If relatives are coming, or you're new to Columbus, plan ahead--here are some sites you and your visitors can check out before they hit Columbus:
- Columbus Events Calendar
News and events from various groups and locations around Columbus and beyond. - Columbus Supersite
"Central Ohio's Online Regional Resource" is a great place to learn more about Columbus before you visit, with news, employment information, entertainment, and lots of links.
Before They Arrive
After they're here, entertain them with these attractions:
- Arena District: The "Cool Zone"
Nationwide Arena, Promowest Pavilion, riverfront parks, restaurants, and more downtown between U.S. 33 and the Convention Center. - Columbus Art Museum
Information
An overview of the programs and services of the Columbus Art Museum, a great place to visit on East Broad St. in downtown Columbus. - Columbus Zoo Online
This site highlights news zoo exhibits and includes animal and plant exhibit information along with visitor news and more for Columbus' world famous zoo along the Scioto River. - Franklin County Metroparks Page
If the weather is decent, send them to your favorite metro park. Here's an overview of the metro park system. - German Village Society
While surprisingly lacking in pictures of historic German Village homes, this site provides German Village information, a business listing, the German Village Commission preservation rules, and more for this historic Columbus neighborhood. - Longaberger Baskets
Central Ohio is basket country! Here is a guide to the company's history, area attractions, and more. - Ohio Center of Science and Industry
COSI is a great living science museum located downtown in the expanded Central High School. - Riffe Art Gallery Exhibits
Pictures and descriptions of past and current art exhibits in the Riffe Art Gallery, located in the Riffe State Office Tower on Capitol Square. - Santa Maria Replica
This reproduction of one of the ships of Christopher Columbus is available for tours and parties and is anchored in Bicentennial Park downtown. - Short North
Gallery hops, stores, events, and more in the "Short North" area (N. High St. from Goodale St. to the OSU campus).Concerts, Music, and Movies
- Columbus Association for the Performing Arts Page
CAPA events and concerts, the Summer Movie Series, and membership information are highlighted here, along with historical and descriptive information about their four downtown theaters. - Columbus Music Hall Events Page
Coming music events at the Columbus Music hall, located in a restored fire house one block south of the E. Broad St./I-71 exit. - ColumbusPages Movie Database
Type in the movie you want to see, limit by theater, time, and day if you wish, and get a list of where and when the movie is playing in the Columbus area. - Columbus Symphony Orchestra Page
This site features descriptions of orchestra performances, online ticket ordering, a schedule of upcoming concerts, and a contest you can enter online. - Germain Amphitheater Concert Page
From the Germain Amphitheater on I-71 north of I-270, (formerly called Polaris), scheduled attractions at the amphitheater, along with ticket information.
Attractions
And while they're in town have them stop by Experience Columbus, the downtown visitor center at 277 W. Nationwide Blvd., a 1,200-square-foot center featuring maps of downtown and the Columbus area, information on venues and events and interactive kiosks that link to online access. Experience Columbus conveniently sits near the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Nationwide Arena and Huntington Park {set to open in 2009).
