Visitor’s Guide to Grove City

2

Visit Grove City

Tired of the same three spots? Explore somewhere new! Columbus is loaded with great suburbs and interesting neighborhoods. With a wide-open day in my schedule and three kids in tow, I ventured into a suburb south of downtown: Grove City. It did not disappoint! The new scenery made for a fun and adventurous outing with my children, including being caught in a severe thunderstorm in downtown traffic. Mom tip: Check the weather!

Parks

Gantz Park

This park and gardens is a wonderful destination, located close to the 71 exit. There is a nice playground for the little ones with a large shelter house to eat a picnic lunch. Adjacent to the playground is a red barn structure that hosts preschool classes and activities throughout the year. Older children will enjoy a large, bumpy slide across from the parking lot as well as a natural play area, biking trails, and a creek. After lunch, wander through the impressive gardens. Your kids will love all the different herbs and flowers as well as the brick maze.  

Fryer Park

Continue park hopping and head to this park which is actually part of a sprawling recreation complex that includes the Grove City YMCA, a fishing pond, a historic 1800’s village, and acres of ball fields. The massive space-themed playground is fully accessible. Your kids will love the climbing wall, huge sandbox, and space tunnels! Hiking and recreation trails abound at this park.

Sweets

Grove City shops

No day trip is complete without a sweet treat! This little gem is nestled in Grove City’s small but growing downtown area. The charming bakery and ice cream parlor is beautifully decorated with their wedding cake displays. They serve up delicious cupcakes, cookies, cake pops, and Velvet ice cream. Try the gigantic, cream-filled M&M cookie sandwich. Wow, just wow.

Grove City shops

What could be sweeter than honey? Try a honey stick at this unique shop, also located in the downtown area. This shop sells all kinds of products using locally sourced honey. The staff is excited to share their knowledge about honey and the pollination process. Your kids will love the tasting station, sampling the light, medium, and dark honey. Group tours and presentations are available.

Rainy day list

If you failed to check the weather like me and find yourself seeking shelter here is a list of some rainy day options for Grove City:

Grove City Library

Located a block from Capital City cakes, this beautiful library has only been open for a year. There is a large play area in the children’s section filled with toys, games, and books. Check their website for regularly scheduled storytimes and children’s activities.

Jump around!

Break out the roller skates!

Summer must-do list

Evans Park

To beat the summer heat, check out this fantastic, zero-entry pool in the area. On select Thursdays throughout the summer, there are themed kids activities. Your kids will love all the various slides, the climbing wall, and the sand volleyball court. {Updated for 2018: Due to the popularity of the facility and issues related to overcrowding, the policy concerning day passes for non-residents has changed: A non-resident may enter only as a guest of a resident or a season pass holder.}

At Fryer Park, there is a unique 1800’s village complete with a one-room schoolhouse, log cabin, barn, and blacksmith. It is free and open to the public on the fourth Saturdays from 2-4 pm, June through September as well as during festivals.

Do you have a favorite spot to explore in Grove City? 

Previous articleThe Teal Pumpkin Project
Next articleWeekend Roundup: October 20-22
Mary Kneidel
As a native of Cleveland, Mary came to Columbus to attend THE Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) where she met her husband during the first week of college! Fast forward: She is now a stay at home mom to three young kids, a job which she finds to be demanding yet equally joyous. With an educational background in architecture, you can find her keeping up with the real estate market as well as going out of her way to see a beautiful historical building (which is, of course, thrilling for her children). Prior to having kids, she traveled on faith-related trips to Siberian Russia, Taiwan, and Brazil. These days, she stays closer to home but still loves discovering new neighborhoods and towns. In her spare time, you can find her out in nature, biking, drinking a good cup of coffee, or enjoying a historical fiction novel. Mary is thrilled to be a part of the writing team and to highlight the awesome, family-friendly places in her beloved city.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Wow! I never realized there was so much to do in Grove City! I’ll definitely have to take the kids here soon! Thanks for sharing so much info!

Comments are closed.