Greater Columbus

Greater Columbus is the metropolitan area centered on the city of Columbus, in the center of Ohio. Its population was about 2.1 million in 2017, of which almost 900,000 lived in Columbus. Visitors are drawn by its museums, state and local parks, hiking trails and festivals.

Regions

It consists of the following counties, Franklin County, Delaware County, Madison County, Union County, Knox County, Licking County, Fairfield County.

Cities

Other destinations
  • Battelle Darby Creek, Southwestern Franklin County. 6,600 acre park along the Big and Little Darby creeks. Cross-country skiing, Hiking trails, Pet trail, Picnicking, Canoeing, Fishing, Hunting, Ice-skating, Nature programs.
  • Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks Open daily, no admission charge, Wild Places and Open Spaces, one of Central Ohio’s largest landowners with fifteen parks, conveniently located throughout the area. Miles of trails through beautiful prairies, forests or wetlands. 2,200 species of plants and animals.
  • Buckeye Lake
  • Hocking Hills
  • Alum Creek State Park, Delaware County, 3615 S. Old State Road, Delaware, 289 family campsites acres of water, 289 campsites, volleyball courts, beach, basketball, horseshoe courts, and playground equipment. Four acre dog park with water access, forty miles of horse/hiking trails along the lakeshore, primitive camping for horsepeople, two mountain bike trails, 3,387 acre lake with unlimited horsepower, hunting, fishing, picnic areas, tables, grills, restrooms, 3,000-foot beach, changing area and concession stand.
  • Delaware State Park, Delaware County, 5202 U.S. 23 North, Delaware, PH:740-369-2761. 211 electric sites suitable for tents or trailers. Flush toilets, showers, laundry facilities and a dump station. Boat launch, beach, fishing. About 20 miles North of Columbus of SR 23.

Understand

Columbus has spawned tremendous investment in Franklin County and north into Delaware County At times they all appear to be one area, but they have different government entities providing different services.

Fairfield County is in Southeast Ohio. The county seat is Lancaster. It is at the edge of the Hocking Hills, one of the most scenic, natural areas in Ohio. There are more authentic covered bridges (18) in Fairfield County than any other Ohio county. At one time there were over 40 glass companies manufacturing beautiful art glass that is still appreciated and exhibited in the many museums and art galleries. Years ago there were many canals dissecting the counties terrain, which supported Ohio's early economy.

Get in

By car

The easiest way into rural areas is by car. I 71 and I 70 intersect in Franklin County. SR-23 runs north and south through Delaware County and through Delaware.

By plane

Get around

By bus
  • COTA, 33 N High St, ☏ +1 614 228-1776, +1 614 275-5878 (TTY/TTD). M–F 6–8PM, Sa–Su 8AM–6PM. Central Ohio Transit Authority provides bus service for the Greater Columbus area. 
  • GoBus. Regular service to several destinations, including Columbus, Newark, and other locations in Ohio. 
  • Knox Area Transit, 25 Columbus Road, Mt. Vernon, ☏ +1 740 392-7433, . M–F 6AM–7PM, Sa 6AM–5PM. Door-to-door service in and out of Knox County (call for rates), as well as $1 shuttles within Mount Vernon (every half hour, M-Sa 8AM-4PM) and between Mount Vernon and Gambier (hourly M-F 8AM-10PM, Sa 2PM-10PM). 

By bicycle
  • CoGo. Bikeshare stations are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. CoGo is a bikeshare system providing point to point bicycle transport from stations in downtown Columbus and surrounding areas 

By e-scooter
  • Lime Scooter. Lime is one of several e-scooter companies in the Columbus area 

See
  • Cross Mound, one mile south of the Village of Tarlton on 16th road. 17 acre park with Native American cross-shaped mound. Each arm is in equal length and are aligned north, south, east, west. There are also several conacal mounds, a stone mound, picnic area and shelter. Hard to find.
  • Lockville Park, One mile west of Carroll and two miles south of U.S. Rte. 33 on Pickeriton Road. Six acre park along the original Ohio & Erie Canal with three sets of intact stone locks built in 1832 and was in use until 1913.
  • Museum at Buckeye Lake, Hebron (Ohio)
  • Ohio Glass Museum Lancaster (Ohio)
  • Olentangy Indian Caverns in Delaware. One hundred five feet deep, excellent exhibits of Indian artifacts.

Museums

Columbus

  • Columbus Museum of Art, 480 East Broad Street. 
  • The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 9990 Riverside Dr.. 
  • COSI, 333 West Broad Street. 
  • Franklin Park Conservatory. 
  • Ohio Craft Museum, 1665 West Fifth Avenue. 
  • Ohio Statehouse, downtown intersection of Broad/High St.

Do
  • Hocking Valley Canoe Livery, 31251 Chiefton Dr, Logan, ☏ +1 740-385-4449. Logan - Off U.S. 33 Rockbridge. Canoeing, kayaking, rafting, mini-golf, Go-Kart rental, cottage rental. 
  • The Little Brown Jug in Delaware. Second leg of the pacing, Triple Crown harness racing, classic for 3-year-olds. Held at Delaware County Fairgrounds.
  • 🌍 Sky Zone Columbus.  - located in Lewis Center

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