More Outdoor Fun

Naturally, all of the great areas in and around the center of Columbus provide an abundance of opportunities to live, work, and play. However, as residents move away from the center of town additional opportunities present themselves. There is a plethora of shopping and entertainment options at the nationally renowned Easton Town Center or at the Polaris Fashion Mall. Residents sail, surf, boat, fish, or just hang out on one of the four major Columbus reservoirs: Alum Creek with 3,300 acres, Hoover Dam with 3,200 acres, Griggs Reservoir with 364 acres, or O'Shaughnessy Dam with 845 acres.

If you are looking for a free weekend or weekday activity, then you can visit one of the seventeen Columbus Metro Parks covering over 23,000 acres and attend one of the 100 monthly programs. Situated throughout Central Ohio, the Columbus Metro Parks protect a variety of unique biological, historical, and geological features of Columbus.

For example, the Battelle Darby Metro Park stretches 14 miles along the banks the Big and Little Darby, a Registered National Scenic River; evidence of the Ice Age can be seen cutting through the park at Glacier Ridge; Highbanks hosts a collection of Indian mounds; Slate Ridge Historical Farm is a working farm providing a living connection to Ohio history; walking along the stream at Clear Creek visitors can see evidence of beavers and footprints of bobcats; and Inniswood boasts more than 2,000 species of plants, specialty collections of hostas, daffodils, daylilies and several theme gardens including the rose, herb and woodland rock garden.