As Ohio's capital and the 15th largest city in the United States, Columbus is within 550 miles of half of the U.S. population. With five highways running through the city, it couldn't be easier to get around.

Flying is just as easy, as Port Columbus International Airport is 10 minutes from downtown and is served by 10 airlines and their regional affiliates providing nearly 400 daily arrivals and departures to 49 airports in the U.S. and Canada. Carriers include Air Canada Jazz, American, Continental, Delta, Midwest/Connect, Northwest, Southwest, United and US Airways.





Columbus also has a number of distinctive neighborhoods within the metro area. The Short North, situated just north of downtown, is rich with art galleries, dining, pubs, and specialty shops. A number of large, ornate Victorian homes are located nearby, and together they comprise Victorian Village . To the south, German Village is known for its quaint 19th century brick cottages, and it holds the distinction as the largest privately funded historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.




At the north end of downtown is a new development/neighborhood, the Arena District. Centered around the Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the district has many pubs, restaurants, and residential projects, most notably the new 20-story Condominiums at North Bank Park tower. The Lifestyles Communities Pavilion is also an anchor for the district and the soon-to-come Huntington Ballpark will be the new home of the Columbus Clippers baseball team. There are also the Heritage Districts, which include the Driving Park, Livingston Park and Old Oaks areas on the near east side of the city.





The Ohio State University area is populated by a high concentration of students during the school year (approximately 50,000) and features many old homes which have been converted to apartments for student use. The stretch of High Street that runs through the campus area caters to the student body with its abundance of bars, sandwich shops, music stores, and bookstores. Located between OSU and Worthington is Clintonville, where a mix of middle class homes can be found alongside beautiful old stone and brick-faced houses nestled among rolling hills. Further west of downtown, San Margherita is a community formed by Italian immigrants who arrived at the turn of the 20th century.

Columbus has its own city park system, and there is a metropolitan area parks system as well. Reservoirs and parks on the major streams offer recreational opportunities. The Scioto and Olentangy river corridors are becoming connected as greenways with bike paths, and the Scioto Mile project is enhancing the riverfront in the heart of downtown.