Weekend in Columbus for Kids

Thank you to Hotel LeVeque, Autograph Collection, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, COSI, the Franklin Park Conservatory, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and Zoombezi Bay for hosting our family’s visits.  All opinions are my own. 

Columbus, Ohio is near and dear to my heart because I lived there for three years as a law student at the Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law.  Nancy and I both studied at Moritz and lived in the same apartment complex five years apart.  While traveling and blogging may be two of my favorite pastimes, I’m a public finance attorney in the Cleveland office of Bricker & Eckler by day.  Because Columbus is the state capital of Ohio and Bricker’s headquarters, I make the journey from our house in the Cleveland suburbs down I-71 to Columbus every few weeks on business.  Columbus has grown exponentially since my college and law school years (now the 14th largest city in the U.S.) and is a great family destination.  It has been several years since we visited as a family, so I took advantage of an unusually quiet summer weekend while my husband was attending a family wedding in Australia to take the kids (and my daughter’s stuffed monkey, Coconut) on a weekend getaway.  Columbus is a city that offers more than meets the eye, and we made sure to pack many of the highlights into our weekend trip.

 

Where to Stay in Columbus, Ohio

A Review of Hotel LeVeque, Autograph Collection

We spent two nights at the Hotel LeVeque, Autograph Collection, which is ideally located at the corner of Broad and Front, just one block from the Capitol Square.  We did not need our car between check-in on Friday night and check out on Sunday morning because everything on our itinerary was within walking distance of the Hotel LeVeque.  We walked to the Ohio Statehouse, the Bricker & Eckler building, Columbus Commons, COSI, Mass at St. Joseph’s Cathedral and dinner at Condado.  We parked in the adjacent garage and were wowed by the elegant marquee at the entryway before proceeding to the lobby.  We immediately noticed the Hotel’s astronomical theme and starry decor.  My husband does not yet know that I spent a lot of time coveting the lobby chandelier and wondering if we could find something like it for our front hallway.

Check-in was a breeze with absolutely no wait.  Throughout our stay, the entire staff was extremely helpful and attentive, especially to the kids.  After we collected our room keys, we headed to our classic double queen room on the eighth floor.

The room was decorated in gray tones.  The entryway had laminate wood flooring that was perfect for kicking off our shoes.  The closet included the usual hanging space, safe and ironing board and also a large golf umbrella and a coffee maker.  The queen beds were dreamily comfortable with plenty of pillows.  Gold framed mirrors were a beautiful touch.  The kids were ecstatic to find a welcome gift on the desk and immediately set to work with their coloring books.

The luxurious bathroom included a humongous, subway-tiled shower with a rainfall nozzle and separate handheld shower head.  I loved the sleek white on white decor and took some notes for my dream bathroom makeover.  There was also a separate room for the toilet, which worked great for our family.

The window wells were the perfect vantage point for watching the street below, and the biggest excitement was when the boys spotted a Lamborghini and Ferrari on Broad Street.

The starry decor extends to the guest rooms.  The most unique feature was the star projector, which we used both nights so that we felt like we were sleeping under the stars with this view.  My son wants a similar projector for his room.

After unpacking and settling into our room, the kids were ready to go explore the hotel.  We set off to the Fitness Center on the sixth floor.  The Center was equipped with high-end machines and weights and provided earplugs, granola bars and water.  The Fitness Center was not designed for kids’ use, but these two jumped on the treadmills for a few seconds before we headed to the lobby to continue our exploring.

There are so many beautiful artworks in the Hotel’s common areas that we felt as if we were in an art gallery.

There is a Starbucks located right outside the lobby lounge and so many comfortable spots to relax with a morning coffee.

Because I travel to Columbus regularly, I’ve stayed in at least a dozen other Columbus-area hotels, including about six other downtown hotels.  Hotel LeVeque, Autograph Collection is easily my new favorite because of its location and amenities.

 

Best Things to Do in Columbus, Ohio

We could easily spend a week exploring museums and parks in Columbus, but we packed the sights that most appealed to us into our weekend.  Here’s our overview of the best things to do in Columbus, Ohio in the order we visited and also a few that are on our family’s list for next time.

 

Our Weekend in Columbus

 

#1:  LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus

Easton’s LEGOLAND is a Discovery Centers that serves as a miniature amusement park.  This 36,000 square foot entertainment center opened in September 2018.  At LEGOLAND, there are LEGO-themed rides, opportunities to build with LEGO, LEGO-themed play areas and a 4D movie theater.  My kids love LEGO and were especially excited that my friend and her 10-year-old daughter were able to join us.  We planned to arrive in Columbus in the late afternoon when most of the museums are closing and were pleased to find that LEGOLAND Discovery Center stays open until 7:00 p.m.  We arrived at about 4:30 p.m. and explored this amazing indoor amusement park until closing time.

The kids were excited to ride the Kingdom Quest laser ride located immediately inside the entrance.  Each rider has their own laser to zap beastly trolls and sneaky skeletons while collecting points and saving a princess.  This ride reminded me of the Toy Story ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – just without the long line.   The kids rode on Kingdom Quest several times with absolutely no wait.

Because our kids love to build with LEGO, they were excited about the police car building project in the Creative Workshop.  Workshops are held throughout the day, and visitors get the chance to create different models using LEGO kits.  The leader provided step by step directions projected onto a big screen.  My four year old and I worked together, but she handled the lion’s share of construction.

It was so much fun watching a pile of LEGO bricks take shape into the police car.  After playing with our cars for a few minutes, we disassembled our creations and put them back in the kits for the next visitors.

My four-year-old daughter declared the LEGO pool to be her favorite part of the Discovery Center.  This tear-dropped shaped “pool” is filled with thousands of LEGO bricks.  And, yes, she did dive into the middle.

Miniland was also a big hit.  We’ve seen many LEGO exhibits, including Nathan Sawaya’s The Art of the Brick at the Carnegie Science Center last summer.  The scale of Miniland’s recreations of Ohio landmarks, including the Ohio Stadium was beyond impressive.  And, this room made my heart swell with O-H-I-O pride.

After playing in the LEGO City Play Area and the DUPLO Farm and riding the Merlin’s Apprentice Ride, we finished our visit to LEGOLAND in the 4D movie theater.  The kids laughed nonstop throughout the short film, and they thought the 4D special effects were cool (especially the flying hot dog), even if we did get a bit wet.  The LEGOLAND Discovery Center is the “ultimate indoor LEGO Playground.”

• LEGOLAND Discovery Center Hours:  The LEGOLAND Discovery Center is open every day, and hours vary by day of the week and season.  The last entry is two hours before closing.
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center Admission:  Walk up general admission to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center varies by date but generally costs between $24 and $34.  Savings are available for visitors who book online in advance.
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center Parking:  The West Parking Garage at Easton is adjacent to LEGOLAND Discovery Center.  I parked in a surface lot with a three-hour limit and had to move my car before dinner.
• Time Spent at LEGOLAND Discovery Center:  We spent about two and a half hours at LEGOLAND Discovery Center.

 

#2:  Easton Town Center

Easton Town Center is an indoor and outdoor shopping complex that opened in the summer of 1999, right before I moved to Columbus to start law school.  Easton started as a development by Les Wexner, the owner of Limited Brands, and has had multiple expansions and renovation projects since its opening.

Easton Station includes The Rooms at Easton, presented by COSI.  These are themed rooms where visitors can explore science concepts.  Our favorite was Community Creations, a room inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s The obliteration room, which we saw in Cleveland last year.  We each added a strip of stickers.

Easton is a wonderful family destination, particularly in the summer when it hosts numerous events like the Easton Art Affair, a fine art craft show that was going on during our visit.  It reminded me of New Orleans‘ Jackson Park with so many amazing artists exhibiting their pieces.  There is also a fountain for kids under eight to splash around in.  It was a bit chilly, and our youngest did not have her bathing suit, but she asked many times if she could try out the fountain.

• Easton Towne Center Hours:  Most retailers are open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m.
• Easton Towne Center Parking:  Parking garages at Easton are free, surface lots provide free parking for up to three hours, and metered parking is available throughout the Center.
• Time Spent at Easton Towne Center:  After finishing at LEGOLAND, we spent about two hours eating dinner and checking out the Easton Art Affair.

 

#3:  Ohio Statehouse

The Ohio Statehouse is located in the center of downtown Columbus at Capitol Square.  Unlike many state capitols inspired by the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the Ohio Statehouse’s Greek revival architecture was influenced by the Parthenon and completed before the Capitol.   I am fortunate to attend an annual event inside the Ohio Statehouse, but, unfortunately, we did not have time for a guided tour on this particular visit.

The William McKinley Monument honors the Ohio native who served as the Ohio Governor and 25th President of the United States.  The monument was completed in 1906, five years after McKinley’s assassination.

• Ohio Statehouse Hours:  The Ohio Statehouse is open to the public on Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The Ohio Statehouse is closed on public holidays.
• Ohio Statehouse Parking:  Underground parking is available 24 hours a day.
• Time Spent at the Statehouse:  We passed by the Ohio Statehouse several times during our weekend and spent about 30 minutes total.  The guided tour is definitely on our list for our next visit.

 

#4:  Bricker & Eckler Building

The law firm of Bricker & Eckler purchased the old, old post office in 1984 and restored and renovated the building to use as its headquarters.  This is one of the few downtown buildings dating from the 19th century and is located across from Capitol Square at the intersection of South Third and State Street.  It was my favorite building in downtown Columbus long before I became an employee.  While the Bricker & Eckler building is not open to the public, we were fortunate to be able to stop in and take a break to relax in the lobby before continuing our Saturday morning walking tour.

 

#5:  The John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons

The John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons is a six-acre park in the middle of downtown Columbus that opened in 2011 on the site of the former Columbus City Center mall.  I remember when City Center opened as a premier shopping destination and witnessed its decline over my college and law school years as competing malls opened in the suburbs of Columbus.  The Columbus Commons utilized the extensive underground parking constructed for City Center and features green space, Columbus Bicentennial Pavilion, a carousel, 12 gardens and open play.  The Commons hosts over 200 events each year, and many of the events are free to the public.

• Columbus Commons Hours:  The Columbus Commons is generally open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily.
• Columbus Commons Parking:  The Main Garage is located at 55 East Rich Street, and the Underground Garage is located at 191 South Third Street.
• Time Spent at Columbus Commons:  We spent only a few minutes in the Commons due to our packed schedule and ticketed events occurring both nights.

 

#6: COSI Columbus

The Center of Science and Industry or COSI, as it is commonly known, is a science museum and research center.  COSI opened in its current space in November 1999, just a few months after I started law school.  My first visit was five years ago in 2014 when I was eight months pregnant with my daughter.  Our family loves science museums, so we were ecstatic to go back to COSI.  Just like our first visit (which I coincidentally discovered occurred exactly five years before this visit when I looked at the previous pictures), our visit coincided with the Science of Big Machines event in front of COSI.  This is an epic touch a truck opportunity that gives kids the chance to try out operating stationary construction vehicles.  This hands-on learning opportunity was a huge hit five years ago when my boys were four and six.  This year, my four and nine year olds each tried out a truck before heading back across the bridge to our hotel.

In the entryway, we were greeted by an enormous Foucault pendulum that demonstrates that the Earth is spinning.  This may be the largest and most beautiful Foucault pendulum we’ve ever seen.

COSI is much more than a typical science museum.  Of course, it has live shows, hands-on science experiments, a planetarium, and permanent and special exhibits.  But, it also includes the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery, which is larger than dinosaur exhibits at many natural history museums.  The full cast of a T-Rex is certainly the highlight here.  There is also an outdoor park that is open to the public.  In 2017, COSI completed the construction of an underground parking garage to replace its surface lot.  Moving parking underground opened up eight acres that are now used as a park, complete with a playground and fountains.  This park space is heavily used by families, especially on beautiful summer days.

The exhibit that I was most excited about was The Jim Henson Exhibition:  Imagination Unlimited, which explored Henson’s groundbreaking work and more than 20 historic puppets.  Henson died almost 30 years ago at age 53, but his impact on puppetry was unparalleled.  It was a thrill to see some of my childhood “friends” up close and personal.

We also explored the Mythic Creatures special exhibit.  Unicorns seem to be as popular as princesses these days, and my daughter especially enjoyed this exhibit, but the boys preferred the rat basketball live show.  Our visit to COSI was cut short because my oldest wasn’t feeling well, but my friend offered to watch my younger two kids while I took my oldest to the hotel.  They made flubber, explored the Ocean exhibit and watched the high-wire unicycle.

Families can easily spend an entire day at COSI exploring the exhibits.  Luckily, the Atomic Cafe provides a wide variety of kids’ meals and some healthy options for when kids need refueling.   Our kids are already talking about the next trip and plan to prioritize the Planetarium and Giant Screen Theater.

• COSI Hours:  COSI is generally open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily and 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the last Friday of each month.
• COSI Admission:  COSI general admission costs $25 for everyone 13 and over and $20 for kids 2-12.  Add on experiences such as the Planetarium, National Geographic Giant Screen Theater films, Motion Simulator rides and some special exhibits are available for additional fees.
• COSI Parking:  The closest parking is available at the Scioto Peninsula Underground Garage.  Visitor parking costs $6 with the discount stamp available at the COSI Box Office.
• Time Spent at COSI:  My oldest and I spent about two hours at COSI, and my younger two children stayed on with my friend and spent four hours exploring.

 

#7:  Franklin Park Conservatory

Franklin Park Conservatory is a botanical garden located on Broad Street a few miles from Capitol Square.  We always enjoy conservatories, but the big draw for us was its signature collection of Dale Chihuly artworks.  We have a fondness for Chihuly and have seen his works at the lobby of the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh and even MudBugs Cajun Kitchen in Sanibel.  None of those exhibits comes close to Franklin Park Conservatory’s Chihuly:  Celebrating Nature, the largest Chihuly collection in a botanical garden.  This current exhibit, which is on display through March 29, 2020, includes 13 Chihuly works that are part of the Conservatory’s permanent collection, four pieces of the Conservatory’s collection that have been reconfigured and five pieces on loan from Chihuly.

Dale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor who uses vibrant colors in his sculptures that often resemble flowers.  The exhibit guide gets high marks for including art label descriptions for each piece and using color-coding to indicate which pieces are from the permanent collection, reconfigured or on loan.  After being wowed by Chihuly’s Persian Window, we passed under the Persian Ceiling with layered glass forms.

My oldest son has color vision deficiency and only sees a fraction of the colors that the rest of the family can see.  To him, many of Chihuly’s selections do not seem bold or vivid, but he likes the forms.  However, this Garden Fiori, on loan for this exhibit, was an exception and looked brilliant to him and easily became his favorite of the exhibition.

The Lime Green Icicle Tower, also on loan, was the focal point of the Sculpture Garden.  It reminded me of the taller and skinnier version exhibited in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

There is something magical about butterflies, and it is always exciting to see one up close.  The Conservatory’s Blooms & Butterflies exhibit is located in the Pacific Island Water Garden.

The Kids Can Design Glass Art Studio gives kids the chance to make their own Chihuly-inspired creations.

Scott’s Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden offers active experiences in nature for children.  My daughter splashed in the Headwaters and Sandstone Creek, which were inspired by the nearby Hocking Hills before all three kids headed to the Canopy Walk and Nature Play Zone.

It’s no surprise that the Franklin Park Conservatory was recently named by USA Today as #5 on the 10 most beautiful places list.  The combination of Chihuly sculptures and nature exhibited here is nothing short of breathtaking.

• Franklin Park Conservatory Hours:  The Franklin Park Conservatory is generally open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Franklin Park Conservatory Admission:  Franklin Park Conservatory general admission costs $19 for visitors age 13-59, $16 for visitors over age 59 and $12 for children age 3-12.
• Franklin Park Conservatory Parking:  A free adjacent parking lot is available for visitors.
• Time Spent at Franklin Park Conservatory:  We spent only about an hour and a half at the Franklin Park Conservatory because our visit was postponed due to my son’s illness.  However, we could have easily spent two to three hours exploring the Conservatory and playing in the Children’s Garden.

 

#8:  The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has been nationally recognized among the best zoos in the U.S. and was recently named as the country’s #5 zoo by USA Today.  The enormous Zoo is organized by regions.  As soon as we entered, we hopped on the shuttle to the Heart of Africa exhibit and then weaved our way back to the entrance, saving us a lot of steps.  My four year old rarely uses a stroller, but after a few hours in the Franklin Park Conservatory, I was glad that we brought the stroller and comfortable walking shoes.  We saw so many animals up close, but those little legs would have struggled with the long walk on a hot day.

The large enclosure housing at least a dozen giraffe and also zebras in the Heart of Africa was so realistic that we felt as if we were on safari in Africa.

As a special treat, our kids took turns feeding a giraffe.  They liked getting up close and personal with the giraffe.

The Polar Frontier exhibit features polar bears.   My nine-year-old son recently completed a research project on polar bears, and we learned that they can close their ears underwater and many other fascinating facts.  The enclosure features a large, chilled pool, and we were excited to see one close up.

The Shores & Aquarium, which featured manatees, sea turtles, stingrays and many other aquatic creatures, was my 11-year-old son’s favorite part of the Zoo.

Elephants are another family favorite.  We noticed that the Asian elephants at the Columbus Zoo have much smaller ears than the African elephants at the Cleveland Zoo.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is one of the largest zoos in the United States and offers many shaded areas perfect for viewing animals on sunny days.  My daughter liked the dozens of animal sculptures around the zoo for photo opportunities, and we had to take pictures at almost everyone.  There is so much to see and do that it’s possible to spend an entire day exploring all the regions and combine a visit to the Zoombezi Bay water park or Jungle Jack’s Landing amusement area.

• Columbus Zoo Hours:  The hours of the Columbus Zoo vary by day of the week and season but are typically 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during the summer months.
• Columbus Zoo Admission:  Admission to the Columbus Zoo costs $21.99 for visitors ages 10-59 and $16.99 for visitors ages three to nine and over 59.  The Columbus Zoo-It-All experience includes Zoo admission as well as Jungle Jack’s Landing, Dinosaur Landing, the 4D theater, carousel and pony rides cost $36.99 for visitors ages 10-59 and $31.99 for visitors ages three to nine and over 59.  All pricing is based on 2019 admission rates.
• Columbus Zoo Parking:  Parking is available in an adjacent surface lot for $10 per car.
• Time Spent at the Columbus Zoo:  We spent about two and a half hours at the Columbus Zoo.

#9:  Zoombezi Bay

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium owns the adjacent water park, which is one of the most popular water parks in the Midwest.  The kids were desperate to dip their toes into the fountains at Easton, COSI and the Franklin Park Conservatory and had been waiting for Zoombezi Bay all weekend.  They thoroughly enjoyed their time at the Zoo, but after about two and a half hours were ready to cool off in Zoombezi Bay.  We were glad that we brought our pool bag with us to the Zoo and exited directly to Zoombezi Bay without first stopping at our car.  The first stop inside the entrance was the bathhouse and then the lockers.  The $10 small lockers were sold out for the day, so we rented a medium locker to store our clothes and valuables while we swam.  We selected our code and were able to open our locker as many times as we needed during our visit.

We headed to Baboon Lagoon, a multi-level play structure for water exploration.  The water sprays and 1,000 gallon bucket that tipped every few minutes was a bit overwhelming for my four year old daughter but perfect for my sons.  The kids also liked the Otter Banks play area.

The whole family enjoyed the Roaring Rapids Action River, a lazy river with inner tubes, waterfalls and wave generators that weaves throughout the entire water park.

We also enjoyed the Wild Tides Wave Pool (pictured here below closing for the day).   My boys headed straight for the deeper part of the pool while my daughter waded in the pool’s zero-entry edge and jumped over the breaking waves.

The lines for the large slides were quite long, but the boys did wait for Big Boa Falls for the gravity-defying experience of the uphill water slide.

The Tiny Tides area was designed for the youngest visitors.  The slides were much smaller, and there was plenty of space to splash around in the wading pool.

The kids’ only other water park experiences have been at Kalahari.  Many of the attractions at Zoombezi Bay were similar but on a much larger scale.  And, we enjoyed taking advantage of the park on this beautiful summer day.  We unexpectedly stayed until closing at 8:00 p.m., and all three kids fell asleep in the car on the way home.

• Zoombezi Bay Hours: Zoombezi Bay is open from mid-May to Labor Day.  Hours vary throughout the summer.
• Zoombezi Bay Admission:  Admission to Zoombezi Bay costs $29.99 for visitors ages 10-59 and $23.99 for visitors ages three to nine and over 59 and includes admission to the Columbus Zoo on the same day.  Add-on experiences to Jungle Jack’s Landing, Dinosaur Landing, the 4D theater, carousel and pony rides can be purchased for additional fees.  All pricing is based on 2019 admission rates.
• Zoombezi Bay Parking:  Parking is available in an adjacent surface lot for $10 per car.
• Time Spent at the Zoombezi Bay:  We spent about three and a half hours at the Zoombezi Bay.  It took us about 30 minutes to walk from the Columbus Zoo, enter Zoombezi Bay and get changed into our swimming attire.

 

Other Great Columbus Family Activities

There are so many more great family-friendly activities in Columbus.  While we couldn’t fit them all in during our visit, I’ve had the chance to more fully explore during the three years I lived here and during my frequent visits back.  These are still on our list for next time.

 

#10:  Columbus Museum of Art

Columbus Museum of Art features American and European modern and contemporary art along with folk art, glass art, and photography.  The Columbus Museum of Art is located downtown, and I’ve been fortunate to visit several times.  My favorite artwork is the Chihuly sculpture in the Museum’s Derby Court.  We couldn’t fit a trip to the Columbus Museum of Art into our weekend itinerary, but the Museum offers free admission every Sunday.

 

#11:  National Veterans Memorial and Museum

The National Veterans Memorial and Museum opened along the Scioto River in October 2018 on the site of the former Ohio Veterans Memorial, which most attorneys in Ohio remember as the convention center where they sat for three days at folding tables to take the bar exam.  The National Veterans Museum is dedicated to the experiences of veterans by incorporating personal stories.  Veterans receive free admission and parking.

 

#12:  Grange Insurance Audobon Center

The Grange Insurance Audobon Center is a nature center within the 120-acre Scioto Audubon Metro Park.  The Center is a great place for a nature hike, a spectacular view of downtown Columbus, bird watching and rock climbing.  I attended a series of meetings in the Center earlier this year and loved watching the seasons change from the wall of windows in the conference room.

#13:  Ohio Theatre

The Ohio Theatre in Columbus is located on State Street across from Capitol Square.  As a law student, I saw Beauty and the Beast at the Ohio Theatre, and I’ll always remember the Ohio Theatre as the venue for my law school hooding and my swearing-in ceremony.   The Ohio Theatre hosts Broadway shows, concerts, live events and movies.  Its CAPA Summer Movie Series is the longest-running classic film series in America and currently celebrating its 50th year.   Tickets cost only $5 each, and strips of 10 can be purchased for $30.

#14:  Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre in Columbus is a performing arts venue located at the base of the LeVeque Tower next to Hotel LeVeque.  Its design was influenced by the Palace of Versailles.  As a law student, I saw my all-time favorite Broadway show, Rent, for the first time from the front row of the Palace Theatre.  The Palace Theatre hosts many family-friendly events, including Peppa Pig Live and Wild Kratts Live 2.0.

 

Where to Eat in Columbus, Ohio

Cameron Mitchell restaurants were taking off in Columbus when I was in law school, and the brand continues as a dominant force in the local food scene, and there are now restaurants all over the United States.  There are so many more restaurant options than there were during my student days, and we chose our dining options based on location and cuisine.  We were certainly not disappointed.

 

Northstar Cafe at Easton Towne Center

Northstar has five Columbus locations that each serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Diners order their food from the counter, pay and then find a seat in the restaurant.  I chose the Pad Thai during our meal at the Northstar Cafe at Easton Towne Center and was not disappointed.

Condado

Condado features a build-your-own-taco concept, and we visited its original restaurant for dinner on North High Street.  The kids loved all the options to create one-of-a-kind tacos while I chose from the taco suggestions menu.  Condado was decorated with Day of the Dead decor and served a tasty margarita.

 

Wendy’s

Wendy’s was founded in Columbus in 1969 by Dave Thomas and is a Columbus institution.  It’s considered the world’s third-largest hamburger chain after McDonald’s and Burger King.  We grabbed a tasty but quick lunch between our visits to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Columbus Zoo.   The kids even talked me into ordering Frosty’s that they could split.

 

Our Family’s Columbus Weekend

We had a memorable family weekend in Columbus and didn’t have to pack our passports or book plane tickets.  The museums and parks in Columbus make it an ideal family vacation destination for those living in the Midwest and beyond.  My kids would certainly go back in a heartbeat and hope that spending a weekend in Columbus becomes an annual tradition.  Planning a trip to the Midwest?  Check out our series of posts on Ohio.