A Gilmore Girls Fangirl's Guide To Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio For Book Lovers

Start where Rory would naturally: at the bookstore. In German Village, a historic neighborhood of brick streets and brick homes that we were swooning over, googling every For Sale sign we saw. The entire 233 acres are on the National Register of Historic Places and the fall outdoor decorating was at its peak. Head to the iconic Book Loft, which packs 32 rooms of books into one of the largest independent bookstores in the country. Give yourself time to get happily lost in its maze of rooms.

Just up High Street in the Short North Arts District, Prologue Bookshop is a bougier bookstore of carefully curated selection of books, gifts and literary finds. Nearby, On Paper is stocked with stationery, journals and greeting cards, perfect for anyone who still writes letters (or wants to start). To turn it all into a day, follow the free Columbus Book Lovers Trail for recommendations on the best literary stops in town.

Coffee, Obviously (And Sweets)

No Gilmore Girls-inspired trip is complete without a steady supply of caffeine. The free Columbus Coffee Trail maps out the city’s best cups. Fox in the Snow was a lively spot for scratch-made pastries, breakfast sandwiches and coffee. Pistacia Vera in German Village is also a well-loved bakery famous for its pastries and macarons, and Sycamore is cozy neighborhood café. In the Short North, Matcha Me is a favorite for anyone who prefers their caffeine green (like me).

Chasing Fall Foliage in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus’ parks are made for crunchy-leaf walks. In German Village, Schiller Park is a local hangout. Pair it with a stroll down the neighborhood’s brick sidewalks and pop into shops like 3rd & Sycamore, which carries locally made bath and body products, candles and gifts and Helen Winnemore for handcrafted jewelry, pottery, textiles and art. On Saturdays through November, the German Village Farmers Market sets up along Third Street with local produce and baked goods and wonderful handmade textiles from Juhi Textiles.

Pop by the iconic Schmidt’s Sausage Haus for a classic German lunch of sampled sausages and potato pancakes, and grab a pastry from the bakery on your way out. The famous cream puff is the move. Goodale Park, just off High Street, is Columbus’ oldest public park and a quiet, leafy break from the Short North’s shops and galleries. Scioto Audubon Metro Park (shown above) is along the river, perfect for biking or strolling. It's eerily quiet on weekends.

Pumpkins Aglow at the Franklin Park Conservatory

Every autumn, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens lights up for Pumpkins Aglow, its annual family-friendly fall experience. More than 700 hand-carved pumpkins glow throughout the outdoor gardens, with whimsical and spooky displays featuring pirates, spiders, dancing skeletons, aliens and more. Roaming entertainment, seasonal food and drinks, crafts and a glass pumpkin pop-up shop round out the evening. Definitely head there at sundown and it's great for families.

Get Crafty

If you’d rather make something than shop for it, grab a seat at the totally unique Makers Social. It’s a DIY project bar where you pick from a variety of hands-on crafts and craft cocktails and take your creation home. My mom made a silver charm bracelet while I got to play with concrete, bringing home two small planters that I absolutely love. The Columbus concept from owner Megan Pando was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank and it sits in the Franklinton Arts District, Columbus’ emerging creative neighborhood of artist studios, galleries and breweries. Plan to wander before or after your project.

The Art Scene in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus’ creativity extends to fashion, too. The city has long been the headquarters hub for brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, DSW and Express, and it ranks as the No. 1 U.S. metro for apparel industry pros. That legacy is now becoming more visible with The LOOM, a new fashion incubator and cultural hub from the Columbus Fashion Alliance. Phase one is already open, and the full building is expected in 2027. "It's pretty much like a Willy Wonka factory for fashion," says Director of Marketing Eddie Parker IV.

I loved our visit to the Columbus Museum of Art on East Broad Street, where admission is free on Sundays and to all guests ages 25 and under, plus adult caregivers with children under 16. Columbus-born artist Clare Rojas returns for her first major hometown exhibition with works across painting, sculpture, installation and music. I was so moved by the folk -inspired imagery around feminism, spirituality and storytelling. There's also a fantastic cafe inside!

Downtown, step inside Prototype: The Experimental Museum, the city’s newest museum created by Columbus experience-design firm Roto. We thought it made for a perfect date night with a cocktail bar and a creative and interactive mix of art, media and tech. Even without a giant papier-mâché founding father nearby, it's worth getting lost in.

In the Short North Arts District, the city’s historic arts district, there are murals everywhere. Don’t miss “The Journey,” an 11-story mural on the side of Graduate Columbus by artists Ryan Sarfati and Eric Skotnes. When it debuted in 2019, it was the world’s largest augmented reality mural.

Where To Eat in Columbus, Ohio

With one of the best emerging food scenes in the U.S., Columbus kept my mom and me well-fed, from the Mediterranean dishes at Amara to the handmade pastas and harvest-forward dishes at Metsi’s. Here were our favorites:

• Metsi’s – This wood-fired Italian spot in the Short North comes from chef BJ Lieberman, a James Beard Award semifinalist, and it was our favorite food experience of the trip. A 10-foot hearth anchors the open kitchen, because 'Italian cuisine was born over live fire,' and it fires everything from grilled mains to handmade pastas. We started with sourdough focaccia and marinated peppers, devoured the delicata squash, and finished off with Chef Greg’s Famous Bolognese, a decadent lobster alla vodka, and not-to-be-missed signature tiramisu.
• Amara – This Mediterranean-inspired newcomer right on the riverfront from chef Josh Dalton was named a USA TODAY 2026 Restaurant of the Year and was another downtown favorite. We could not stop talking about the freshly made pita and Muhammara, a red pepper, walnut and pomegranate dip.
• Butcher & Rose – If you want to channel a Friday Night Dinner, minus the mandatory pearl necklace, Cameron Mitchell’s downtown steakhouse swaps the usual masculine steakhouse vibe for something more romantic and Instagrammable. Pastel flowers hang from the ceiling and the space features female artists, including a giant bull mural by local artist Ellen Knolls. Ask for a table in The Pavilion, a glass-box dining room, and order steakhouse classics like Beef Wellington (the stuffed lobster was also divine). All the breads are made in-house, including the buttery Parker Rolls. Order 'The Rose" cocktail for an absolute treat!
• Sycamore – Tucked into German Village, Sycamore looks like a classic neighborhood tavern from the brick-lined street, but inside feels like a European café. Come in the morning for coffee and breakfast, or stay for a happy hour cocktail that turns into a candlelit dinner on the patio while you still can.
• Katalina's – This is a brunch favorite in a converted 100-year-old gas station, famous for its Original Pancake Balls.
• The Lox Bagel Shop – These hand-rolled bagels in the Short North were recognized by Food & Wine as among the best in America.
• North Market – Grab a quick bite at the nearly 150-year-old public market of independent Ohio merchants, with stalls like Hoyo’s Kitchen, Momo Ghar and the original Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.
• Stories on High – End the night at the Hilton Columbus Downtown's rooftop bar at Stories on High, Columbus' tallest rooftop bar with panoramic views of the Short North and Arena District.

A Night At the Ohio Theater

The performing arts have a grand home downtown at the historic Ohio Theatre on East State Street. We caught the touring Broadway production of Death Becomes Her, the Tony Award-winning musical comedy based on the 1992 film. As the crowd poured in, I half-expected the Town Troubadour to pop up with an acoustic guitar. The crowd was fun and energetic and the show more than lived up to the hype. (Expect a few local Ohio references). Plan for dinner nearby before the show. Butcher & Rose is about a six-minute walk away and the perfect pre-dinner experience.