Whether you're a starving college student or just looking for a cheap destination around Columbus, here is a listing of free stuff to do. (And everything on this list is accessible from a COTA bus route; OSU and CCAD students ride free!)
1. Ride COTA Free
OSU and CCAD students can ride Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) buses free with their student i.d.! (Others pay $1.50 which is still pretty cheap.) And it gets you to all the other free things to do below.2. Statehouse Tour
You can wander the Statehouse on your own, or there are daily free tours available (access via COTA route 2).3. Columbus Museum of Art Free Sundays
The Columbus Museum of Art, located on E. Broad St. just a few blocks east of the Statehouse, features free admission on Sundays (access via COTA route 10).4. Main Library
Going to a library might not seem like a great way of getting away from the pressures of college, but there are lots of DVDs, CDs, graphic novels, and more free to check out at the Columbus Metropolitan Library (access via COTA route 10).5. Metro Parks
Visit their Web site for programs and locations. There are quite a few metroparks around town: you can access several via COTA routes 1 Livingston, 1 Cleveland, and 2 N. High.6. Hit the Shopping Malls
Columbus has lots of malls! Visit the malls and shopping page for details. From OSU, take COTA to Lennox Town Center and Lane Avenue via Route 84, the Mall at Tuttle Crossing via Route 18, and City Center Mall, Graceland Shopping Center, and the Worthington Mall via Route 2.7. Short North Gallery Hop
This monthly event showcases the artistic shops along N. High St. between the OSU campus and downtown Columbus (access via COTA route 2).8. Hangout at Bookstores
COTA's route 84 loop takes you from the OSU campus to the bookstores at Lane Avenue, Lennox Town Center, and Campus Gateway. Hang out, read a book, get a snack there (okay, okay, snacks aren't free!).9. Stretch Your Legs on the Oval
The oval is the heart of the OSU campus; if it's happening at OSU it's probably happening around the oval!10. View the Upper Arlington Mansions
This might sound kind of corny, but when I was a starving student I used to ride the Arlington-Grandview bus and look at all the beautiful homes (and some mansions) along the way (access via COTA route 19).Share Your Favorites
Have a favorite free thing to do? Submit it and your freebie just might show up on this list.
