{"id":14208,"date":"2015-08-01T00:33:58","date_gmt":"2015-08-01T07:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/?p=14208"},"modified":"2015-08-01T00:33:58","modified_gmt":"2015-08-01T07:33:58","slug":"move-to-columbus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/move-to-columbus\/","title":{"rendered":"33 Things You Need to Know About Columbus Before You Move There"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. The Wexner Will Blow Your Mind<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user TijsB<\/p><\/div>
\nOn the campus of The Ohio State University, the Wexner Center for the Arts is the city\u2019s go-to location for contemporary art. Film, concerts, dance, theater, and exhibitions\u2014this place has it all. It\u2019s one of the cultural hubs of the Central Ohio<\/a> region, and for good reason.<\/p>\n

2. Columbus Is Smarter Than You<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Howard TJ<\/p><\/div>
\nEarlier this year, The Intelligent Communities Forum named C-bus as one of the seven most intelligent cities in the world. Let me repeat this: in the world.<\/p>\n

3. Columbus Is a Major City<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Will Merydith<\/p><\/div>
\nI\u2019ve been all over the country and everyone always forgets that Columbus<\/a> is a big city. Don\u2019t believe me? It\u2019s the fifteenth largest city in the country, right behind San Francisco<\/a>. According to the Census, Columbus has 809,798 people living within its borders. The City by the Bay has 825,863 people. Think about that for a second.<\/p>\n

4. North Market Has All the Food You Want<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user tlarrow<\/p><\/div>
\nHave you ever been to a shopping mall mixed with a supermarket? If you\u2019re from Columbus you have. The North Market is on every city tour guide because it\u2019s awesome. Walking in you\u2019ll be bombarded with the smells that will melt your brain. The downside is that parking can be troublesome.<\/p>\n

5. Do Not Drive Anywhere Before a Home Football Game<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user tlarrow<\/p><\/div>
\nMore than 90 percent of the people in Columbus are football fans. Think of it this way: They will cut you for talking trashing about the Buckeyes. If you happen to go out immediately before or after a home football game, good luck getting back. The roads simply shut down.<\/p>\n

6. The Highway Is a Ghost Town During a Home Football Game<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Sam Howzit<\/p><\/div>
\nIf you happen to be one the dozen people in the city who don\u2019t like football, wait until a home game starts and take a tour of the city. It will be completely empty and devoid of any human life. It\u2019s an eerie feeling.<\/p>\n

7. If Elizabeth Lessner Opens a Restaurant, You Better Eat There<\/h2>\n

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Source: Courtesy of Hound Dog's.<\/p><\/div>
\nColumbusite Elizabeth Lessner is the brain behind Surly Girl Saloon, a cowgirl-themed bar in Columbus\u2019 Short North district. You read that correctly: A bar with a cowgirl theme. If that\u2019s too much for you\u2014and I guarantee it\u2019s not\u2014try Betty\u2019s Fine Food & Spirits or Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails.<\/p>\n

8. Columbus Is a Test Market for Everything<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user phlyingpeguin<\/p><\/div>
\nColumbus is like a fast food test market Mecca. Companies test all their crazy ideas on Columbus to see how the rest of the country might like it. Sometimes it\u2019s rad; sometimes it\u2019s disgusting.<\/p>\n

9. Columbus Has Two Pro Sports Teams<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Sports Crazy<\/p><\/div>
\nColumbus is a football town, there\u2019s no denying it. But that doesn\u2019t mean the city doesn\u2019t like other sports. Columbus has two professional sports teams: the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Crew. Of course, most folks in the city count OSU\u2019s football team as professional, too.<\/p>\n

10. The Annual Doo Dah Parade<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Kind of Bruin<\/p><\/div>
\nIf you like nonsensical fun and a gaggle of marching Fidel Castros, this is your type of parade. Sure, it might not be as famous as Pasadena\u2019s Do Dah Parade, but it\u2019s still amazing. Remember, participants can bribe the judges.<\/p>\n

11. Oh, You Like Movies?<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Ubi Desperare Nescio<\/p><\/div>
\nA Clintonville landmark, Studio 35 is a boozy little movie theater that is proud not to host an AMC experience. It also doesn\u2019t hurt that this joint has beer brought in by Barley\u2019s Brewing Company.<\/p>\n

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12. German Village<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user VasenkaPhotography<\/p><\/div>
\nThis tiny neighborhood is one of the premier historic districts in the country. It\u2019s a gorgeous area with a lot of friendly folks. I used to think it was expensive, but then I moved to San Francisco. Now I think it\u2019s cheap.<\/p>\n

13. CD 102.5 The Alternative Station<\/h2>\n

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Source: CD 102.5.<\/p><\/div>
\nTired of vanilla radio stations? Turn up your car stereo and tell Clear Channel to screw off. CD 102.5 (formerly CD101) has fought the good fight against mediocre music with lively programming. Also name one dude who doesn\u2019t have a crush on spin jockey Lesley James. I dare you.<\/p>\n

14. Columbus Is Home to this Bridge<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user busionpanda<\/p><\/div>
\nFranklin County<\/a> built this ridiculous bridge over the relatively small Olentangy River. I have no idea why the county needed this behemoth structure to cross a stream, but it\u2019s a badass bridge.<\/p>\n

15. Thurman Burger<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Joel Washing<\/p><\/div>
\nThis is a Thurman Burger. After eating it your stomach will alternately love you and hate you. That is the price you pay for greatness. The massive Columbus burger comes with what is essentially a ham sandwich on top. If looks familiar because the glutton from \u201cMan vs. Food\u201d swung by The Thurman Cafe to give it a nibble.<\/p>\n

16. Home of Origins<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr Will Merydith<\/p><\/div>
\nSure, Columbus doesn\u2019t host E3 or Comic-Con, but the city is home to Origins, a massive gaming and popular cultural convention. Why fight through hordes of looky loos at larger conventions when you can see concentrated fandom here?<\/p>\n

17. Tow Trucks Are Like Vultures<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Tyson K. Elder<\/p><\/div>
\nIt\u2019s a sad fact that if you lived on Ohio State\u2019s campus you grew to hate tow trucks. These asshats drive around every weekend night looking for a quick $200. I\u2019ve lived in a lot of places, but Columbus has been the worst when it comes to these clowns.<\/p>\n

18. Columbus\u2019 Library Is Awesome<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user silver marquis<\/p><\/div>
\nSeriously, there is a reason Columbus is smart. Let\u2019s consider the city\u2019s library system. It received a five out of five rating by the Library Journal\u2014for five years in a row. It also has a National Medal for Museum and LIbrary Service.<\/p>\n

19. Schmidt\u2019s<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user rayb777<\/p><\/div>
\nThis is a Schmidt\u2019s cream puff. It\u2019s about half the size of your head. It tastes like heaven. Stop drooling on your keyboard.<\/p>\n

20. Goody Boy<\/h2>\n

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Source: Michae's Goody Boy<\/p><\/div>
\nNestled in the Short North district, this tiny restaurants serves delicious and dirt-cheap diner food. It\u2019s changed a lot in the last couple of years. At one point it was a crapshoot whether it would be open. Now its claim to fame is a ginormous patio.<\/p>\n

21. Hounddog\u2019s Pizza<\/h2>\n

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Source: Hound Dog's Pizza<\/p><\/div>
\nHounddog\u2019s has the best pizza in Columbus. Ignore the surly waiters and waitresses. Make sure to get garlic butter crust, otherwise you\u2019re killing a kitten.<\/p>\n

22. Other Cities Do Not Know How to Tailgate<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user John Beagle<\/p><\/div>
\nTailgating is a profession in Ohio. A good tailgate will include\u2014but is not limited to\u2014large amounts of charred meat, beer, mixers, a random person who you invited, beanbag toss (cornhole), and redneck horse shoes. Typically, there will be so many tailgates, you won\u2019t know where to go first.<\/p>\n

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23. Catfish Biff\u2019s<\/h2>\n

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Source: Catfish Biff's<\/p><\/div>
\nThis is not the best pizza in Columbus. I know that this is a weird thing to say, but it needs to be mentioned just in case someone decides to swing by this place. Catfish, which is situated across the street from OSU\u2019s freshman dorms, is still standing because of the \u201cfreshman 30\u201d all those bright-eyed students pack on throughout the school year. If you\u2019re from Columbus, or spent any time on the Buckeye campus, you\u2019ll know this place.<\/p>\n

24. Columbus Park of Roses<\/h2>\n

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Source: Columbus Recreation and Parks Department<\/p><\/div>
\nThe first of two parks on this list, the Columbus Park of Roses is a huge, huge, rose garden in Clintonville. If you live in the area, you already know about this gorgeous park. In fact, it probably shows up on Columbus tour guides. So this isn\u2019t an insiders guide, but it is still awesome.<\/p>\n

25. Glen Echo Ravine<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user Stephen Wolfe<\/p><\/div>
\nWhile Glen Echo Park isn\u2019t as well known as the Columbus Park of Roses, this little gem is a great place to take in some nature. It\u2019s a ravine park near the Clintonville\/University area. Bring your camera for bird watching.<\/p>\n

26. Olentangy Trail<\/h2>\n

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Source: Columbus Recreation and Parks Department<\/p><\/div>
\nSorry for the aside, but I get a kick out of calling this thing the \u201cOld Tangy.\u201d People of Columbus, you should do this more often. Anyway, the Olentangy Trail is almost 14 miles long and winds from Worthington Hills to downtown. Go ahead, ride your bike along it or go for a stroll with your sweetie.<\/p>\n

27. Hidden Hiking Off of Olentangy Trail<\/h2>\n

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Source: www.illicitohio.com<\/p><\/div>
\nIf you\u2019re into urban hiking, there is a hidden trail off the bike path near the section of the Olentangy Trail near Blake Avenue. I don\u2019t condone going off the trail, but if you happen to get the urge, you\u2019ll find some decent fishing locations. If you\u2019re more adventurous, you might even find a part of the Gates of Hell, a heavily graffitied tunnel under North High Street.<\/p>\n

28. Community Festival<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user skpy<\/p><\/div>
\nNo one actually calls it the Community Festival; it\u2019s called ComFest. No one will judge you for making the mistake\u2014at least not to your face. This annual event is when all the free spirits around Columbus come out of the woodwork. Don\u2019t plan on getting any sleep.<\/p>\n

29. Gay Friendly<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user whiteshark29<\/p><\/div>
\nBack in 2010, the New York Times called Columbus the gay Mecca of the Midwest. Also, in 2006, a study by the UCLA School of Law\u2019s Williams Institute estimated that 6.7 percent of the city\u2019s population was gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals.<\/p>\n

30. High Ethnicity<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user rayb777<\/p><\/div>
\nSpeaking of diversity, Columbus has a significant immigrant population\u2014including the second-largest Somali population in the country. All this means that Columbus has one helluva ethnic food scene.<\/p>\n

31. This City Is So Meta<\/h2>\n

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Source: Flickr user ptc24<\/p><\/div>
\nOhio\u2019s capital is home to The Topiary Park, which is a landscape of a painting of a landscape. Do you feel like you were just Inceptioned?<\/p>\n

32. Everyone\u2019s Favorite Flavor Is Salty Caramel<\/h2>\n

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Source: Jenni's Splendid Icecream<\/p><\/div>
\nJeni\u2019s Splendid Ice Creams, pretty much the best ice cream in the city, is known for its salty caramel flavor.<\/p>\n

33. Columbus Has More Spirit<\/h2>\n

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Source: Brothers Drake Meadery<\/p><\/div>
\nThe folks in this city are into their specialty distilleries. Here are some you should know: Middle West, Watershed, and Brothers Drake Meadery. Bottoms up!
\nNow that you know what\u2019s up in Columbus, prepare to move to the best city in Ohio\u2014and probably all of the Midwest.<\/p>\n

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Homes for Sale<\/h5>\n