Here's what to do in Columbus in between NCAA tournament March Madness games

Taijuan Moorman, The Columbus Dispatch
·4 min read

Columbus will host first and second-round games of the 2023 men's NCAA Tournament Friday and Sunday at Nationwide Arena.

Columbus will also host the First Four, first-round and second-round games of the 2023 women's NCAA Tournament on Thursday, Saturday and Monday at the Schottenstein Center.

The city last hosted NCAA Tournament games in 2019.

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After watching the games and cheering on your favorite team, there are many other exciting things to experience here. Whether you're visiting Columbus during all the frenzy or looking to support Columbus area players while the tournament is in town, here's what to do when the March Madness has died down:

Get dinner at Fyr, Harvest Pizzeria or South Village Grille

Mar 8, 2023; Columbus, OH, USA; Diners fill the ground-floor FYR venue inside the Hilton Columbus Downtown. Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch
Mar 8, 2023; Columbus, OH, USA; Diners fill the ground-floor FYR venue inside the Hilton Columbus Downtown. Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch

Before the women's NCAA Tournament sees Purdue take on St. John's in a First Four matchup Thursday evening, grab dinner at Columbus favorites like South Village Grille, at 197 Thurman Ave. in German Village, Harvest Pizzeria, multiple locations, or a newer gem, Fyr, at 404 N. High St. at the new Hilton tower Downtown. Or choose from the several Columbus eateries Dispatch readers voted as the best restaurants in Columbus.

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Get coffee at Upper Cup and breakfast at Fox in the Snow or Freedom a la Cart

Before the men's NCAA Tournament 12:15 p.m. kickoff of Michigan State versus USC at Nationwide, grab a cup of coffee at Upper Cup, and if you're looking to fill some more time, or get pastries and breakfast sandwiches at Fox in the Snow, multiple locations, and Freedom a la Cart, 123 E. Spring St.

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Experience Columbus nightlife with R Bar, Pins or Seventh Son

After Florida Atlantic takes on Memphis at 9:20 p.m. on Friday, enjoy the remainder of the night at Pins Mechanical, with multiple locations, the closest of which is Downtown at 141 N. 4th St. The bar features duckpin bowling, giant Jenga, pinball, table tennis, beer and cocktails.

For a more casual bar spot, consider R Bar, 415 N. Front St., a popular spot for sports fans, or Seventh Son Brewing, 1101 N. 4th St., a great spot for beer lovers.

Visit Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

May 13, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Over 25 different butterflies take flight in the Pacific Island Water Garden for Blooms & Butterflies at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio on May 13, 2022. The Blooms & Butterflies exhibition started at the end of February and will close at the end of May.
May 13, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Over 25 different butterflies take flight in the Pacific Island Water Garden for Blooms & Butterflies at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio on May 13, 2022. The Blooms & Butterflies exhibition started at the end of February and will close at the end of May.

Saturday has a lighter schedule, so during the day, take a trip to Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., named one of the best parks in Columbus and currently home to Blooms & Butterflies, an annual interactive exhibit where the insects fly freely and bask on flora, fauna or even your head.

Check out the Columbus Museum of Art

"Floundering Vessel with Blue Whales and Viking Ships" by artist Malcolm Morley greets patrons entering a second-floor gallery at the Columbus Museum of Art.
"Floundering Vessel with Blue Whales and Viking Ships" by artist Malcolm Morley greets patrons entering a second-floor gallery at the Columbus Museum of Art.

Visit the Columbus Museum of Art, at 480 E. Broad St., and catch the recently extending exhibition "Wild Things Are Happening," featuring the original work of Where the Wild Things Are author Maurice Sendak, before its international tour. The museum's collection also includes modern American and European art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the world's biggest collections of works by Columbus artists Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson, Elijah Pierce and George Bellows.

See Otherworld or the National Veterans Memorial and Museum

Otherworld founder Jordan Renda walks through a room of mirrors and lights at the 32,000-square-foot interactive art installation. [ADAM CAIRNS/DISPATCH]
Otherworld founder Jordan Renda walks through a room of mirrors and lights at the 32,000-square-foot interactive art installation. [ADAM CAIRNS/DISPATCH]

Sunday and Monday will be lighter game days for the men's and women's tournaments, which means more time to experience Columbus. Check out the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, 300 W. Broad St., for a tribute to those who have served our country, with interactive exhibits, personal stories and powerful displays.

Meanwhile Otherworld, at 5819 Chantry Dr., is an interactive and immersive art installation that features dozens of rooms filled with imaginative and surreal scenes—including a forest of neon trees, extraterrestrial labs and a retro video game room—that draws people from across the country.

Get a taste of Columbus at North Market

Whether it's Jeni's first location or local eats like Hoyo's Kitchen and Momo Ghar, the historic North Market covers all bases. The public market, at 59 Spruce St. Downtown, features over 30 vendors, serving everything from vegan soul food, ramen and barbeque to Mexican cuisine.

tmoorman@dispatch.com

@taijuannichole

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: March Madness in Columbus: Where to eat and what to do between games