Where to stay

Book accommodations in Dublin, Hilliard or other neighborhoods in the University District well in advance to enjoy some of the nation's best Big Ten football at a game at The Ohio State University. Arrange a hotel in the Arena District to watch a Columbus Blue Jacket NHL hockey game or attend an event featuring world-class performers. Hotels in Downtown Columbus are perfect for visiting numerous cultural attractions, including the Columbus Museum of Art and the Ohio Theatre, which offers more than 100 performances a year. The Scioto Mile area is a great place to stay to enjoy performances during seasonal festivals. From here, cross the Scioto River to visit COSI, the Center of Science and Industry.

The Scioto Mile is a huge riverfront area of nine connected parks. Book a hotel close to this lively urban space to be near bikeways, walking paths, and river access for kayaking and paddleboarding. Accommodations in the Brewery District are great for walking to Schiller Park for a picnic or to Scioto Audubon Metro Park for early morning birdwatching. Stay north of town in Dublin and other neighborhoods of the University District to visit Hayden Falls Park, with a gorge, pretty waterfall, and rare plants. Downtown Columbus hotels are perfect for strolling through Columbus Commons to view the impressive Ohio Statehouse. Hotels near the John Glenn Columbus International Airport (Port Columbus International Airport) are just a few miles from one of the top attractions in Columbus, the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Stay northeast of Columbus in Easton Town Center to make the most of its huge mall, with over 300 stores, restaurants, and entertainment spots in a modern town square setting with an old-fashioned appearance. Book a hotel in the Short North Arts District for shopping, dining, art galleries, and performing arts. Accommodations in Polaris, north of the city, are convenient for shopping at Polaris Fashion Place, with nearly 200 shops and more than 75 events each year. If antiquing is more appealing, stay in Reynoldsburg to shop at the Heritage Square Antique Mall. The Arena District is the best place to stay to shop at the North Market Farmers' Market, established in 1876 and offering fresh produce, artisan foods, and other locally produced wares.