If you only had 24 hours to spend in Columbus, what would you do? This was a hard question for me to answer, but I’ve come up with a list of must sees and must dos that I feel will leave any visitor with an experience uniquely Columbus.

I’m sharing these ideas in a three part series - the first post is geared to families, the next to the business traveler, and finally, a post to help a local decide what to do with visiting friends or family.

Here’s part two of three, with suggestions geared to the business traveler.

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With Columbus being the state capital and the home of 14 Fortune 1,000 companies (six of which are Fortune 500), it is a frequent stop among business travelers. The city is located within a one-day drive or one-hour flight of nearly half of the population of the U.S. and Canada, so those who do travel here may be in and out of town in a day or after a brief overnight stay.

Here are some helpful tips and recommendations to make the most of your visit.

Where to Stay
Like I mentioned in the family travel post , there are several great hotel options at varying price points around downtown - click here to check them out. One property great for business travelers is The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel , located on N. 3rd St. in the heart of downtown and near the capital, Nationwide Arena and the Greater Columbus Convention Center . The Columbus has the city’s only seasonal rooftop pool with great views of downtown; it’s often the site of an impromptu happy hour and always a great place to relax or swim a few laps. The hotel also has Wi-Fi access throughout, a large lounge and bar in the lobby.

Where to Eat

Photo: Latitude 41

If you’re staying at The Columbus, I recommend dining at Latitude 41 .  It’s located in the lobby of the hotel and it’s known for unique American cuisine. Also, a quick walk down Gay Street (across from the hotel) offers several unique Columbus restaurant options including fine Italian at Due Amici , great comfort food at Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails and Cuban cuisine at Plantain Cafe.

Once you’re done with business, a few great places to get dinner and a drink with locals downtown include the Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus , M restaurant, Mitchell’s Steakhouse and The River Club at Confluence Park .

Another uniquely Columbus eatery is our public market, the North Market . This is one of my favorite places to grab a quick bite and people-watch, as it is home to dozens of unique, independent merchants and farmers. Merchants offer ethnic food specialties, gourmet groceries, flowers and gifts. (more…)

Photo: Randall Lee Schieber

One of the strongest weekends in Columbus is right around the corner. It’s time again for the Arnold Sports Festival , taking place March 6–8.

Named after Arnold Schwarzenegger (who won the Mr. World competition in Columbus in 1970), the event has evolved over 21 years to encompass more than 35 events including 11 recognized Olympic sports.

While many people think first of the Annual Arnold Classic (the professional bodybuilding competition), this is really only one component of the three-day event. Here are some tips for enjoying the complete ASF experience:

• Arrive early and don’t plan on parking at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The Arnold Sports Festival takes place in four venues (the convention center, Veteran’s Memorial, Nationwide Arena and the Lausche Building at the Ohio Expo Center). So why pigeon hole yourself into just one? I recommend parking at the City Center garage and taking the free shuttle to the downtown venues.

• Take a look at the schedule to determine in advance what events you want to check out. Be adventurous here! Think of table tennis as something you do in your basement? Then take a look at the level of competition in the Terrace ballrooms at the convention center on Friday and Saturday. Also not to be missed are the various martial arts sports throughout the weekend. On Sunday morning there is a new event to discover: a racewalking competition .

• Know what ticket you have. Generally, the $10 Expo Ticket provides admission to most daytime events for one day of the festival. Check the schedule for ticketing information, too.

• Leave plenty of time to visit the booths at the Arnold Expo . The show floor gets crowded with thousands of sports enthusiasts discovering the latest in sports nutrition and fashion. There is also a stage in the back of the Expo hall that features various entertainment including bench press competitions, a fashion show and even an Irish dance demonstration. Various Strongman contests also take place on the Expo stage, so if you’ve been itching to see a really large man lift Hummer tires, here’s your chance.

• If you’re still pumped up by Saturday night, consider Party with the Pros at the LC Pavilion. It promises to be an entertaining event with several different bands performing and is the only official ASF after party.

Take these tips and enjoy this once-a-year Columbus experience. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a weekend warrior or even a couch potato, there is something for you to check out at the Arnold Sports Festival.

Do you have your own ASF tip to share?