Visit the “Umbrella Girl” in German Village (588 S. 3rd St.), one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. In the 1950s, this bronze statue mysteriously disappeared from Schiller Park. The village dedicated a new version of the young girl, garbed in traditional Bavarian dress and carrying an umbrella, in 1996.
Taste such Mediterranean staples as tabbouleh and baklava, inhale pungent spices, bite into a juicy locally-grown tomato and snap up some snapdragons at the North Market (59 Spruce St.), one of the area's best places to eat. This public farmers market on Spruce Street is the last of its kind in central Ohio.
Take a tour of a tropical rain forest, the Himalayan Mountains or an arid desert at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (1777 E. Broad St.), which also features the Palm House, a 12,500-square-foot glass structure built in the style of the Glass Palace at Chicago's World Fair and Columbian Exposition in 1893.
While in German Village, get some sweets for you and your sweetie pie at Pistacia Vera (541 S. Third St.), where glass cases are filled with delicate creations like melt-in-your-mouth macarons and cookies, tantalizing tarts and tortes, and buttery croissants and brioche.
Lift a car all by yourself at COSI Columbus (333 W. Broad St.), a science center boasting a mix of education and fun. At COSI's outdoor Big Science Park, the Big Giant Lever exhibit lets you raise a 2,437-pound automobile. Or ride a unicycle on a tightrope several stories high in the center's atrium – yes, you can do it!
Coo at koalas at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (4850 W. Powell Rd.), one of the few U.S. zoos permanently housing the marsupials. Like the kangaroo, the koala carries its newborn, which is only about the size of a jelly bean, in a pouch. You can also go on a walkabout with gallivanting kangaroos, ogle polar bears swimming in icy waters and giggle at manatees and penguins cavorting in the aquarium.
Watch a newsreel from the 1920s while exploring the 271,000-square-foot Ohio History Center (800 E. 17th Ave.). The expansive collection includes animal and plant specimens (including the extinct ivory-billed woodpecker), prehistoric Native American art, Civil War artifacts and classic cars. A gigantic mastodon skeleton greets visitors at the entrance.
Unearth a few gems in the Short North Arts District. This urban neighborhood on North High Street embraces an eclectic array of art galleries, restaurants, antique shops, coffee bars and hip boutiques selling everything from Indonesian baskets and Native American jewelry to vintage clothing and designer fashions.
Dip a spoon into a cup of Graeter's Ice Cream (2555 Bethel Rd.). Heralded as the best ice cream around, the creamy dessert is a lasting tradition in the Midwest. Try Graeter's best seller, Black Raspberry Chip, or Oprah Winfrey's personal favorite, Butter Pecan. Another sweet favorite is Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (714 N. High St.). Flavors include salty caramel and Riesling poached pear sorbet as well as such seasonal offerings as sweet corn and black raspberries.
Pose among the figures sculpted from shrubbery at The Topiary Park (480 E. Town St.) in Old Deaf School Park; it's one of many fun things to do with friends in Columbus. You'll feel like you're actually inside the painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by post-impressionist artist Georges Seurat. The park's beautiful landscaping lends itself nicely to a relaxing picnic and some Frisbee-tossing.