7 Fun Things to do in Gahanna, Ohio

Explore Gahanna, Ohio with one of these fun activities that will keep the whole family entertained!

Gahanna, Ohio is a suburb of Columbus just northeast of the city. Did you know that Gahanna is known as the Herb Capital of Ohio? This city of around 35,000 people is full of great parks and green spaces, an amazing library, and home to many popular annual events and celebrations!

There is a lot to explore in Gahanna and we’ve just scratched the surface! Read on to find out some of the best things to do in Gahanna, Ohio for all ages!

1. Walk Along the Water at the Creekside District

• Address: 123 Mill St, Gahanna, OH 43230
• Website

Creekside Gahanna is an area built up around Big Walnut Creek. Along Mill Street you will find shops and restaurants and Creekside Park which offers walking trails and paddle boating and kayaking in the creek!

Creekside is a great fun area to walk around and it’s the location for several special events throughout the year including live music and holiday activities. It’s especially pretty during the holidays when the whole area is filled with lights and the Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival is a popular event during the summer!

There are fountains and waterfalls to enjoy and a lot of outdoor seating. It’s a great place for dining or picking up a cup of coffee at Upper Cup and then enjoying a walk around the area!

2. Read and Play at the Gahanna Library

• Address: 310 Granville St, Gahanna, OH 43230
• Website

The Gahanna Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library was remodeled in 2023 and the new library is gorgeous! There are so many windows, making the inside bright and cheery!

There is a lot of fun artwork inside the library which offers two floors of browsing fun! You can find a ton of seating on both floors if you’d like to grab a book and enjoy this beautiful library!

The Children’s Department is fun for kids with lots of hands-on activities! The kids area has a train table, light wall, a small playhouse, a lego table and more! They also have a big area for activities and story times.

3. Get a Taste of Philly at Marlow’s Cheesesteaks

• Address: 93 N High St, Gahanna, OH 43230
• Website

I lived in Philly for 4 years after college so when Marlow’s Cheesesteaks opened in Gahanna I had to visit!

You can build your own cheesesteak, but I recommend the Classic Wiz Wit. A classic Philly cheesesteak does not have mushrooms and green peppers and all of those veggies you find at other restaurants.

Indulge me as I tell you how it is in Philly. At Pat’s, a well-known-cheesesteak establishment they have a sign that says something along the lines of: “If you don’t know what you want, go to the end of the line!”

When you get to the front of the line your order is most likely “wiz wit” or “wiz without”. Maybe you will get provolone cheese instead of cheese wiz, but you would be wrong. LOL. The “with” or “without” refers to onions. And yes, your heart is pounding to make sure you get it right and you don’t mess up because they will tell you if you do. LOL

Your classic Philly cheesesteak contains meat, onions and cheese. Period. Okay, now that I’ve had my say, I can tell you that the owners of Marlow’s Cheesesteaks come from Philly and they know what’s what.

You also have to get water ice. What is water ice? It’s not a slushy, it’s not an icee, it’s not ice cream and it’s not sorbet. It’s water ice and it’s its own thing and you have to have it!

4. Play and Explore at Woodside Green Park

• 213 Camrose Ct., Gahanna, OH 43230 
• Website

Woodside Green Park has a lot of great features that kids of all ages can enjoy. First is the Natural Play Area which is made up of lots of play structures made from natural materials like tree trunks, rocks and wood.

Some of the climbing structures in the park will be more challenging for the older kids and younger kids will love playing in the playhouses and tunnels! You can see a lot more pictures of the park in my blog post all about Woodside Green Park!

There is a multipurpose trail in the park that is paved making it great for strollers!

Woodside Green Park also has a playground that includes swings, a slide, and several brightly colored geometric shapes for climbing! There is also a rope climbing structure!

5. Pick up a Coffee at Morning Ritual

• Address: 6400 Preserve Crossing Blvd, Gahanna, OH 43230
• Website

Morning Ritual is part of The GOAT in Gahanna. Featuring super cute decor, you will want to take photos of your coffee cup everywhere! Even my son asked me to take his picture! LOL

Morning Ritual serves coffee drinks, biscuits, baked goods, breakfast items and more! It’s a fun stop for a treat in Gahanna!

6. Explore the Herb Capital of Ohio

• Website

Gahanna built a reputation for growing herbs and the city became known as the Herb Capital of Ohio. You can visit the Ohio Herb Center in Gahanna, take part in the Herbal Cocktail Trail or attend the Herb Day festival!

Visit Ohio Herb Center for more information on workshops, visiting the Center and workshops that they offer.

7. Play at Friendship Park

• Address: 150 Oklahoma Ave., Gahanna, OH 43230
• Website

Friendship Park is one my favorite playgrounds in Gahanna! It’s bright and colorful and there’s something for all ages. There is a fun twisty slide for the big kids, a small play area for the younger kids and a wall of hands-on activities for toddlers.

Friendship Park is also home to a Story Trail. You can walk through a path reading a story as you go. The story changes annually. 

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I hope this blog post will help you will find new places to explore in Gahanna! It’s a great place to spend some time with the entire family! Share some of your favorite Gahanna destinations in the comments to help us find more to explore!

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