Exploring The Short North With Kids
My kids LOVE going downtown, they enjoy the people, the buses, the big tall buildings. It's a lot of fun for them and luckily for all of us the Short North is filled with kid friendly businesses. Yummy snacks, wonderful places to shop, and some of the best places to play. Below is my list of favorite places to visit in the Short North. Do you have a favorite? Share with me in the comments! :)
Goodale Park - technically surrounded by Victorian Village but just one or two blocks from The Short North. We have played here, we have had our family photos taken here, and we have picnicked here. So much fun at this park, it has an expansive playground but the parks main attraction is the view of the Columbus skyline. You can read more about the history here.
Cub Shrub is the perfect place to find the cutest outfit for kids, fun accessories, and the coolest toys. Whether you're heading into explore or you need to find the perfect outfit for any occasion, I highly recommend checking it out. One of my son's favorite toys is the $5 truck I bought him while we were out exploring. It also brings us back to that day and he talks about it so fondly.
Rocket Fizz Columbus is a nostalgic soda pop and candy shop located in the heart of the Short North. It's one of our favorite places to stop when we're in the area. I can still get the penny candy I used to love as a kid and my kids can fill a small bag fun of candy for $5.99. Every birthday I take my kids to fill up a bag of candy and it's turned into such a fun tradition for us.
Big Fun Toy Store is a must if you're in the Short North. The place is filled with the most unique toys and perfect for any kids who love Star Wars, Super Heroes, and other unique toys. Really, perfect for kids of all ages. My husband and I included. :-)
This fun teal and orange wall is the perfect photo op for the whole family. I get a lot of people asking me where they can find this and I'll be honest it took me awhile to track it down. It's on Poplar Ave. right next to Goodale Park! :)
The North Market - From picking up fresh flowers or grabbing a bite to eat while we’re downtown, or heading to the Farmers Market there on Saturday morning, we can’t get enough. We each have our favorite spots in The North Market but really you can’t go wrong. I love Little Eater and Dos Hermanos, my husband is obsessed with Hot Chicken Takeover (but come on who isn’t?), my daughter goes back and forth between Destination Donuts and Taste of Belgium, and my son loves Sarafino’s. It's the perfect way to explore local eats with kids.
Marcella's is our go to dinner spot in the Short North. The food is delicious and they have a super cute treasure chest for kids to pick out a small toy before or after the meal and they aren't afraid to pull it out early if your kid needs a distraction. That treasure chest has saved us from a meltdown or two over the years.
