Named after discoverer Christopher Columbus, Ohio's capital city encompasses a six-county metropolitan area and covers 3,142 square miles in the center of the state.
Columbus is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and economic vitality. The headquarters of a number of Fortune 500 companies are here, and many of their executives claim they would not leave the city - even if they were promoted.
When to Go
The four seasons in Ohio are quite distinct. Spring can be cloudy, chilly, and rainy with occasional teases of summerlike weather. Summer can get warm and extremely humid, making it feel 100 degrees-plus when it's only 85. Autumn can be beautiful, perfect for a fall-foliage tour. Winters are cold, with temperatures in the 20s and 30s.
Expect at least a couple of surprise snowstorms or ice storms, most of them in January. The farther north you go in winter, the colder, windier, and snowier it gets, thanks to Lake Erie.
What to See
Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery: This large cemetery is the final resting place of 2,260 Confederate soldiers who died in Civil War battles. Graves are marked with names and ranks of soldiers.
Ohio State University: This leading teaching and research university offers an extensive range of academic programs in the liberal arts, the sciences, and the professions. The Oval, the heart of the Columbus campus, is beautifully landscaped with 115 varieties of trees and surrounded by stately buildings including historic Orton Hall, the Main Library, and University Hall.
Ohio Statehouse: This 1861 Greek Revival building is the home of the Ohio Legislature. The dome of the rotunda is painted with the state seal; the building also has portraits of Ohio's governors and presidents and historical documents.
Ohio Village: This reconstruction of a rural county seat of the mid-19th century includes sixteen buildings, all of them connected by a wooden boardwalk. The buildings house 22 craft shops, residences, and offices, in which costumed interpreters talk about life in Ohio during the Civil War. Also on site are period gardens, a Gothic Revival-style church, and the Colonel Crawford Inn, a period restaurant where you can sample authentic Colonial recipes.
