Photograph courtesy of Columbus Area Visitors Center
When Cincinnatians think of Columbus, we picture our neighbor to the northeast, home of Brutus the Buckeye and state government. Columbus, Indiana, is slightly closer, just a 90-minute drive away, and offers a wide array of things to see and do.
The Hook
Take a walk on the “Avenue of the Architects,” otherwise known as Fifth Street, to see large, brutalist buildings rubbing elbows with historic red-brick homes and businesses. If you’re looking for more greenery, Mill Race Park is a short walk outside of downtown. Paved walking paths take visitors past ponds, streams, a large metal observation tower, and sculptures. There’s even a small beach where you can relax and dip your feet in the Flatrock River.
Eat & Drink
Continue up one of those walking paths and you’ll find the entrance to Upland Brewing Co., which serves a mix of classic ales and interesting sours inside what was once a train station. Grab a quick beer or sit down for a full meal on the large riverfront patio. Zaharako’s Ice Cream Parlor is a must-visit for anyone in Columbus. Enter and be transported to 1900, the year of its founding, with an authentic interior, music, and soda machines still in use to this day. Order an ice cream float; you won’t be disappointed. Still hungry after that ice cream? ZwanzigZ Pizza is a short drive away. With an inviting wooden interior, classic pizzas, and not-so-classic beer flavors (Chocolate? Ghost Pepper?), it’s a convenient and comforting stop as you head back to Cincinnati.
Upland Brewing Co., 148 Lindsey St., Columbus, IN, (812) 799-3587
Zaharako’s Ice Cream Parlor, 329 Washington St., Columbus, IN, (812) 378-1900
ZwanzigZ Pizza, 1038 Lafayette Ave., Columbus, IN, (812) 376-0200
Where to Stay
Photograph courtesy of Columbus Area Visitors Center
The Inn at Irwin Gardens features a facade and gorgeous green space straight out of a storybook, most of it unchanged since the 1910 remodel by architect Henry A. Philips. This historic bed-and-breakfast has five unique suites with vintage fixtures, baths, and showers. Take a stroll in the gardens, which were inspired by a garden excavated in Pompeii.
The Inn at Irwin Gardens, 608 5th St., Columbus, IN, (812) 376-3663
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