Gay Friendly Columbus

Columbus has been called “one of the nation's most underrated gay cities" and rated among the best places in the country for gays and lesbians to live. Surprised? Don’t be. This Midwest city embraces culture, individuality and openness.

The capital of Ohio and the 16th largest city in the United States, Columbus is a growing, vibrant metropolitan area. Diversity isn’t just a state of being here. It’s a state of mind made real every day through ideas, lifestyles and neighborhoods.

Columbus is home to a thriving and active gay population, concentrated in urban neighborhoods including the Short North Arts District, Victorian Village and German Village. The Clintonville/Beechwold area, immediately north of the University District, ranks among the highest per capita donations to GLBT political causes in the United States. More lesbians live in this area than anywhere in the country, based on the number of subscriptions per capita for gay publications.


Getting Here and Getting Around in Gay Friendly Columbus

Centrally located within 550 miles of the half of the nation’s population, Columbus is easily accessible by car or plane. Drivers can reach Columbus via two major interstates that intersect near downtown: I-70 (east-west) and I-71 (north-south). I-670 connects the airport to downtown, and I-270 circles the city. Visitors flying into the city arrive at Port Columbus International Airport, just 10 minutes east of downtown.

Public transportation is provided by the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and taxi service is widely available, but Columbus is best explored by car. Rentals are readily available throughout the city, streets are easy to navigate and parking isn’t usually an issue. When it is, there is often valet service at popular establishments. A word of caution: look around carefully for signs about parking restrictions and always overestimate the time you’ll need on a meter. Officers are quick to pass out tickets and tow trucks are often on the prowl.

Pedestrian map kiosks are installed in 55 locations downtown with each map highlighting restaurants, retail stores, hotels, theaters and churches within a five-minute walk. And if you prefer getting around on two wheels, bike and multi-use trails traverse the Columbus area. Many converge downtown, providing a fun, scenic and healthy way to see the sights.


Where to Stay: Gay Friendly Columbus Hotels

Columbus has a wide variety of gay-friendly accommodations from upscale full-service properties to trendy boutique hotels. You’ll find landmark hotels transformed by dramatic renovations and contemporary design, welcoming bed and breakfasts and what has been called “the nicest guest house in the Midwest.”
Downtown and its surrounding districts offer the best choices for both business and leisure travelers who want to be close to the convention center, corporate headquarters and entertainment.

The vibrant, eclectic Short North Arts District, just north of downtown, oozes with nightlife, shopping and lively events. German Village, a beautifully restored historic district on the southern edge of downtown, is known for its impeccably kept 19th century brick homes and streets, lovely gardens and parks. The Arena District, in the northern part of downtown and just across the street from the Greater Columbus Convention Center, is home to Nationwide Arena, bars, a plush movie theater, restaurants, sporting events and concerts. Another choice for the academically inclined is the Ohio State University District, just four miles north of downtown, with one of the largest student populations in the nation and an accompanying youthful vibe.


Where to go and What do do in Gay Friendly Columbus

The Short North Arts District is known for its galleries, dining, nightlife, fashion, home décor and unique gifts. Art infuses the area from exhibits in galleries and restaurants to the murals that decorate the streetscapes. The district is very gay-friendly and many businesses are gay-owned. Shops offer everything from men’s fashion clothing, designer underwear and club wear to outré outfits for your favorite cat or dog. The first Saturday of every month, thousands gather in the Short North to dine, shop and see-and-be-seen during Gallery Hop, a celebration of the art in everything. The annual HighBall Halloween: Masquerade On High draws thousands of masked revelers who fill High Street for runway shows, costume contests, stage performances and the best people watching in the Midwest. The event is held the last Saturday in October under the signature Short North arches, which span High Street for 17 blocks.

German Village is a beautifully restored historic district on the southern edge of downtown Columbus. Most striking is the architecture of the impeccably kept brick homes and streets. Lovely gardens and parks are sprinkled throughout the pedestrian-friendly 233-acres. In the 1960s, German Village was threatened by modern development. A coalition of urban pioneers including local gays and lesbians led the charge to save it, and the Village maintains a reputation as a heavily gay residential area. Tour the area on foot with a map from the German Village Society Meeting Haus and Visitor Center (588 S. Third St.; open Mon.-Sat.). Eat, drink and shop your way through terrific delis, coffee shops, pubs, bookstores, art galleries and craft stores. Here you’ll find some of the finest dining in the city, along with the most romantic settings. A number of gay bars and clubs are sprinkled throughout the Village and along its perimeter. Each June, the annual Haus und Garten Tour provides the opportunity to look inside the doors and fences of some of the village's most intriguing homes.

The Arena District is located downtown one block west of the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Bars, restaurants, concert venues and movie theaters surround Nationwide Arena, home of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets. Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers (Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians), opened in the Arena District in 2009 and was named Ballpark of the Year by BaseballParks.com.

The Columbus Museum of Art houses an outstanding permanent collection of late 19th- and early 20th-century American and European art and regularly hosts fascinating traveling exhibitions on such luminaries as Degas, Monet and Picasso. Drop by The Ohio State University’s Wexner Center for the Arts for cutting-edge contemporary visual, performing and film arts from the world over. The building is a landmark of postmodern architecture and houses galleries, performance spaces, a film/video theater, store and café. In March, the Center hosts Out at Wex, a three-day queer film festival with screenings, visiting filmmakers and a gala celebration.

For a bit of flower power, drop by the Franklin Park Conservatory just east of downtown. Dating back to 1895, this amazing facility displays more than 400 species of tropical plants, orchid and bonsai collections and special exhibits. Look for striking glass sculptures by artist Dale Chihuly throughout the conservatory. In 2008, internationally renowned artist James Turrell illuminated the Conservatory’s historic glass Palm House in an inspiring display of light that performs daily from dusk to dawn. Moving toward downtown, Topiary Park is a life-size recreation of Seurat’s “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of the Grand Jatte” sculpted in topiary.

For a taste of local history, the beautifully restored 1861 Ohio Statehouse in the heart of downtown is open daily except holidays for browsing, free guided tours or cell phone audio tours. Thurber House is the former home of American humorist James Thurber. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Thurber House is a literary center, bookstore and museum of Thurber materials.

Walk on the wild side at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, named the No. 1 Favorite Zoo in America by USA Travel Guide in February 2009. Located along the banks of the Scioto River, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a picturesque setting of naturalistic wildlife habitats including an endangered manatees exhibit, gardens, picnic areas, recreational facilities and a golf course. Made famous by Jungle Jack Hanna, the zoo is home to more than 650 wildlife species.

The Grange Insurance Audubon Center provides a unique opportunity to experience some of nature’s most spectacular winged creatures in a thriving urban setting. Just a 10-minute walk from the heart of downtown, the Audubon Center is located in an important birding area along the Scioto River that attracts thousands of migrating birds from Central and South America.

Events and Performing Arts

Pride Festival - Columbus has the second largest Gay Pride celebration of its kind in the Midwest and one of the top 10 in the country. Held each June since 1981, the event attracts more than 100,000 people. The Pride Festival is a fundraiser for Stonewall Columbus to support its pursuit of equality, fairness and safety for the entire GLBT community. In addition to a parade and festival, the celebration includes an art exhibit, a GLBT history panel, and a GLBT theater shorts festival, diverse entertainment, a Poker Run for motorcycle enthusiasts, an antique car show and a 5K race. A more recent addition is an area featuring family entertainment.

Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) owns and operates four beautifully restored theaters in downtown Columbus -- the Ohio, the Palace, the Southern and the Lincoln. They are home to performing arts organizations including The Columbus Symphony, BalletMet, Opera Columbus, Broadway Across America-Columbus, Columbus Jazz Orchestra and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. In addition, CAPA operates three theaters in the Riffe Center, also located downtown. Companies that make the Riffe Center their home include the Contemporary American Theatre Company (CATCO) and Phoenix Theatre for children. CAPA also presents national and international performers and touring companies. The Summer Movie Series screens classic films in the baroque Ohio Theatre with accompanying live performances on the original “Mighty Morton” theater organ.

The Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus has been part of the local performing arts scene since 1990. Its repertoire ranges from traditional standards and show tunes to popular favorites and classic choral music. Each year, they present a holiday concert at the King Avenue United Methodist Church and spring and summer shows at the Capitol Theatre in the Riffe Center downtown. They also perform at AIDS Walk and the gay Pride Festival.
Shadowbox is a locally founded, owned and operated sketch comedy and rock 'n roll theater club. Variety shows including original comedy skits (think Saturday Night Live in its early years) mixed in with the excellent house band Bill Who? Variety shows are the usual fare. But on Sundays the troupe takes on full-length musical productions that can range from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum to Woodstock. The warehouse-type theater is located in Easton Town Center.


Gay Friendly Dining in Columbus

Columbus is fast becoming one of the region’s most notable culinary towns, introducing travelers to an array of one-of-a-kind gastronomic experiences. From fresh corn and wild mushroom risotto to artisan ice cream and killer barbecue, the Columbus dining scene is as varied as it is memorable. Whether you’re a gourmet or a fan of the greasy spoon, you’ll find something to please your palate in Columbus.

Some of the city’s most popular dining destinations are in German Village and the Short North Arts District, where you’ll find trendy bistros, ethnic restaurants, a variety of busy delis and sandwich shops, and killer artisan pastries, chocolates and ice creams. Dine Originals Columbus restaurants are locally owned and operated independent establishments that provide high-quality, unique dining experiences. Many restaurateurs feature creative takes on locally grown produce and farm-raised products. Several are gay-owned and operated and attract a large, but not exclusive, gay clientele.

Columbus Gay Nightlife - Bars and Clubs

Gay nightlife in Columbus is concentrated in the Short North Arts District, downtown and German Village, where you’ll find dance clubs, sports bars, friendly pubs, video bars, comedy and theater clubs and strip shows all in a fairly concentrated area, making barhopping easy. And there's always something new opening. Many establishments proudly fly the rainbow flag to welcome gay visitors.

For a complete list of Gay bars and clubs in Columbus, visit the "Nightlife" section in the city directory of our website.

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