Overview
Columbus/Northwest is the area north of Interstate 70 and west of Interstate 71, in Columbus, Ohio. Included in this area are Grandview Heights, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Dublin, Powell and Hilliard neighborhoods.
7 sights · 7 things to do · 9 places to eat · 7 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Northwest
MAPFRE Stadium
Home to the Columbus Crew MLS Soccer Club, and the first soccer specific stadium in modern American Major League Soccer. Also hosts big-name concerts.
Ohio Village
A re-created 19th-century village next to the Ohio Historical Center.
Ohio Historical Center
Adena Conical Burial Mound
20 feet high - 100 feet in diameter. Woodlands Period about 1,000 BC - 700 AD.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
The zoo has a great collection of endangered species, including manatees, cheetahs, kangaroos and lowland gorillas. The Asia Quest exhibit has Siberian tigers, sun bears and Pallas cats.
Ohio Expo Center
Home to the Ohio State Fair. Each month, a variety of shows, expositions and competitions are held at the Ohio Expo Center, over 175 events per year that range from shopping for antiques to boxing.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 22°F. Cold months (Jan) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Columbus)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CMH John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Columbus — 9 mi away (major hub). Directions
- LCK Rickenbacker International Airport, Columbus — 15 mi away. Directions
Major highways include I-71 & Rte. 315 (north and south), I-70 & I-670 (east and west), and the outer-belt, I-270. US Routes 33, 23, and 40 also converge downtown.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $8 per person at listed restaurants.
Options are grouped as Budget, Mid-range, Splurge in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning MAPFRE Stadium, Ohio Village, Ohio Historical Center
- Lunch Jimmy V's Grandview
- Afternoon All American Quarter Horse Congress, Ohio Expo Center
- Dinner MCL Restaurant & Bakery Kingsdale
Day 2
- Morning Le Poilu, The American Whistle Factory
- Lunch Thai Orchid Restaurant
- Afternoon The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Quarry Trails Via Ferrata
- Dinner The Refectory
Day 3
- Morning Adena Conical Burial Mound, Ohio Craft Museum
- Lunch Hunan Lion
- Afternoon Anthony-Thomas Candy Co.
- Dinner New India Restaurant
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
Major highways include I-71 & Rte. 315 (north and south), I-70 & I-670 (east and west), and the outer-belt, I-270. US Routes 33, 23, and 40 also converge downtown.
Get around
By car
The area between I-71 and I-270 outerbelt has numerous exits into this area. The roads are well maintained and traffic is acceptable, other than during rush hour when people are going to and leaving work. If you are not familiar with the area, you may want to sit it out during that period. There are plenty of diversions.
By bus
The COTA bus service, while not by any standard one of the greatest in the nation, can take you to most important places in the city, which should be about 5 blocks away from any conceivable location you need to go to. This service costs $2 for an express bus and $1.50 for a normal bus. Transfers are free; ask for one from the bus driver when you pay your fare. They are available at the Columbus International Airport.
By foot
Northwest Columbus is largely suburban sprawl. The size of the area is vast and the individual neighborhoods are often poorly connected for those on foot, with busy sidewalk less roads and highways acting as a significant barrier. Despite this, there is growing attention to pedestrian accessibility, and many of the older areas that were absorbed by the city have very walkable cores.
By taxi
From Columbus Int. Airport +1 614-239-TAXI. Taxis are available in the ground transportation area of the terminal 24/7. An electronic meter will be activated to compute your fare from the airport. The approximate fare into downtown Columbus is $22
See
See Le Poilu (The Continent)
A statue from France located in a former high end outdoor mall that was modeled after a European village. The site is now overgrown, and semi-abandoned, making walking around it ideal for legal Urbex. Less safe than most Columbus areas, but the movie theater and a few stores are still around.
See Adena Conical Burial Mound (Campbell Mound State Memorial)
20 feet high - 100 feet in diameter. Woodlands Period about 1,000 BC - 700 AD.
Do
Buy
Eat
Budget
Eat Aladdin's Eatery
Mediterranean fusion. Healthy, fresh, and priced well.
Eat New India Restaurant
Indian cuisine, chicken tikka, chicken marsala, tandoori chicken, saag paneer, lamb bhuna. Children's menu; cocktails.
Mid-range
Eat Amul India
Northern Indian cuisine, chicken tikka, masala, lamb korma. Lunch buffet and dinner: daily. Cocktails. Entrees: $7.99-14.99. Their buffet is hard to beat.
Eat MCL Restaurant & Bakery Kingsdale
Eat Thai Orchid Restaurant
Pad Thai, green curry. Lunch and dinner: daily. No children's menu. Cocktails. Entrees: $7.25-12.95.
Eat Der Dutchman
Amish Kitchen cooking, good value, and unique shopping.
Splurge
Sleep
Budget
Stay Comfort Suites
Easy access to downtown Columbus, shops, restaurants and movie theater within the area. Secure Online Reservations.
Mid-range
Stay Hawthorn Suites Columbus West
The Hawthorn Suites, Columbus West, is designed to make your stay more comfortable. Each tastefully appointed suite has a living room area which features a pull-out twin sofa sleeper, a television, an ergonomic chair and voice mail plus a work desk and data lamp.
Splurge
Stay safe
Hospitals
Go next
Northwest suburbs
Nearby
Worthington
City / town · 13 listings · 6 mi away
Dublin
City / town · 52 listings · 8 mi away
Powell
City / town · 13 listings · 10 mi away
Reynoldsburg
City / town · 7 listings · 14 mi away
Canal Winchester
City / town · 8 listings · 17 mi away
Pickerington
City / town · 11 listings · 18 mi away
Sunbury
City / town · 8 listings · 19 mi away
Delaware
City / town · 23 listings · 20 mi away
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