YE Gurl Says: Franklin Park Lit Up My Night (Literally)…read more Date: September 6, 2025 Place: Franklin Park - Water Lantern Festival (Yelp Contest Winner!) I've been to Franklin Park before for the African Festival, but little did I know there was a gorgeous man-made lake and walking area tucked behind the amphitheatre. Honestly, Columbus needs more events out here--imagine summer concerts lakeside. Come on, Cbus, don't sleep on this! Thanks to a Yelp contest win, I got two tickets to the Water Lantern Festival and was excited to experience it for the first time. I brought the beau, packed a sweater (because yes, sweater-and-jacket weather arrived), and we found a spot to settle in. The experience started with decorating our lanterns--super thoughtful packages that came with a deck of cards and conversation prompts to keep the evening flowing. The event itself was well organized: shuttles helped us avoid the parking madness, there were plenty of food trucks (though I ate beforehand), and the staff kept things moving. The only hiccup was the AV system--it was a little hard to hear, and the lantern launch was delayed due to the chill. But when those lanterns finally floated onto the water, the view was worth it. Beautiful, reflective, and something I can now check off my list as an artistic and soulful evening. YE Gurl checked the box and lit the night!

We love Franklin Park and love doing our family walk time with our doggie Ellie. Absolutely would…read morerecommend taking a stroll on a pretty day, or you could even have a picnic. It's a huge park with an amphitheater, cascade waterfalls, a community garden, an Asian-inspired garden, a playground, a picnic shelter, and ponds stocked for fishing. The park is also the home of the annual Columbus Asian Festival, the Franklin Park Adventure Center, and the amazing Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Another fun park accessible from either the nearby neighborhoods or via the Alum Creek Greenway…read moreTrail. This one offers several amenities: basketball court, a nice large green space, picnic tables, and a nice playground and swings area. There's a neat little single kid spinning toy that they can sit in and use their momentum to spin around in too. There are woods on the side of the open space with trails to explore. This is a nice park to come play in or to take a break on your journey down the greenway trail!

This is a great little neighborhood park that I stumbled on while riding the Alum Creek Trail. The…read moreonly access is from the trail and from the neighborhoods- there is no parking lot, though you can park on the street nearby. The address on the city park site shows it on Morse, but it is actually well back into the neighborhood, just off Grinnell Rd. To get there by car, turn off Morse just west of Sunbury Rd., onto Trindel Way. Follow it back to the curve, then park in the short dead-end. There are some fields, ballcourts, a bike rack, a playground, benches, etc. A nice park if you live nearby, and a nice resting point during a ride or walk.

So many beautiful parks to discover, so little time!!! This hidden gem I "discovered" on a…read morebeautiful fall afternoon while attempting to be more social (and less of a hermit!!) in the Columbus area. It's almost a SIN to be indoors this time of the year, so as soon as the indoor stuff was over, I googled nearby parks and decided to check out Duranceaux. Small(ish), clean, quiet, scenic, right on the river, with just a few people walking their dogs, playing on the playground, and flying kites, what more could you ask for?? There is a nice looking educational facility available for groups on one end of the park and what appears to be an OSU boathouse on the other end. If you're from this area, maybe you're already away of this great, tucked away, "secret" spot, but I got the feeling even a few locals might not know it's there. Worth checking out... ENJOY!!

A long skinny park along the river, as is common in this area. We entered from the north, but if…read moreyou're going to the playground (as we were) or the shelters, nature center, etc., I suggest entering off Dublin Rd. The long drive down has plenty of picnic tables, etc., but not many spots to park. The playground is small, but nice. Right near a shelter, with a lot nearby. Shade and benches handy for the grownups. There's a big building that looks like a lodge house, where a wedding was going on. Signs say there is an "education center"- may just be a nature trail? It's south of the playground somewhere. A great resource for the community, and worth a return for more than just the playground.

This is a lovely and peaceful park accessible via either the nearby neighborhood, which connects by…read morea short trail, or via the Alum Creek Greenway Trail, where it's located between Strawberry Farms Park and Parkridge Park. This is a wild space with no real amenities outside of the greenway trail. It has a beautiful wooded area and some meadow space. It is a nice and relaxing place to walk or bike through. The bridge on the side that connects to Parkridge Park is a very neat looking one that offers a good view of the creek. It's excellent as part of the trail connection.

This is a very nice park! There are good trails, a wooded area, and a large green space. The…read moreplayground is large, containing two play area structures, and has a lot of fun options, including swings, slides, tunnels, climbing options, and more. It is located nearby a great shelterhouse with picnic tables and benches. It also has access to other greenway and bike trails, in addition to east and west entrances for cars. Great park option!

Easily my most frequented trail in Westerville. It's so pretty no matter what season with all the…read moretrees. It's always beautifully kept and has an impressive playground for kids.

This is a cute little pocket park located in close proximity to the busy Shops on Lane Avenue area…read more Despite the location, it is a peaceful respite in a small bit of woods. It's a great neighborhood park if you're lucky enough to live within walking distance. There are a lot of crisscrossing trails in this small area (about 2 acres), so this isn't the park to go to if you're looking for a big hike or run. What this is great for is a quick 15-20 minute visit close to town to get a nature refresh, or a place for small children to explore. The younger set found it fascinating to run around and make sure they had seen all of the trails and checked out everything there was to see. It also includes some granite artwork, including an entryway and four benches. A spring visit was perfect because the area is filled with flowers and made for a lovely view. Street parking is available within the neighborhood.

It's not a huge park but it looks like a place that they probably host community events…read more It's right next to Old Bag of Nails. Parking isn't awful. You can find parallel off Main Street or you can drive into one of the side streets and do parallel. I've seen some parking lots but I'm not sure what they're for... It's cute though! They had a few architecturally pleasing, random things to look at. It was a bit cold so I only walked around for about five minutes.

Awesome place! Scenic views and lots of amenities! I highly recommend this place to individuals,…read morecouples, and families.

Beautiful little (little is the operative word) park. I never knew this park existed until I saw a…read morereview for on Yelp. It's a surprising little oasis tucked between some major office buildings and the freeway (I-71). Water, waterfalls, walking paths, even a shelter. I peaceful oasis in an unexpected location.

This is a beautiful little pocket park located near the Microsoft/Veeam Building. There was…read moreplentiful parking available in the lot adjacent to the building and park. It features several little waterfall areas that help mitigate the noise of the nearby highway. There is a pond and a couple of small shelters where you can sit and relax. It also features a really neat wind sculpture, the North Star, that can be seen when you are passing by on the highway. It spins gently in the wind and adds a nice focal point just behind the large waterfall. It was designed by Robert S. Mullins. There's a paved walking path around the park that provides a good view of the highway, for those interested. Quiet and relaxing.