This post is written by Anthony Cordo, Visitor Services Manager for Experience Columbus.

The New Year is approaching, but before we can welcome it in we’ve got to get in to a bar! Check out some of the ideas below and their highlights to decide where you and your friends will enjoy the party.

Gresso’s: New Year’s Eve Party
Cover: $59
Includes: open bar (well and domestic drinks), champagne toast, D.J., buffet, shuttle service.
Why: this is a fantastic neighborhood hotspot and on NYE it’s a favorite choice to enjoy life with your friends without emptying your wallet. You’re not likely to find a place as popular as this with an all-inclusive cover this low.
Know before you go: pre-purchase your admission over the phone – it’s always sold out at the door.

Barrio Tapas Lounge: New Years Eve
Cover: $5
Includes: Old-School hip-hop party, D.J. Patrick, drink specials.
Why: Barrio has great food.

Newport Music Hall: Ekoostik Hookah
http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event-detail.cfm?id=30969
Admission: $30
Includes: admission to the concert.
Why: Ekoostik Hookah is a fun live music experience!

House Wine: New Year’s Eve at House Wine
Cover: none.
Why: This can be an affordable plan – you pay for what you drink. If you’re a wine-o this is a good option!

Shadowbox Live: New Year’s Eve at Shadowbox Live
Cover: $100 ($180 for two)
Includes: Two bands, dancing, dinner and dessert banquet, champagne toast at midnight.
Why: the folks over at Shadowbox Live know how to throw a fine party, and this NYE bash should appeal to people who like live music.
Know before you go: reservations required.

Park Street Complex: New Year’s Eve Extravaganza
Cover: $10
Includes: multiple D.J.s, party favors, circus performers, a ball drop at midnight.
Why: if you’re looking for a club scene to ring in 2012 this is one of the best options. The complex is three attached bars, and each one has a great dancing scene.
Know before you go: dress hot – everyone else will.

Camelot Cellars Winery: Venetian Masquerade Ball
Cover: $25 ($40 for two)
Includes: special wine prices, champagne at midnight, appetizers.
Why: this is a fancy way to celebrate in masquerade style.

Hyatt Regency Columbus: NYE on High
Cover: $129-499
Includes: open bar, eleven bands (Lt Dan’s New Legs, Reagonomics, and others), D.J.s.
Why: this is one of the best known NYE celebrations; it’s been going on for thirty years!
Know before you go: book a room at the hotel in advance as part of the package.

There’s no doubt about it - Columbus is a foodie destination. If you’ve got a foodie in your life, there are lots of ways to share the Columbus Food Scene this holiday season.

Columbus Food Adventures - These tours are the perfect introduction into all the flavors and behind-the-scenes info on the city’s food scene. Chose among several options, including a tour of Short North restaurants, more adventurous ethnic fare on the Alt Eats tour, and in warmer months, the Taco Truck tour. A gift certificate lets you pick the tour, and allows the recipient to pick a date that works best for them.

Juergen’s Bakery - Juergen’s, a Bavarian bakery located fittingly in German Village, offers the ultimate in sweet treats exclusively this time of year - the Stollen. Stollen is a traditional fruit-studded sweet bread that’s sure to become a tradition on your holiday table. You can also choose among other German pastries like strudel and linzertorte.

Books - This year, some great Columbus food books were published. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home shows home cooks how to create Jeni’s world renowned ice cream in their own kitchen, and how to play with imaginative flavors. Breakfast with Nick is a book written by Columbus’ premier breakfast blogger, Nick Dekker . It’s perfect for the person on your list who loves bacon, eggs, donuts and coffee.

Distillery Tours - Columbus’ spirits scene is taking off and gaining national attention. Treat the cocktail maven on your list to a tour and tasting at Watershed Distillery (outstanding vodka and gin) and Middle West Spirits (flavorful vodka and whiskey.) If you’re really nice, a bottle from each would be the perfect foundation to for a Columbus-based home-bar.

North Market School of Cooking - The North Market is arguably the hub of the Columbus Food Scene, with vendors selling locally grown ingredients and a whole range of prepared foods. The top floor of the market holds a treasure: the Dispatch Kitchen, where cooking classes with the city’s best chefs are offered. It’s dinner, wine and a show for the foodies on your list.

Dine Originals Gift Certificates - If you want to treat someone to a special night out, Dine Originals gift certificates are a perfect choice. Choose from almost 50 locally owned, independent restaurants, ranging from DeepWood between the Short North and Downtown, Alana’s Food and Wine in Clintonville, Black Creek Bistro in Old Town East, and Luce in Powell.

What else would you recommend for folks shopping for foodies? As always, you can keep up with the Columbus Food Scene on Facebook .

This post is written by Sandi Combs, Marketing Coordinator for Experience Columbus. You can follow Sandi on Twitter @Sandi_ExpCols .

Part of what makes the holidays so magical to me is that the whole city seems to be shining with glittering decorations and twinkling lights. There’s just something about all of the glitz and sparkle that puts me in a good mood. So, it’s no surprise that one of my favorite things to do at this time of year is pick up some hot cocoa and head out to see holiday lights. Here are just a few of the best in Columbus:

1. Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – Nearly everything (except the animals) is decked out for the season during Wildlights, a favorite event of locals and visitors alike. You can check out the all new animated light show, take a ride on the Polar Bear Express or see Santa’s reindeer. I even hear Santa himself may make an appearance or two… A full schedule of activities and events is here .

2. The Holiday Lights! at Olde Gahanna and Creekside – ‘Tis the season in Gahanna! From one of the most dazzling holiday evening parades to photo opportunities with favorite holiday characters, there’s no shortage of things to do during this event. See the calendar here .

3. Ohio Statehouse Tree Lighting & Holiday Festival – Now in its 96th year, the Ohio Statehouse Tree Lighting & Holiday Festival is a family-friendly, one-night-only event taking place Weds., Nov. 30 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Entertainment includes carolers, refreshments, model trains and, of course, the lighting of the Statehouse’s two magnificent holiday trees.

Need more ideas for places to enjoy the season? Check out: Merry & Bright: Holidays at the Conservatory or Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek State Park .

What do you think? What other must-see places are your favorite spots to see holiday lights?

This post is written by Anthony Cordo, Visitor Services Manager for Experience Columbus.

Four years ago, it was a struggle for me to figure out where I could best celebrate Halloween – that changed the second I stepped onto High Street in the Short North Arts District for Highball Halloween. The event features tens of thousands of superbly-costumed revelers, fashion shows, a Dogtober animal costume contest, dance music, street performers… the list of attractions goes on!

When, Where and Parking
Highball Halloween is on Friday, Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event gets progressively larger as the night goes on, starting with the closure of 5th Avenue and eventually taking over all of High Street in the area. The closest and easiest parking is at the Gateway Parking Garage – it’s only a ten minute walk away. Refer to this map for directions. Avoid parking on the street in this area as many of the neighborhoods require a city parking pass.

How to Dress
This is a big one. While any old costume will suffice, to truly shine at a Short North Arts District event you’ve got to take it to the next level. The theme this year is “transformations” so figure something out that’s extravagantly transformative, and then take it up a notch. If you come up with something good you can enter the fashion show to win $1,000. For inspiration check out the galleries from Highball last year.

What to Do While You’re There
Check out the full event schedule
Dogtober
OK, this is just awesome. The costumes people come up with for their puppies are outrageous! Show off Rex’s couture side and prove your dog is the cutest in town.

Street Performers and Artists
Giant stilt walkers will be roaming the street with amazing costumes; several dancers from BalletMet will be undergoing transformations by professional makeup artists; and artist Coreroc will be creating a huge UV paint mural.

Costume Couture Fashion Showdown
Truly the highlight of the show, the Showdown features professional models in amazing costumes competing for a $1,000 prize. Judges include Dominique Reighard from America’s Next Top Model and Mayor Coleman.

General Public Costume Contest
This contest also includes a $1,000 prize for best costume. Anyone can enter, and some of the Short North Art District’s most knowledgeable beauticians will be on hand to judge the contest.

Click here for more information - and post your pics from Highball to us on Facebook!

We’ve got even more good news: we have 5 pairs of tickets to Highball to give away! Tell us what you’re dressing as below for a chance to win! We’ll pick five winners at random at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

On this blog, we usually give you great ideas about what you can do in Columbus. I’m going to depart from that a little bit, by sharing this week’s Photo of the Week. Experience Columbus is excited as an organization and as a member of the Central Ohio community that the Hilton Columbus Downtown is getting ever closer to completion! Today marked the Topping Off Ceremony, or the official end of vertical construction on the building. The new hotel is adding more than 500 rooms adjacent to the convention area, and is already making Columbus a more attractive destination for national meetings and conventions. In addition, the hotel will feature all local artwork, and focus on local food as well.

So while you you can’t stay at the new Hilton until it’s finished next fall, we do have lots of other wonderful downtown hotels - plan your next trip here !

This post is written by Sandi Combs, Marketing Coordinator for Experience Columbus. You can follow Sandi on Twitter @Sandi_ExpCols .

It may be too late to register for the 2011 Nationwide Insurance Columbus Marathon , but there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the festivities Sunday, Oct. 16. Cheering on a runner? Or simply want to check out the action? Read on.

One of the first things you’ll want to decide is where along the course you want to be. Hang out by Schiller Park and enjoy the German Village Neighborhood Party, enjoy the boutiques and eateries in the Short North or head over to Grandview Avenue – the mile point where runners need encouragement most. Here’s the scoop on more places to watch.

Cheering on the participants isn’t the only entertainment available. More than 100 bands, DJs and radio stations will be stationed along the course. Kick things off with the Danger Brothers at the start line (the race starts at 7 a.m.), welcome the runners to the finish line with DJ Matt Lewis, or check out one of the other entertainment locations along the way. There’s plenty to choose from.

Want to do more than just cheer and celebrate from the sidelines? Why not volunteer at the marathon? According to the website, they’re still looking for course marshals. Check out the opportunities here .

After all the excitement, you’ll no doubt be hungry (and so will your participant!). Lucky for you, the Arena District (where the race ends) has more than a dozen places to grab a bite to eat, and your runner won’t have to walk far. Get more information here .

No matter how you spend your day, it’s going to be a fantastic one. The thrill of race day is unlike anything else!

Columbus Marathon veterans: share your tips for places to watch and things to do below!

Fall in Columbus – it’s the perfect time of year! With the beautiful leaves, beautiful weather and great produce coming to market, it’s no wonder we made National Geographic’s Top 10 Fall Travel Destinations list! But if Nat Geo’s endorsement isn’t enough to entice you to visit, we’ve got another great reason to explore Columbus in October: Experience Columbus Days !

Experience Columbus Days is a city-wide partnership that runs Oct. 7-10, offering amazing deals and discounts to fun attractions , and 25% off your food bill at any Columbus Dine Originals restaurant !

If you’re a local, it’s a great time to explore the parts of Columbus you may have been missing –17 marquee attractions around the city like the Columbus Zoo, COSI, Franklin Park Conservatory and the Columbus Museum of Art offering half-price admission or buy-one-get-one tickets. If you’ve still never stopped a rhino at the Wilds or indulged in a tour with Columbus Food Adventures – they’re offering half-price tickets, too!

If you’re from out of town – what better time is there to visit? You can experience twice the number of attractions for your dollar, and get some great deals on Columbus’ independent and crave-worthy restaurants while you’re at it! It’s a great chance to turn a day-trip into an overnight stay to double the fun in another way!

To take advantage of these great deals, all you have to do is print out and show the Experience Columbus Days flier or simply visit it on your mobile device and show the screen to the particpating attraction’s ticket taker or restaurant’s server.

I hope you have a great time discovering the city! And make sure to share your experiences with us on Facebook and Twitter !

This post is written by Sandi Combs, Marketing Coordinator for Experience Columbus. You can follow Sandi on Twitter @Sandi_ExpCols .

We’re proud that Columbus was just nominated by TripOutTravel, LogoTV and Orbitz for best NewNowNext (up-and-coming) LGBT travel destination!  (Help us win - vote here !)

Over the past year or so, our city has had increasing recognition of being a hidden gem of LGBT tourism. Gay Travel named Columbus its “Most Underrated Gay City” and Gay Cities named Columbus as the “Up-and-Coming Gay City of 2011.”

So, what is it about Columbus that makes the city so Gay-friendly?

The first step I took in answering that question was talking to our media relations manager, Scott Peacock. Scott said:

Experience Columbus has been hosting LGBT travel journalists for over a decade now and their reaction to the city remains the same. Over the last few years more often than not journalists coming into town have heard that Columbus was a great LGBT friendly destination, but don’t know why that is. Whether it’s the openness of the city, feeling safe holding hands walking up and down any street; support for the LGBT community from civic leaders; the amount of LGBT-owned business in town or just the friendly, inviting nature of our residents, they always leave saying, “WOW, now I get it.” Almost every journalist has mentioned they would or are planning to come back with their partner, friends or family on a vacation and many have."

Then, I read through what writers are saying. Here are the points that keep coming up:

• Columbus is open minded – “This classic American city surprises with its modern attitudes, and the city has been rated as one of the best places in the country for gays and lesbians to live.” GuideMag.com

• Superb Culinary and Gay Nightlife Scenes – “As gay nightlife goes, Columbus stands out not simply for having so many bars, but for having so many attractive ones - smartly decorated places with clear-glass windows, smart decor, and popularity with both gays and straights. … The city, and particularly the gay community, supports a superb culinary scene as well, with a number of stellar restaurants in the gay-popular Short North district. GayTravel.com

• Annual Pride Festival – “[Columbus has] one of the most popular and successful Gay Pride festivals in the country, Columbus Pride. [The festival] set records last year, drawing roughly 210,000 participants and spectators.” GayTravel.com

• Third highest per-capita LGBT population – “The queer population spent three decades quietly building Columbus’ neighborhoods and embedding themselves citywide. Now Columbus has a widespread LGBT population with $7.5 billion in purchasing power that has helped establish the queer community as an integral part of the culture.” Queerty.com

It boils down to Columbus being an open-minded and welcoming city with a flourishing LGBT population. When a group of travel writers were in town last month, the Short North welcomed them by changing the lights on their arches to be rainbow-colored. Perhaps (614) Magazine said it best: "The chorus of support for our GLBT residents is increasingly encouraged – not simply tolerated – by a community working together to make Columbus a more progressive city as a whole."

Never been to Columbus, but thinking about visiting? Fall is a wonderful time of the year to visit. Come in late October and experience HighBall Halloween – a Halloween extravaganza like no other. The famous Nina West is back as this year’s emcee.

Been to Columbus? Why do YOU think the city is a great LGBT destination? If you want to keep in touch, Experience Columbus puts out a quarterly e-newsletter for LGBT travelers - you can sign up here .

This post is written by Claudia Plumley, Experience Columbus’ Marketing Manager.

The fall’s one of my favorite times of the year and it’s not just because of the changing leaves. Fall’s the official start of the arts season.

Learning about Columbus’ arts scene - and all of Ohio’s arts events – is easy. Just read the Arts in Ohio Guide . Along with being available online, it’s also included in the September issue of Ohio Magazine.

I’ve already got my tickets for several events and have a bunch of others circled on my calendar. Here are just a few events I plan to see in 2011-12.

Guitarist Kevin Eubanks will join the Columbus Jazz Orchestra on Oct. 26-30. Does the name sound familiar? He’s the former bandleader from the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The Columbus Jazz Orchestra will team with BalletMet for Jazz Moves Columbus Feb. 2-12. It’s the third time these two groups have collaborated. Having seen the first two shows, I can easily say I’d move a European vacation to see this show. It’s just that good.

I’m also really curious about BalletMet’s DanceTech on April 20-28. It’s collaboration with the Wexner Center for the Arts where real-time video images will be created in direct response to the movement of the dancers. No performance will be the same – how cool is that?!

The Columbus Museum of Art is bringing out many of my favorite artworks for the exhibit Monet to Matisse starting Sept. 23. They’re showcasing their entire Sirak Collection, considered one of the finest private collections in the world when they acquired it 20 years ago.

I’ve never seen Mamma Mia and can’t wait for it to return to Columbus Dec. 13-18. Who can resist singing those great ABBA songs?!

Then, there’s all of the great art that’s moved – or moving downtown in the next year. Shadowbox’s new digs in the Brewery District are awesome. (No more mall bathrooms!!) They’re presenting The Rocky Horror Picture Show Sept. 11-Nov. 13. I haven’t done the time warp since high school – can’t wait!

One of my favorite festivals, the Columbus Arts Festival , is moving back to the riverfront in next June. And The Columbus Symphony is moving next summer’s Picnic with the Pops concerts to the new Columbus Commons.

I could write all day about the great arts events happening year-round in Columbus. Check out the full list in the Arts in Ohio Guide .

This week’s photo of the week comes via Twitter from K. Mulloy , who spent last weekend exploring Columbus. Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver performed bluegrass music for the crowd on the lawn on a near-perfect summer night.