Last week, we gave you a guide to The Arnold Sports Festival that included helpful tips for the upcoming weekend.

This week, we’re here to help you find a few extra ways to experience Columbus. If the evenings bring you some downtime, check out these popular attractions.

Thursday
Just a five minute ride from the Greater Columbus Convention Center you’ll find the Franklin Park Conservatory , home to Cocktails at the Conservatory on Thursday nights. This unique happy hour features botanically-themed cocktails along with fantastic hors d’oeuvres. What sets it apart from other nightlife is the setting inside the Palm House, which gives the atmosphere of a tropical rainforest. Combine that with an award-winning LED light installation and great music for a wonderful evening.

5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
$10
21 and older

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Photo by Jay LaPrete
Courtesy Arnold Sports Festival

Today’s post is written by Brent LaLonde, one of our friends over at the Arnold Sports Festival . It’s the nation’s largest multi-sport event and its coming soon to Columbus, so Brent’s here to provide some info to help you make the most of the weekend.

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A guide to the 2011 Arnold Sports Festival
by Brent LaLonde, Arnold Sports Festival

The 2008 Summer Olympics attracted about 11,000 athletes to Beijing, China. In 2010, about 2,600 athletes competed in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

But did you know there is an event in Columbus that attracts more athletes than the Olympic Games?

The Arnold Sports Festival, the nation’s largest multi-sport event, will bring 18,000 athletes from 80 nations and more than 175,0000 health, fitness and sports enthusiasts to Columbus from March 3-6 to compete in more than 45 sports and events, including 12 Olympic sports. The festival has grown steadily since starting out as the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic men’s professional bodybuilding contest in 1989.

And, yes, Arnold still attends every year and makes a special appearance at each of the weekend’s sports and events.

Whether you’re attending for the first time or you’re a veteran of The Arnold, here’s an overview and a couple of tips that will help you make the most of your weekend: (more…)

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…)

September has arrived. School is starting, the days are getting cooler, and in Columbus, there is a sense of excitement in the air that means Ohio State football season is upon us. Dust off your buckeyes, gear up your Scarlet & Grey pride and read these helpful tips for how to enjoy your football Saturday on The Ohio State University campus.

O dds & ends

Before you experience a Buckeye game day, you need to do your homework. Do you have tickets to the game, the latest Buckeye attire, and a place to stay that night? (more…)

Looking for something totally different to do in Columbus this weekend? Head to Crew Stadium June 4-6 for USA Sevens Rugby Collegiate Championship Invitational .

This might be the first time you’ve heard about rugby in Columbus, but it’s certain not to be the last. Ohio State is one of 16 teams in this round-robin tournament, along with the traditional powerhouses of Army, Navy, Harvard, Dartmouth and Cal, plus Indiana, Penn State and Bowling Green.

Sevens rugby will be an Olympic sport, beginning in 2016. It’s a fast-paced, high-scoring game with seven players on each team battling it out for two seven-minute halves. Click here for a Spectator’s Guide.

Games are Friday-Sunday. Ohio State is guaranteed to play three matches: on Friday v. Utah at 7:50 p.m., then on Saturday v. Bowling Green at 1 p.m. and v. Penn State at 5:30 p.m.

General admission tickets are $15 and $20. Kids 14 and under are free with an adult. If you can’t make it out, it’ll be broadcast live on NBC Sports from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, visit USASevensCCI.com .

Monday, May 31 through Sunday, June 6, the top professional golfers in the world will converge on Muirfield Village Golf Club in the northwestern Columbus suburb of Dublin. The 35th Memorial Tournament is sure to be fun for all who attend.

To get you ready, we are sharing some tips and information to make sure your Memorial experience a memorable one.

Getting There and Around
Once you are 3-5 miles away from Muirfield Village, tune your car radio to 1610 AM for the latest traffic, parking and weather information. Carpooling is encouraged and you’ll want to plan your logistics in advance. Course maps are available as you enter the course, or you can click here to download one.

Survival Guide – Must Pack Items
Sunscreen, lip balm, hat, sunglasses and comfortable walking shoes. (You won’t believe the shoes that people seemingly think are comfortable and appropriate to walk around a golf course all day.)  You might also want to bring an umbrella, wind breaker and/or poncho if inclement weather is in the forecast.

Things to Leave in the Car or at Home
Don’t bother bringing the following items as they are banned from entering the course. For a complete list of banned items, click here .

• Cell phones
• Still cameras (acceptable on practice days only; banned Thursday through Sunday)
• Video cameras
• MP3 players
• Binoculars
• Bottled beverages, water included
• Chairs with arms

Pictures and Autographs
If you want to take photos, you must go out on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. These practice rounds are the only days the public is allowed to take still cameras out on the course. Video cameras are never allowed on the course.

You are prohibited from asking for a player’s autograph while on the course all week, but you can ask for their autograph upon them exiting the course, most likely at the 18th green as they walk to the clubhouse to turn in their scorecard.

The 19th Hole
If you are looking for some fun, food and good company after the tournament ends each day, head over to the Bogey Inn , a perennial favorite for Memorial enthusiasts (and non-enthusiasts, too). If you park in the public lot on Dublin Road south of Glick Road and enter the course at the 6th tee, you’re in the best possible position to experience the tournament and the "19th hole."

For more information about the Memorial Tournament, click here to visit their Web site. To buy tournament badges, click here .

It’s that time of the year when we tend to take a look back. When I reflect on what the past year and half has meant to Columbus, I’m reminded that this is a city with much to celebrate.

We’re number one. A lot.

I’m not just saying that, either. There’s proof:

Excitement abounded when COSI was named #1 science center in the country by Parents Magazine .

Shortly after that, Columbus was named #1 sports town in the U.S. by Scarborough Sports Marketing.

We love sports, but we also love books. The Columbus Metropolitan Library was ranked #1 library in the nation by Hennen’s American Public Library Rating (it’s been in the top four every year since 1999).

That was followed by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium being named #1 zoo in America by USA Travel Guide .

Then, E. Gordon Gee, president of The Ohio State University , was named #1 college president by Time Magazine .

And most recently, Huntington Park was named Ballpark of the Year by Baseballpark Digest (and, the park received the same distinction from BaseballParks.com back in August).

We’re on a roll, Columbus. Who will be honored next?

Photo: Randall Lee Schieber

If you’re at all interested in horses and admire their beauty, get your tickets now to the New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day on September 27. This unique and prestigious event takes place at the Wexner Estate - yep, that’s Limited founder Les Wexner’s home.

The top 30 show jumping riders in North America compete at this invitational show with prize money of more than $80,000. Opening ceremonies begin at 1 p.m. with the jumping Grand Prix at 1:30 p.m.

However, this event is not just for horse lovers. It really is an event for the entire family beginning at 10 a.m. with carriage and carnival rides, clowns, face painting, a petting zoo, arts and crafts and much more. Plus, included in the price of your ticket is a concert by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks at 11:30 a.m.

The entire event is a fundraiser for the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, founded by Abigail Wexner. It’s a terrific event and such a worthy cause. (more…)

I work with a variety of groups visiting Columbus – girlfriend getaways, family reunions, church groups, school groups, book clubs…the list goes on. And they almost always ask for “something different” to do.

In response to these requests, Experience Columbus has worked with a number of partners to develop a variety of options for people looking to do something fun and hands-on. We now have 57 different “experiential” activities that include everything from interacting with exotic zoo animals to learning about herbs to tasting and toasting with Irish beers .

If you’re part of a group looking to plan something unique in Columbus, check out some of what’s available:

• Be a Columbus Clippers baseball player . Attend a press conference announcing your signing with the team, dress in the clubhouse, warm up in the cages and then take the field.

 

• Go behind the scenes of the renowned BalletMet and discover what it takes to bring a production to life. Learn secrets the audience never sees, enjoy an interactive meeting with dancers and take an exclusive backstage tour

 

• Participate in a one-of-a-kind sensory experience in Worthington . Blend and pour a scented candle, then sniff and sample among two-dozen distinctive wines.

 

• Learn what’s in fashion from the experts , create scrapbook memories , and learn to cook with top chefs – all at Easton Town Center.

 

• Cook with spicy foods master CaJohn , sample an array of amazing tastes and learn how artisan ice cream is made from farm-to-table at Columbus’ lively and historic North Market

 

• Tour a 13,000 year-old cranberry bog where only a rare few are permitted to travel, create a blown glass ornament and make teas when you explore Licking County

 

• Pamper yourself at a spa , enjoy an evening of adventurous dining , and become a winemaker in the lively Short North Arts District

 

• Be a horse trainer for a day , learn about saddles, bits and more or discover some betting secrets of the pros with a behind-the-scenes thoroughbred racing experience

 

A complete list of current tours can be found here . For more details or to set up an experience for your group, feel free to call me at 614-222-6136 or send me an email .

Hole #9
Photo: the Memorial Tournament

Every year, my in-laws visit from South Carolina to attend the Memorial Tournament . It’s a special week in Central Ohio – I always look forward to it, and I always have fun. This year, it’s June 1-7.

PGA superstars descend upon Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, a northwest suburb of Columbus. The course and the tournament were created by Columbus native and golf legend Jack Nicklaus. As the Memorial Tournament site explains, Jack set out to design a golf course that would challenge the world’s best players in a spectacular setting, and he created the Memorial Tournament to remember and honor great golfers of the past. The tournament also gives back to the community through charitable donations to organizations throughout Columbus and Ohio.

My husband and my father-in-law, golf fanatics, run around the course chasing the likes of Kenny Perry, Fred Couples and Tiger Woods, to name just a few (you can check the most current list of who’s confirmed for 2009 by watching the news that appears here ).

In the meantime, my mother-in-law and I take in the previously mentioned spectacular setting. Muirfield Village Golf Club is an idyllic backdrop for the tournament – the landscaping and houses that line the course are beautiful, and everything is remarkably pristine.

Want to experience it for yourself? PGA tickets for the tournament are available here . You can also connect with the Memorial Tournament on Facebook and Twitter .