Things to Do in Ohio State University Campus

Wander the Oval

This is the historic heart of the Ohio State University campus, a vast green space flanked by some of the oldest buildings, where you'll see students tossing frisbees, napping under trees, and trudging along the crisscrossing footpaths with backpacks slung low. The sound of carillon bells from Orton Tower marks the hours with a clear, melodic chime that carries across the quad. It's completely free and offers the best sense of the place's scale.

Catch a performance at the Wexner Center for the Arts

This angular, postmodern building, designed by architects Peter Eisenman and Richard Trott, is a visual experience in itself, with its white metal grids and seemingly misaligned columns. Inside, the galleries are quiet, hushed spaces where you might hear the echo of footsteps on polished concrete, while the theaters host everything from avant-garde film to contemporary dance.

Spend an afternoon in the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum

Housed in a renovated old library building, the air here smells faintly of old paper and preservation materials. The silence is punctuated by the occasional chuckle as visitors gaze upon original comic art, from vintage newspaper strips to graphic novels, displayed in brightly lit cases. It's a surprisingly absorbing collection that spans decades of pop culture.

Experience a game day, even if you don't have a ticket

On those seven or eight fall Saturdays, the entire Ohio State University campus vibrates with a palpable energy. You'll hear the distant, thunderous boom of the cannon after a touchdown, smell charcoal smoke and bratwurst from countless tailgates filling every parking lot and lawn, and see a literal sea of scarlet and gray flooding every sidewalk. The sheer noise from over 100,000 people in Ohio Stadium is a physical sensation.

Find the good spots along the Olentangy River trail

Just west of the main campus, the frantic pace gives way to the quiet rustle of leaves and the soft, steady flow of the river. The paved path is a world away, where you'll feel cool breezes coming off the water and see crew teams slicing silently through the early morning mist. It's a favorite local escape for a run or a bike ride.

University District, immediately surrounding the Oval, puts you right in the energetic, sometimes chaotic, heart of student life, with old brick houses converted into rentals.

South Campus Gateway has a more polished, just-off-campus feel with newer apartment-style hotels and direct access to chain restaurants and a cinema.

Short North, a mile south of campus along High Street, is the artsy, gallery-filled neighborhood where the crowd is slightly older and the dining is more varied.

Grandview Heights, to the west, is a quieter, family-oriented residential area with a few nice inns and a strollable main street of its own.

Victorian Village, located between campus and Short North, features beautiful historic homes and a handful of boutique lodging options with a more serene atmosphere.

Arena District, a bit farther southeast, is built around the professional sports venues and has several large, business-style hotels that fill up on event weekends.