. The Ststehouse Atrium has not always been here, but some years earlier was an open outdoor area. As is their habit, pigeons had taken up residence at the upper regions of the building and it was necessary sometimes to run between the Statehouse and the Senate building so as not to be "christened" by pigeon waste. The area became known as "pigeon run." If you look above the door/entry entryway to the Senate building in the atrium, you will see a historic reminder of those days in the form of a taxidermy pigeon. Those days are of course, long gone, and the atrium is now home to a variety of public and private events. Many select the statehouse and grounds as a location for wedding photo shoots, and actual weddings. Schedules of House and Senate sessions, and committee sessions are available online and open to the public. In the basement of the atrium and Senate building there are a variety of historic interpretational displays. Also found there is a small café, and a gift shop.

Took K here for the Barbie exhibit. She loved it, and wanted half the Barbies (and knew some of…read morethe history already.) Housed in a nice historic building, it's just three small rooms. But they are nicely arranged and chock-full of interesting dolls, some almost 200 years old. There's a printed guide, and a treasure hunt sheet. The staff are super friendly and talked to Baby K a lot, about the displays and about her dolls. There are furnished rooms with interesting artifacts as well as antiques for sale, but we barely saw those. Definitely worth a visit if you are anywhere nearby, and a detour if you are at all into dolls like some K.

During the family trip to Columbus and while my brother was taking the exam for his insurance…read moreagent's license, my mom and me decided to explore. I told her there was this great antique store I wanted to try and brought her over to The Doll Museum at the Old Rectory as a surprise. My mom loves dolls. Still owns several of them. She used to have a ton of them. I never really liked them, they used to creep me out as a kid as I sometimes felt they were watching me. Still she absolutely loves them and I thought it would be a fun surprise for her to visit a Doll Museum. Anyway she realized the surprise as soon as she saw the sign. I laughed when she said... you lied! You said this was an antique store... well its both i responded! We walked in and were greeted by two sweet ladies who are part of Worthington Historical Society. They told us a bit about the society as well as the history of the building we were in, which was built back in 1845 as the Rectory of St.Johns Episcopal Church. It now holds the Doll Museum which has 19th and 20th Century dolls from all over the world and also has an antique/consignment store attached. They took us on a tour of the place and talked about the dolls they had on display. My mom was so happy throughout the tour, and made the entire trip to Columbus worth it. Once we were finished we shopped in the antique store where i found an antique porcelain figurine from Denmark, a few items i thought would make my living room look nicer, and some jewelry I bought for my bestie. I got her this vintage turquoise bracelet! Also the proceeds help fund the historical society, so it was for a good cause! My whole experience here was wonderful. Although I will never love dolls... i love antique stores. By the end, we left with a smile on our faces ready to continue enjoying our family trip. If you are into dolls or antiques, definitely come check this place out!