Columbus's various neighborhoods tell the story of a classic city, one built in peace and tested in war, and every inch a tribute to the innovations and aspirations of generations past and still to come. Columbus is a city of many districts, but the best of them are linked by one convenient boulevard, High Street. High runs north to south and for all intents and purposes dictates where is the action is.

Downtown

Its downtown makes abundantly clear that Columbus is a capital city. Skyscrapers young and old surround the imposing Ohio Statehouse, as hotels surround the nearby Greater Columbus Convention Center. Interspersed among it all are great places to eat, drink and play.

Within Downtown, there are a couple of important sub-districts. The Arena District is the first, encompassing the series of blocks adjacent to Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets. While the hockey fans in your party watch hockey, the rest can hit up North Market, an epic indoor food market home to vendors offering everything from mango lassi to fresh seafood.

The Discovery District (known in some circles as "The Disco") is a rare locale not located on or adjacent to High Street. It is home to a number of museums and historic places, from the Columbus College of Art and Design to the Columbus Metro Library. The Columbus Topiary Garden at Old Deaf School Park is a wonder to behold, though one wonders how it is that the sculpted shrubbery remain untouched by the hands of creative vandals looking to make a statement. Perhaps Ohio is just that idyllic.

If you head east to the Scioto River, you can spend hours enjoying the Columbus riverfront. Battelle Riverfront Park hosts a floating replica of Christopher Columbus's Santa Maria, and across the bridge is COSI, a colossal facility devoted to science and learning. Anywhere along the way would make a nice picnic spot.

German Village

German Village is preserved history at its best. Absent is the cutesy sugar coating seen elsewhere, and nothing is roped off or under glass. It is an old neighborhood still vibrant thanks to new generations and new endeavors, but the cobblestones and petite residences and community gardens remain. German culture is very much alive at bakeries like Juergen's and sausage houses like Schmidt's, though contemporary elements have crept in, in the form of galleries, tapas joints and coffee shops.

Wandering the avenues and alleyways here could keep one occupied for hours, what with every single house being adorable in its own special way, and surprises lurking around each corner (a restaurant here, a neighborhood bar there). That said, take some time to sit back and relax awhile at Schiller Park. It's got playgrounds, rolling hills and colorful flowerbeds galore.

Short North

This is the arts district responsible for Columbus's being known as "The Arch City." Fine steel arches span High Street at intervals, providing light at night and old-Americana charm always. Pubs, bistros and galleries line the walk, though there's a White Castle too if one is looking to mix in a little lowbrow.

Just off the main drag is the very inviting Goodale Park, with paths and ducks and a lily-padded lake.

Ohio State University

Also located right along High Street, the university area aggregates a special mix of attractions. Businesses and dining here are largely aimed at students, so expect to see a gaggle of record stores and an endless parade of bars and cheap eateries. Countering that is the Wexner Center for the Arts, a bastion of art and culture located on the campus itself. And of course, there's Ohio Stadium, site of so many past (and hopefully future) football glories.

Outlying Areas

Even when you get far enough north that Downtown Columbus is a distant memory, most everything good is still on High Street. Little townships like Clintonville and Worthington have personalities all their own, with shops and restaurants worthy of the trek up from town.  

That being said, it must be noted that life off High Street does in fact exist. West of town is the largely residential Grandview Heights, home to one of a pair of Drexel Movie Theatres, so beloved by fans of independent and foreign cinema. East of town, past Franklin Park and its lively conservatory, is Bexley, home of the other Drexel and a slew of charming neighborhood diners and shops. Past Bexley is Whitehall, site of perhaps the world's first major shopping center. Due north is Easton Town Center, a shopping center so major it has three big-name hotels lining its perimeter.