Columbus Is Ready for Its Close-Up This Spring

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus is having a moment. Ohio’s capital city is currently serving as the backdrop for Netflix’s “Love is Blind” Season 10. The show had 4.8 million views in its second week and ranks among the top five shows on Netflix globally. As the city steps into the spotlight, spring offers visitors the perfect time to experience it firsthand. New exhibitions, a reopened museum with a world-premiere art show, a brand-new football team and a dining scene earning national recognition are all waiting.  

"Columbus is in full bloom this spring, and the timing couldn't be better,” said Sarah Townes, ECI, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer at Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. “‘Love is Blind’ introduced our city to millions of viewers, and now we're inviting them to fall in love with Columbus in person. From a vibrant arts scene to new experiences at our attractions to stunning spring blossoms, there’s so much to do this spring in Columbus whether you’re traveling with family or friends or on a solo adventure.”  

See Museums like Never Before

COSI, recently named the nation’s No. 1 science museum in the country by USA TODAY for the sixth time, debuts two new experiences this spring. “Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids: Mythic Creatures” explores the science and legend behind fantastical animals, from fossils and misidentification to imagination and fear. The exhibit is free with general admission. Also new is “Verse COSI,” a holographic theater experience where guests don AR glasses and step inside living story worlds. The first, “Everworld: The Unreal Garden,” invites visitors to solve ancient riddles and transform a magical landscape. Additional stories will premiere throughout the year. Don’t miss the COSI Science Festival, April 29-May 2, featuring four days of free, hands-on science fun across the community. 

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio State University reopens this spring with an all-new permanent collection, “The Story of Comics.” Explore the history, language and making of comics, including a special Calvin and Hobbes display and interactive experiences for all ages. The museum also hosts the only American stop of “Life is Complicated,” a solo exhibition by artist Chris Ware, May 22-Nov. 29.

Experience Live Theatre

Live performances take center stage Downtown throughout the spring. The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, located within the Riffe Center Theatre Complex, presents two productions this spring, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” March 5-22 and “Primary Trust” April 23-May 10. Nearby, historic Palace Theatre marks its 100th anniversary this year, celebrating a century as one of the city’s premier performance venues and offering even more reasons to plan an evening Downtown. Broadway lovers won’t want to miss Ohio Theatre’s spring schedule as “The Sound of Music,” “The Outsiders” and “Shucked” take the stage.  

Welcome the Columbus Aviators

Sports fans have a new team to root for starting this spring. The Columbus Aviators have joined the United Football League and will play their home games at Historic Crew Stadium. The season opens with an away game against the Orlando Storm on March 29, and the first home game is April 3 at 8 p.m. against the DC Defenders. The regular season wraps up May 31 at home against the Louisville Kings. 

Eat at One of the Best Restaurants in the Country

Recognized by Food & Wine as One of America’s Next Great Food Cities and by Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards as One of the Best Food Cities in the country, foodies will want to make a reservation at some of the city’s most buzzed-about restaurants. Veritas, located in Downtown Columbus, has been named one of the top 39 restaurants in America on USA TODAY's 2026 Restaurants of the Year list. Chef and restaurateur Josh Dalton is also working on a new concept, Amara, a Mediterranean restaurant at 229 S. Civic Center Drive expected to open Memorial Day weekend. Rooted in hospitality and the spirit of sharing a meal, Amara will bring a modern approach to Mediterranean cuisine to Downtown Columbus.  

Take in Beautiful Blooms Across the City  

Spring is the perfect time to get outside and see why Midwest Living and The Points Guy called Columbus one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in the U.S. Home to more than 5,000 iconic trees, with a high concentration in Franklin Park, cherry blossoms and spring blooms abound throughout the city.  

From March 24 to April 25, celebrate the fifth annual Greater Columbus Cherry Blossom Festival throughout Columbus with the main event taking place April 4 in Franklin Park. Don’t miss Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens’ annual Blooms & Butterflies, where you can admire tropical blooms and interact with hundreds of butterflies through July 5. As spring transitions to summer, take a stroll through the 13-acre Columbus Park of Roses, one of the largest public rose gardens in the U.S., featuring more than 7,500 rose specimens and an accredited arboretum. 
 
To learn more about why you should say yes to a spring break in Columbus, visit www.experiencecolumbus.com/springbreak. 
 
About Columbus 
Did you know Columbus is a top 10 best big city in the U.S. and one of the friendliest cities in the country according to Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards and one of Food & Wine’s Next Great American Food Cities? Yes, Columbus. Columbus is bold, welcoming and forward-thinking. Home to world-class museums and attractions, historic and unique neighborhoods like the Short North Arts District, historic German Village and the Arena District — where four professional sports teams live on one street — Columbus has so much to offer. Visitors can learn what awaits in the 15th largest city in the country and Ohio’s capital by visiting www.ExperienceColumbus.com and following Experience Columbus on Instagram: @ExperienceColumbus, Facebook: @ExperienceColumbus, Threads: @ExperienceColumbus and TikTok: @ExperienceColumbus. 

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