Columbus is one of those cities that sneaks up on you — a little artsy, a little sporty, a lot of good food, and plenty to keep you busy. If you’ve only got one day to explore, you can still hit the highlights and leave feeling like you got a real taste of the city. Here’s how I’d spend the perfect 24 hours in Columbus Ohio.
Start your day at The Woodbury, where the menu is just as creative as the space. The candied bacon crepes are a must — three crepes filled with sweet-and-salty candied bacon, fresh fruit, vanilla buttercream, and a drizzle of jelly sauce. If you want something a little bolder, order the Chicken Hotcakes Tacos: house pancakes with crispy fried chicken, chili aioli, strawberry salsa, and Milligan’s maple syrup.
If you want something faster, grab breakfast at The Lox instead. The bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel is my go-to, but if you like salmon, the lox bagel is fully loaded with salmon, capers, and cream cheese.
After breakfast, head to the Short North Arts District. This neighborhood is full of colorful murals, galleries, and boutiques — perfect for a morning stroll. Take time to pop into a few shops, snap some mural photos, and just enjoy the creative energy of the area. If you want even more ideas for things to do nearby, check out my Top 5 Things to Do in Columbus, Ohio.
When you’re ready for lunch, make your way to Wario’s Beef & Pork. The sandwiches here are massive — big enough to share — so order a Caesar salad, one sandwich (try the steak sandwich or the cheesy Warrior’s Way), and a side of potatoes if you’re hungry.
Park behind Wario’s if you can (last time it was $1.35 for an hour), then take a walk through the Arena District — it’s a fun, lively area with shops and public art. From there, you can walk to North Market, Columbus’s famous indoor food hall.
At North Market, grab a scoop of Jeni’s Ice Cream — Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Goat Cheese with Red Cherries, and Wildberry Lavender are just a few of the inventive flavors. Get it in a butterscotch waffle cone if you really want to do it right.
If you’re still hungry, head to Mo Mo Ghar, where Chef Phinsto Lama serves up Tibetan and Nepalese favorites. This spot was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and for good reason. Try the Johl Mo Mo (steamed chicken dumplings in a spicy fenugreek tomato sauce) or the Choila Set (a spiced chicken salad with rice, potatoes, and black-eyed peas) — Guy Fieri called it one of the most unique dishes he’s ever had.
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Spend your evening in German Village, where the brick-lined streets and historic homes make you feel like you’ve been transported somewhere completely different. Stop into the boutiques, walk the cobblestone streets, and make time for The Book Loft, a bookstore with 32 rooms of books — it’s easy to get lost in the best possible way.
For dinner, book a table at Lindey’s (More Info on Lindey's Here), a Columbus classic. Their menu changes seasonally, but everything I’ve had has been 10/10. Make reservations two to three weeks in advance if you can — by 5:30 or 6 pm, walk-ins are nearly impossible to snag. If you don’t have a reservation, try for open seating at the bar or outside on the patio. Don’t skip the bread and butter — it’s baked fresh in Grandview and the butter is perfectly salty.
After dinner, take one last stroll through German Village. Between the gas lanterns, the historic architecture, and the cozy atmosphere, it’s the perfect way to end your 24 hours in Columbus.
Columbus packs a lot into one day if you plan it right. Start with a creative breakfast, eat your way through Wario’s and North Market, wander the Short North, and finish with German Village and dinner at Lindey’s. It’s a day full of flavor, art, and just enough walking to make you feel like you earned that extra scoop of ice cream.
If you’re staying longer, you’ll love my Spend a Weekend in Columbus, Ohio and Spend a Week in Columbus, Ohio guides.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
Use my Where to Stay in Columbus, Ohio guide to compare downtown hotels, boutique properties, and places to stay near the neighborhoods in this itinerary.
You can also compare Columbus hotels and current rates through Booking.com.
Browse Columbus tours and activities through Viator or GetYourGuide.
You’ll spend a good portion of this itinerary walking between restaurants and neighborhoods, so bring a refillable Brita Water Bottle.
I also carry a Clutch Powerbank because taking photos and using maps throughout the day can drain my phone battery quickly.
Plan more meals with The Ultimate Columbus Foodie Guide.
Turn your visit into a couples’ trip with my Romantic Getaway in Columbus – 2-Day Itinerary.
Explore outside the city with The Best Day Trips from Columbus, Ohio.
Booked this Bryson City yurt for the ‘ber months and it’s already my top fall pick this year. 🍂
The Junaluska Yurt sleeps six but feels more like a stylish cabin than a yurt, two real queen bedrooms with actual doors, a full kitchen, and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower. Check-in is just a door code texted to your phone, no lobby, no waiting.
The real win is outside: wraparound porch, private fire pit, free firewood, a gas grill, and Smoky Mountain sunsets that stop you mid-sentence, picture all of that with October color on the ridgeline. Heads up, the last stretch in is a gravel road, so skip the low-profile rental, and there’s no restaurant onsite, you’re minutes from Bryson City, Dillsboro, and Sylva for dinner.
Two to three nights is the sweet spot. (We actually stayed in the dead of winter and it was still stunning, fall just takes it up a notch.) Full review linked in bio.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
