11 Fun Things to do in Westerville, Ohio

This list of fun things to do in Westerville, Ohio will help you find new ways to explore this thriving suburb of Columbus!

The city of Westerville, Ohio is a northeast suburb of Columbus and is around 15 miles from downtown Columbus. Westerville is not far from Easton Town Center and is home to one of our favorite Metro Parks!

There are a lot of fun playgrounds in Westerville and some great coffee shops! Westerville borders the Hoover Reservoir on the east and the Polaris Fashion Place shopping area on the west. The city is home to Otterbein University and its own library system.

Uptown Westerville is one of the cutest areas in Central Ohio! There are restaurants, boutique shopping and coffee shops! Pick up your drink of choice and take a stroll around Uptown Westerville!

Speaking of drinks, Uptown Westerville also has a DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) so you can take any drink to go and enjoy the shops and businesses of Uptown during the designated days and hours (primarily the weekend).

1. Take Your Kids to Family Room Coffee & Bake Shop

• Address: 545 S Otterbein Ave, Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

There are just a few *truly* kid-friendly coffee shops around town and the new Family Room Coffee & Bake Shop in Westerville definitely fits the bill!

There’s an area with kids’ toys and games and TONS of room to hang out! They have a special drink menu for kids that includes drinks called the Chilly Unicorn and the Cozy Narwhal. Keep an eye on their social media because they often have special events that are family-friendly!

This coffee shop in Westerville offers an extensive menu of “fancy drinks” that changes with the season and some unique sparkling drinks I hadn’t seen before. With a large seating area, this is a place where you can hang out with the whole family!

I tried something new here! I ordered an iced London Fog. I’ve always had them hot in the past but I was intrigued! They add a couple of pumps of vanilla syrup to the tea and milk and it was super good!

2. Read and Play at Westerville Public Library

• Address: 126 S State St, Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

Westerville has a great public library! The Westerville Public Library has great areas for all ages! The children’s area has a fun tree house to climb into! They always have different activities out for kids to enjoy!

The library also has a great gift shop that sells gift items and used books from their collection.

A unique feature of this library is that it is also home to a park, Hanby Park, which also includes playground equipment and a splash pad for kids! A trip to Westerville Library offers enough for a whole day of fun!

3. Shop from Local Artisans at Ohio Art Market

• Address: 30 N State St, Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

Ohio Art Market is a really cool shop in Uptown Westerville where you can find work from local artists. They have an eclectic display of items that would make great gifts and decorative pieces in your own home.

If you’re strolling through Uptown Westerville, definitely stop into this shop. There are items at all price points and you will be amazed at what you find! There is truly so much to see here and all of the items are made by Ohio artists.

Ohio Art Market offers jewlery, clothing, framed art work, food, seasonal items and much, much more!

4. Explore a Secret Garden at Inniswood Metro Park

• Address: 940 S. Hempstead Rd., Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

Inniswood Metro Gardens is one of the most unique parks in Columbus! It is just a gem. One of the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, this park is free to visit year-round.

Inniswood is guaranteed to surprise and delight you during all four seasons. It is just beautiful in the spring and summer and magical in the fall. There is so much to see and there is quite a bit of the park geared towards kids as well!

If you are at all interested in plants and herbs, you must visit Inniswood Metro Gardens! And if you are visiting with kids, make sure to explore the Sisters’ Garden which includes a Secret Garden, a treehouse and Granny’s House and Bessie’s Barn where kids can play!

I’ve covered this park extensively in my blog post featuring all the things to see and do at Inniswood Metro Gardens so make sure to read it if you want even more details and photos!

5. Pour Your Own Candle at Blend Candle Co.

• Address: 16 E Main St, Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

Making your own candle at Blend Candle Co. in Uptown Westerville is a fun experience! Choose from a large selection of scents to make your personalized candle! And if you aren’t sure if your chosen scents go together, an employee will help you pick the perfect combo!

I did this with a group of friends and we had a lot of fun seeing what scents each other chose and how they combined to make something unique!

The atmosphere at Blend is relaxed and spa-like! It’s a great date night idea or even something fun to do with your kids in Westerville if they’re a little older! (Though I have done candle pouring with my son when he was 3 and he really enjoyed it!)

Your candle will take 2-3 hours to cool so you can either pick it up another day, or you can spend time exploring some of the other things to do in Uptown Westerville that I’ve listed in this post!

6. Pick Out a New Read at Birdie Books

• Address: 74 N State St, Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

Birdie Books is a magical bookstore in Uptown Westerville with books and treasures stuffed in every nook and cranny. There is a unique selection of books, book-related items, cards and gifts!

The decor in the shop adds to the magic here and it’s a pleasure to visit! There is a small children’s area and a larger room in the back with more books and a couple of chairs.

Take a break from the world and get lost in Birdie Books! Check out my list of wonderful bookstores in Columbus for more ideas!

7. Develop Your Green Thumb at Hoover Gardens & Gift Center

• Address: 182 N Sunbury Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

Hoover Gardens is a greenhouse and garden center with indoor and outdoor portions. In addition to houseplants, trees, annuals and perennials, they have a great selection of garden decor and gift items. Visiting is more than just getting ready for your garden, it’s a whole experience!

This beautiful garden center is located right on Hoover Reservoir and they host classes and events for all age groups throughout the year. Family-friendly events include pumpkin painting in the fall and visits with The Grinch during the holiday season

Hoover Gardens also offers a free Haunted Greenhouse during the fall which is fun for kids (but can be a little bit scary)! It’s definitely a popular Halloween event in Central Ohio!

8. Climb and Play at Johnston-McVay Park

• Address: 480 S Hempstead Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
• Website

This is one cool playground in Westerville! This public park isn’t home to your typical playground! Johnston-McVay Park has a lot of natural play equipment that allows kids to climb, swing and slide in unique ways! This is one park my kids ask to return to on a regular basis!

Johnston-McVay Park has a nature theme with a butterfly climbing sculpture, a large wooden hawk kids can climb inside and a lot of wooden play elements. I love the natural feel to this playground!

This park has a restroom on-site, and a story trail and a lot of green space to run! When we have visited in the past there were also hammocks for relaxing!

9. Enjoy a Treat at Coppa Gelato

• Address: 925 N State St, Westerville, OH 43082
• Website

Any list of mine is going to include ice cream! And in this case, gelato! Coppa Gelato in Westerville is the perfect place for a cool treat! 

Coppa Gelato has rotating flavors, including seasonal flavors, available and you can always check their Facebook page where they announce their flavors pretty much daily!

There is a decent amount of seating here so you can sit and enjoy this Italian delicacy! Or, you can take a pint to go to enjoy at home!

10. Get at Great Meal at 101 Beer Kitchen

• Address: 817 Polaris Pkwy, Westerville, OH 43082
• Website

People have been telling me for years that 101 Beer Kitchen has good kids meals – and we finally experienced them at the Westerville location!! I love how they are served in compartmentalized trays (like I had in school)! And they are very reasonably priced! For $8 kids 12 and under can get a main dish 2 sides, a drink and a treat! Now that’s a deal!

My husband and I also enjoyed the adult-sized burgers! This is a great spot for a family-friendly meal in Westerville!

11. Get Amazing Soft Ice Cream Creations at Little Ladies Soft Serve

• Address: 673 Worthington Rd, Westerville, OH 43082
• Website

Visit Little Ladies brick-and-mortar shop in Westerville for delicious ice cream sundaes made with soft-serve ice cream and topped with unique toppings.

Topping examples include fruity pebbles, brown butter graham cracker crumble, Nutella, cookie dough, crushed potato chips and so much more! You can choose from one of their Sundaes or Extra Special Sundaes or create your own! There are always special, seasonal sundaes available too!

Or, if you’re like my kids, you can just get a soft serve cone with sprinkles!

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If you’re looking for things to do in Westerville, Ohio, you’re in luck! This city is a great place to explore with the entire family! There is a small-town charm to Uptown Westerville, but the city is also close to a lot of big-city amenities!

What do you consider the best things to do in Westerville? Leave me a comment and if we haven’t visited, we’ll add it to our list of adventures!

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