Columbus' Best Photo Spots

A netherworld-like dimension lurks within the capital of Ohio. Nicknamed "The Gates of Hell," a drainage pipe is covered in colorful, artistic graffiti under North High Street. Another more gruesome nickname, "Blood Bowl," apparently stems from the urban myth of a skateboarder who met his death while attempting some spiral moves. The tunnel is not open to the public and it can get pretty risky during hea...

Established in 1952 this public park and garden is set within the limits of the larger Whetstone Park. Thanks to donations, the park features about 350 rose varieties with specimens in the thousands, as well as a sundial, gazebo, and park benches. It is open year-round but plan your visit in late spring to enjoy the fragrant and colorful blooms.

The symbolic mallet used by judges to keep order in the courtroom is perhaps the largest gavel in the world. It was created in 2008 by Andrew Scott and funded by the Ohio State Bar Foundation. Over 170 works of art are displayed at the Ohio Judicial Center, but this one constructed entirely of stainless steel is the most expensive. Like most works of art its imposing size and heavy material are ironic - ...

Donated to Columbus in 1851, Goodale Park was designed to give workers access to a clean, green space. The 40-acre park is also the oldest in Ohio and one of the three oldest parks in the United States.

Every year Columbus holds the Arnold Sports Festival in honor of the Austrian-born body builder. To commemorate the special association, an eight-foot-tall bronze statue of the muscular celebrity was placed outside the Veterans' Memorial Auditorium in 2012 and soon thereafter was moved to its current location. Arnold himself is about 6'2" but his legend is larger than life.

This field of inedible, human-sized corn was ironically intended to remind passersby of Ohio's diminishing agricultural commodity. Once a corn field, this flat piece of land is now a publicly funded work of art consisting of 109 concrete ears of shucked corn. Each human-sized ear weighs roughly 1,500 pounds. They field pays homage to Sam Frantz who invented hybrid corn varieties. (Photo by Gary Arman)

This wide sheet of falling water cascades down 25 feet into a clear plunge pool. The parking lot is located about 10 minutes from the stairs which take you down a boardwalk in the gorge. At the end of the boardwalk is the observation deck allowing you to look at the falls head-on. The best times to visit are after heavy rains when the falls are at their most glorious - or in the winter when everything fr...

Also known as the Scioto Deer, these hoofed mammals relax around the Scioto River. One longingly observes the river, another reclines on the grassy bank, and the third sits quietly at the top of Genoa Park while people-watching. The beloved deer are the vision of artist Terry Allen who cleverly managed to incorporate nature with the metropolitan atmosphere of Columbus. His inspiration came directly from ...

University campuses are some of the best places to find unique art installations and the Garden of Constants (also known as the Numbers Garden) does not disappoint. Artist Barbara Grygutis' giant, old standard-font numbers are placed strategically around the walkway in front of the Enarson Classroom Building. If you look down at your feet, you'll find formulaic constants hidden within the bricks. The col...

In the era of plastic and foreign-made goods the American Whistle Factory is a dying breed. This company is the last U.S. maker of brass whistles and probably one of the few whistle makers located on U.S. soil. See how their high-quality trilling baubles are made and how that little bead is placed inside each one. Also, each visitor gets a free sample at the end! The downside - you're going to hear a lot...

This beautiful park is best known for its living topiary interpretation of Georges Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grand Jatte." It is composed of 54 human figures, 8 boats, 3 dogs, a monkey, and a cat. The topiary is indeed the most famous part of the park but the entire grounds and the museum are also worth taking a peek at.

The Waterworx Company of Toronto designed this engineering marvel. 15,000 square feet of jets and fountains propel water 75 feet into the air. It's the next best thing to a pool - a series of fountains shooting and spraying water that kids and adults can frolic in and cool off during the sweltering heat of an Ohio summer. At night bright lights and fog effects are turned on. The location is beautiful too...

This short and wide waterfall is located in a city park. The trail runs alongside the gorge but access into the gorge is restricted. Still the much more intrepid explorers, at their own risk, go off the path into the gorge where they can get better views of the falls. Nearby natural attractions include Clifton Gorge, Lyons Falls, and Hayden Falls.

This chief's name may seem to mock but it was a term of respect for a man who never broke a promise. He unfortunately died by execution - incurring the wrath of tribes when he signed a treaty with white settlers. This monument, which calls to mind the Egyptian sphynxes, was built of limestone. The face is positioned so that it looks out over the land that he promised to the settlers ultimately bringing a...