Columbus venues come in clusters, which makes a show night easier to plan than it looks. Pick the neighborhood first, then dinner, then the ride home.
Arena District
Four of the busiest stages in the city sit within a few blocks of each other just northwest of downtown. Nationwide Arena anchors the district, KEMBA Live! is a short walk away on Neil Avenue, and A&R Music Bar and The Basement share the building next door. The Forum Columbus is a few blocks southeast on North Wall Street.
For food, North Market on Spruce Street is the easy answer. The city opened a public market on that block in 1876, it is the only one of Columbus's original public markets still running, and it keeps a long row of food stalls under one roof. Check its hours before you count on it for a late bite.
When a Blue Jackets game and a KEMBA Live! show fall on the same night, the garages around the arena fill faster and Nationwide Boulevard backs up, so give yourself extra time.
High Street, from the Short North to Old North
High Street is the spine of Columbus nightlife, and most of the club circuit sits on it or a few blocks off it.
The Short North begins just north of downtown under the lighted arches that span High Street, a look that dates to 1888 and came back in 2002. Skully's Music-Diner sits near the north end, among blocks of restaurants and bars. On the first Saturday of the month, the Gallery Hop fills the sidewalks with people moving between galleries, so expect a crowd and a slower hunt for parking.
Keep going north and you reach campus. Newport Music Hall faces Ohio State across High Street, and Mershon Auditorium is part of the Wexner Center for the Arts on the campus side. Past campus, Old North packs the small rooms close together. Ace of Cups and The Spacebar sit within a block of each other on High Street, and Rumba Cafe and The Summit Music Hall are a few blocks east on Summit Street.
On Ohio State home football Saturdays in the fall, campus streets and lots fill hours before kickoff. If your show is near campus that day, leave early or take the bus.
Downtown theaters and the riverfront
The Palace Theatre on Broad Street opened in 1926, the Southern Theatre on Main Street has stood since 1896, and the Davidson Theatre sits inside the Riffe Center at High and State, across from the Statehouse. All three are a short walk from the Scioto Mile, the chain of parks and fountains along the river, a pleasant place to pass a warm evening before the show.
German Village, with its brick streets, is a short drive south of the Southern. Schmidt's has been in the sausage business there since 1886 and is known for its cream puffs, and the Book Loft spreads its shelves across 32 rooms.
Two more historic rooms sit just east of downtown. The Bluestone is in a former church on East Broad Street, and the Lincoln Theatre anchors the King-Lincoln Bronzeville neighborhood on East Long Street.
Grandview and the West Side
Woodlands Tavern and Natalie's are less than a mile apart on the Grandview side of town, and Grandview Avenue has plenty of places to eat before either one.
Farther west, the Event Center at Hollywood Casino sits off Georgesville Road near I-270. The Grainery in Plain City pairs country shows with smoked barbecue, out past the northwest suburbs.
Easton and the north
Easton Town Center, the open air shopping and dining district that opened on the northeast side in 1999, makes an easy dinner stop before a show at the McCoy Center in New Albany, a short drive northeast. The King of Clubs sits on the north side off Busch Boulevard, and the McConnell Arts Center is a short walk from the village green in Old Worthington, which has its own row of restaurants on High Street.
Getting around
- COTA buses. Line 2 runs the length of High Street, linking downtown, the Short North, campus and Old North. Check COTA's schedule for late trips before you count on a bus home.
- Walking. Each High Street neighborhood works well on foot, but downtown to Old North is a long haul, so ride part of it.
- Parking. Garages cover the Arena District, downtown and the Short North. Ohio State garages sit close to Newport and Mershon, and the Schott is surrounded by university lots. Read the meter sign before you walk away, since hours vary by street.
- Rideshare. After an arena show the curb turns into a slow line of cars, so walk a few blocks before you request a ride.
Simple tips
- Check your ticket for door times, age rules and the bag policy. They change from show to show.
- Bring a photo ID, even if you are not drinking. Many club shows check at the door.
- Dress for the weather at outdoor shows, and check your ticket for the night's rain policy.
The venues page has a guide to every stage, and the full calendar lists every show by date.