Lifestyle: Finding Your Place - Westerville

FINDING YOUR PLACE

Whether you prefer city, suburban or small-town settings, Central Ohio has a spot for you.

If downtown living isn’t your vibe, no worries. The Columbus Region has plenty of options, from trendy walkable neighborhoods to charming rural towns. Here’s an alphabetical snapshot of 28 notable communities around Central Ohio—one of which is apt to feel just like home to you.

WESTERVILLE

FOUNDED 1858 | POPULATION 38,862 | COUNTIES Delaware and Franklin

Once the headquarters of the Anti-Saloon League, Westerville now calls itself a city within a park. This suburb 15 miles northeast of Columbus maintains award-winning parks, trails and open spaces, plus a state-of-the-art community center. It also has a 761-acre wooded metro park within its boundaries.

Uptown Westerville, once a stop for stagecoaches and the Underground Railroad, is the heart of the city. Eclectic shops, art galleries and new-generation restaurants are interspersed with 19th century houses along the tree-lined streets. For years, Westerville’s temperance history kept it a “dry” city; voters approved the first liquor license in its Uptown district in 2004. Today, the area has a winery, brewery, several bars and its own DORA, or Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, where visitors can open-carry alcoholic beverages from specific establishments during pre-set hours. (Many Columbus suburbs, and its own Arena District, have DORAs, too.) Community events abound, including some hosted on the campus of Otterbein University, a private liberal arts school that lends a collegiate vibe to the Uptown area.

The city has its own electric company, water plant and abundant housing options, from new builds to historic homes, in everything from walkable urban areas to spacious rural settings.