That said, it's one thing to live with your parents when you're a child and a complete other thing to live with them when you're an adult. Everyone is pretty firmly set in their ways and routines. Sometimes it can feel like there are too many cooks in the kitchen, as the expression goes. I decided it would be good for us all to get some breathing room and more specifically, for the three of us to have some family bonding time. Poor Evan sees AJ the least and so this was an opportunity for him to be with his daughter without the interruption of work and other responsibilities. Evan and I also craved being alone without having to slink off to my parents' basement like a couple of teenagers!
It just so happens that this spontaneous weekend away coincided with AJ's first birthday. Since it's only a memorable occasion for us at this point in her young life, we didn't think she'd be missing much by not having a party. We celebrated a little by introducing AJ to her first taste of ice cream and she got to unwrap one present the night before her birthday. She also had a few more presents to open when we got back home.
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Why Columbus? Well, we'd never been to Ohio before. I've read articles here and there about Columbus being a happening place - lots of breweries, coffee shops, good food, art, etc. When I was trying to figure out a place to go at the last minute, I went to thrillist.com and read an article about an interactive art experience that just opened in suburban Columbus. It got a good write-up. Even the New York Times touted it. I was sold!
Columbus is 6.5 hours by car so not close, but not too far to do in a day's drive. I was able to find a property rental in a charming college town called Granville, which is 30-40 minutes outside Columbus. Granville has magnificent original 1900s-era homes that have been painstakingly maintained. There's also a lovely downtown with a wide avenue and sidewalks. We were pleasantly surprised and impressed. We just wish there had been more food options.
We learned a lot on this trip. You really can't be spontaneous with a kid in tow. The key to a successful family trip is planning ahead. I don't want to knock us because overall, I think we did a great job. AJ had all the equipment and food she needed to be comfortable. That said, it was still hard to find places for the adults to eat while also keeping AJ's nap schedule in mind. There were a few places on my list that we never got to because the timing didn't work out. We also had to ditch the hiking backpack to make room for her highchair, which we used minimally. I wish we could go back in time and swap the two items because it would've been nice to have a walk in the woods one day. I guess we'll save Hocking Hills State Park for another trip.
It's also kind of hellish dealing with city traffic, one-way roads, and finding parking spots when you've got a baby in the car. I spent more time in the backseat with AJ than I did up front with Evan because I needed to entertain and/or feed her much of the time. Ideally, we would've picked a more temperate time of year too. It was that much more taxing getting her in/out of the car and setting up the stroller with the sun beating down our necks. We also discovered that not everywhere is stroller-friendly so that put a crimp in some activities.
All in all though, we really liked Columbus. There was a lot to see, do, and eat. On our own, I know we would've accomplished everything on my list and I had already pared it down considerably. But as we're learning, adding a baby to the mix complicates matters. That doesn't make it any less fun though. We're very fortunate in that AJ is game for almost anything. We just have to adjust so that the next trip is even better. For all of us.
Travel dates: Wednesday, July 24 - Sunday, July 28
We were on the road Wednesday and Sunday so we had three full days in the area. Well, more like half-days since we would leave after AJ's morning nap and get home in time for her afternoon nap.
One of our more successful activities was the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. As long as you can find activities that are both adult and kid-friendly everyone can have a good time.
So many Chihuly glassworks!
We ate lunch at North Market for two consecutive days because it was easy for us to get hot, ready-made food and then sit down in a casual, food court-like setting. We pulled AJ's stroller up to the table and she chilled/played with her toys while we ate.
We kept it simple and went to the same place for lunch and dessert both times. Lunch was Market & Boar BBQ and dessert was Jeni's. The brisket was tender, juicy, and delicious at Market & Boar. Their cornbread was also moist and sumptuous. Jeni's ice cream was, as expected, awesome beyond belief. This is the original Jeni's shop before it became a household name. The flavors are so creative, ambitious, and delicious. I got brown butter almond brittle and boy was it good! AJ tasted some of my ice cream and loved it and wanted more of it. She would grunt with anticipation between bites.
The second time we went to North Market we arrived after a Columbus Zoo fail. It was unmitigated chaos. There must have been people there from all bordering states. It was also stiflingly hot and there were long lines to get in. We paid $10 to park, changed a poopy diaper, got everything out of the car and strolled across several parking lots to confirm that we were, in fact, in some version of hell. We gladly ate the $10 just to get out of there. Then, in one of those random gifts from the universe, we found $9 in cash in the parking lot at North Market. Evan asked around to see if it belonged to anyone and this trio of people said to take it and "buy that baby some ice cream" so we did.
We spent part of our last day in Columbus's suburban sprawl checking out Otherworld. The first thing we noticed is that it's in a completely abandoned and desolate strip mall. We were so confused that we suspected we might be in the wrong place. The ticket vendors explained that the neighborhood was going through hard times and the businesses that formerly populated the strip mall moved to another one in a more affluent area. I admire that they're trying to bring some life and money back into the place with an art exhibit. I hope they succeed.
The interactive art was an interesting diversion, but what I read about it didn't necessarily line up with what I experienced. I was expecting something more high-brow but instead, it felt like we were on the set of the original Star Trek. In other words, it was a little cheesy and low-budget but fun. Even AJ had a good time.
Not sure where or how to fit this in but near Otherworld there's an intersection with the street names Gender and Refugee. I mean...what?
Last, but not least, we made two brief stops at the Topiary Park and The Book Loft of German Village.
The Topiary Park has a replica in topiary form of the famous George Seurat painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grand Jatte. It was neat to see in person but it looked a little rough around the edges. I don't know how much time/effort is put into maintaining it. That said, I could see the park's appeal from a local perspective. We saw a few people lounging with their friends, sunbathing, picnicking, etc. They also offer outdoor movie showings in the summer. I've always wanted to do that! I'll have to look into that locally.
German Village, while extremely charming and quaint, is not stroller-friendly. We stopped to get Evan a coffee and a bottled water for me and we had to lift the stroller up some steps to get inside. Then we had to trod on an uneven brick sidewalk to get to the Book Loft and when we arrived, we discovered that we had a dozen or so steps to traverse to get to the entrance. Ugh. Some young couple, probably college students, had to help us because we looked lost and overwhelmed. Then I went into the bookstore by my lonesome because there were more stairs to navigate. Evan sat outside with AJ but I didn't want them to have to sit in the hot sun for too long; I only saw about seven of the thirty-two rooms. Ideally, I would've spent an hour in there. Maybe another time.
We'd definitely go back to Columbus and we were pleasantly surprised by the little that we saw of Ohio. It felt like a greener, more quaint Virginia. We're interested enough that we'd be open to returning soon and to exploring other cities. Evan would prefer to stay closer in for future city-trips because it would mean less driving and parking. I agree that it would be nice to walk out of our VRBO or hotel and hit the ground running.
