The Columbus Blue Jackets draw fans from all over the state of Ohio, the region and Canada. This post is for all of you traveling to Columbus for an upcoming game, as I’ll share some ideas of where to stay, eat and play when in town. Whether it’s your first or an annual trip, Columbus has much to offer and there are many reasons to stay the night and make it a getaway.

Arena District

Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, is located within the Arena District , a 95-acre planned development. The district features restaurants, nightclubs, the Arena Grand Theatre, Huntington Park (home of the Columbus Clippers) and the LC, an indoor/outdoor music hall.

Also, the Columbus Visitors Center is located just one block south of the arena. You can stop in to find out what else is going on while they’re in town, get recommendations on restaurants and even purchase tickets to the game.

See the Arena District for yourself, before you get here: (more…)

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.

Columbus Blue Jackets’ Rick Nash

After Saturday night’s historic win over Detroit, the Columbus Blue Jackets have inched closer to securing a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history.

But why wait for the playoffs? The remaining home games on the schedule are playoff-like in atmosphere and importance - teams in the Western Conference playoff race are only separated by a few points and every game counts.

Columbus had been waiting for nine years to see playoff hockey at Nationwide Arena . This year’s attendance is up over last year, averaging over 15,151 per game, and the team recently announced commitments to keep ticket pricing affordable as a way to thank fans for their support.

Upcoming home games include:

March 10 (tonight!) against Boston

March 12 against Pittsburgh

March 15 against Detroit

March 18 against Chicago

And here are some package options to save money, get great seats and still see the Jackets before the hoped-for playoff run begins.

Jackets Night Out
Two tickets for a Tuesday or Wednesday game, two 24 oz. draft beers and two Donatos pizzas for just $60.

All You Can Eat Package
A ticket to the exclusive AAA Sky Terrace and an All You Can Eat buffet of hot dogs, chicken strips, popcorn, peanuts, Pepsi products and more for just $39.

Ticketmaster’s ticketexchange
The opportunity to purchase tickets from season ticket holders unable to use their premium seating.

More promotions and discounted ticket pricing can be found here.

It’s Jackets time, Columbus! The question is…will you Carry the Flag ?