on location: midwest ❖
melinda hughey
★
Groups in Columbus can satisfy their culinary impulses, create their own pizza and learn how baseball bats are made.
THE COLUMBUS E X P E R I E N CE OHIO’S CAPITAL ABOUNDS WITH INTERACTIVE FUN FOR TOUR GROUPS
F
or group travelers, the hottest thing in Columbus is the opportunity to really experience what this eclectic and entertaining state capital has to offer. And on a recent fourday FAM trip, the Experience Columbus team packed in enough ideas to create an endless array of itineraries suitable for girlfriends, senior adults, families, students or virtually any other special-interest group. Instead of merely taking a passive look around, visitors on Experience
36 August 2011
Columbus’ experiential tours get to immerse themselves in imaginative encounters ranging from creating a work of art to being cast as a newly-signed baseball player starring in a press conference. With an entertainmentpacked city center ringed by a collection of charming suburbs, the Columbus area generates enough activity to keep a group busy for days. For girlfriends looking to get their groove back, Columbus offers infinite possibilities built around culinary, artistic, gardening and shopping.
The picturesque suburb of Worthington, reminiscent of a New England village, imparts a sensory nirvana in the form of candle making, winetasting and spa services, plus a bit of card-making at a vintage letterpress thrown in to satisfy artistic types. The “Wax, Wicks & Wine Experience” begins at The Candle Lab, where a mindboggling selection of more than 100 scents encourages inventive blending for the soy candles group members pour and take home. Next up and next door, House Wine hosts a tasting LeisureGroupTravel.com
experience that encourages guests to sample vintages by the ounce or the glass, with a huge selection of bottles for purchase. A delicious distraction just steps away is also a Columbus staple— Graeter’s Ice Cream. A gourmet dinner is as close as the Historic Worthington Inn, just across the street. Exotic morels harvested by the executive chef himself starred on the menu the night we visited. Girlfriend groups can hone their culinary skills in myriad ways with visits to downtown’s 135-year-old North Market, where Chef CaJohn of Flavor & Fire presides over a spice-mixing class and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream has fascinating flavors (like rhubarb and lime cardamom or goat cheese and cherry) that demand to be sampled. In historic Dublin the bakery Irish Treats presents an opportunity to decorate cupcakes with intricate designs taken from the Irish Book of Kells. International culinary adventurer Bethia Woolf ’s Columbus Food Adventures can tailor a tour focusing on the city’s thriving food-truck offerings. Artful gardening—both botanical and topiary—blooms throughout Columbus, with acres of manicured beds designed to dazzle the most ardent horticulturalist. And across town, tea at the Gahanna Herb Education Center complements an informative class on the culinary, medicinal and aromatic use of herbals, proving why the town is known as the Herb Capital of Ohio. Out at Franklin Park Conservatory, meticulously-tended community vegetable gardens form the perfect setting for a wood-fired pizza experience. An outdoor brick oven is tended by a chef who stands ready to help group members create their own custom pies, LeisureGroupTravel.com
which are cooked and served onsite. Art connoisseurs will love the Columbus Art Museum’s “Artist For A Day Tour” celebrating George Wesley Bellows, a favorite son who created more than 600 paintings in 25 years. The experience opens with a welcoming interpretive conversation by an actress who captivatingly portrays Bellows’ Aunt Eleanor Smith Doggett. She acquaints visitors with her nephew’s life and works. Visitors then proceed into
An actress discusses the art of Columbus native George Bellows.
the galleries and, instead of staring at the art, are equipped with an assortment of art materials, including sketch pad and pencils, and encouraged to reproduce their favorite work of art. Columbus offers retail therapy in a big way at Easton Town Center, where breakfast and a fashion seminar at Nordstrom can be followed up by scrapbooking classes and workshops at Archivers, a superstore of page decor. During summer months, outdoor movies, concerts and the Easton Art
Fair enhance one of the city’s largest shopping venues. But Columbus is far from a ladiesonly destination! On the outer fringe of the city center and within view of the sleek skyline rests Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers, an AAA-affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The new stadium was unveiled in 2009 as a state-of-the-art replacement for the 31-year-old Cooper Stadium. Here group members can seize the spotlight by becoming a Columbus Clipper for a day, from “contract-signing” to faux press conference. Throughout the ballpark, the team’s history is so artfully exhibited that it could share equal billing with a game for entertainment value. Clipper executive Joe Santry is a walking history book of team lore. Working hand-in-glove with the Clipper experience is an up-close look at professional baseball bats and how they are crafted at Phoenix Bats. Deceptively small, this partner-owned operation produces and supplies bats to major leaguers and others. Tours follow the bat-crafting process from raw wood to slicklylacquered finished product, with visitors gifted with their very own miniature, personalized version of a Phoenix bat at the tour’s conclusion. With the emphasis on getting travelers involved and peeking behind the scenes, Columbus has been a leader in experiential tourism. Group planners will discover a gold mine of fresh itinerary ideas. LGT Obtain Ohio visitor guides and itineraries – and contact groupfriendly suppliers directly – at leisuregrouptravel.com/instant-info August 2011 37
Because the only thing better than telling old stories is creating new ones. If you’ve ever been to Columbus, you know it isn’t your ordinary destination. Its one-of-a-kind festivals, unique hands-on attractions and freethinking attitude make it a city like no other and one your group is sure to love. So start planning your Columbus visit today at ExperienceColumbus.com/tours or by calling 800-354-2657. COMING IN 2012
ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST PLACES FOR FUN
SHOPPING SO GOOD YOU NEED EXTRA LUGGAGE
NEIGHBORHOODS WITH PERSONALITY
Ä‘ĆŤĆŤ ! +)!ĆŤ *ĆŤ .0%/0ĆŤ"+.ĆŤ0$!ĆŤ 5ĆŤ 0 0$!ĆŤColumbus Museum of Art. Rachel Trinkley, 614-629-5942, www.columbusmuseum.org
đƍƍ $+,ƍ 0ƍ$1* .! /ƍ+"ƍ/,! % (05ƍ/0+.!/ƍ 0ƍEaston Town Centerċƍ Bethany Braden, 614-750-0616, www.eastontowncenter.com
đƍƍ 2+.ƍ0$!ƍ0 /0!/ƍ+"ƍ+( ƍ .!( * ƍ%*ƍDublinċƍ Mary Szymkowiak, 614-792-7666, www.irishisanattitude.com
đƍƍ 0ƍ .! '" /0ƍ3%0$ƍ0$!ƍ *%) (/ƍ 0ƍ 0$!ƍColumbus Zoo and Aquariumċƍ Roger Dudley, 614-645-3521, www.columbuszoo.org
Ä‘ĆŤĆŤ $+,ĆŤ 0ĆŤÄ Ä€Ä€ĆŤ* )!ÄĄ . * ĆŤ/0+.!/ĆŤ 0ĆŤPrime Outlets–JeffersonvilleÄ‹ĆŤ Kristen Hauer, 740-948-9091, www.primeoutlets-jeffersonville.com
Ä‘ĆŤĆŤ $ ((!*#!ĆŤ5+1.ĆŤ%**!.ĆŤ!4,(+.!.ĆŤ 0ĆŤCOSIÄ‹ĆŤ Susan Peters, 614-228-2674 ext. 2542, www.cosi.org
WHERE TO REST YOUR HEAD
Ä‘ĆŤĆŤ 2+.ĆŤ$!. ÄĄ%*"1/! ĆŤ"++ /ĆŤ%*ĆŤGahannaÄŒĆŤ '*+3*ĆŤ /ĆŤ0$!ĆŤ !. ĆŤ ,%0 (ĆŤ+"ĆŤ $%+Ä‹ Katrina McDonald, 614-418-9114, www.visitgahanna.com
đƍƍ (+3ƍ ƍ#( //ƍ+.* )!*0ƍ%*ƍLicking CountyċƍBen Clemons, 740-345-8224, www.escapetolickingcounty.com
đƍƍ $100(!ƍ0+ƍ /0+*ƍ +3*ƍ !*0!.ƍ ".+)ƍEmbassy Suites Columbus AirportċƍLindsay Phillips, 614-536-0211, www.columbusairport.embassysuites.com
Ä‘ĆŤĆŤ '!ĆŤEastern Ohio ToursĆŤ5+1.ĆŤ .!/+1. !ĆŤ"+.ĆŤ%*0!. 0%2!ĆŤ0+1./Ä‹ĆŤ Dixie Wyler, 740-754-1833, www.easternohiotours.com
đƍƍ 2!.*%#$0ƍ%*ƍ0$!ƍ$%,ƍ $+.0ƍ +.0$ƍ .0/ƍ %/0.% 0ƍ 0ƍHampton Inn & Suites Downtown Columbusċƍ Gene Minnich, 614-559-2000, www.columbusdowntownsuites. hamptoninn.com đƍƍ 0 5ƍ (+/!ƍ0+ƍ +( .%/ƍ /$%+*ƍ ( !ƍ 0ƍHilton Garden Inn Columbus/ Polarisċƍ Teresa Shay Tompkins, 614-846-8884, www.columbuspolaris.gardeninn.com
Ä‘ĆŤĆŤ %#1.!ĆŤ+10ĆŤÄ—3$+ 1*%0Ä˜ĆŤ 1.%*#ĆŤ+.%#%* (ĆŤ %*0!. 0%2!ĆŤ %**!.ĆŤ0$! 0!.ĆŤ/$+3/ĆŤ%*ĆŤ Ohio VillageÄ‹ĆŤLesley Cornathan, 614-297-3219, www.ohiohistory.org
đƍƍ 4,(+.!ƍ $!ƍ $%+ƍ 0 0!ƍ *%2!./%05ƍ * ƍ +3*0+3*ƍ 0ƍHilton Garden Inn– OSUċƍMaggie Mungai, 614-263-7200, www.columbusuniversityarea.stayhgi.com đƍƍ 0 5ƍ +3*0+3*ƍ 0ƍHoliday Inn
Columbus Downtown Capitol Square. Tyson Schweitzer, 614-221-3281, www.holiday-inn.com/cmh-cityctr đƍƍ 2!.*%#$0ƍ (+/!ƍ0+ƍ +3*0+3*ƍ 0ƍUniversity Plaza Hotel & Conference Centerċƍ John Loree, 614-456-1156, www.universityplazaosu.com
Ä‘ĆŤĆŤ +1.ĆŤ5+1.ĆŤ+3*ĆŤ 1/0+)ÄĄ/ !*0! ĆŤ * (!ÄŒĆŤ0$!*ĆŤ/!(! 0ĆŤ5+1.ĆŤ" 2+.%0!ĆŤ 3%*!ĆŤ%*ĆŤWorthington.ĆŤ Mindy Mace, 614-841-2545, www.visitworthingtonohio.com