Hey guys,
I found out over the weekend that two of my high-school friends who may be coming to OSU next year) are coming to visit for a weekend in April. I believe they're going to be up here in Columbus the weekend of April 13th so I was just looking to see if I could get help with the following: Hotels near campus that are not too expensive and not in a bad area, restaurants, and other sights in the Columbus area that might be interesting to them. I have a few ideas to pass along to them, but I'm stil not entirely familiar where everything in Columbus is located. Anything to help is greatly appreciated. It will be their first time in Ohio so I want them to have a good impression of Columbus and Ohio State.
Are they interested academics? Sports? A change in scenery? Make sure they see the Ohio Union and the Thompson Library (including the Campus Reading Room (top floor) and the Grand Reading Room). The Oval should be packed and Mirror Lake is something most wouldn't expect to find in the middle of a major city. If they're into sports, take them by the Horseshoe and the RPAC. The South Campus Gateway has great food (I like taking visitors to Eddie George Grille 27) and great atmosphere. If you'd like to show them another part of town, the Short North and German Village both show Columbus in a great light.
Class of 2008
The new Holiday Inn is on Olentangy and is pretty affordable. Sites
OSU Stadium
Union
Thompson Library
Architecture Building
Take to Oval (as it will be spring=coeds everywhere)
Mirror Lake
Bars and restaurants: Any thing on high street( I recommend Bodega in short north Best Happy hour IMO)
Could do "The Man vs Food Tour"- Schmidts, Thurmans, Ohio Deli
Could take to Easton Mall
If you are a student you can get discounted tickets to events like (Funny Bone, Shadowbox, Movies, Zoo etc)
is there any way to set up a tour of the Shoe? Or at least get inside to view it?
O-H-I-O
@Scott, They are not big sports fans, however, the Shoe is a must see for them. Also, they're coming up here with their parents and siblings, but they're all teenagers so if there is anything else that's going that weekend, that would be awesome! Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far!
It's true... We really are a bunch of nuts!
Go Bucks!
On Campus: The Union, Thompson, the RPAC, the 'Shoe, Mirror Lake, the Oval, Fisher, Orton Hall, possibly the Schott.
Dining: Hit anywhere in the Short North, Northstar is very good, but you must stop at Jeni's for ice cream. Eddie George's is also a decent option for dining right on High St.
Other sites to see would be Nationwide, the zoo, and COSI.
Agree with everyone's reccommendations on campus and restaurants--especially Thurman's; if you have the opportunity, check that out (long waits, but you can always walk around German Villiage, it's beautiful in Spring)--also of note is Piada, a Columbus original. They're kind of like an Italian Chipotle, but that doesn't do them justice. The food truck scene around here is pretty good, with good barbeque from RayRay's Hog Pit in Clintonville (best BBQ in city--one of the only places we have that believes in smoking meat...). Also, if you dig on tacos at all, we have a wealth of trucks catering to that interest--Juniors is pretty close to campus (heard good things not been), and Los Guachos is in Worthington, it's a small store, but the food is superb. Tacos Al Pastor there areTo Die For. Also, no visit to OSU's campus is complete without the requisite visit to one of the four best pizza places around: Adriatico's, Tommy's, Hounddog's, and A Slice of New York. Personally, I prefer the latter two.
It's a shame they're coming the week of the 13th, the week prior to that is Gallery Hop; held on the first Saturday of every month, all of the art galleries in the Short North open up from 3-9, great fun--and a must if you're into people-watching.
Easton is one of the nicest places in the city: shopping, bars, restaurants, and a 30-screen theatre. Great place to spend an afternoon.
Also for reference:
http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2010/08/your-2010-guide-to-doing-game-week...
http://www.elevenwarriors.com/forum/football/2012/01/better-place-to-eat
I second Piada and Jenni's. If they like coffee take them to Stauf's in Grandview.
Seconded. Stauf's is the bomb. Also, Cup O Joe is all over the city, and they use Stauf's coffee--there's one of those at the Lennox shopping center, across the river from the towers.
One more place, as Hodge stated their are many good pizza restaurants around, I would recommend Dewey's Pizza on West 5th, it is my personal favorite, BUT the ones Hodge recommend are also great. You can't lose on pizza in Columbus.
gota take em to PJ's. easily the classiest eatery in columbus.
but in all seriousness, if youre trying to recruit them for osu, show em the union, the library reading room, the oval, and if youre a great friend, try swiping them into kennedy commons for a feast, nothin beats it
Do call ahead and takeout Thurman's. Best decision you'll make.
Not saying you won't wait awhile, because you will, but if you're going to a place you've got to experience it! No take out IMO
Never been to Piada but it is supposed to be good, I caddied for the guy who owns it tho up at Murfield! He used to own Brio sold it for like 250 million! He said Piada will be going up all around columbus in the near future and across the country.
You might wnat to look into signing them up for walking tours conducted by guides, and seminars for for interested future students. What are they interested academically? If business, the Fisher ones are great, they changed my daughter's mind from "Mom, this place is way too big for me" to "wait, I could really see myself here". Fisher's 4 buildings also pretty much contain all the business classes-kind of a smaller campus on campus. These need to be signed up for in advance though. Go to:
https://campusvisit.osu.edu/visit.aspx
to get more info on tours, etc.
And you may want to take them to Canes if you are trying to grab a quick bite on High Street. Not my favorite place, but all my daughter's out of town friends clamor to go there when they visit. That and A Slice of New York, and if you have a car, Cuzzins (frozen yogurt).
Are they interested in fraternity/sorority life? A stroll up 15th might be of interest to them.
Hopefully it will be a nice weekend, with lots of activity on the Oval. Loved the Oval in the Spring.
Number One's Chinese!!!!
^ Haha, nope nope nope. Number One Chinese was great when you lived in the dorms and wanted a cheap, filling hangover meal, but in any other situation, their food is terrible.
@Dbit,
If you call ahead, you don't have to wait at the restaurant, that's what I was saying. Like if your tour's coming to an end sort of deal.
Tour Columbus on a Segway!
http://www.segawaytoursofcolumbus.com/