curehisheart
Short North
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I am new to Columbus and living in the Short North. I found a great list on the Design*Sponge blog of places to check out in Columbus, but would love to hear suggestions of shops, restaurants, bars, cool events, parks, certain neighborhoods, anything- that will help me get quickly acquainted to Columbus!
Thanks in advance (and if there is already a thread like this somewhere could you point me in the right direction?)
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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That article on Design Sponge is really great for newcomers.
Please excuse my self-promotion, but I've been blogging about Columbus for years ( http://www.restaurantwidow.com ); mostly about food, but also about events.
Other sites: http://www.columbusfoodie.com, http://www.slowfoodcolumbus.com
Also check the calendar at the Wexner Center for the Arts; they always have lots of great things: http://www.wexarts.org. And maybe check out meetup.com - there are quite a few meetup groups around town.
And of course, this website is one of your best bets for anything columbus.
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Here's a couple of "Top 10" lists to get you started:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/tag/top-ten
;)
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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and here's another one! more self-promotion, sorry :)
I'm sure there's quite a bit of overlap...
howatzer
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new "top 10's" would be to check out the renovated OSU main library - Has to be one of the most amazing libraries in the world- and the new Audubon Center/Park near downtown.
another thing that's way under-rated is the great Metro Park system we have here. Definitely recommend Prairie Oaks and Clear Creek parks - they will change your view of Ohio.
BCNation
Franklin Park
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Hmmm....here is my $ .02-->
Neighborhoods-
Short North
German Village
Grandview
...and not so much, because it's further from the center of the city- Uptown Westerville (although nothing is open at night)
Cool Events-
Shakespeare in the Park (it's winding down, there are only 2 weekends left)
HighBall Halloween (Halloween Night
Gallery Hop (if you only go to one, go to the Holiday Hop- Dec.)
Village Lights (1st Sun. in Dec., German Village)
HOT Times (weekend after Labor Day in Olde Towne East)
- some of the cool events have already happened
Parks-
Schiller
Goodale
Franklin
Shops-
This is a toughie....a real toughie...
...if I can think of any, I'll come back to you...
curehisheart
Short North
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Thanks guys! I've kind of been lurking on the CU boards for a while but figured if I simply asked I might get some good recommendations.
@lisathewaitress: with all of these great food ideas, can you recommend a good gym too, ha!
@howatzer: I've relocated from Toledo so I am actually thrilled there is a good park system in place here. Toledo has AWESOME metro parks which are also severely under-rated.
The Wayfarer
Short North
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For some great cheap eats, check out On The Fly and Cafe Corner. Casual dining, there's Northstar Cafe (best veggie burger you'll ever have), Dirty Franks (every kind of hot dog toping imaginable, plus fun drinks. check out the thread on here), and The Rossi (pizza margarita is awesome, excellent burger too). For upscale dining, I'm a huge fan of Alana's, Dragonfly, G. Michael's, and The Refectory. Drinks, I would recommend Burgundy Room, Bodega, and Surly Girl. Coffee shops, Stauff's has the best coffee in my opinion, Cup-O-Joe (under the same ownership as Stauff's) has the nicest atmosphere, Cafe Apropos is the most interesting, and Kafe Kerouac is the most laid back/best for meeting people. I'm actually hosting a beer tasting at KK this Friday if you want to swing by. It's a great place to easily make new friends, and an opportunity to try some good beers. It starts at 8, and will probably be 7 for $7, or 8 for $8, one of the two depending on the number the sales rep delivers.
I've got plenty more recommendations, but I tried to keep this as abridged as possible.
Columbus is a great city, I'm sure you'll love it here.
The Wayfarer
Short North
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Oh, yeah, and Jeni's. That is a must. Artisan ice cream at its finest.
There are numerous locations now, Grandview, Bexley, Short North, and the North Market. The North Market is another cool place to check out in its own right.
columbusfoodie
West Side
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It took years of research to come up with my own little list of places I couldn't live without.
1) Thurns on Greenlawn Ave - they're only open to the public three days a week (Thurs, Fri, Sat), but they're my go to spot for anything smoked or in a sausage. They are a good old fashioned charcutier that has been around for over 100 years.
2) Carfagna's Market on E. Dublin-Granville Rd - a true Italian grocery, with all manner of prepared foods, imported ingredients, an impressive butcher counter, and fresh local veggies in the summer. Decent wine and cheese selection.
3) Mr. Meatball on Cleveland Ave. in North Linden - a shop where they make the most amazing ravioli and meatballs
4) Schuman's on Harrisburg Pike on the West Side - butcher shop/deli with great prices and an incredible selection.
5) Trader Joe's (Dublin or Easton) - not sure if where you are moving from had a Trader Joe's, but they've got tons of staples (nuts, oils, pasta, cheeses) at really good prices.
6) +1 on the Jeni's recommendation, but if you get a chance, don't pass up Handel's ice cream either. Incredibly good, lots of flavors, Ohio company (out of Youngstown).
So many more recommendations - is there any certain part of town that you're focusing on?
byJody
Rural NW Columbus
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Favorite Parks:
* Hayden Falls (Hayden Run just West of the river)
* OSU Wetlands and Olentangy greenway trail (more details on this 'slightly secret' parks post)
* Glen Echo park - which is a beautiful stream and ravine area at the very North end of 4th St (going West from there). It is a secret gem with nice paths and bridges.
* Highbanks - North on High St at Powell Rd - go to the West edge for great River views. If the people downtown saw the Olentangy in this area, maybe it would be treated better downstream. It is very scenic.
* I also love Whetstone Park and the Whetstone community center has a weight/exercise room with very affordable rates.
* Antrim Park is super popular, but a great park with a walking trail around the lake.
Welcome to Columbus - there's lots to love here.
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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If you are into history, check out the Statehouse. Guided tours and the new museum looks pretty good.
If you are looking to meet new people and ride a bike, check out the Sunday Night Ladies ride that takes off from the Short North/OSU area.
Anne
King Lincoln
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gyms:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/tags/gyms
bests:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/tags/best-of
curehisheart
Short North
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Thanks again for all the suggestions! One of the first things I did when I knew I was moving down here was check to see if there was a Trader Joe's close to downtown. I was kind of surprised that there weren't any closer. Has there ever been any talk of one being opened in downtown/vic village/etc?
Thank you everyone else for these great suggestions.
HeySquare
German Village
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curehisheart wrote >>
One of the first things I did when I knew I was moving down here was check to see if there was a Trader Joe's close to downtown. I was kind of surprised that there weren't any closer. Has there ever been any talk of one being opened in downtown/vic village/etc?
Only in our dreams.
colinpperkins
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You have to go to Katzinger's and the Book Loft.
Analogue Kid
5th by West-Northwest
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Check out City BBQ on Henderson Road. Best stuff this side of the Mason-Dixon line. Unless of course you're vegetarian.
And definitely visit some parks. Most of the good ones have already been mentioned, but one of my new favorites is Indian Run Falls park in Dublin on Shawan Falls Drive (just off SR 161). Recommend a visit after it has rained recently for a more dramatic effect. The walking trail will lead you to old Dublin if you keep following it. There is a Jeni's ice cream there on Bridge & High and it's just generally a nice pedestrian friendly place amongst the suburban landscape.
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