The Unexpected Delights of Columbus, Ohio

"A couple of years ago, I spent a weekend in Columbus, Ohio. I promise this isn't the setup to a smug New Yorker's unimaginative quip ("longest weekend of my life"). Those were a charmed 48 hours. A few things were on my side: I was escaping parental responsibility (our oldest was applying to high school, a fraught time) and the weather was unexpectedly beautiful (70 degrees in late October, disturbing but delicious). I was in town for work, but my work is, if I'm honest, not difficult. Turn up at the public library and talk? That would take but one hour out of a whole weekend. I had time to kill."

"Like many Midwestern cities, downtown Columbus has grand architecture dating to a boom time long passed. There were few people around, which felt like a shame on such a beautiful streetscape. But the downtowns of such cities, even when seemingly vacant, remain cultural hubs; the Columbus Museum of Art was a five-minute walk from my hotel. I've had the joy of learning that many smaller American cities are home to beautiful art collections, and it's a particular high when traveling to discover a masterpiece I hadn't expected. That Saturday I was thrilled by a grisly Paul Cadmus and a monumental Helen Frankenthaler, two artists I so love. It was like running into old friends."

"But I was as fidgety as a schoolkid on a field trip; the sun beckoned. As is common with American cities, Columbus is designed for cars, not people, but I wanted to walk. I had recommendations from Chris, an old friend who had moved home to Columbus, and I had my phone, which could provide both a map and a ride, should I run out of sidewalk. Chris advised me to explore German Village, a well-to-do historic neighborhood with handsome old brick buildings and elegant houses. There I found that sense of vitality I had been missing downtown-it turns out pedestrians and cyclists would rather congregate on small beautiful streets. I've never been able to resist a used bookshop, which is how I found mys"

A weekend in Columbus combined leisure and light work, offering unexpectedly pleasant weather and escape from parental responsibilities. Downtown showcased grand, largely empty architecture alongside cultural hubs like the Columbus Museum of Art, where notable works by Paul Cadmus and Helen Frankenthaler provided surprising delights. Walking became preferable to driving as recommendations led to German Village, a historic neighborhood with brick houses and a lively pedestrian and cyclist presence. Small-street vitality contrasted with the car-oriented city design. A used bookshop provided an irresistible discovery, rounding out a short visit defined by art, architecture, and walkable neighborhood life.

Read at Conde Nast Traveler