This Ohio Trail Connects Craft Distilleries, Local Flavor, And The City Of Columbus' Vibrant Spirit

The city of Columbus, Ohio, has a lot to offer as a vacation destination. It is home to major art galleries, museums, and a world-class zoo and aquarium, while even its under-the-radar suburbs offer walkable, shady trails and attractive shops. It is also steeped in history, with a charming German village located not far from the center of the city.

But did you know Columbus is also a hotspot when it comes to spirits? The city is home to a great number of top-class modern distilleries producing amazing liquors that have led to a renaissance in Columbus' cocktail scene. And there has never been a better time for travelers who enjoy a drink or two to visit the city, thanks to a new Distillery Trail, developed by the destination marketing organization Experience Columbus.

More than simply a list of top-class distilleries, the Distillery Trail comes with a specially-made mobile passport: Check in at various businesses to unlock prizes, including vouchers and T-shirts, while tasting the best spirits the city of Columbus has to offer. You can even book luxury hotel rooms through the Experience Columbus website, taking advantage of free gift offers in the process.

The entire Columbus Distillery Trail takes you as far west as Hillard and as far east as Blacklick, but there is no one way to explore the distilleries, no single route or timeframe in which you should aim to sample the spirits on offer (of course, spirits are strong, so you'll want to pace yourself and explore the trail over multiple days). Instead, you can pick and choose the distilleries that suit you best at any given time.

You could start, for example, at 451 Spirits on Oakland Park Avenue, which takes an innovative approach to distilling by taking in techniques gathered from around the world, such as traditional Spanish winemaking and Irish pot distillation. Meanwhile, the Watershed Distillery on Chesapeake Avenue is famous for its bourbon, gin, and craft vodka and features a charming kitchen and bar serving classic fare such as burgers, short rib, and tantalizing desserts, along with a full cocktail menu. But with so much on offer, it is easy to get joyfully lost among the options, or find yourself whiling away the evening in one or two spots that you find especially pleasing to the palate. Looking for more drinks options in Ohio? Located just outside downtown Columbus, Canal Winchester is a trendy city with amazing craft beer options.