Fun and Unique Activities in Columbus
If you feel you’ve seen and witnessed all of Columbus, here’s a surprise. Columbus is way more than what it’s known for. The real fun activities in Columbus, Ohio, come in when you’ve already explored the diverse culture, vibrant arts scene, and delicious food.
This blog post will give you the most Fun and Unique Columbus, Ohio, activities. Whether you’re a visitor or a local, this list will make you want to journal your moments. Let’s get right to it!
Cross the Gates of Hell
The spooky tunnel with a scary name starts behind a Tim Hortons in Ohio’s big city. It’s all covered in colorful drawings inside, but once you’re in, it gets dark. They call it the Gates of Hell or the Blood Bowl. It’s a tunnel under North High Street. You must walk through a giant graffiti monster’s mouth to get in. Then it’s just dark and damp all around.
Exploration at Chadwick Arboretum
Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens is a big, green reserve in the city. It’s over 30 acres and part of The Ohio State University campus in Columbus, Ohio. It’s a great place to be if you want to picnic, watch birds and fish, enjoy the trees, learn about gardening, or do other activities in Columbus, Ohio. There’s always something new happening here. If you come by once, you’ll visit this place often. They’re open every day, all year, from sunrise to sunset, and you don’t have to pay to get in.
Feasting with CookinGenie
We can’t list the best things in Columbus without discussing where to find the best food. Knock knock, CookinGenie brings the best food in Columbus to your own home.
This online personal chef marketplace lets you hire a private chef in Columbus, Ohio. The unique thing about this service is that the chefs not only cook the meals catering to your dietary and preference needs but also shop for the ingredients and clean the kitchen once they have cooked the meal.
The menu brings an option of global cuisine to your table with a surprising affordability. You can easily book a chef using their website or an app, but you must book a Genie 48 hours before you need the chef to arrive.
Get Clicked at As We Are
Large conventions have made this mad place popular. It’s called “As We Are,” a giant head with a photo booth inside its neck. You hop in, snap a 3D pic, and boom! Your face shows up on the sculpture in just a few minutes.
You can spot it in the North Atrium at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. People have a blast taking pics, giggling, and snapping selfies with their big heads on display.
Chase Thrill at ZipZone Outdoor Adventures
If you love excitement and live near Columbus, there’s a fun place for you. ZipZone has thrilling activities in Columbus, Ohio, such as zip lines and rope courses. It’s close to the city, which makes reaching there by car a breeze.
At ZipZone, there’s something for everyone in your family. Little ones can enjoy kid activities in Columbus, Ohio, in their special area, while adults can tackle over 60 exciting challenges in the park.
But the best part is the extensive zip line tour. You’ll fly through the beautiful trees of Ohio with a guide leading the way, making it an adventure.
Revel in Aquarium Adventure
Do you not feel like going all the way to Columbus Zoo and Aquarium? Check out Aquarium Adventure in Hilliard instead! You must’ve heard of a supermarket, but Adventure Aquarium is Columbus’ aquarium superstore. The place is massive, with plenty of room for fish and plants. If it’s your lucky day, you’ll be able to spot big sea animals like stingrays. For a real treat, you should remember to explore the Koi Pond.
Explore the Garden of Constants
Math and art are usually thought of as total opposites: You’re either good with numbers or busy drawing on your math work. But this sculpture garden breaks that idea. It’s full of big numbers and secret math stuff, showing that math and art can be friends.
The Garden of Constants at Ohio State University is a fun find. Big, colorful numbers make the area outside the engineering building look playful. They’ve been there since 1994, making the boring numbers look interesting and giving locals and visitors one of the most intriguing Columbus, Ohio, activities.
Visit Statehouse Fossils
If you have a paleontologist under you, you should take it to the Ohio’s Statehouse. Inside Ohio’s Statehouse, you’ll find more than you could think there’s. From the state’s legislative power to items from Ohio’s history, Ohio’s Statehouse is brimming with the heritage of Ohio’s History.
The walls are built from Columbus Limestone. This rock formed over 390 million years ago when Ohio was primarily underwater. This rock contains ancient sea creatures like corals, sponges, and shells. You will be able to see their fossils if you observe closely.
The floors are set with tiles of Crown Point Limestone. It comes from a place called Isle La Motte in Vermont. This rock has sediments older than 390–405 million years from when dinosaurs started to evolve. The limestone has fossil deposits of fascinating creatures, like marine snails and other sea animals.
Find Joy at Thomas Candy Factory
A true sweet tooth will never be able to say no to a candy tour. You can visit the Anthony Thomas Candy Factory for one of the most interesting activities in Columbus, Ohio, which lasts about an hour. You’ll discover the candy-making process from a dedicated walkway above where it all happens. Tours happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
You need to book online to go on a tour because walk-ins are not allowed. If you want to come with friends, you need a group of 4 to 16 people.
You can check out the gift shop at the end of the tour. And here’s a sweet deal: the money you pay for admission ($2 for grown-ups, $1 for kids 12 and younger) can be used to buy candy in the shop. However, check their website to see if the offer still stands.
Hike to the Hayden Falls Park
There are many things to do in Columbus, Ohio, but hiking for waterfalls isn’t one of them. This reason is precisely why Hayden and Milliken Falls are worth visiting. Milliken Falls is like a secret paradise hidden in Quarry Trails Metro Park. You can relax there with the calming sound of waterfalls and dip your feet in the pool. Hayden Falls is another place near Columbus where you can rejuvenate. A wooden hike will lead you to a waterfall flowing over rocks. Even though these waterfalls aren’t majestic, they still give you a peaceful break from city life and let you enjoy nature.
Immerse in the Otherworld
This art installation is different from any you’ve visited. Otherworld is an immersive part art exhibition, somewhat of a virtual reality universe with a blend of interactive playgrounds given by 40 unconventional artists. Expect colorful and creative scenes featuring alien flora, abstract light, geometry, and more.
Otherworld aims to make a whole new world where anyone, a kid or any adult, can wander around and know what it feels like to be immersed in a multiverse of art.
Discover the Fun
Columbus has surprises waiting around every corner. This was our tour of some of Columbus, Ohio, activities that are exciting and unique. And now it’s your turn to dive into the unexpected and explore the hidden gems of Columbus.
