Columbus Ohio

Metro Parks Nature Adventure Camps

April 21, 2017 by The Columbus Team

Many parents are starting to think about summer programs: One of the area favorites for so many children and parents are the Nature Adventure Camps at Columbus Metro Parks. These are one-week camps that offer a variety of nature experiences to keep kids busy and happy outdoors in the summer months. The programs are offered by grade, so choose the grade your child will have just completed, not the one they will enter in the fall. Most programs run 8:30am-4:30pm Monday through Thursday with a short day Friday, ending at 12:30. Programs for the smallest children may be half-days all week, check the Metro Parks website for full details about which parks offer which camps and to register. If you’re interested, register soon, as camps fill up fast!

2017 Metro Parks Nature Adventure Camps

Peek-a-Boo and Nature Too

Preschool – Ages 3-5, kids must be toilet trained but are not Kindergarten ready
Camp will include games, crafts, stories, short walks, creeking, and more. Activities will be a mix of indoors and outdoors.
June 19-23 at 8:30am-11:30am or 1:00pm-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 10-14 at 8:30-11:30am or 1:00-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $75.00

Nature and Me

Grade K, for those who have completed Kindergarten
Explore the different classes of animal such as mammals, birds, and fish with games, crafts, stories, short walks, creeking, and more. Activities will be a mix of indoor and outdoor.
June 12-16 at 8:30-11:30am Mon-Fri
June 26-30 at 1:00-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $75.00

Creature Features

Grades 1-3, for those who have completed grades 1, 2, or 3
Kids compare their own skills to those of animals at running, jumping, flying (not really), balancing, and even staring! A smell scavenger hunt, tag, high jump, creeking, fishing, hiking, and a cookout are all included at most camps.
June 12-16 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 19-23 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 26-30 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 17-21 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 24-28 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $130.00

Metro Parks Explorers

Grades 4- 6, for those who completed grades 4, 5, or 6
Day trips to different parks to climb a rock wall, fishing and archery, GPS fun, and a day at Battelle Darby Creek exploring the water and animals who live there, and a day at Slate Run Living Historical Farm. Transportation, swimming, hiking, and a cookout at most parks are included.
June 12-16 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 19-23 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 26-30 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 10-14 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 17-21 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 24-28 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $145.00

Blast from the Past

Grades 4- 6, for those who completed grades 4, 5, or 6
An introduction to old-fashioned games and crafts. Make your own butter, use Indian symbol rocks to tell a story, win a potato sack relay race and more. Creeking, hiking, fishing, and a cookout are included.
July 31-August 4 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $130.00

Teen Adventurers

Grades 7- 9, for those who have completed grades 7, 8, or 9
Teens combine volunteer work with outdoor fun. Volunteer work includes activities such as painting picnic shelters, tables, and benches; litter clean-up of waterways by canoe; and other activities as needed. The fun stuff includes backpacking through Clear Creek, kayaking Scioto Grove, and climbing the rock wall at Scioto Audobon. Fishing, creeking, and making a walking stick are also included.
July 17-21 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 24-28 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $115.00.

GRANDcamp and Me

Grades 1-5, for those who have completed grades 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5
Grandparents and grandchildren register to attend TOGETHER, and participate in Creature Feature hands-on activities. Creeking, archery, and a cookout are included.
July 10-14 at 9:00am-noon Mon-Thurs, 9:00am-1:00pm Friday
Fee $40.00.

Please note: The dates and times were correct and available at time of publishing, but weather, budgets, and facility availability DO affect Metro Park schedules, so please check with the Metro Parks through the link provided for up-to-the-minute information before making your plans. Thank you!

10 Inexpensive Fall Activities in Central Ohio

August 29, 2016 by The Columbus Team

Wondering what inexpensive fall adventures you can embark upon in Central Ohio? Autumn is here, with beautiful colors, abundant harvests, and gorgeous weather that makes most of us long to get outdoors and enjoy everything Central Ohio has to offer. Here’s a list of ten free and inexpensive activities to do in the area: try one, or be ambitious and do them all!

Apple picking: Enjoy the pretty drive to Pick-ur-own farms such as Lynd Fruit Farm, and Hann Farms. Sites like PickYourOwn.org have a complete list of other U-Pick farms all over the area.
Pumpkin Patches: Enjoy pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hay rides, and lots of fall fun
Do your own autumn colors tour: Prepare a batch of hot mulled cider, pour it into insulated cups, grab some cookies or trail mix, and jump in the car for a tour of our town’s beautiful fall foliage. If you drive by a Columbus Metro Park, consider adding number 4 to your trip.
Take a walk in the woods! Central Ohio has 16 Metro Parks, with over 175 miles of trails, from easy strolls, to demanding hikes. It’s a sensory wonderland, with the crisp scent of autumn, the crunchy leaves, the cool weather, and the boost of energy you’ll get from the exercise.
While you’re thinking about the Metro Parks, check into their programs. They’ve got everything from nature talks for little ones, classes about nuts or wildfowl…often on group hikes with a naturalist, to night-time lantern strolls.
Visit a local food festival, and enjoy the harvest from farmers right here in Central Ohio…nothing could be fresher!
Take the produce you find at one of those local food festivals and cook up a storm! Juicy apples can become homemade apple sauce, apple pie, or tarte tatin. Robust pumpkin makes wonderful curried pumpkin soup, or pumpkin ravioli. Don’t forget kale and spinach: These cool weather greens make fabulous kale soup, or spinach salad with hot bacon dressing.
Take advantage of your memberships. You probably already belong to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, The Franklin Park Conservatory, COSI, the Columbus Art Museum, or any number of other Central Ohio attraction. Each of them offers programs, seasonal displays, or a special autumn feel that you’ll miss if you don’t go this season. Don’t forget to savor your old standbys and make your membership fees work for you!
Speaking of memberships, don’t forget your season passes: King’s Island and Cedar Point both have seasonal hours and programs to make Halloween events more fun. (Even further afield, think about the passes you may have bought to attractions such as Williamsburg or Hershey Park. Those summertime purchases may allow you to explore autumn values now).
Crafts are a perfect idea for chilly, rainy, autumn days. Plan ahead during your walks and outdoor fun, by collecting beautiful leaves and nuts, purchasing gourds and vines, and keeping an eye out for craft-worthy items. Then when the weather coops you up indoors, create fall décor, rubbings, Thanksgiving cards, and other autumnal crafts. Sites like family.Disney.com, Good Housekeeping or Country Living can give you great craft ideas and instructions.

The Columbus Lifestyle

November 27, 2013 by The Columbus Team

Columbus Ohio is the 14th largest city in the U.S. and the state capital. With a cost of living that is 10% lower than the national average and a steady annual growth rate of 1.8 percent. Columbus is attractive for both singles and families.

The region includes:

The top-ranked zoo, public library, and science museum in the nation.
Top-ranked most livable city, most affordable place to retire, and best place to raise kids.
Commute-time below the national average.
Home to some of the best healthcare providers in the nation, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the OhioHealth system, and OSU Medical Center.
Diverse sports opportunities, including multiple golf courses, bicycling, water sports, and many team sports.
The region is home to 20 theatre companies, 102 art galleries, and 18 museums. There is more park space per capita than any other U.S. City.
Sports fans can enjoy NHL Hockey, Major League Soccer, a PGA Tour Event, a beloved minor-league baseball team, and, of course, Ohio State athletics.

The Columbus region is a welcoming place with a wide variety of cultures and lifestyles represented. Neighborhoods and communities range from traditional to eclectic. No matter how you want to live, the region is sure to have a place that feels just like home. Your Columbus Team Realtor can help you select the community that is right for you.

Traveling to visit family and friends is easy and convenient. The Port Columbus International Airport has invested more than $210 million in the past five years for easy arrival, departure, and personal comfort. The region is crossed by eight major interstate highways. Our Columbus region is located within a one-day drive or one-hour flight of over half the population of the U.S. and Canada.

To learn more about the advantages of living in the Columbus, Ohio, area contact The Columbus Team by calling 614-888-6100.

Ohio to Erie Trail

December 12, 2011 by The Columbus Team

What’s 110 miles in length, friendly to cyclists, and chock-full of splendid nature? You got it: the Ohio to Erie Trail. With the last 1.6 miles completed (Madison County), you can now travel by bike from Battelle Darby Creek, all the way to Cincinnati!

This fabulous, accessible trail is part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative; it’s a plan that in the grand scheme of things includes two major projects for each of 50 states “designed to protect special places and increase access to outdoor spaces.” The overall design and purpose of projects like the Ohio to Erie Trail are to establish community-based initiatives for “conservation, recreation, and reconnecting Americans to the outdoors.” More details of the plan, released in November by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, can be found on the Ohio to Erie Trail website.

The massiveness and importance of this one project for Ohio can’t be underestimated. Eventually a continuous trail will connect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati and several other communities. Once gaps are closed in the Columbus area, the route will run 160 miles! These two gaps— Alum Creek and Camp Chase—will give access to 18 city parks, and will also connect with both Battelle Darby Creek and Big Darby Creek rivers.

Look for more changes in 2012, courtesy of Metro Parks’ capital improvement projects, as the Camp Chase extension will be connected via the canoe access through the park, to Galloway.

SegAway Tours of Columbus

September 8, 2011 by The Columbus Team

Ever think about getting on board some personal ‘green’ transportation? Well, for just $55 (plus tax) you can. According to Wikipedia, a Segway (or Segway PT, for personal transportation) is “a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle invented by Dean Kamen.” Taken from the word “segue” (smooth transition), this handy little electric vehicle can comfortably travel at around 12 mph, and is a perfect way to whisk a person around a place; say Columbus, for example! And you can get in on the fun by reserving your spot with SegAway Tours of Columbus. Interested? Here’s more information for you…

First, a brief 15-20 training period is included in this two-hour fun adventure. You do not have to walk in the door knowing how to ride a Segway; they’ll show you how. Second, the tour provided is a great ride around Columbus town. In fact, they have a special Web page that shows you a brief animation of the route. Even if you’re not interested (at first) in this novel way to see Columbus, you should take a look at the tour. Third, this is a fun, eco-friendly way to see the city.

The tours run every weekday, and Saturdays, from 9 a.m. through 8 p.m., there are four start times daily. On Sundays there is one start time, and it’s at 1 p.m. The $55 charge is the same for everyone, though they offer a 15% discount for Military (Military ID required). All riders must be 14 years or older, plus must weigh between 100 and 260 pounds, and must be capable of walking up a flight of stairs unassisted. Also, comfortable closed shoes are recommended (no flip-flops). Other than that, did we say another requirement is to have fun? Yes, fun!

To find out more about SegAway Tours, please give them a call at (614) 222-3005. Alternately, visit their website, or send them an e-mail at Tours@SegAwayToursofColumbus.com.