The perfect weekend getaway from NYC:  2 day itinerary to Columbus, Ohio

What to do in Columbus, Ohio? I’ve got you! We just came back from another perfect weekend with the family in Columbus, Ohio, one of my favorite cities in the US. The flight is less than 2 hours long from NYC (ours was about 75 minutes!) and I love that in Columbus there is something for everyone! This was my third time in Columbus and the city never disappoints, I’m always excited to go back and explore. If you missed our adventures in real time on stories, no worries, I saved them as a highlight, click here to check it out!

If you are looking for the perfect summer destination this season, make sure to consider Columbus and rest assure that there will be plenty to do and see, delicious food and you will get back with great memories! This trip was sponsored by Experience Columbus but as always, all opinions are mine. I highly recommend following Experience Columbus on social media and visit their website to learn about the best things to do in Columbus, they know everything and can point you at the right direction!

Where to stay in Columbus:

The Hotel Leveque in Downtown Columbus. This was our first time time staying in Downton and even though there are countless office buildings, it is pretty quiet on weekends. Walking distance to some of our favorite spots and we were able to explore more of this iconic part of the city where there is so much to do and see.

Our room in the Hotel Leveque was BEAUTIFUL and perfect for a family traveling with a toddler: plenty of space for Serena to run and explore. The bathroom was massive and the shower box felt like I was in a fancy spa featuring custom, locally curated bath amenities. Zero complaints.

Hospitality was the highlight of our stay, the front desk went above and beyond to make us (and everyone) feel welcome – they even left us chocolate at the end of the day and told us about the stars projector – you can literally stare at the stars from the bed. The hotel is located next to the Palace theater, great venue for live performances (they were playing Annie when we were there!).

DAY 1:

If you are flying in on a Friday evening, I recommend dinner at The Budd Dairy Food Hall, a chef-driven food hall with eight unique kitchens, with something for everyone. There is also a nice rooftop. It’s a great place to hang out and see locals having a great time on a Friday night. It is family friendly, Serena and the kids were dancing on stage all night.

DAY 2:

Breakfast: Freedom a la Cart, is a beautiful cafe in Downtown. We walked from the hotel but you can Uber or drive if you want, there is parking available. Everything we ordered was DELICIOUS, they had some vegan options so I ordered the chia bowl – and I wish I could eat that everyday – so yummy and healthy. Ryu ordered the breakfast burrito and also gave it a thumbs up! Pastries were also great.

One thing I learned about Freedom a la Cart was that they empower survivors of human trafficking by providing them employment where they can develop valuable on-the-job experience in a safe space. How amazing is that?

Next stop:

We decided to walk from the cafe to the Columbus Museum of Art, formed in 1878 as the
Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, it was the first art museum to register its charter with the state of Ohio. And if you are wondering if Columbus is a good destination for families with small children, yes, it is very kid friendly!

The museum is so beautiful. You will find indoor and outdoor spaces but since we were traveling with Serena (who was almost 2 and a half at the time), we spent most of the time in the Wonder Room and the art workshop room. Both were so much fun and the workshop is free on Saturdays. They provide all the art supplies you can think of. We loved it! There were two new special exhibitions from Wendy Red Star and Lesley Vance on view now through September 3 (2023). Make sure to check that out.

Next: Topiary Park

Topiary Park is a 9.2-acre public park and garden in Columbus’ Discovery District, only a few blocks from the Columbus Museum of Art. Topiary Park was designed to depict figures from Georges Seurat’s 1884 painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. We stopped by in hopes that Serena would run around but of course, after all that fun she had in the museum, she was asleep when we got to the park.

Lunch: North Market

From the park we “Ubered” (Is that a verb? I think so!) to one of my favorite places in Columbus: the North Market. A trip to Columbus is not complete without a visit to North Market, a 147-year-old public market in downtown Columbus home to more than 30 vendors selling fresh food, flowers and more. I love trying different cuisines and this is the best of the best, you can find everything from cupcakes and pasta to Japanese curry!

Next: Goodale Park

Goodale Park is super close to High Street, North Market and it is surrounded by Victorian Village, a cluster of homes with charming architectural features. It is the oldest park in Columbus and among the oldest in the United States. Great place for people watching. Serena also loved looking at the fishes!

Dinner: The Pearl

The Pearl is a beautiful restaurant on North High Street, another place you can’t miss when in Columbus. There are great shops and restaurants! The Pearl is one of them and it is part of Cameron Mitchell Restaurant Group.

DAY 3

Breakfast: Parable Coffee.

This was such a nice and beautiful surprise in Columbus. Parable Coffee is located in Downtown, less than 10 minutes from our hotel so we walked both ways. Parable is employee-owned and the city’s first gratuity-free cafe. Perhaps the most notable offering is that Parable adopts a “pay what you can” system to ensure that great coffee is accessible for all. I loved that there were so many vegan pastries and the decor and the vibe made me wanna stay there all day, no kidding.

Next stop: Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

There is so much to do and see, you can easily spend hours, especially if you are traveling with kids. Make sure to stop by the Children’s Garden, an amazing garden for kids with toys, gardens and spaces for them to learn, explore and even splash and play in the water! Bring a bathing suit for them if you can or a change of clothes. It was one of the highlights of our trip with Serena, she had a blast. But also dedicate time to explore the garden, there is just so much to do and see, different exhibitions, the Blooms & Butterflies is a must – until May 29. There is a new one coming up in June, the Garden Safari! It looks great, we wish we could visit again! You can see all future exhibitions here!

Lunch:

I recommend heading to North High Street for more food and maybe to try Jeni’s ice cream, midwest beloved ice cream! They usually have a dairy-free option, I highly recommend it! If you have more time before your flight home, head to Easton Town Center, an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Columbus.

Columbus is such a great place to disconnect from the buzz of New York City, have fun and explore different things. If you aren’t convinced, Columbus was named a top Spring Break destination by Forbes, and is also among the Best Places to Visit this July by Travel + Leisure! Columbus is also one of the Top 10 Domestic Travel Destination for 2020 by Travel Channel and is one of 52 Places to Visit by The New York Times in 2019. Yep! And the list goes on…

Thank you Experience Columbus for helping us plan this fun family trip to Columbus! We sure had the best time!