As temperatures cool and summer’s green leaves start to brown, we usher in fall in Columbus with thoughts of sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, warm socks, fluffy blankets and – of course – THE Ohio State University football. It’s a great time of year to practice the Danish concept of “hygge” (pronounced “hoo-gah”), a lifestyle that encourages you to be intentional about comfort, coziness and creating memories with family and friends. It can be as simple as lighting a fall candle, curling up on the couch with hot chocolate, doing a nature walk with family, creating art, listening to music, practicing self-care or cooking one of your favorite fall soups. When done right, research has proven time and time again that hygge only has one result: happiness. Here are some of our favorite ways to practice hygge in Columbus.
Experience the benefits of salt therapy at Tranquility Salt Cave.
Seek serenity with a self-care spa day
What’s more relaxing than pampering and “me time?” Get a massage at one of Columbus’ many spas or try something new by booking a treatment at Tranquility Salt Cave, the only salt cave in Columbus. Go and spend 45 minutes in a zero-gravity chair, on heated floors, in a dimly-lit cave that’s lined with 10,000 pounds of Himalayan salt. Salt therapy is said to release negative ions into the air to remove toxins from your body, calm your mind and improve lung and skin health. Ebb & Float, on the other hand, focuses on “social wellness,” the idea of seeking human connection for the sake of wellbeing. Try float therapy or sign up for group events like sound baths, somatic breathing, yoga and meditation.
Visit Java Central in Uptown Westerville. | Source: Java Central’s Facebook page
Read a good book in a cozy coffee shop
Nothing says “hygge” like sipping a piping-hot, fall-flavored latte and reading a good book in a plush, cozy armchair. Simultaneously a coffee shop, cafe, art gallery and live music venue, Java Central in Uptown Westerville feels like a friend welcoming you into their home. Order a seasonal coffee drink and a pastry and wander through multiple rooms filled with different seating arrangements until you find one that makes you want to curl up and stay awhile. The art on the walls is for sale, and if you’re there on Tuesday, Friday or Saturday evenings, you can catch live music. Java Central is one of over 25 independently-owned coffee shops on the Columbus Coffee Trail, so get the pass and cozy up at other coffee shops on the list to earn points and prizes.
The Lawn at High Water Alley is an outdoor hangout with live music, drinks, food trucks and more. | Source: The Junto’s Facebook page
Have fun outside with friends
Being in fresh air on a beautiful fall day is a special kind of joy. Do it with your favorite people and it’ll ignite your soul. Two new sister spots in Historic Dublin, Uncorked Wine Tastings and Apothecary Bourbon and Cigar Bar, share a backyard with Adirondack chairs where you can sip a glass of red wine or rare bourbon in sweater weather. Every Thursday in October, grab your friends, bring lawn chairs or a blanket to Columbus Commons and watch a Halloween-themed movie on the lawn.
Finally, The Lawn (which isn’t a lawn at all, but a paved alleyway) is a new outdoor hangout that celebrates all things hygge: food, art, music and community. It’s connected to The Junto hotel and has rotating food trucks, live music, mini putt challenges, artist pop-ups and even seasonal cultural surprises. The Lawn is a registered DORA spot, so grab a drink from Little West Tavern or other participating watering holes and sip and stroll down The Lawn at High Water Alley.
Schiller Park is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the fall views.
Or, really be one with nature
Studies prove that spending time in nature is good for our psyche. Do it in the fall, when Ohio’s amber and orange leaves are at their peak, and you’ll feel like you’re walking in a dream. There are plenty of places to see the fall foliage in Columbus, from The Scioto Mile and Schiller Park to Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and Dawes Arboretum. For a festive treat, check out the destination’s apple orchards or pumpkin patches or push yourself and leaf-peep on some of the best fall hikes in Columbus.
Experience a concert like no other when you book tickets to a Candlelight Concert. | Source: Candlelight Concerts’ Facebook page
Go to a Candlelight Concert
Candles, comfort and creativity form the unofficial trifecta of the hygge lifestyle – and you can find all three at a Candlelight Concert. Having gained a huge following since its global debut in 2019, Candlelight Concerts are pop-up instrumental concerts and (sometimes) dance performances that take place in a dimly-lit setting, at a beautiful venue, surrounded by hundreds of flameless candles. The music, which is performed by local musicians, runs the gamut and always has a theme. Think: tributes to Adele, Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, the 90s, Harry Potter, Hans Zimmer and more. Here in Columbus, Candlelight Concerts take place at a variety of venues, including Short North Church, Columbus Museum of Art and the Ohio Statehouse.
Unleash your creative side at Makers Social. | Source: Makers Social’s Facebook page
Get creative
There are so many fun ways to express your creativity in Columbus. Grab your girlfriends and mix your own candles with fall scents of cloves, nutmeg, cider and amber at Penn & Beech Candle Co. or Worthington Candle Works. Visit Makers Social, an interactive bar and DIY experience in the River & Rich development in Franklinton. Reserve seats at long wooden crafting tables and plan to be there for up to two and a half hours. There are over 30 DIY projects to choose from, like making jewelry, leather dog collars, woodworking, wreaths, wine tags and ceramic planters. The full bar is encouraged and includes themed cocktails like “Screwdrivers” and “Moscow Tools.”
Want to live the hygge lifestyle in Columbus? Immerse yourself in the simple pleasures – and gorgeous landscapes – of Ohio’s capital during fall. Post photos of your hygge experiences on social media with the hashtag #yesColumbus and inspire all of us to slow down and enjoy our cozy destination.
