Few visitors to Ohio are surprised to find that Columbus is such a nice place; people expect a city in the center of this laid-back state to be nice. What seems to amaze almost everybody who passes through here, however, is just how nice Columbus is - it has a great restaurant and bar scene, nationally acclaimed art galleries, a well-educated and generally liberal population, several historic neighborhoods, a dynamic and highly visible gay community, and a vibrant university. If only it were on a bay and surrounded by hills, Tony Bennett would write a song about it.
Columbus is a four-season destination, although because the Ohio State University adds plenty of energy to the city and its gay scene, you may want to visit from fall through spring, when school is in session. College football is hugely popular here, so be sure to book well ahead if you're planning a weekend trip here in fall.
Like most of the Midwest, Columbus has warm and often humid summers, cool and occasionally snowy winters, and moderate fall and spring weather. January highs average 35 deg F, with lows around 20 deg F. In summer, highs average around 85 deg F, with lows in the mid-60s.
The capital of Ohio, Columbus is situated in the geographic center of the state, at the intersection of Interstates 70 and 71. The terrain is relatively flat, with the city surrounded by gently rolling hills. It's at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, and the Scioto cuts right through downtown. As opposed to other larger Ohio cities, such as Cleveland and Cincinnati, Columbus - though larger in population - is less compact and has a lower skyline. In fact, much of the city proper feels more suburban than urban in character, which is not to say you won't find plenty of urban energy downtown.
Driving distances to Columbus from major cities and points of interest are:
Atlanta, GA: 570 miles (8.5 to 9.5 hrs)
Chicago, IL: 360 miles (5.5 to 6 hrs)
Cincinnati.: 110 miles (1.5 hrs)
Cleveland: 150 miles (2 hrs)
Detroit, MI: 200 miles (3 to 3.5 hrs)
Indianapolis, IN: 175 miles (2.5 to 3 hrs)
Louisville, KY: 200 miles (3 hrs)
New York, NY: 560 miles (8 to 9 hrs)
Saugatuck, MI: 350 miles (5.5 to 6 hrs)
Toronto, ON: 440 miles (6 to 7 hrs)
Washington, DC: 410 miles (6 to 7 hrs)
Port Columbus International Airport lies just 8 miles east of downtown and is served by most major airlines, with direct flights throughout the Midwest and Eastern Seaboard (as well Toronto, Canada), although relatively few direct flights to Western U.S. cities. Because of the low fares offered by discount carriers JetBlue, Midwest Express, and Southwest Airlines, fares from Columbus to other cities served by these airlines can be quite reasonable.
Note that Columbus was home to a popular late-September gay circuit party called the Red Party (and then Chrome Party) until 2006, when it ceased - its status is on hold.
Late Feb. to early March: Central Ohio Home & Garden Show.
Early June: Columbus Arts Festival.
Late June: Columbus Stonewall Pride celebration (one of the country's top Pride festivals, with many Gay Columbus Pride events leading up during May and June).
Early July: Red, White and Boom! (Independence Day party - largest fireworks display in Midwest.
Early Aug.: Ohio State Fair.
Early Aug.: German Village Oktoberfest.
Columbus abounds with intriguing neighborhoods, a few of them with a strong gay presence. Most popular is the hip and arty Short North, whose main drag, High Street, is lined with gay-friendly bars, restaurants, boutiques, and galleries.
Due south is downtown, a fairly prosaic, workaday neighborhood but for its eastern edge, which is home to the lively Arena District. This planned district contains Nationwide Arena along with many shops and eateries. South of downtown, historic German Village is a 233-acre haven of cobbled lanes, wrought-iron fences, flower gardens, redbrick cottages, and two-story homes.
The city's biggest cultural draws are the Columbus Museum of Art, which is especially strong on German expressionism and American modernism, and the Wexner Center for the Arts, an acclaimed contemporary art museum on the OSU campus.
Popular diversions, especially in warm weather, include the outstanding Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden. COSI Columbus science center is a great rainy-day attraction, and the downtown's Theatre Row is home to three excellent, historic performance spaces.
A handful of resources provide information on the city in general, and a few on the local gay scene. For visitor information, check out the excellent GLBT site of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau. Stonewall Columbus runs the city's GLBT center (at 1160 N. High St.), organizers fantastic Pride Celebration in late June, and operates a first-rate website. Stonewall Columbus also produces the Lavender Listings (GLBT "yellow pages") and the monthly Stonewall Journal newspaper. Columbus also has a terrific GLBT weekly newspaper, Outlook. Also very helpful is The Other Paper, the city's alternative newsweekly.
Ohio's biggest city (population 730,000), Columbus is also the 15th largest city in the nation. Given its size, it probably shouldn't come as any huge shock that it's home to a sizeable gay and lesbian community, and more than 25 gay bars and clubs. But as a visitor destination, Columbus still lags behind many other cities its size, in part because many gay travelers don't realize it has so much to offer.
In fairness, Columbus isn't the most exciting looking city in the country - it isn't surrounded by mountains or set along one of the Great Lakes. It's more popular with business travelers than vacationers. That being said, it's a terrific weekend destination, with plenty to see and do, and one of the most visible gay communities in the country. If you're looking for a relatively affordable vacation spot that packs plenty of punch when it comes to arts and culture, nightclubbing, shopping, and dining, Columbus might just fit the bill.
There is quite a lot that's remarkable about Columbus. It's one of the only cities in the Midwest or Northeast that has enjoyed steady growth and relative prosperity during every decade since World War II. Leading employers include the state government, the Ohio State University, and the banking and insurance industries. The high levels of education, political awareness, and economic success are perhaps key reasons that Columbus has long fostered such an active and open gay community, far more so than in many other Midwest cities.
As gay nightlife goes, Columbus stands out not simply for having so many bars, but for having so many attractive ones - smartly decorated places with clear-glass windows, smart decor, and popularity with both gays and straights. Some of the nicest gay establishments in Columbus include Axis Nightclub, Wall Street (one of the most popular lesbian clubs in the country), Union, and Havana.
The city, and particularly the gay community, supports a superb culinary scene as well, with a number of stellar restaurants in the gay-popular Short North district. Other neighborhoods (or adjacent suburbs) where you're likely to find a balance of diverting shops, eateries, and attractive residential blocks include Victorian Village, Clintonville (especially popular with lesbians), Grandview, and Upper Arlington.
Throw in a slew of art galleries, a handful of excellent museums, and one of the best-attended Pride celebrations in the country, and it's easy to see why Columbus is such a gem.
