Most people don’t know Columbus has a secret art district where murals outnumber stoplights, and you’ll want to see it up close. I’ll walk you through ten can’t-miss tours — from intimate gallery strolls and beer tastings to haunted walks and zoo backstage access — so you can pick your vibe, taste, and pace. Stick around, I’ve saved the best surprise for last, and yes, you’ll want to book it.
Short North Art & Gallery Walking Tour
If you’re ready to wander where paint still smells faintly of genius, follow me down High Street into the Short North—Columbus’s loudest, proudest gallery strip.
You’ll walk past murals that slap you awake, hear a drummer practicing in an alley, and I’ll point out how artistic influences from folk to modern collide on brick.
We duck into local galleries, I crack a joke about my taste (it’s questionable), and you tilt your head like a connoisseur anyway.
You’ll touch a bronze bench, smell coffee, and argue with me about which piece stole the show.
We trade quick asides, take photos, and I’ll steer you toward a tiny storefront where a painter sells postcards.
You leave buzzing, pockets lighter, heart louder.
German Village Historic Walking Tour
One long brick street will make you believe in time travel—trust me, I’ve checked the map twice. I guide you down narrow lanes, you breathe cool, old-stone air, and the scent of bakery warm-ups teases your nose.
German history pops from plaques, cobbles, and clapboard porches, and Village architecture sings in every window.
- Stop at Schiller Park, sit, listen to rustling leaves.
- Peek into restored rowhouses, notice ironwork and brick bonds.
- Taste a pastry, let powdered sugar prove authenticity.
- Hear a guide mime a sausage-maker, laugh at my terrible accent.
- Photograph crooked chimneys, frame them like a postcard.
You’ll feel small, curious, delighted. I point things out, you discover new stories, we both leave grinning.
Scioto Mile Waterfront & Riverwalk Stroll
When the river glints like a stretched ribbon of mirror, you’ll want sunglasses and a better playlist than I brought—trust me, my synth-pop choices are questionable.
Walk with me along the Scioto Mile, feel cool mist from the fountains, hear children’s laughter and distant traffic hum, and breathe a city that learned how to relax.
You’ll spot joggers, couples, and pop-up art. Stop for waterfront dining, pick a patio, order something messy, and napkin-war your way to happiness.
Pause at a plaza where riverfront events light up the night, music spilling, vendors calling, confetti maybe—joy is communal here.
I point out a skyline reflection, you take the photo, we both pretend we’re effortless explorers. Simple, vivid, and totally worth it.
Brewery District Craft Beer Tasting Tour
You’ll want to start at the neighborhood’s top taprooms. I know my patience for weak pours is short, and the best spots here pour bold IPAs, silky stouts, and tart sours that smell like roasted coffee and citrus zest.
I’ll walk you from bar to bar, we’ll taste flight after flight, and I’ll point out perfect small bites that make each beer sing — think sharp cheddar with amber ales, and spicy pretzel bites for hazy IPAs.
Trust me, you’ll leave with new favorites, a slightly smug grin, and maybe a story or two you can blame on craft beer.
Best Craft Beer Spots
If you like your beer with a backstory, a bold flavor, and a side of neighborhood charm, I’ve got a tasting route that’ll make your taste buds stand up and introduce themselves.
You’ll wander streets where local breweries hum, and you’ll catch the vibe they bring, like craft beer festivals without the crowds. I’ll point you to spots that pour personality.
- Tiny taproom with oak barrels and barstool wisdom
- Funk-forward sour house, puckery and proud
- Hoppy flagship brewery that smells like citrus sunshine
- Cozy brewpub serving pretzels the size of your wrist
- Rooftop patio where sunset and a pale ale feel conspiratorial
You’ll sip, you’ll nod, you’ll remember. I’ll brag about my picks, then sheepishly admit I’m biased.
Tasting and Pairings
Alright, cap your glass and follow me — we’re moving from wandering taprooms to pairing sips with bites that make both sing.
You’ll taste bold IPAs, velvet stouts, even saisons with citrus snaps, then watch me match them to grilled sausages, tangy pickles, and buttery crostini.
I riff like a sommelier gone rogue, borrowing tricks from wine tasting, but with looser rules and louder laughter.
Expect cheese pairings that surprise — sharp cheddars, creamy bries, funk-forward blues — each bite softening hops or highlighting malt.
You’ll sniff, slurp, chew, declare favorites, change your mind, argue with me (politely), and leave knowing your palate better.
It’s intimate, honest, and deliciously educational.
Book your spot, you won’t regret it.
North Market Foodie Walking Tour
Ever wondered where Columbus hides its happiest smells? You step into North Market, I grab your elbow, and we dive straight into culinary delights from upbeat stalls, local vendors flaunting fresh bread, spicy tacos, and sweet pastries.
You’ll taste, you’ll ask questions, you’ll laugh when I mispronounce a vendor’s name — we’re casual, curious, hungry.
- Savor handmade cheeses that melt in your mouth
- Try global bites from vendors with proud recipes
- Sip small-batch coffee, steam fogging your glasses
- Watch chefs prep, knives flashing, aromas rising
- Pick a pastry, flaky and warm, decisive bliss
We move stall to stall, chat with owners, learn a dish’s story — you leave full, smiling, and smug.
Columbus Architecture & Capitol Building Tour
Step into the Capitol’s shadow and you’ll feel the city change its posture — shoulders back, a little more deliberate.
I lead you along stone steps, we breathe in cool limestone, you touch carved cornices, and I point out ironwork that smiles like a wink.
You’ll hear stories of capitol history, scandals and triumphs tossed like confetti.
We pause under a dome, sunlight pricking your shoulder, and you snap photos while I crack a bad joke to loosen the tour necks.
Historic architecture becomes a living map, routes of power you can almost trace with your fingertips.
You’ll leave knowing the building’s bones, humming a new civic song, glad you came, slightly smarter, and oddly proud.
Columbia Scenic Bike Ride Along Olentangy Trail
If you want to clear your head and earn your lunch, hop on my bike and let me lead you down the Olentangy Trail — I promise the city will feel friendlier with a breeze in your face.
You’ll pedal past maples, hear river chatter, and I’ll tell quick bits of Olentangy history, nothing dusty, just the good stuff.
You’ll stop for Scenic viewpoints, snap a photo, and wonder why you don’t bike more. I point out hidden murals, joke about my directions, you laugh, we roll.
- Easy pacing for mixed riders
- Riverbank picnic spots
- Bike-friendly cafes nearby
- Brief Olentangy history stops
- Scenic viewpoints with photo tips
Bring water, a grin, and sensible shoes.
Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens Guided Visit
You’ll kick off at the Conservatory’s glasshouse like a kid pressing their nose to a candy shop window — only this time the candy smells like jasmine and hot soil.
You’ll join guided tours that move at a human pace, your guide pointing out riotous botanical collections, whispering fern secrets, and dropping plant puns you’ll pretend not to love.
You’ll wander sculpted gardens, feel humid air hug your jacket, trace veins on a giant leaf, and taste mint from a tasting station because why not.
I’ll nudge you toward the seasonal displays, then step back so you can gasp, selfie, or sit in stunned quiet.
It’s educational, it’s charming, and yes, it’ll make you care about begonias.
Book it.
Columbus Zoo Behind-the-Scenes Experience
You’ll get to meet the animal caretakers, the folks who actually know each resident’s quirks, and yes, they’ll let you ask the awkward questions you’re too embarrassed to Google.
I’ll walk you past quiet, off-exhibit habitats, where the air smells like hay and warm fur, and you’ll see spaces that look ordinary until an unexpected snort or feathered rustle makes you jump.
Watch a speedy feeding routine up close, hear the clink of buckets, and I promise, you’ll leave with a story that sounds better than the photos.
Meet Animal Caretakers
One quick warning before we start: I get weirdly jealous of people who work with animals for a living, so I’ll probably gush.
You’ll meet caretakers who chat like coffee pros, but with fur on their laps. They show you how animal care routines happen — feeding rhythms, scent enrichment, gentle restraint — and explain wildlife conservation goals without the preachy tone.
- Watch a keeper prepare a meal, crisp veggies, and protein measured like chemistry.
- Smell hay, hear soft vocalizations, see careful hands.
- Ask about training, cues, and trust-building steps.
- Learn about rehab stories, release hopes, long-term studies.
- Snap photos when allowed, but follow the keeper’s lead.
You’ll leave buzzing, slightly jealous, entirely inspired.
See Off-Exhibit Habitats
After watching a keeper measure out protein like a lab tech and hearing the quiet exchange of trust between human and animal, I’m ready to take you where the public can’t—behind the scenes at the Columbus Zoo.
You’ll step off the path, breathe cooler air, smell hay and damp earth, and see habitats closed to crowds. I guide you past quiet pools, through soft-footed trails, and into spaces where wildlife encounters happen deliberately, not by accident.
You’ll peek at nesting boxes, listen to distant calls, and learn how caretakers monitor microclimates, all while I crack a modest joke to keep nerves down.
This isn’t a parade, it’s habitat conservation in action, up close, honest, and oddly moving.
Learn Feeding Routines
Because feeding time here reads like a culinary boot camp for critters, I pull on gloves, squint at lists scrawled in keeper handwriting, and pretend I know the difference between browse and buffet.
You’ll join me, learn animal behavior up close, and watch feeding habits reveal personalities. You smell hay, citrus, and ocean air, you hear chatter and soft chomps. Keepers coach you, you hand over produce, and a gibbon judges your technique.
- Observe pacing, tail flicks, and vocal cues.
- Note portion sizes, prep rituals, and timing.
- Try careful hand-feeding when allowed.
- Record reactions to new textures and scents.
- Ask about diet changes and enrichment plans.
It’s hands-on, honest, funny, and you’ll leave smarter.
Haunted Columbus Ghost Tour
If you like your history with a side of goosebumps, you’ll want to join me on the Haunted Columbus Ghost Tour — I promise it’s more fun than hiding under the covers.
You’ll stroll cobblestones at dusk, smell damp brick and hear my voice drop into conspiratorial whispers, as I unpack haunted history with a grin.
Expect abrupt chills, streetlamp shadows, and a few ghostly encounters I can’t fully explain — I’m honest about my nerves, you’ll groan at my jokes, but you’ll lean in anyway.
I point out creaking doorways, tap a stained window, and read a faded diary line aloud; sometimes something answers.
It’s brisk, theatrical, and oddly reassuring — you won’t sleep, but you’ll love every minute.
Conclusion
You’ve got the map, you’ve got the gusto — go taste, stroll, pedal, and gasp. I’ll be honest, I cried a little at the zoo (yes, like a Victorian), but you’ll laugh more. Feel the river breeze, smell fresh pretzels, hear gallery whispers, clink a beer, dodge a ghost, pedal past trees, and press your palms to warm greenhouse glass. Book now, make a mess of memories, and call me jealous.