In case you’re unfamiliar, allow us to introduce you to Columbus, Ohio, the 14th largest city in the country and one of the best cities in the Midwest for a weekend getaway per U.S. News & World Report. This bustling city is within a day’s drive for more than half of the U.S. population. It offers delicious dining options, both unique boutiques and popular retailer shopping, festivals, sporting events, and much more.
We were recently hosted for a weekend by Experience Columbus and had a blast. Read below to steal our itinerary and trip suggestions.
Day 1
First things first, we checked into Hotel LeVeque. This hotel is absolutely gorgeous! In fact, it was voted the most beautiful hotel in Ohio in 2017 by Architectural Digest. The suites are spacious and well-decorated, but the stunner is the bathrooms. The showers are huge, and you can have the water come out four different ways. It’s truly a delightful experience getting ready for the day here. Fun Fact, we stayed here for our wedding and did our first look photos in the lobby.
360 View of the Amazing Shower at Hotel LeVeque
Kick the weekend off with some live jazz at Ginger Rabbit. It’s a speakeasy-style cocktail lounge featuring light bites and live music from Tuesday to Saturday.
Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge
17 Buttles Ave, Columbus, OH 43215
IG Handle: GingerrabbitJazz
Then Grab dinner at a local favorite, Third and Hollywood. They feature classic American fare with a wonderful atmosphere and great service. If you go, be sure to get the Iron Skillet Cheddar Herb Biscuits and Housemade Ginger Ale. I loved the biscuits, and Leslie thought the ginger ale was exceptional! If you are in the mood for something more casual, try their sister restaurants, Brassica or NorthStar. Brassica is one of my favorite fast-casual restaurants, and NorthStar has one of the best Black Bean burgers.
Third & Hollywood
1433 W. Third Ave. Grandview Heights, OH 43212
IG Handle: ThirdAndHollywood
If you want to check out the nightlife before closing out the night, you’ll have plenty of options.
Lincoln Social Rooftop (Upscale), Land-Grant Brewing Company (Causal), Budd Dairy Food Hall (Rooftop & Live Music), and Stories on High (Upscale and Reservation Required) are among some of what was recommended to us. You can also click here to learn more about the rooftop bars in Columbus.
We met up with my brother at Lincoln Social and enjoyed some mocktails and good conversation before closing out the evening. They also have a pretty big food and cocktail menu. We went to Stories on High with my sister another night and really liked it. It’s currently the tallest rooftop in Columbus and has an elevated experience perfect for date night. We were too full to eat, but my sister and brother-in-law absolutely loved the food.
Day 2
Rise and Shine for a hearty and healthy breakfast at Emmett’s in their Open Air location, a historic building that once was a school. I had the Schiller Bowl with smoked salmon and a Chai Tea, and Leslie had the Breakfast Burrito. We both really enjoyed our breakfast and got some oatmeal raisin power bites for the road.
Emmett’s at Open Air
2571 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH 43202
IG Handle: EmmettsCafe
Get your culture and art fix at the Columbus Museum of Art. We were happy to see a piece by Kehinde Wiley, the same artist who did the iconic painting of President and First Lady Obama. We also loved that in between all the Picasso pieces and other famous artists, there was a ton of art by local talent that was creative and thought-provoking. There are upcoming special exhibitions from Wendy Red Star and Lesley Vance on view April 21-Sep 3, 2023.
Columbus Museum of Art
480 E. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215
IG Handle:ColumbusMuseum
360 Views from the Columbus Museum of Art.
Grab lunch at BrewDog Franklinton, and don’t leave without the Cauliflower wings. They were SO good. This brewery restaurant is inside a refurb of an old car mechanics shop and offers a street-level patio along with a roof terrace and bar. Along with plenty of outdoor seating options, they have over 48 taps of fresh craft beer!
We don’t drink beer, but Leslie really liked the NA (non-alcoholic) beer option. Besides the cauliflower wings, we kept it simple and ordered a burger and chicken sandwich. But our waitress recommended the Buffalo loaded fries and the Korean loaded fries. Both sounded super tasty.
BrewDog Franklinton
463 W. Town Street, Columbus, OH 43215
IG Handle: BrewdogFrank
Nerd out at COSI, the nation’s number one science museum. They currently have Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures exhibit, which features authentically recreated replicas of the items in King Tutankhamun’s tomb exactly as they were discovered in 1922. While the museum is a cool experience, there were times when we felt like we were invading the children’s space. So if you are going with only adults, we recommend checking out COSI After Dark which is a 21+ experience offered once a month and has unique themes.
COSI
333 W Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215
IG Handle: CosiScience
If you prefer to skip the museum, get your shopping on at Easton, an open-air mall with over 240 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. It’s so good that it was voted one of the top retail experiences in America. For more unique finds and to support small/ local businesses, you can also shop the boutiques in the Short North. If it’s the first Saturday of the month, you’ll have the pleasure of partaking in the Gallery Hop, which features new gallery exhibitions, street performers, special events, food, and drinks throughout the Short North District.
Easton Towne Center
160 Easton Town Ctr, Columbus, OH 43219
IG Handle: @EastonTownCtr
Relax a bit, then grab dinner at Del Mar SoCal Kitchen. The cuisine is inspired by Southern California but is known for its fresh and local ingredients. The sushi was fresh, tasty, and all-around great! I had two of the Hawaiian rolls. Leslie had the Beef Chow Fun, which is a favorite of the executive chef and owner.
Del Mar SoCal Kitchen
705 N High Street, Columbus, OH 43215
IG Handle:@DelMarColumbus
Check out the nation’s largest full-time resident theatre ensemble, Shadowbox Live. Performances include music, sketch comedy, documentaries, and dance.
Shadowbox Live
503 S Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215
IG Handle: @ShadowboxLive
Another comedy option is the Columbus Funny Bone in Easton.
Day 3
Start the day with brunch at The Guild House. This beautiful restaurant serves up creative American fare in the heart of the Short North District. I tried their truffle egg entree, and it was delicious! So unique and tasty.
The Guild House
624 N High Street, Columbus, OH 43215
IG Handle: @GuildHouseColumbus
Enjoy some time outdoors in one of Columbus’ Green Spaces! There are over 20 parks and recreational centers to choose from! We enjoyed our time strolling through Topiary Garden, a living recreation of a famous post-impressionist painting by George Seurat. Other good options are Scioto Audubon Metro Park which features 120 acres of green space with a great view of the Columbus skyline, and Quarry Trails Metro Park, Columbus’ newest Metro Park and the future site of the nation’s only urban Via Ferrata, a popular style of climbing.
Given that it was a holiday weekend when we went, many of the businesses were closed on our last day, so we spent the rest of the afternoon with family. But there is so much that we want to see and do on our next visit! Below are some of the top things we’re interested in checking out on the next trip. Feel free to add them to your itinerary, and let us know what you think!
Other Date and Itinerary Ideas:
- Makers Social
- The Participatory Dining Experience at The Kitchen
- Dinner at Uncut 132
- Dinner at Stories on High
- Shopping at Sole Classics
- Dinner Music Series
- Guided Bike Tour
- Food Tour
Our trip was hosted by Columbus Experience, and we were compensated to write this blog post. Nonetheless, all opinions are our own.
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