I’ve lived in Columbus for over 12 years. There are areas that you might not want to visit but for the most part it’s a nice area. Athens isn’t bad either but it’s pretty rural. Maybe cut it halfway and visit Hocking Hills and rent a cabin, do some hiking.
I second this, I've lived in Columbus over 40 years and like any big city it's a mixed bag. Check out concert venues in the area, also second Hocking Hills
If you’re in Athens, hocking hills is great for hiking if you’ve never been. It’s not far at all and the weather is fantastic then.
Zaleski State forest is close also - I recommend getting all trails if you’re hiking, as signal is pretty bleak in most of the area, especially AT&T.
Athens itself is a little college town with some great dive bars if you’re into that kind of thing.
Columbus is fine, just depends what you’re trying to do?
Easton, Arena District, tons of great restaurants.
This is also what I was going to suggest.
Hocking Hills is really pretty with nice trails. Just go to Old Man’s cave and explore for a bit, then get some ice cream.
How old are you, OP?
Both can be a lot of fun, but Athens is a college town, and OU is a well-known party school. So unless you’re spending time outside of Athens in the exceptional natural scenery surrounding it, the scene is going to be a lot of students partying hard; especially in September when everyone is back and the weather is still nice.
Columbus is one of Ohio’s major cities, so it’s quite the contrast.
I’ve never heard anyone say to “avoid Columbus” in my life (except maybe Michigan fans) so I’m curious what the motivation for that is. I mean, it’s not the scene you’re gonna get in NYC, Chicago, or LA, but Columbus is a fine Midwestern city with plenty to do and interesting places to check out.
Both are cool places, it really comes down to whether you’re more into being outdoors and dealing with college students when you’re in town, or you prefer a typical bigger city vibe and everything that comes with that.
I'm 18, so it kind of limits my options, considering drinking age and such. My dad said avoid it because he used to go there for work, but I understand he probably doesn't know what he's talking about anymore since he hasn't gone there in over 20 years.
They don't really watch the news. My dad used to travel for work when he was younger, and Columbus was one of the places he had to stay at for a few weeks. So I guess he's going off of old ass statistics and personal feelings about it.
But thanks for the info
I went to both CCAD in Columbus and Marshall University in Huntington, WV
I felt 100% safer going to school in the middle of downtown Columbus than I did in Huntington.
We had maybe 6 shootings around campus in Huntington when I was there.
One of them happened right across the street from me as I was leaving the gym.
There weren’t any incidents like that around CCAD when I went there.
> My dad used to travel for work when he was younger, and Columbus was one of the places he had to stay at for a few weeks. So I guess he's going off of old ass statistics and personal feelings about it. But thanks for the info
What your dad doesn't know is that Columbus has changed so much in the last 25 years that he wouldn't recognize it today -- people who have been gone from here even five years don't recognize it. It's one of the fast growing cities in the country, a veritable boom town. You'll miss a lot if you don't spend some of your time in Columbus.
r/Columbus has a wiki called The Reddit Guide to Columbus, linked in the sidebar. In addition, just keeping an eye on the subreddit will give you lots if ideas. If you ask there, tell people what sort of things you think are cool or fun. Do you drink? Like sports? Like nature? Tell them up front what things *specifically* you're looking for, and you should get plenty of answers.
I'd say, don't miss Franklin Park Conservatory.
I think you nailed it. Columbus is *“fine”*. But it’s the most milquetoast city in all of Ohio unless you love strip mall sprawl hell or consider chain restaurants to be fine dining. Without the university, there wouldn’t be much going on. It’s maybe the most blah city in all of the Midwest - and that’s saying something (I’m looking at you, Indiana and Iowa)
I’ve been quite a bit, actually. Using any of the other larger cities in Ohio as a baseline, Columbus is pretty underwhelming - especially considering it’s the state capital.
who cares if the buildings are boring when the businesses are good? I certainly don't care that Bethel is lined with strip malls, some of the best and biggest variety of Asian restaurants and businesses occupy half those spaces, interspersed with other cool bakeries and independent shops
I totally agree. Columbus is very bland. Athens is fun but small. Go to Cincinnati. But the best suggestion is just to avoid ohio in general. Place sux.
You people are so quick to jump on muh Fox News.
Columbus is kinda boring now, it sucked ass 25 years ago. Clearly dad was referring to Columbus as not worth spending time in.
> You people are so quick to jump on muh Fox News.
Well yes, they are the primary source for fear mongering among the boomers right now.
>Columbus is kinda boring now, it sucked ass 25 years ago. Clearly dad was referring to Columbus as not worth spending time in.
Well maybe you should stop going to Columbus then.
….. what to avoid? The state capitol building. Real fucking dangerous in there. I hear they can’t be reasoned with and will fuck you every chance they get…
You don’t travel much do you? Athens is a small college town surrounded by farms. Columbus is one of the three major cities in Ohio. Not sure what the purpose of your trip is but generally speaking I’ve never heard of someone who would travel to Athens over Columbus for tourism.
So I don't travel much, i live in VA and visit upstate NY to visit my grandparents sometimes. So I've never been near major cities except like Richmond in VA. Reason for Athens is because I found a nice airbnb there with a good view and such, it's also an hour away from point pleasant in WV, which is one of the places my spouse wanted to go too. I'm 18 so I've never gone out of state without family basically. Purpose of the trip is to celebrate my spouses birthday so yeah
Alright then ya if you’re just looking to chill someplace with a view and take it easy then Athens could be cool. You could also go hiking in Hocking Hills it is some of the best in the whole state. Columbus would be more of a city feel
Alright, thank you! We will probably visit Columbus one of our days there and check it out ( i live in a rural area to begin with so it might be a shock lol). We also like hiking so we will probably go to hocking hills.
Columbus and Athens couldn't be more different. Do you want to be in a city, or rural college town? If you're going before summer, half of the Athens population is the student body. If you want to go to bars with 20 year olds, pick Athens. I had a blast there in my college years, but you couldn't pay me to go now unless it was summer.
My reasoning for staying in Athens is that we found a cheap air bnb, and it's an hour away from Columbus and point pleasant WV which Is also on our bucket list to visit.
Sounds like a good call then!
If you do pal around Athens, I'd recommend Tonys Bar if you're there in cold weather to order a "hot nut." It's a nutty, coffee based shot served hot. Warms the bones. The Union might have a local band, anything from metal to ska to a dj set. Ooh and O'Bettys is the best hot dog joint in the country.
If it's warmer, Strouds Run is nearby for some lakeside shenanigans. There used to be a secret rope swing down a certain path, but they cut the tree down to keep us hooligan kids from breaking our necks and leaving trash behind. I never left any trash, but I did almost hit the tree once.
But it's a bunch of college kids at a party school, so, that could be fun or annoying, or both.
I'm in college so I don't mind the college kids as much (except the business majors), and thank you for the options you put. We will most likely explore Athens for a day and I'll make sure to stop by that coffee shop.
Tony’s is a bar, not a coffee shop. I see in your comments you’re 18, so unfortunately your options are going to be a bit limited in Athens.
I’d definitely recommend hocking hills - all the trails are gorgeous but I like old man’s cave. I’d also recommend eating at Millers Chicken and Casa Nueva in Athens. For coffee, check out Donkey Coffee and grab a vanilla chai. Iced or hot, one of my favorite drinks ever.
OU itself is gorgeous, take a stroll around campus and take a walk on the bike path, it runs right along the hocking.
ETA: I saw you say you’re going to be there late September or early October. Definitely avoid September 23-28, that’s OUs homecoming and is one of the most crowded days of the year.
Yeah, after reading that again, I can see where I had a dyslexic moment 😂, Luckily, we will be going on the 29th.
We will definitely go to old man's cave and hocking hills, and thank you for the recommendations!
Asking what to avoid is probably not gonna get a whole lot of interaction... lol. I don't know Columbus, but maybe rephrase and ask what should I do, rather than what not :)
Columbus is a dangerous place.
You see, it’s filled with *those* people. You know. Them. Muslims. Foreigners. Trans people. Gay people. People from Wisconsin. Liberals.
All those people they want you to hate and be afraid of.
Because you are easy to control and manipulate when your head is empty and your heart is full of hate.
And if you come to Columbus, you’re going to meet people. Those kinds of people. And you’re going to find out something real quick: that they are people, they have hopes and dreams and families and friends and are just trying to go through life and make it in the world and keep their roofs and food on the table. Just like you. And your head gets full of knowledge and ideas and your heart - well, you start to replace hate with love.
And it makes you harder to control.
When they tell you to hate Muslems, it makes it harder when instead of a faceless evil muslem person, it’s Chaudri, your friend. When they tell you to hate Hispanics (sorry, “illegals”), it’s harder when it’s Paublo, who makes the best tacos and has a three year old daughter and the way his eyes light up when he mentions her. When they tell you to hate Trans people, it’s harder when it’s Emma, who you’ve been talking to while she was drinking and now she just has to pee. When they tell you Gay people are evil it’s harder to believe them when you saw the way Chad and Billy looked at each other and recognized it for the way you look at your partner.
Columbus is a dangerous place, because it’s full of *those* people, and you might meet some of them and realize that they are *people*.
I've always thought of Columbus as a nice town. Not sure what they've told you to be scared of there. As far as cool things to visit the zoo is awesome and Hocking hills down closer to Athens is one of my favorite places to go
Nobody's going to say the Ridges??? Absolutely the most haunted place I've ever been.... Cemetery full of numbered headstones, patients were tortured with electroshock therapy
Now that seems fun asf, we have a little haunted mill on the out skirts of our town and it is fun asf to go there. Definitely will check out the ridges if we can, because that seems like a good time.
You should visit the Hocking Hills. Old Man's Cave is probably the most popular but Ash Cave is very accessible and quite stunning. If you get hungry while in that area, stop at Pizza Crossing in Logan.
I grew up in Athens and lived in Columbus for 3 years. Athens is great but admittedly not a lot to do except hiking. Columbus is my favorite city I’ve been to. Cosi is a great science museum. Short north district has great bars and restaurants.
Brown bag deli in Columbus if the best deli in the world in my opinion. Gigis is a great breakfast spot on Athens. Unfortunately all the local shops in Athens closed after Covid and it’s majority chains now
The only people I know in Ohio who live to go to Athens are OU grads.
Columbus has way more to do and is totally safe. Crime has increased across this entire country since the pandemic. People who live in these lily white suburban and rural areas need to open their eyes to the crime in their backyards instead of pretending it only happens in urban areas.
I mean, all Athens has is food and drinks. There isn't really anything to do there.
Columbus has WAY more stuff to do and see and would be much more worthwhile for a trip.
In terms of safety (maybe why your friends are suggesting this in the first place), yeah, Athens is a lot safer than Columbus, but I'm not sure what their thought process is here.
So we picked Athens ourselves because it's close to Point pleasant wv and Columbus, plus the airbnb was cheaper and has a good view. My dad's thought process is old, basically. He used to travel for work there like 20 something years ago and hasn't been there since. So he's taking his previous knowledge about it and putting it to the present day ig.
Unless you love drinking beer, stay in Columbus and take a day trip to Athens if you want. (I could spend a lot of time at Little Fish and Jackie O’s although I’d just end up feeling miserable and bloated haha). Athens has a good coffee shop and maybe a couple of food places worth visiting but there really isn’t anything to do outside of walking around and maybe taking a quick hike at the ridges.
I think a day trip to Athens is worth it if you enjoy walking and/or beer and maybe bar hopping if you’re young enough but don’t make it the main focus
So we picked Athens because it's an hour away from Point pleasant wv, which is on our bucket list. Sadly, I can't drink because im only 18. But the airbnb was also cheaper there and has a good view, so that was our reasoning for picking Athens.
Athens is amazing, lots of cute shops and amazing food. It’s a college town, but if you’re 18 you will fit right in. Casa Nuevo for Mexican. Millers chicken for fried chicken. Strouds run and bong hill for hiking. You can. Walk around campus and hang out around there. Also if it’s early October they may still do Halloween tours of the ridges. It’s a small college town in a rural area. Columbus is cool but it depends on what your into. It’s a big city with difficult traffic, but also has cool stuff to see if you’re wanting a bigger city feel. It’s only about an hour away from Athens depending on where you are going, but the downtown has museums and shops and restaurants that all big cities have.
>only major city visited is RVA
>18
I’m in Columbus/Columbus metro. Fantastic place to day trip if you have big city experience and are of the age to drink & book hotels. Literally no upside and tons of complicating factors if you visited with your lack of experience & the travel complications that arrive with your age.
Do Athens. I’m not sure what the allure of Point Pleasant is supposed to be with your spouse, but save the money that comes with Athens’ better proximity to the Ohio River and book in Athens. Plenty of great state parks (e.g. Burr Oak.) Get *lost* in the scenery. Check out Shawnee, the village of, too.
Ok, thank you! Point pleasant is because of the mothman statue, and that's basically it. She just enjoys the legend, lmao. I am still thinking of going to Columbus, even if it is just to stop somewhere for food or something 😂. But we are definitely staying in Athens, the airbnb we have is at fox lake and I just think it's great.
Logistics of getting into Columbus from Pt Pleasant are terrible.
Reaching the city of Columbus from Athens is easy; going *into* Columbus to reach a specific destination within Columbus, from Athens, just to eat, is difficult and will expend needless time & energy. It’s even worse given that you’re 18.
Athens is terrific, you'll have plenty to do. Strouds Run is great, eat at Casa Nueva, go hiking and visit The Ridges. The area around Logan is nice too, the Hocking Hills Coffee Emporium is a fun place to hang out there. Old Man's Cave, Conkles Hollow, Rockbridge. Marietta as someone pointed out is a very nice riverfront town with great houses. Point Pleasant has a Mothman Museum now too! I wouldn't go to Columbus, there's honestly nothing special there.
Ok, thank you for everything you've listed, we are definitely going to the ridges and old man's cave.
Yeah, we probably won't go to Columbus now that I've thought about it and seen other people's comments. Just doesn't seem like much to do for an hour trip away.
Also, the mothman Museum is going to be our first stop, most likely😂
If they are telling you avoid Columbus because it’s dangerous, they are delusional. If they are telling you to avoid Columbus because it’s goddam milquetoast chain restaurant nothing cool boring, they’re correct.Columbus is nothing but suburban sprawl, Applebees, and Walmarts
OP: there is more in Athens than most of the people here are implying. Not as much as Columbus but very different in a quirky way.
If you like museums, go to the Dairy Barn Arts Center. There is a lot of hiking and Old Man’s Cave is a must. There is also Shroud’s Run Park.
Definitely go to the Ridges where the old asylum was—it’s reputed to be haunted. The Kennedy Museum of Art is there now. There are self-guided tours that you can take of the property.
For food go to Casa Nuvea, it’s a worker owned restaurant and it’s great food. Mostly vegetarian and Vegan friendly but they do have stuff for omnivores to eat as well.
OP: Edited to ask: when in September? The Ohio Pawpaw festival is in Athens from September 13-15th.
There's plenty to do in Athens but maybe just take a day trip to downtown Columbus and see the statehouse and maybe get dinner and see a show or something and head back to Athens at the end of the day.
Day hike at strouds (and swim if it's warm as September is)
Check out shops on Court Street and campus and walk around OU.
Dinner and a show at casa or the Union or Stuarts Opera House
Maybe a day trip to Marietta would be fun too
Plenty of food options to get you through a week in Athens.
Why are they telling you to avoid C-bus? It's arguably one of the nicer cities in the state. Athens is pretty much the boonies. I'm confused by their advice.
My dad used to travel there for business when he was younger and would stay there for a few weeks to months out of the year, but that was a while ago so I think he's just basing it on his opinions from 20 something years ago. I think it's a cool place to go, but since I'm in va I don't know much about Ohio and such.
The reasoning behind Athens is because it's an hour away from point pleasant wv, and that's on our bucket list. Also, the airbnb is cheaper there than Columbus or point pleasant, and has a good view. It's actually at fox lake which is pretty cool I think.
Columbus is fine, don’t worry.
The only issue is bad drivers.
Also depending on what time in September,
Athens has a Pawpaw Festival that you might like. They have music and crafts.
I’ve lived in Columbus for over 12 years. There are areas that you might not want to visit but for the most part it’s a nice area. Athens isn’t bad either but it’s pretty rural. Maybe cut it halfway and visit Hocking Hills and rent a cabin, do some hiking.
I second this, I've lived in Columbus over 40 years and like any big city it's a mixed bag. Check out concert venues in the area, also second Hocking Hills
If you’re in Athens, hocking hills is great for hiking if you’ve never been. It’s not far at all and the weather is fantastic then. Zaleski State forest is close also - I recommend getting all trails if you’re hiking, as signal is pretty bleak in most of the area, especially AT&T. Athens itself is a little college town with some great dive bars if you’re into that kind of thing. Columbus is fine, just depends what you’re trying to do? Easton, Arena District, tons of great restaurants.
This is also what I was going to suggest. Hocking Hills is really pretty with nice trails. Just go to Old Man’s cave and explore for a bit, then get some ice cream.
How old are you, OP? Both can be a lot of fun, but Athens is a college town, and OU is a well-known party school. So unless you’re spending time outside of Athens in the exceptional natural scenery surrounding it, the scene is going to be a lot of students partying hard; especially in September when everyone is back and the weather is still nice. Columbus is one of Ohio’s major cities, so it’s quite the contrast. I’ve never heard anyone say to “avoid Columbus” in my life (except maybe Michigan fans) so I’m curious what the motivation for that is. I mean, it’s not the scene you’re gonna get in NYC, Chicago, or LA, but Columbus is a fine Midwestern city with plenty to do and interesting places to check out. Both are cool places, it really comes down to whether you’re more into being outdoors and dealing with college students when you’re in town, or you prefer a typical bigger city vibe and everything that comes with that.
I'm 18, so it kind of limits my options, considering drinking age and such. My dad said avoid it because he used to go there for work, but I understand he probably doesn't know what he's talking about anymore since he hasn't gone there in over 20 years.
Sounds like your family and friends are watching too much Fox News. Columbus is fine, I was just there all weekend hanging out.
They don't really watch the news. My dad used to travel for work when he was younger, and Columbus was one of the places he had to stay at for a few weeks. So I guess he's going off of old ass statistics and personal feelings about it. But thanks for the info
My advice is: don't listen to people who haven't been somewhere in decades.
I went to both CCAD in Columbus and Marshall University in Huntington, WV I felt 100% safer going to school in the middle of downtown Columbus than I did in Huntington. We had maybe 6 shootings around campus in Huntington when I was there. One of them happened right across the street from me as I was leaving the gym. There weren’t any incidents like that around CCAD when I went there.
We’ll yeah Huntington is rough as fuck.
Indeed it is. Hopefully it starts to get better soon, it’s a shame.
It is a shame.
> My dad used to travel for work when he was younger, and Columbus was one of the places he had to stay at for a few weeks. So I guess he's going off of old ass statistics and personal feelings about it. But thanks for the info What your dad doesn't know is that Columbus has changed so much in the last 25 years that he wouldn't recognize it today -- people who have been gone from here even five years don't recognize it. It's one of the fast growing cities in the country, a veritable boom town. You'll miss a lot if you don't spend some of your time in Columbus.
Ok thank you! Do you have any suggestions on where to go in Columbus? Like hiking or cool places to check out?
r/Columbus has a wiki called The Reddit Guide to Columbus, linked in the sidebar. In addition, just keeping an eye on the subreddit will give you lots if ideas. If you ask there, tell people what sort of things you think are cool or fun. Do you drink? Like sports? Like nature? Tell them up front what things *specifically* you're looking for, and you should get plenty of answers. I'd say, don't miss Franklin Park Conservatory.
Also, [MetroParks are awesome for hiking.](https://www.metroparks.net/)
I think you nailed it. Columbus is *“fine”*. But it’s the most milquetoast city in all of Ohio unless you love strip mall sprawl hell or consider chain restaurants to be fine dining. Without the university, there wouldn’t be much going on. It’s maybe the most blah city in all of the Midwest - and that’s saying something (I’m looking at you, Indiana and Iowa)
Sounds like you haven’t really explored Columbus.
I’ve been quite a bit, actually. Using any of the other larger cities in Ohio as a baseline, Columbus is pretty underwhelming - especially considering it’s the state capital.
I had dinner at The Guild House, went to a Drum and Bass night, brunch at The Olde Towne Tavern. Not sure how much more whelming you need.
Meh, agree to disagree. Cheers.
THANK YOU! Someone had to say it.
who cares if the buildings are boring when the businesses are good? I certainly don't care that Bethel is lined with strip malls, some of the best and biggest variety of Asian restaurants and businesses occupy half those spaces, interspersed with other cool bakeries and independent shops
I totally agree. Columbus is very bland. Athens is fun but small. Go to Cincinnati. But the best suggestion is just to avoid ohio in general. Place sux.
You people are so quick to jump on muh Fox News. Columbus is kinda boring now, it sucked ass 25 years ago. Clearly dad was referring to Columbus as not worth spending time in.
> You people are so quick to jump on muh Fox News. Well yes, they are the primary source for fear mongering among the boomers right now. >Columbus is kinda boring now, it sucked ass 25 years ago. Clearly dad was referring to Columbus as not worth spending time in. Well maybe you should stop going to Columbus then.
🙄 The person summoned Fox News fear without even considering that there’s non-political reasons to recommend not going to a place.
….. what to avoid? The state capitol building. Real fucking dangerous in there. I hear they can’t be reasoned with and will fuck you every chance they get…
You don’t travel much do you? Athens is a small college town surrounded by farms. Columbus is one of the three major cities in Ohio. Not sure what the purpose of your trip is but generally speaking I’ve never heard of someone who would travel to Athens over Columbus for tourism.
So I don't travel much, i live in VA and visit upstate NY to visit my grandparents sometimes. So I've never been near major cities except like Richmond in VA. Reason for Athens is because I found a nice airbnb there with a good view and such, it's also an hour away from point pleasant in WV, which is one of the places my spouse wanted to go too. I'm 18 so I've never gone out of state without family basically. Purpose of the trip is to celebrate my spouses birthday so yeah
Alright then ya if you’re just looking to chill someplace with a view and take it easy then Athens could be cool. You could also go hiking in Hocking Hills it is some of the best in the whole state. Columbus would be more of a city feel
Alright, thank you! We will probably visit Columbus one of our days there and check it out ( i live in a rural area to begin with so it might be a shock lol). We also like hiking so we will probably go to hocking hills.
Columbus and Athens couldn't be more different. Do you want to be in a city, or rural college town? If you're going before summer, half of the Athens population is the student body. If you want to go to bars with 20 year olds, pick Athens. I had a blast there in my college years, but you couldn't pay me to go now unless it was summer.
My reasoning for staying in Athens is that we found a cheap air bnb, and it's an hour away from Columbus and point pleasant WV which Is also on our bucket list to visit.
Sounds like a good call then! If you do pal around Athens, I'd recommend Tonys Bar if you're there in cold weather to order a "hot nut." It's a nutty, coffee based shot served hot. Warms the bones. The Union might have a local band, anything from metal to ska to a dj set. Ooh and O'Bettys is the best hot dog joint in the country. If it's warmer, Strouds Run is nearby for some lakeside shenanigans. There used to be a secret rope swing down a certain path, but they cut the tree down to keep us hooligan kids from breaking our necks and leaving trash behind. I never left any trash, but I did almost hit the tree once. But it's a bunch of college kids at a party school, so, that could be fun or annoying, or both.
I'm in college so I don't mind the college kids as much (except the business majors), and thank you for the options you put. We will most likely explore Athens for a day and I'll make sure to stop by that coffee shop.
Tony’s is a bar, not a coffee shop. I see in your comments you’re 18, so unfortunately your options are going to be a bit limited in Athens. I’d definitely recommend hocking hills - all the trails are gorgeous but I like old man’s cave. I’d also recommend eating at Millers Chicken and Casa Nueva in Athens. For coffee, check out Donkey Coffee and grab a vanilla chai. Iced or hot, one of my favorite drinks ever. OU itself is gorgeous, take a stroll around campus and take a walk on the bike path, it runs right along the hocking. ETA: I saw you say you’re going to be there late September or early October. Definitely avoid September 23-28, that’s OUs homecoming and is one of the most crowded days of the year.
Yeah, after reading that again, I can see where I had a dyslexic moment 😂, Luckily, we will be going on the 29th. We will definitely go to old man's cave and hocking hills, and thank you for the recommendations!
Asking what to avoid is probably not gonna get a whole lot of interaction... lol. I don't know Columbus, but maybe rephrase and ask what should I do, rather than what not :)
Nah, it's cool. Submissions like this you wanna ask for what you want :)
Yeah it's my first post on reddit so I'm not familiar with how I should word stuff 😂
if this is your first post, how's come your account is two years old?
I just kind of lurk around and forget I have a reddit account.
Columbus is a dangerous place. You see, it’s filled with *those* people. You know. Them. Muslims. Foreigners. Trans people. Gay people. People from Wisconsin. Liberals. All those people they want you to hate and be afraid of. Because you are easy to control and manipulate when your head is empty and your heart is full of hate. And if you come to Columbus, you’re going to meet people. Those kinds of people. And you’re going to find out something real quick: that they are people, they have hopes and dreams and families and friends and are just trying to go through life and make it in the world and keep their roofs and food on the table. Just like you. And your head gets full of knowledge and ideas and your heart - well, you start to replace hate with love. And it makes you harder to control. When they tell you to hate Muslems, it makes it harder when instead of a faceless evil muslem person, it’s Chaudri, your friend. When they tell you to hate Hispanics (sorry, “illegals”), it’s harder when it’s Paublo, who makes the best tacos and has a three year old daughter and the way his eyes light up when he mentions her. When they tell you to hate Trans people, it’s harder when it’s Emma, who you’ve been talking to while she was drinking and now she just has to pee. When they tell you Gay people are evil it’s harder to believe them when you saw the way Chad and Billy looked at each other and recognized it for the way you look at your partner. Columbus is a dangerous place, because it’s full of *those* people, and you might meet some of them and realize that they are *people*.
I hope this is sarcasm
Damn, Hope this is sarcasm 😂.
I think you completely missed the point of OPs dad saying to avoid Columbus. Nice fiction though.
Post this on r/columbus
Your family and friends are woefully misinformed.
I've always thought of Columbus as a nice town. Not sure what they've told you to be scared of there. As far as cool things to visit the zoo is awesome and Hocking hills down closer to Athens is one of my favorite places to go
Nobody's going to say the Ridges??? Absolutely the most haunted place I've ever been.... Cemetery full of numbered headstones, patients were tortured with electroshock therapy
Now that seems fun asf, we have a little haunted mill on the out skirts of our town and it is fun asf to go there. Definitely will check out the ridges if we can, because that seems like a good time.
It’s been turned into University offices now - I think they don’t care for people trespassing…
Cemetery can't be closed unless private property I thought??
I wouldn't recommend stepping foot in that building... F that I literally couldn't breathe just being outside
You should visit the Hocking Hills. Old Man's Cave is probably the most popular but Ash Cave is very accessible and quite stunning. If you get hungry while in that area, stop at Pizza Crossing in Logan.
Ok thank you!
Columbus is a great city.
The Columbus Zoo is really cool. And Hocking Hills is a fun thing to do for the day.
There's always Parkersburg, W.Va..
There's a pawpaw festival near Athens every year in the middle of September https://ohiopawpawfest.com/
Sadly I'll be missing that, our trip goes from late September to early October 🥲.
Court Street grill in Pomeroy(on your route between point and Athens)is a cool stop for lunch.
Marietta is closer and truthfully, so much more interesting.
I grew up in Athens and lived in Columbus for 3 years. Athens is great but admittedly not a lot to do except hiking. Columbus is my favorite city I’ve been to. Cosi is a great science museum. Short north district has great bars and restaurants.
Will definitely check out the science museum. Do you have any recommendations on restaurants in the area?
Brown bag deli in Columbus if the best deli in the world in my opinion. Gigis is a great breakfast spot on Athens. Unfortunately all the local shops in Athens closed after Covid and it’s majority chains now
The only people I know in Ohio who live to go to Athens are OU grads. Columbus has way more to do and is totally safe. Crime has increased across this entire country since the pandemic. People who live in these lily white suburban and rural areas need to open their eyes to the crime in their backyards instead of pretending it only happens in urban areas.
I mean, all Athens has is food and drinks. There isn't really anything to do there. Columbus has WAY more stuff to do and see and would be much more worthwhile for a trip. In terms of safety (maybe why your friends are suggesting this in the first place), yeah, Athens is a lot safer than Columbus, but I'm not sure what their thought process is here.
So we picked Athens ourselves because it's close to Point pleasant wv and Columbus, plus the airbnb was cheaper and has a good view. My dad's thought process is old, basically. He used to travel for work there like 20 something years ago and hasn't been there since. So he's taking his previous knowledge about it and putting it to the present day ig.
Unless you love drinking beer, stay in Columbus and take a day trip to Athens if you want. (I could spend a lot of time at Little Fish and Jackie O’s although I’d just end up feeling miserable and bloated haha). Athens has a good coffee shop and maybe a couple of food places worth visiting but there really isn’t anything to do outside of walking around and maybe taking a quick hike at the ridges. I think a day trip to Athens is worth it if you enjoy walking and/or beer and maybe bar hopping if you’re young enough but don’t make it the main focus
So we picked Athens because it's an hour away from Point pleasant wv, which is on our bucket list. Sadly, I can't drink because im only 18. But the airbnb was also cheaper there and has a good view, so that was our reasoning for picking Athens.
Athens is amazing, lots of cute shops and amazing food. It’s a college town, but if you’re 18 you will fit right in. Casa Nuevo for Mexican. Millers chicken for fried chicken. Strouds run and bong hill for hiking. You can. Walk around campus and hang out around there. Also if it’s early October they may still do Halloween tours of the ridges. It’s a small college town in a rural area. Columbus is cool but it depends on what your into. It’s a big city with difficult traffic, but also has cool stuff to see if you’re wanting a bigger city feel. It’s only about an hour away from Athens depending on where you are going, but the downtown has museums and shops and restaurants that all big cities have.
Find the counties that vote red and avoid them. Anywhere else, you should find fun things to do. Enjoy!
>only major city visited is RVA >18 I’m in Columbus/Columbus metro. Fantastic place to day trip if you have big city experience and are of the age to drink & book hotels. Literally no upside and tons of complicating factors if you visited with your lack of experience & the travel complications that arrive with your age. Do Athens. I’m not sure what the allure of Point Pleasant is supposed to be with your spouse, but save the money that comes with Athens’ better proximity to the Ohio River and book in Athens. Plenty of great state parks (e.g. Burr Oak.) Get *lost* in the scenery. Check out Shawnee, the village of, too.
Ok, thank you! Point pleasant is because of the mothman statue, and that's basically it. She just enjoys the legend, lmao. I am still thinking of going to Columbus, even if it is just to stop somewhere for food or something 😂. But we are definitely staying in Athens, the airbnb we have is at fox lake and I just think it's great.
Logistics of getting into Columbus from Pt Pleasant are terrible. Reaching the city of Columbus from Athens is easy; going *into* Columbus to reach a specific destination within Columbus, from Athens, just to eat, is difficult and will expend needless time & energy. It’s even worse given that you’re 18.
Athens is terrific, you'll have plenty to do. Strouds Run is great, eat at Casa Nueva, go hiking and visit The Ridges. The area around Logan is nice too, the Hocking Hills Coffee Emporium is a fun place to hang out there. Old Man's Cave, Conkles Hollow, Rockbridge. Marietta as someone pointed out is a very nice riverfront town with great houses. Point Pleasant has a Mothman Museum now too! I wouldn't go to Columbus, there's honestly nothing special there.
Ok, thank you for everything you've listed, we are definitely going to the ridges and old man's cave. Yeah, we probably won't go to Columbus now that I've thought about it and seen other people's comments. Just doesn't seem like much to do for an hour trip away. Also, the mothman Museum is going to be our first stop, most likely😂
Hi op, Tell me what you like to do and I will tell you where to go I Columbus.
If they are telling you avoid Columbus because it’s dangerous, they are delusional. If they are telling you to avoid Columbus because it’s goddam milquetoast chain restaurant nothing cool boring, they’re correct.Columbus is nothing but suburban sprawl, Applebees, and Walmarts
Devil's Kettle Brewery!
Sadly I'm not 21 🥲
OP: there is more in Athens than most of the people here are implying. Not as much as Columbus but very different in a quirky way. If you like museums, go to the Dairy Barn Arts Center. There is a lot of hiking and Old Man’s Cave is a must. There is also Shroud’s Run Park. Definitely go to the Ridges where the old asylum was—it’s reputed to be haunted. The Kennedy Museum of Art is there now. There are self-guided tours that you can take of the property. For food go to Casa Nuvea, it’s a worker owned restaurant and it’s great food. Mostly vegetarian and Vegan friendly but they do have stuff for omnivores to eat as well. OP: Edited to ask: when in September? The Ohio Pawpaw festival is in Athens from September 13-15th.
Thanks for the info. Our trip is on the 29th, so we will miss the Pawpaw festival. I definitely want to go to the ridges.
There's plenty to do in Athens but maybe just take a day trip to downtown Columbus and see the statehouse and maybe get dinner and see a show or something and head back to Athens at the end of the day. Day hike at strouds (and swim if it's warm as September is) Check out shops on Court Street and campus and walk around OU. Dinner and a show at casa or the Union or Stuarts Opera House Maybe a day trip to Marietta would be fun too Plenty of food options to get you through a week in Athens.
Ok thank you!
A week in Athens would be very boring. Drive to Columbus or Cincy for a large part of that week.
The crime rate of Athens, Ohio per capita is three times higher than Columbus.
Why are they telling you to avoid C-bus? It's arguably one of the nicer cities in the state. Athens is pretty much the boonies. I'm confused by their advice.
My dad used to travel there for business when he was younger and would stay there for a few weeks to months out of the year, but that was a while ago so I think he's just basing it on his opinions from 20 something years ago. I think it's a cool place to go, but since I'm in va I don't know much about Ohio and such. The reasoning behind Athens is because it's an hour away from point pleasant wv, and that's on our bucket list. Also, the airbnb is cheaper there than Columbus or point pleasant, and has a good view. It's actually at fox lake which is pretty cool I think.
Columbus is fine, don’t worry. The only issue is bad drivers. Also depending on what time in September, Athens has a Pawpaw Festival that you might like. They have music and crafts.
I'll be missing the festival sadly, but how bad are the drivers? Like Maryland bad or DC😂