For group travelers, the hottestthing in Columbus is the opportunity to really experiencewhat this eclectic and enter-taining state capital has tooffer. And on a recent four-

day FAM trip, the Experience Colum-bus team packed in enough ideas tocreate an endless array of itinerariessuitable for girlfriends, senior adults,families, students or virtually any otherspecial-interest group. Instead of merely taking a passive

look around, visitors on Experience

Columbus’ experiential tours get to immerse themselves in imaginative en-counters ranging from creating a workof art to being cast as a newly-signedbaseball player starring in a press conference. With an entertainment-packed city center ringed by a collectionof charming suburbs, the Columbusarea generates enough activity to keep agroup busy for days.For girlfriends looking to get their

groove back, Columbus offers infinitepossibilities built around culinary,artistic, gardening and shopping.

The picturesque suburb of Wor-thington, reminiscent of a New Eng-land village, imparts a sensory nirvanain the form of candle making, wine-tasting and spa services, plus a bit ofcard-making at a vintage letterpressthrown in to satisfy artistic types. The“Wax, Wicks & Wine Experience” be-gins at The Candle Lab, where a mind-boggling selection of more than 100scents encourages inventive blendingfor the soy candles group memberspour and take home. Next up and next door, House Wine hosts a tasting

36 August 2011 LeisureGroupTravel.com

on location: midwest � melinda hughey

Groups in Columbus can satisfy their culinary impulses, create their own pizza and learn how baseball bats are made.

THE COLUMBUS OHIO’S CAPITAL ABOUNDS WITH INTERACTIVE FUN FOR TOUR GROUPS

E X P E R I E N C E

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experience that encourages guests tosample vintages by the ounce or theglass, with a huge selection of bottlesfor purchase. A delicious distraction juststeps away is also a Columbus staple—Graeter’s Ice Cream. A gourmet dinneris as close as the Historic WorthingtonInn, just across the street. Exotic morels harvested by the executive chefhimself starred on the menu the nightwe visited.Girlfriend groups can hone their

culinary skills in myriad ways withvisits to downtown’s 135-year-oldNorth Market, where Chef CaJohnof Flavor & Fire presides over a spice-mixing class and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream has fascinatingflavors (like rhubarb and lime car-damom or goat cheese and cherry)that demand to be sampled. In his-toric Dublin the bakery Irish Treats presents an opportunity to decoratecupcakes with intricate designstaken from the Irish Book of Kells.International culinary adventurerBethia Woolf ’s Columbus FoodAdventures can tailor a tour focus-ing on the city’s thriving food-truckofferings.Artful gardening—both botanical

and topiary—blooms throughoutColumbus, with acres of manicuredbeds designed to dazzle the most ar-dent horticulturalist. And across town,tea at the Gahanna Herb EducationCenter complements an informativeclass on the culinary, medicinal and aro-matic use of herbals, proving why thetown is known as the Herb Capital ofOhio. Out at Franklin Park Conserva-tory, meticulously-tended communityvegetable gardens form the perfect set-ting for a wood-fired pizza experience.An outdoor brick oven is tended by achef who stands ready to help groupmembers create their own custom pies,

which are cooked and served onsite.Art connoisseurs will love the

Columbus Art Museum’s “Artist For ADay Tour” celebrating George WesleyBellows, a favorite son who createdmore than 600 paintings in 25 years.The experience opens with a welcominginterpretive conversation by an actresswho captivatingly portrays Bellows’Aunt Eleanor Smith Doggett. She ac-quaints visitors with her nephew’s lifeand works. Visitors then proceed into

the galleries and, instead of staring atthe art, are equipped with an assort-ment of art materials, including sketchpad and pencils, and encouraged to reproduce their favorite work of art. Columbus offers retail therapy in a

big way at Easton Town Center, wherebreakfast and a fashion seminar atNordstrom can be followed up byscrapbooking classes and workshops atArchivers, a superstore of page decor.During summer months, outdoormovies, concerts and the Easton Art

Fair enhance one of the city’s largestshopping venues. But Columbus is far from a ladies-

only destination! On the outer fringe of the city center and within view of the sleek skyline rests Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers,an AAA-affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The new stadium was unveiledin 2009 as a state-of-the-art replace-ment for the 31-year-old Cooper Stadium. Here group members canseize the spotlight by becoming aColumbus Clipper for a day, from“contract-signing” to faux press conference. Throughout the ball-park, the team’s history is so artfully exhibited that it could share equalbilling with a game for entertain-ment value. Clipper executive JoeSantry is a walking history book ofteam lore. Working hand-in-glove with the

Clipper experience is an up-closelook at professional baseball bats andhow they are crafted at PhoenixBats. Deceptively small, this part-ner-owned operation produces andsupplies bats to major leaguers andothers. Tours follow the bat-craftingprocess from raw wood to slickly-lacquered finished product, with vis-itors gifted with their very ownminiature, personalized version of a

Phoenix bat at the tour’s conclusion.With the emphasis on getting trav-

elers involved and peeking behind the scenes, Columbus has been a leaderin experiential tourism. Group plannerswill discover a gold mine of fresh itinerary ideas. LGT

LeisureGroupTravel.com August 2011 37

An actress discusses the art of

Columbus native George Bellows.

Obtain Ohio

visitor guides

and itineraries –

and contact group-

friendly suppliers

directly – at

leisuregrouptravel.com/instant-info

Because the only thing better than telling old stories is creating new ones.

If you’ve ever been to Columbus, you know it isn’t your ordinary destination. Its one-of-a-kind festivals, unique hands-on attractions and freethinking attitude make it a city like no other and one your

group is sure to love. So start planning your Columbus visit today at ExperienceColumbus.com/tours or by calling 800-354-2657.

COMING IN 2012

ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST PLACES FOR FUN

Columbus Museum of Art.Rachel Trinkley, 614-629-5942, www.columbusmuseum.org

Columbus Zoo and AquariumRoger Dudley, 614-645-3521, www.columbuszoo.org

COSISusan Peters, 614-228-2674 ext. 2542, www.cosi.org

Eastern Ohio Tours

Dixie Wyler, 740-754-1833, www.easternohiotours.com

Ohio Village Lesley Cornathan, 614-297-3219, www.ohiohistory.org

SHOPPING SO GOOD YOU NEED EXTRA LUGGAGE

Easton Town CenterBethany Braden, 614-750-0616, www.eastontowncenter.com

Prime Outlets–Je� ersonvilleKristen Hauer, 740-948-9091, www.primeoutlets-je� ersonville.com

WHERE TO REST YOUR HEAD

Embassy Suites Columbus Airport Lindsay Phillips, 614-536-0211, www.columbusairport.embassysuites.com

Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown ColumbusGene Minnich, 614-559-2000, www.columbusdowntownsuites.hamptoninn.com

Hilton Garden Inn Columbus/PolarisTeresa Shay Tompkins, 614-846-8884, www.columbuspolaris.gardeninn.com

Hilton Garden Inn–OSU Maggie Mungai, 614-263-7200, www.columbusuniversityarea.stayhgi.com

Holiday Inn Columbus Downtown Capitol Square. Tyson Schweitzer, 614-221-3281, www.holiday-inn.com/cmh-cityctr

University Plaza Hotel & Conference CenterJohn Loree, 614-456-1156, www.universityplazaosu.com

NEIGHBORHOODS WITH PERSONALITY

DublinMary Szymkowiak, 614-792-7666, www.irishisanattitude.com

Gahanna

Katrina McDonald, 614-418-9114, www.visitgahanna.com

Licking County Ben Clemons, 740-345-8224, www.escapetolickingcounty.com

Worthington.Mindy Mace, 614-841-2545,www.visitworthingtonohio.com