As a born and raised Ohioan, I love nothing more than little getaways to charming towns in the state. Westerville, Ohio is nestled just north of Columbus and is PERFECT for either a day-trip or a weekend adventure. Westerville is the perfect, central location for anyone in Ohio to visit as it’s less than 2 hours away from any town!
Founded in 1858, Westerville has deep roots in the anti-slavery movement and was a very stop on the Underground Railroad. Their downtown features some historic buildings of the time; preserving the past but also providing experiences to learn about their rich history. This blog highlights some of the experiences, restaurants, and lodging that I recommend checking out next time you visit Westerville:
Experiences:
Fourth Friday
Every Fourth Friday, Westerville hosts a festival in Uptown that draws in over 10,000 people monthly! Filled with local merchants, music, live entertainment, food, and a DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area). The culture-in-action was beautiful to witness here—there were families roaming the streets with painted faces and balloons, crowds gathered around the entertainment, and smiles all around. Seeing the outward community support for all the local vendors was one of the highlights of my weekend. Be sure to get a drink from North High Brewing Company to end the evening out!!
Westerville Farmer’s Market
Farmer’s Markets are one of my favorite ways to become immersed in a town’s culture. Westerville’s Market had over 60 vendors, primarily from Central Ohio, gathered in uptown. The Farmer’s Market takes place Saturdays from 9AM to 12PM. I really enjoyed the Beignets, the Ethiopian Meat Pies (definitely go for the Beef!) and got a plant from Not Grandma’s Garden (they are donation-based and carry the legacy of Grandma’s garden!!).
Candle & Scrub Making at Blend Candle Co.
I ADORE candles, especially as we approach the Fall season. Paraffin candles can be full of toxins and rather harmful which is why I am thrilled there are companies that are only providing wax-based ones. Blend Candle Co. is in the heart of Uptown Westerville and a cozy, warm space for meeting with friends or a date night! You can choose from making sugar scrubs, candles, room mists and more. The team works with you to understand what scents you enjoy and that pair well together, I thoroughly enjoyed making products with a heavy Orange Blossom Scent. Whether you like floral, citrus, woodsy, musk, (etc) there is something for you at Blend! Pro Tip: you a bring in outside food to enjoy—I HIGHLY recommend getting a boxed Charcuterie Board from Meza Wine Shop!
Build-Your-Own-Bouquet at Westerville Florist
This was such a fun experience!! I have always had a green thumb, growing more than 40 plants in my house and plenty outdoors, but bouquet building is a completely different skill set. You can walk into Westerville Florist on weekends and build-your-own floral bouquet, but what I really loved about this is that you are taught throughout the entire process. I built my bouquet (pictured) around sunflowers and roses. You also receive tips and tricks on how to care for the bouquet and mine lasted at home for about 2 weeks.
Walk around at Inniswood Metro Garden
WOW, I was blown away by Inniswood! This 123-acre garden is a natural woodland with more than 2,000 species of plants! There are about a dozen different gardens and trails to explore during your free visit. I enjoyed the Circle Garden, Herb Garden, and took the Boardwalk Trail (ADA-friendly!). I would recommend spending about 2-3 hours here to get the full experience.
Restaurants:
Uptown Deli & Brew/ Temperance Row Brewing Company
If you only have time for one restaurant in Westerville, make sure it is this one. Uptown Deli & Brew opens up to Temperance Row Brewing Company in a Speakeasy-style setting. They also have a HUGE patio too! The two places are sort of combined into one; offering fantastic sandwiches and great beer to pair. HIGHLY recommend doing a flight—when I visited in Summer their Watermelon Wheat was AMAZING, but at the time of this post, we are in Oktoberfest season! For Food, I highly recommend either their Reuben or Freddi (and do the chip dip over the cheese dip to dunk your chips in!).
If you know anything about Westerville, you may be wondering how there is a brewery in Uptown knowing this town was once the dry capital of the WORLD. Westerville was literally home to the headquartered of the Anti-Saloon League which is CRAZY! Temperance Row Brewing plays homage throughout the building to the town’s history and evolution, and the owners are extremely passionate about their craft. When my husband and I toured their Brewery, we were blown away by the history but also the passion of everyone working there; the food and beer being amazing is the cherry on top!
Schneider’s Bakery & Java Central Coffee Roasters
This one-two-punch of donuts and coffee makes for a sweet start to your day in Uptown Westerville! Schneider’s Bakery is a small mom-and-pop shop that offers dozens of different donuts for take out. When I entered, there were probably a dozen locals packed into the little room ordering so I knew it was going to be a gem. We got half a dozen donuts, including an apple fritter and some candy-topped donuts for only $9!
Right next to Schneider’s Bakery is Java Central Coffee Roasters and they are the quintessential third-place you hope to find when visiting small towns. There was a mix of families, college students studying, and people grabbing coffee on-the-go. They have a community pantry to donate or grab items from and are incredibly inclusive. If I lived or went to school in Westerville I would 1000% be working out of their spacious yet cozy area.
Napa Kitchen & Bar
Whether a dinner date with your significant other or a meal with your friends, Napa Kitchen & Bar is the place to go. Napa had me HOOKED when I saw they have WINE FLIGHTS! They have a massive selection of wines and non-alcoholic wines from around the world to enjoy in a flight, by the glass, or by the bottle! For an appetizer, I highly recommend the meatball—it’s baked in their house-made sauce and melty cheeses. I also enjoyed their Shrimp Risotto as an entrée.
North High Brewing Company
I think North High in Westerville may have the coolest outdoor patio area in Westerville, if not one of the top in Columbus. The spacious outdoor area has TONS of different seating (including fun kid-friendly options!), giant swings, an outdoor bar, and an entertainment area for watching the Buckeyes Game or live music! I think North High’s Cocktails are fantastic with fun and rotating flavor combinations. The past two times I went, they had a Blueberry Lavender and a Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita—both delicious and unique combinations! My husband enjoys the North High Beer Flights. If you eat at North High, be sure to try their Brussels Sprouts Appetizer and their cauliflower pizza (Best cauliflower crust I have ever had, easily).
Where to Stay:
Westerville is located in Central Ohio, so it will be within 2 hours driving for most Ohioans, but if possible, I would highly recommend staying at the Renaissance In Westerville-Polaris to get the most of your time in the area. I travel practically live out of a suitcase half the year, so I am constantly staying in Hotels—so please take that into consideration when I say that the Renaissance is one of the nicest hotels I have stayed in when visiting the Columbus area. The rooms are incredibly well-kept, spacious, and modern on the inside. Some of the rooms have corner window views and the hotel actually overlooks a nice pond/outdoor seating area. When I was staying, there was a wedding/reception one night and I would not have noticed if not for the little greeting sign the bride had. Better said: my experience via parking, food, service, and noise were not impacted even when there was a large event!
Inside the Renaissance is a lovely restaurant called The Two-One and they are a perfect place for beginning or ending your activities. On our first night in Westerville, we sat at the bar at Two-One and enjoyed some apps and happy hour beverages. Ever had Lobster Fries? If not, give Two-One’s a try—my husband and I quite enjoyed them! On our second night, we found ourselves ending the night at Two-One enjoying a cocktail in their outdoor patio area before making our way back up to our room. Breakfast is not included at the Renaissance, but you are minutes from all the great restaurants in Uptown Westerville!
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