We had a blast on our recent Stay-cation to Columbus, OH! The city is a melting pot of activities, food and sight seeing. Whether you are a foodie, into art, a huge shopper or someone who just loves exploring new areas Columbus is definitely for you. I was amazed at how much there was to do and how beautiful the city was!
#ad This post is in partnership with Experience Columbus**
Columbus, OH is just 500 miles from nearly half of the US population, this means so many of us could easily make a day trip out to the area to explore. Our time there was jammed packed and yet there is still more we wish to do and see. I can’t wait to plan our next trip!
As far as safety goes regarding Covid-19, The City of Columbus recommends following the CDC's guidelines including social distancing, hand washing and participating in the mask mandate for ages 6 and up in all indoor facilities in the city. I felt very safe the entire trip, it was never overly crowded and all the restaurants/shops complied with these recommendations as well. Hand sanitizer was also readily available which I loved!
I’m going to be rounding up the activities/ places we visited while on our trip below! If you want to learn more about the area or to plan your next trip to Columbus I highly suggest checking out the Experience Columbus page, linked here: Experience Columbus
Here you will find additional suggestions, events, hotel recommendations, dining options as well as gift guides that were put together by locals themselves. These gift guides are perfect to help you shop local while in the area.
Our trip started with a fun activity at Penn and Beech Candle Co. (https://www.pennandbeech.com/) Here we had the opportunity to create our own soy wax candles from scratch. This would make for a great date night, GNO, or an event for a birthday or bachelor party! I loved exploring all the scents they had to offer and learning about which pairs well with each other. The staff is very informative and is there to help along the way!
The whole creating process takes about 30-45 minutes and once your candle is poured, it takes about 2 hrs to firm up. You can come back to pick your candles up same day or the next day if you choose. We decided to explore around the neighboring area and get some shopping in while we waited!
If you're not interested in the whole creating process you can also shop the already made candles they have in stock! These would make for an awesome gift for a loved one. My husband and I had a great time here and would love to come back again!
At lunchtime, we paid a visit to Cap City Diner (https://capcityfinediner.com/). The atmosphere here was amazing. They combined the comfort diner food that we all know and love with a fine dining flair and it made for such a treat.
To start they brought us out complimentary Cinnamon sugar rolls. My husband thought it was the coolest thing and added a uniqueness to the restaurant. For an appetizer we got the soft pretzel. It was so delicious and comes with two dipping sauces. This restaurant is also kid friendly if you are looking for that.
They have a full bar and I highly recommend the Blood Orange bellini it was to die for! Overall our experience couldn't have been better. The staff were so friendly and our meals came out perfectly! This is a must stop!
We chose to explore the Short North Arts District in Columbus next. In this area you will find a surplus of boutiques and bars and restaurants. This is a great place to head to if you’re looking to get some Holiday shopping done or grab a drink with friends!
Fashionista Therapy is a new boutique in the area that is black-owned and operated. (https://fashionistatherapy.com/) They also carry a wide range of sizes and brands such as BOOHOO and Pretty Little Thing. I loved how trendy their pieces are and the store was so cute!
Red Giraffe Designs (https://www.redgiraffedesigns.com/) is another boutique in the Short North Arts District that houses beautiful handmade jewelry pieces. I grabbed a pair of gold moon earrings for myself and picked up another piece for a gift. Their prices are great and I love shopping small! They also have locations all around central Ohio, if you're ever near one, definitely stop by!
While wandering around we stumbled upon this old school candy shop called Rocket Fizz and had to pop in! (https://rocketfizz.com/locations/rocket-fizz-columbus-oh/) Here you’ll find hundreds of fun flavors of sodas and all the nostalgic candies like Pez, candy buttons, Razzles and so much more. This is a great family friendly place and would be a great stop to pick up some unique stocking stuffers.
Next up, we headed to the Not Your Mama’s Craft Market. This market houses handmade goods and small shops from vendors all over the midwest! It was also voted as one of the top 10 shopping events of the year in Columbus. This year there are 4 markets going on at varying locations. You definitely don’t want to miss this one. Everywhere we looked there was something new and exciting to look at and I could have spent all day shopping there! So many amazing and unique gifts were being offered by the vendors and I will definitely come to an event again if I have the chance! I will leave the market linked here for you in case you want to check out the upcoming dates! https://notyourmamascraftmarket.com/
We had the pleasure of staying at the Hilton Columbus at Easton. As soon as we pulled up I was amazed at it's beautiful brick walls and huge white pillars. It sits right in the heart of the Easton and was within walking distance to all the shops and restaurants. The hotel sits minutes from downtown Columbus, the airport and Ohio State University making this a great location for a home base. The staff was also extremely friendly and check-in was a breeze.
They have a full bar, Starbucks, sit-down dining/breakfast area and a full market where you can grocery shop or order food! I love how accessible everything was and we had everything we could need within steps of our hotel door! They also have a 39,000 sqft conference center that is perfect for hosting events or weddings. There was a wedding going on while we were there and it was beautiful!
They also have an indoor pool and fitness center!
This is just one of many amazing hotels in the area and if you want to find out more information on those make sure you head to the Experience Columbus page to check them out. And if hotels are not your thing there are bed and breakfasts and campsites available in the Columbus area as well! Experience Columbus
This is apart of the Restoration Hardware store and was such a stunning restaurant with amazing vibes. Chandeliers hung from almost every inch of the ceiling and windows inclosed the rooftop to make for a comfortable and warm dining experience but still being able to see the beautiful views of the Easton area. The RH Rooftop Restaurant is an upscale fine dining experience that is perfect for any date night, birthday dinner or special event in your life. They have a huge wine list, amazing bites and are open for brunch & dinner!
After dinner we went to one of many socially distant activities in the Columbus area. The Conservatory Aglow takes place all throughout the outdoors of the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. It is an amazing display of lights and holiday cheer. If you get cold you can head inside and check out their indoor displays, shop or check out an art gallery. And if you're not visiting during the holiday season the Franklin Park Conservatory offers the botanical gardens, horticulture and art galleries year round! This activity is definitely kid friendly and we enjoyed our time there! https://www.fpconservatory.org/exhibitions/conservatory-aglow/
I could've spent hours here sitting under the lights and enjoying the holiday spirit. It's so nice to get outside, enjoy some fresh air and have a low-key night. If you can't make it to this light display, there are 16 other light displays going on around the Columbus area that are sure to be great options!
The next morning, we went to the cutest coffee shop called Crimson at Easton. The location was bright, airy and the perfect place to have a slow start to your morning. I enjoyed sitting in the shop, watching the baristas craft their coffees and soaking up the quiet before heading out to do some shopping. At Crimson their award winning coffee and teas are sourced from small farms around the world. I had the Peppermint Mocha and tried out some of their homemade pastries and enjoyed every bite! If you're visiting for work this would also be a great place to get some work done or studying! https://crimsoncoffee.com/pages/crimson-coffee-locations
After we were all fueled up we ventured out to explore what Easton has to offer. Easton houses over 300 shops, tons of restaurants and entertainment all in one walkable area. I loved walking around and checking out all the holiday displays and popping into some shops. https://eastontowncenter.com/
One of the shops we ventured into was Celebrate Local, here you'll find unique gifts from local makers, local food and wines and a huge selection of Ohio-themed collectibles. Everything in the store would make for a great gift and you can even order custom items. I will link their website here because they also do online orders! https://www.celebratelocalohio.com/
We ate lunch at Easton as well, at Hot Chicken Takeover. Hot Chicken Takeover is a favorite of mine! They make the most delicious Nashville hot chicken and southern sides. I love supporting local and this restaurant actually originated in Columbus and now grew to several locations throughout the state! It is the perfect stop for a quick bite to eat while out and about. https://hotchickentakeover.com/
Make sure you bring your appetite because you don't want to miss out on this amazing Banana Pudding!
Lastly, before heading home we stopped at Jeni's Ice Cream in Easton to have a little after-lunch dessert. Jeni's is a must have in the Columbus area. Their ice cream is delicious and I love their wide array of flavors! I got the Brambleberry Crisp and my Husband got the Texas Sheet Cake! They also have locations scattered all throughout Columbus so make sure if you see one you stop in! https://jenis.com/scoop-shops/jenis-easton/
That wraps up our short but jammed pack trip to Columbus, I can't wait to head back down and discover more of what the city has to offer! Please let me know if you have any questions for me and make sure to head over to Experience Columbus to plan your next trip and explore!