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A Millennial’s Guide to Columbus

Outlook at Rising Park in Lancaster
The allure of Columbus has been stirring in me since the first time I visited Easton as a senior in high school. It only grew stronger as I went through seminary at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Thanks to my seminary education, I was able to explore the Southside of Columbus with the Church for All People, met up with many friends and classmates all around the city, and visited different places of worship thanks to an Interfaith exploration class. During this time, I always said “one day I’m going to live in Columbus.” Viola – that “one day” became a reality for two years.


While the last two years in ministry was one for the books, so was my time in Columbus. Work hard, play hard. The balance is needed and over the last year, I made it a priority. Whether you live in Columbus or find yourself visiting, here is a list of some of the BEST things this city has to offer:

  •  Apple picking at Lynd’s Fruit Farms in Pataskala. August through October they have a U-pick apple schedule. You could literally spend the day there shopping at the cutest farmer’s market, explore corn maze, and all kinds of fall fun is featured during the fall months. The “hand picked fresh” apples made for a great Triple Crisp Apple Crisp recipe!



  • There are 19 Metro Parks all around Columbus and the summer of 2016, I visited ALL of them and walked the trails. Favorites included Walnut Woods, Scioto Grove, Chestnut Ridge, and Highbanks. I never went to these parks alone and always enjoyed the conversation as well as the silence/reflection as we put in the miles. 
Completing the list at the newest Metro Park, Scioto Grove


  • Before heading to the Metro Parks, a stop at a coffee shop along the way made for following two trails – the park trail and the Columbus Coffee Trail. For those 21 and over, I would also recommend the Columbus Ale Trail.
Crimson Cup


  • What I thought would be similar to 2nd Street Market in Dayton; I eagerly visited the North Market. It turns out, it’s more of a house for International Restaurants than a farmer’s market. Oh well, it made for a great “North Market World Food Tour.”
Pho from Lan Viet Market


  • Driving the back roads one day, I almost crashed my car when I saw Alum Creek Lake – and sailboats! I was able to cross off one more thing on my Before December 2017 listy list by learning to sail with Alum Creek Sailing Association. One of the best ways I’ve spent decompressing from a trip was tubing and trying to wakeboard on the same lake.


  • Speaking of the Before December 2017 list, I was able to see many of my favorite artists and shows in the last two years in Columbus: Avett Brothers (2x), Johnnyswim (2x), Wicked, Ingrid Michaelson, The Lumineers, Stephen Kellog (2x), AJR Brothers (2x), Way Yes, and Old Crow Medicine Show.
The Lumineers


  • One of the gatherings I looked forward to most was with some amazing women for a monthly Chick Book Club. Reading the book was just the excuse to get together, drink wine, and soak in the awesome-ness of these women. My favorite book hands down was Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime. Gillian Flynn’s books still give me nightmares.


  • Another group of incredible people I met were the women of the Turkish American Society of Ohio. This group hosted a women's cooking class once a month. It was a great time of learning about a different culture around cooking and eating a meal. The women I met were great and the food was so unique and delicious!



  • A new experience that Columbus brought was conquering (except once) Escape Rooms. While this is not unique to Columbus, this is where the love for this adventure started. Looking forward to this team building in Cincinnati.
The one that we didn't escape from


  • The German Village Food and Walking Tour was a great adventure! Learning about the history and current context of the neighborhood along the way to 7 different restaurants. The food was ahhh-mazing and so was the company! 
Schmidt's famous cream puff

  • One of the best outlets I found was taking a break during the day and walking with a great friend. For a few months before the crazy summer schedule started, I looked forward to the time outside, unplugging from technology, being active, and spending quality time with one of my favorite people. If I wasn't with my friend, I found myself at Walnut Woods enjoying the pine trees. This is a practice that I plan to continue in Cincinnati.
Walnut Woods


  • Finally, if you are looking for the best restaurant in town – then you must visit Flavor 91 Bistro.  I can’t say enough great things about this place or the people that run it. It will be the best burger (or lamb burger) you will ever have paired with your choice of hand cut fries (regular or sweet potato). Make sure before your meal you enjoy a soup shot of creamy mushroom and chili with a kick made from scratch daily by Winnie. This place is the best kept secret in Columbus – when you visit make sure you tell Moses, Winnie, and Winta I said hello!
With co-owner, Moses



While I will soon be saying “goodbye” to Columbus, I look forward to visiting! However, I'm really excited for exploring Cincinnati! What are some of your favorite places in Columbus or Cincinnati?





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