This post is written by Tim Simeone, Visitor Center Receptionist at Experience Columbus.

There are always so many different options of things to do and places to go on New Year’s Eve. You could be counting down with hundreds of strangers at a dance club, with good friends staying late at a restaurant, or curling up at home watching re-runs of Murder She Wrote with a pint of Jeni’s Salty Carmel Ice Cream (my last year New Year’s Eve). Here are some events that might encourage you to TiVo Angela Lansbury’s mysterious adventures and hop out on the town to ring in 2012.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be facing off against the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. If you think the firing of the cannon after a goal is impressive, wait till you see the new indoor pyrotechnic and firework display they will be debuting at this game in honor of Columbus’ Bicentennial . In addition, Mayor Coleman will be dropping the puck. Nothing rings in the New Year like pyrotechnics, hockey, and hopefully a Blue Jacket win!

Attention Kids…if I haven’t lost you already with my Angela Lansbury reference. First Night Columbus has a ton of activities for you and your family. Have you ever wondered about the projectile integrity of the marshmallow? The MallowBlaster, which launches mallows over 200ft, will be at the Veterans Memorial Hall from 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. COSI will have its Game Truck and Saturday morning cartoons from around the world, I’m hoping to see Tom and Jerry!…I’ve lost you again.

Are you looking for ‘Some Enchanted Evening?’ Well ‘just you wait ‘enry ‘iggins!’ The ProMusica Orchestra will be performing a night of Broadway and Old Vienna at the Southern Theatre. The Westin is also hosting a pre-party and has great packages to choose from. The Bicentennial will also be celebrated with a champagne toast at intermission. This is a great spot to listen to ‘the music of the night.’

If you want to dance your way into 2012, The Bluestone is having a glow party with six different DJ’s. Make sure you come prepared with some glow stick dance moves as they are giving away 10,000 glow products. When in doubt, use them as drum sticks.

Hit up one of these or several other events around town just make sure to keep Jeni’s in the freezer for after the party.

Photo: Columbus Clippers

Saturday is going to be a memorable day in Columbus’ history with the opening of Huntington Park . When the Clippers take the field, they will be doing so under the affiliation of one of Ohio’s most historic and beloved sports franchises, the Cleveland Indians.

Also on Saturday, the Blue Jackets take on the Red Wings in the second game of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs from Detroit (there’s a viewing party at the Arena Grand ), and Fleetwood Mac will perform live at Nationwide Arena .

With so much happening in the Arena District on Saturday, it might be helpful to have a rundown of events and tips for getting around:

Noon
Clippers standing room only seats go on sale at the Center Field entrance of Huntington Park, located at the corner of Nationwide Boulevard and Neil Avenue. There’s a limit of 4 tickets per purchase.

1:15 p.m.
Opening Day Parade begins at High Street and Nationwide Boulevard and will make its way west to Huntington Park. The parade will feature more than 50 participants, including former Cleveland Indians Bob Feller, Len Barker and Joe Charboneau and several ex-Clippers. Former Franklin County Commissioner and minor league baseball executive Harold Cooper will be grand marshal of the parade.

2:15 p.m.
Ribbon cutting ceremony and unveiling of Harold Cooper statue at the Center Field entrance. After the ceremony, Franklin County Commissioners will officially open the ballpark to the public and Party-at-the-Park begins featuring the Danger Brothers .

4:05 p.m.
First pitch at Huntington Park is thrown out and a new era in Clippers baseball begins.

6:00 p.m.
Blue Jackets vs. Red Wings in Game 2 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Detroit. The Arena Grand Theatre is hosting the official viewing party and admission is free.

7:00 p.m.
Doors open at Nationwide Arena for Fleetwood Mac in concert .

Parking in the Arena District is only $3 for Clippers Games; a parking map and directions are available here . If traveling from out of town, there are still hotel rooms available within walking distance of the Arena District; click here to book a room.

The Experience Columbus Visitor Center will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Stop by and see Ben for info about more fun things to do or where to grab a bite to eat.

Schiller Park in German Village
Photo by Larry Hamill

As extreme cold grips much of the country, I started to wonder how I might want to spend this upcoming weekend in Columbus.

So I turned to two groups who know and love this place - the Experience Columbus staff and our Twitter pals. I received no shortage of suggestions.

Here’s what some of the Experience Columbus crew had to say when asked their favorite things to do during a (really) cold weekend in Columbus:

Ben Walters : I like to head to a favorite watering hole like Tip-Top , Betty’s , or Bodega to get a nip and some good food with some good friends. It’s social and warming. Another favorite option is to find a indoor concert, preferably at small venues like Ruby Tuesday, Carabar or Rumba Cafe.

Nicole Massenelli : When it is cold I love to meet friends for a hot drink at Cup O’ Joe or grab a bite at Panera because both places have fireplaces. I love to sit by the fire in comfy clothes and enjoy great food and drinks with friends.

Scott Peacock : When it gets really cold outside I like to go to grab some good comfort food at Tasi , get a coffee to go and then head to the Wexner Center for the Arts or the Columbus Museum of Art to see the latest exhibits inside.

Claudia Plumley : Like Nicole, I head to Cup O’ Joe . We get a big latte and sit around the fire. Then we head to the movies to see an Oscar contender.

Kelly Brooks : This may seem counter intuitive, but when it’s cold outside I like to go to a Blue Jackets game. Not only does winter weather set the mood for hockey, but at tonight’s game I will be almost comforted to know that it is actually warmer inside Nationwide Arena than it is outside!

Amy Gatto Klein : Vino Vino in Grandview. The coziness of the space, a bottle of Pinot Noir (before I was pregnant, anyway) and small plates of yummy food warm me right up.

Cathe Moog : When it’s cold outside, our family likes to go to the North Market for lunch. We select entrees with a spicy kick to warm us up.

And what did the Twitter pals have to say? I was surprised to find three in particular who laugh in the face of the cold. They reminded me that being outside during this time of year has its advantages:

Betty B : Hiking at a Metro Park . It postpones the winter blues.

Jeff Johnson : Being in any city park because I have it all to myself when it’s this cold.

Andrew Miller : I’ll be the third person to say that this is the perfect time for a stroll. Plenty of alone time plus beautiful snowy scenes.

I’d say this is proof positive that there are more than enough reasons not to camp out at home during the winter.

What gets you out and about when it’s cold in Columbus?