COLUMBUS, Ohio — A labyrinth of a bookstore. A cream puff the size of a Corolla. A breezy stroll along the river. A bustling indoor market. A conservatory featuring interplay with glass sculptures.
Those are just some of the highlights of a recent visit to Columbus, Ohio, where I was in town for AIMExpo, a national motorcycle and powersports convention.
The good folks at KTM North America were kind enough to lend me a 2019 790 Duke for an entire day, and that provided the perfect excuse to explore the city. (And, really, what better way is there than doing that via two wheels?)
Columbus, a college town with capital-city ambitions and a bevy of trendy food destinations, bars and microbreweries, and cultural destinations, is located about 180 miles west of Pittsburgh on Interstate 70, making it a good candidate for a weekend jaunt. And while the city is heavy on politicos, lobbyists and other serious professional types, Columbus is a fun-spirited place.
Visitors will find that the city is accessible and easily navigable. Honestly, if you can remember just a few main streets, you’ll have no problem getting around the city, even without a map. Although, to be honest, I did at one point miss a turn only to find myself, of all places, in the parking lot of a Spaghetti Warehouse.
If you decide to visit Ohio's most populous city (an estimated 892,533, according to the all-knowing Wikipedia), here are some recommended stops, listed in no particular order:
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German Village
While much of Columbus has an Anywhere, U.S.A., look to it, German Village is the exception. The historic neighborhood's houses have an Old World charm, which is complemented by tall church steeples, quaint storefronts, coffeehouses and cobblestone streets.
On my visit, I rode throughout the streets and alleyways of the village, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
I stopped to grab a latte and pain au chocolat, which the barista warmed to crispy and gooey perfection, at Pistacia Vera (541 S. Third St.), then stumbled upon Joe Lombardo's art class, whose students were practicing their painting skills at Schiller Park, a relaxing — and shady — spot that includes a small lake and white swans.
Also within the village are two Columbus treasures: The Book Loft and Schmidt's Sausage Haus.
For those who have visited Ocean City, Md., you are no doubt familiar with the Ocean Gallery, the eclectically decorated boardwalk art store. Well, The Book Loft (631 S. Third St.) is to books as the Ocean Gallery is to art.
Thirty-two rooms, connected by a labyrinth of narrow passageways and stairs, provide book lovers with at least 500,000 copies (I’m told that number rises to 1 million during the holidays) ranging from New York Times bestsellers to engine rebuilds.
There are no places to sit once inside, so if you like the book, be prepared to take it with you.
Not far from The Book Loft and farther into the heart of German Village is the legendary Schmidt’s Sausage Haus (240 E. Kossuth St.), whose wonderfully smoked wursts provided an aromatic backdrop to the entire village.
It was shortly after noon when I got there, so it was a perfect time for lunch.
I ordered a small sample platter that came with the Haus’ own Bahama Mama sausage, a slice of Hofbrau schnitzel with mushroom gravy, and sides of red cabbage and smashed red potatoes. This was just the appetizer, because what ultimately awaited me was Schmidt’s most famous menu item.
That, of course, would be the half-pound — yes, half-pound — jumbo cream puff. Available in either vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter fudge or the flavor of the month — it was s’mores in September — Schmidt’s cream puff is a gut buster. I ordered the vanilla. Yes, it was delicious, but — and I stress but — I don’t recommend it for someone who still plans to tour Columbus on a motorcycle in 95-degree heat.
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The Scioto Mile
If you want to take a break from it all while remaining within the city’s confines, a 175-acre park that runs along the Scioto River is the perfect escape. Known as The Scioto Mile, the greenspace has walking and bike paths and is the location of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, a stunning $82 million, 53,000-square-foot spiral-like facility that honors those who serve.
The park also features some of the best views of Columbus’ skyline. However, there’s not a lot of shade, so bring plenty of sunscreen.
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North Market
North Market (59 Spruce St.) is an indoor market featuring vendors selling ready-to-eat and sit-down meals (including Thai, Polish, Indian and Italian), beer, coffee, spices and gifts.
For those familiar with Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market and Baltimore’s Lexington Market, North Market is much less daunting. It’s small, airy, easily perusable and worth a stop if you’re in that part of town.
Because it’s so close to Columbus’ convention center — North Market lies between the city’s Arena District and Short North neighborhoods — I went twice. The first time, just after it opened when hardly anyone was there, and a second time in the afternoon when it was inundated by the early dinner crowd.
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Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The conservatory, opened in 1895, is on the National Register of Historic Places and features more than 400 plant species from around the world in its Victorian-style glass greenhouse. The facility (1777 E. Broad St.) also features more than $7 million in glass artwork from Dale Chihuly.
If you've already seen Mr. Chihuly’s artwork at Phipps Conservatory or are among the critics who think his art junks up the natural beauty, perhaps Franklin Park should be left off your list of destinations.
Otherwise, expect a visit there to take at least two hours. An adult ticket costs $20.
In addition to the conservatory, Franklin Park includes an adventure center, an outdoor amphitheater, a children's park and two lagoons inside its 88 acres.
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Short North
The Short North is where professionals and college students seem most likely to cross paths, with the artsy neighborhood serving as common ground for its trendy food and drink destinations. Not to mention the fact that it sits north of Downtown and not far from Ohio State's campus.
High Street is its main artery and for Pittsburghers, the neighborhood would be more reminiscent of Lawrenceville than the South Side.
Like both Pittsburgh neighborhoods, Short North also has an artistic spirit, with public art displays, murals, galleries and even a colorful parking garage.
Toward the end of the night, things can get a little wild, as you may be forced to dodge drunken 20- and 30-somethings on app-activated e-scooters. When not in use, you’ll find them — the scooters, not the drunks — parked anywhere and everywhere throughout the Short North.
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Seventh Son Brewing
Thanks to its German roots, Columbus has many micro- and craft-brew options. Intimidated by the choices, I asked Mike Pound, the PG’s resident brewmeister and Columbus native, if he had any recommendations. One of them was Seventh Son (1101 N. Fourth St.), which makes its beer on the premises.
Since I was riding, and don't mix alcohol and motorcycles, I’ll admit I was a little hesitant.
Thankfully, the kind folks at Seventh Son offered me tastings of all their proprietary brews. Essentially, the shot-sized samples amounted to, at most, a single full-sized beer. The samples ranged in alcohol volume from 4.5% to 9.5% and included ales, stoutsand lagers, among others. The selection also confirmed two things:
1) I’m a fan of the Belgians — indeed, Baphomet, a Belgian-style tripel, was my favorite, and,
2) I could do without sours, lambics and otherwise flavored beer after sampling Goo Goo Muck, a tart IPA, and Kitty Paw, a pineapple and tangerine concoction.
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Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace
If you're a regular reader of the Post-Gazette's Dan Gigler, you now know that I'm Pittsburgh's Dean of the Dogs.
Therefore, stopping at Dirty Frank's (248 S. Fourth St.), which was first recommended to me by Larry Roberts, the PG’s former photographer and editor, and a million people since then, was as natural as the casing surrounding my chili and cheese hot dog.
Just as Pittsburghers flock to Primanti's, Dirty Frank’s is a Columbus institution. I’d hate to see what the tiny dining room looks like just before a Buckeyes home game.
Its extensive menu even includes a nod — although in a backhanded slappy kind of way — to the Steel City: the Pittsburgh Princess, a dog covered in fries, creamy slaw and malt vinegar.
Anthony Conroy: aconroy@post-gazette.com or Twitter: @AnthonyConroy98.
First Published: November 4, 2019, 12:00 p.m.