Watch out, Chicago. There’s another booming Midwestern metropolis nipping at your heels. The capital of Ohio, Columbus takes the crown as not only the fastest growing city in the Midwest, but one of the fastest in the nation. Now the 14th largest city in the U.S., with a population just shy of a million, Columbus is emerging from underdog status and into the big leagues, with the big city amenities—and big league teams—to prove it.
Home to a steadily rising skyline, and an impressive slew of rooftop bars from which to enjoy the view, Columbus is the kind of place that offers something for everyone, from family-friendly edutainment and a loud-and-proud Pride festival, to buzzy restaurants, effortlessly cool craft breweries, ample outdoor space, must-do museums, and a kaleidoscope of characteristic neighborhoods.
Here, you’ll find the familiar niceties of the best kinds of Midwestern stereotypes, but also a thriving fashion scene (the city is home to the third most designers, after NYC and L.A., and even hosts its own Fashion Week), a diverse swath of dining destinations, one of the last remaining lesbian bars in the nation, transportive hotels, and sports teams for all walks of fandom.
Travel Time
5 hours and 20 minutes from Chicago
If You Only Do One Thing: Catch a Game
Columbus is home to a few professional sports teams, all of which are easier—and more affordable—to experience than, say, the Cleveland Guardians or Cincinnati Bengals. They include the Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer), the Columbus Blue Jackets (National Hockey League), and the Columbus Fury (Pro Volleyball Federation). All of them play in the city’s aptly dubbed Arena District, either at Nationwide Arena or Lower.com Field. The Crew were MLS Cup Champions in 2008, 2020, and 2023, making them one of the most popular tickets in town.
But Columbus’ fiercest fan following, of course, belongs to the Ohio State University. The Buckeyes football team has played at Ohio Stadium for more than a century, and the team commands a ton of local pride. That said, the University also boasts winning teams for basketball, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, softball, and more.
And for visitors who’d rather partake in a game of their own, pickleball courts and complexes can be found all over town, including the largest facility of its kind in the Midwest, and seasonal pop-up courts at Land-Grant Brewing Company in Gravity Experience Park.
| Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Fill the Weekend With
Family-Friendly Activities
Inspired by a mid-century visit to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Columbus’ Center of Science and Industry was born in 1964. Since then, the sprawling museum campus moved to a riverside location downtown, clocking in at a whopping 320,000 square feet, with a vast array of exhibits, both permanent and temporary. The multistory, multifaceted complex is fascinating fun for all ages, especially those with shared interests in dinosaurs, ocean life, outer space, human anatomy, and the mechanics of the human brain. A recent rotator, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, offered an enthralling glimpse into life aboard the doomed ship, right down to salvaged au gratin dishes, a giant slab of ice, and backstories on various passengers.
Meanwhile, animation comes to life at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Located at OSU, the all-ages museum touts the largest collection of printed cartoon art on Earth, from vintage newspaper clippings and archival drawings, to original books, journals, and magazines. Altogether, the museum contains more than 300,000 original cartoons, 45,000 books, and 2.5 million comic-strip clippings.
Outdoor Activities
With more than 20 parks, totalling 200-plus miles’ worth of trails, the Columbus park system ensures you’re never more than a block or two from an outdoor oasis. Chief among them is the Scioto Mile, a 175-acre series of parks and trails along its namesake Scioto River, linking the Arena District to downtown. The beautifully landscaped acreage has a splash pad for kids, Milestone 229 restaurant, and paved paths just begging to be strolled or biked (rentals are readily available via Columbus’ CoGo Bike Share).
Art comes in all forms at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a 40-acre Shangri-la of horticulture, nature-inspired displays, and hundreds of thousands of flowers—from daffodils and pansies, to lilacs, magnolias, and enough tulips to rival Amsterdam. The conservatory is anchored by the majestic 1895 John F. Wolfe Palm House, illuminated by James Turrell’s Light Raiment II every night, and it holds the distinction of housing the largest collection of Dale Chihuly glass art found in a botanical garden.
Columbus’ patchwork of distinct neighborhoods is also well worth an amble, especially through the impossibly charming confines of German Village. Basically the Georgetown of Columbus, this downtown-adjacent district was the vision of early German immigrants, resulting in a miscellany of brick-lined streets and brick-built buildings, boutiques, and restaurants. The entirety of the 233-acre neighborhood is on the National Register of Historic Places, and some enduring cornerstones include Schiller Park—where Shakespeare takes place in the summer—and The Book Loft, an endearingly rickety shop that ranks among the largest indie bookstores in the US.
Queer Things to Do
Ohio, at best, can be considered a purple-hued swing state. But Columbus is unabashed in its evergreen Pride, with all manner of inclusive events, LGBTQIA-owned businesses, and timeworn taverns that have withstood the test of time. Stonewall Columbus Pride, held every June, is a marquee event that trails only Chicago in terms of super-sized Midwestern Pride festivals. That’s thanks, in part, to the fact that Columbus has one of the largest LGBTQIA populations in the country, and that this bright-blue dot serves as a beacon of acceptance and individuality in the midst of a larger region filled with farmland and forests.
It’s “all walks, one groove” at Slammers, Columbus’ sole lesbian bar, and one of but a precious few remaining in the U.S. It’s also likely the only lesbian bar in the country to be on a pizza trail. Marked by its crispy-thin crust and square-cut slices brimming with toppings, Columbus-style pizza comes draped with ingredients both classic (e.g., pepperoni) and atypical (e.g., pickles)
Downtown, Parable is an all-day cafe that starts with coffee, lattes, and pastries in the morning, before pivoting to natural wine and live music by evening. The Black- and LGBTQIA-owned shop, decked out with mod decor and a funky fireplace, slings flaky originals, like elote Danishes and strawberry jam-filled croissants, all with a palpable undertone of community.
Born as a pandemic passion project, The Plant Gays has fully bloomed at East Market. Helmed by Aiden and David, with respective backgrounds in interior design and landscape architecture, the pair offer a cornucopia of indoor plants, handcrafted planters, concrete decor, and accessories.
Fashion comes both sexy and stylish at Torso, an avante-garde menswear shop in Short North, where rainbow-striped merch is as omnipresent as crop tops, bedazzled jackets, and short shorts. The inventory rotates regularly, so you never know what you’ll find on the racks, but it’s always safe to expect plenty of sheer shirts, Columbus-inspired T-shirts and tanks, and animal prints.
For nightlife, Tremont Lounge is a longstanding Brewery District staple that skews more casual and conversational, especially on the back patio. District West, meanwhile, is a newer downtown addition renowned for its drag shows, and Axis Nightclub is a multi-floor nightclub with DJs, cabaret, and “Pink Pony Club” dance parties.
Where to Eat and Drink
Breakfast: Lauded by many as having some of the best bagels in the country, The Lox is a sunny little cafe where the line may look long, but it moves mercifully quick. The queue, too, is also fully worthwhile, considering the perfection of the shop’s hand-rolled, boiled, and baked bagels. Order a bagel sandwich, or keep it simple with a sea salt and herb bagel with your choice of spread—from lox cream cheese to beet and thyme.
Dinner: Nestled in German Village, you’ll find a real-deal taste of Spain at Barcelona Restaurant and Bar. The enormous restaurant, which is also LGBTQIA-owned and has been in business since the ‘90s, has the well-worn feel of a beloved neighborhood icon, soundtracked by the convivial din of clinking glassware. The menu traces all the tapas classics, like patatas bravas and empanadas, along with shareable specialties like charbroiled cauliflower, mussels stewing in tomato curry and coconut cream, and baked manchego with sun-dried tomato jam.
Drinks: On the more contemporary side, Cobra is a new bar in the Brewery District, where intricate cocktails are matched by Asian-American plates, and particularly crowd-pleasing noodles and dumplings. The counter-service operation keeps things casual, but the vibes are hip as hell. Try the Snake Juice, a tequila tipple with hibiscus, guajillo, cinnamon, bergamot, and rose, or go “venom-free” (i.e., non-alcoholic) with the equally impressive Giiirl Dinner, made with N/A amaro, lemon, watermelon shrub, coconut, and olives. The food is just as irreverent, like a Cobra Coney with Cincinnati-style Coney sauce, koji-brined popcorn chicken, and pepperoni-stuffed pizza dumplings bubbling with molten mozzarella and red sauce. Don’t miss the Dan Dan Noodles either—a toothsome tangle of mafaldine with crushed peanuts and pork ragu.
Drinks with a view: It’s food with a view at Brass Eye, a striking rooftop bar and restaurant. The huge indoor-outdoor space, complete with multiple firepits on the terrace, serves brunch and dinner, offering biscuit towers and charred broccoli rabe frittatas by day, followed by charred pork ribs, eggplant Parmesan, and butter cake by night. Whatever’s on your plate, definitely be sure to order a Scotchness Monster, a Scotch-based riff on a Manhattan, along with it.
Lots of options: Way before food halls were de rigueur, there was North Market. And it still slaps. For nearly 150 years, the sprawling public market—located in Short North—has hawked local vittles and provisions, from Ohio merchants, farmers, and makers. Today, it’s still the ultimate in food halls, a perpetually buzzing lunch spot with a dizzying array of sweets and savories. Vendors include Buckeye Donuts, Flavors of India, Hot Chicken Takeover, African-inspired Hoyo’s Kitchen, and Momo Ghar for Himalayan dumplings. There’s also a stall for Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, the Columbus-based brand that’s rightfully swept the nation with singular scoops like gooey butter cake, brambleberry crisp, and goat cheese with cherries.
Breweries: To drink, Land-Grant Brewing Co. is less a brewery, and more an ever-expanding beer theme park. Located in an old elevator factory in Franklinton, the massive complex contains multiple areas and bars, spread across indoor-outdoor space with pop-up sports courts, pickleball, basketball, and igloo-style bungalows for groups to rent. Most recently, the brewery expanded with a new bar, aptly dubbed The Extension, offering a more intimate space spotlighting experimental beers, cocktails, cider, and wine.
And if you thought an old elevator factory was unique, try drinking a Paper Plane in a former schoolroom for children with tuberculosis. In what was once the Open Air Building, a vast facility where ample airflow helped ailing students, Understory is a bar with a story to tell. On the main floor, down a hall lined with lockers, the Lounge features cocktails both classic and neoteric (the pretty-in-pink Paper Plane is legit), along with small plates. Downstairs, the Commons is fast-casual, with an adjoining patio that backs against a lush forest, and a menu that highlights frozen cocktails, beer, and sandwiches.
