The Herb Capital of Ohio is hosting a ton of things for you to do this winter. It’s conveniently located just east of Columbus and has plenty of fun things to do, affordable homes, and a great reputation as one of Ohio’s “Best Hometowns.” If you’re in search of something exciting to do this holiday season, look no further. Gahanna has plenty of options to keep you entertained this winter and into the new year.

Santa Race 5K and Little Reindeer Dash

Dash away all

This 5K walk/run is one of Gahanna's most fun-filled holiday events! If you register, you’ll receive a Santa-themed long sleeve shirt and a Santa hat as well as a custom Santa Finishers Medal. Kiddos registered for the Reindeer Dash will receive a Santa shirt as well as a Finishers Ribbon.

Meijer Holiday Character Breakfast

Eating & merrymaking

The Holiday Character Breakfast is one of Gahanna’s most popular and beloved community events. This annual breakfast includes various crafts, face painting, storytelling, and an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast with holiday characters. There will be a performance by the Columbus Children's Theatre and a chance to visit with Santa too. This event is an activity for the whole family to enjoy during the busy holiday season. 

Herbal Cocktail Trail

Experience all that the Herb Capital of Ohio has to offer

Gahanna is very proud of its title “Herb Capital of Ohio,” and to commemorate this, Gahanna Ohio Convention & Visitors Bureau created the Herbal Cocktail Trail. Eight signature Gahanna restaurants and bars participate in the trail. Each venue creates unique, herb-infused cocktails that have different flavor combinations. They are paired with the host restaurant’s menu offerings, which will be sure to please your taste buds.  

Anyone that wants to participate picks up a passport at the Gahanna Visitor Center or at any of the participating businesses. You can experience the trail at your own pace, earning a stamp in your passport for each drink purchased. Kindred Artisan Ales is one of the participating breweries on the list, and their featured drink is  called a “Smoking Gun.”  It is concocted with 451 Spirits Dear Johnny Apple Smoked Whiskey with a smoked black tea and honey simple syrup, all topped with ginger beer. Need I say more?

Gahanna Historical Society

614-475-3342 |101 S. High Street, Gahanna, OH | gahannahistory.com

 In the 1970s, the Gahanna Historical Society started its own herb garden and encouraged community members to do the same. Ever since Gahanna has been known as the herb capital. There are many historical wonders to explore at the society including a 1840s log house, the 1860s John Clark House, and a National Certified Wildlife Habitat. What are you waiting for? Schedule your tour today.

If you’re more of a “do-it-yourself” type of person, you can do a self-guided historical walking tour of Gahanna and venture along Big Walnut Creek, which runs directly through the historical society.

If you plan to stay overnight, there is a bed and breakfast called “The Lily Stone Bed and Breakfast,” which has been restored to represent the Victorian-era. There are only four guest rooms, so be sure to book one in advance.

Botanical Beauty Bar

614-642-4372 | 110 Mill St, Gahanna, OH | ohioherbcenter.org

The holiday season can do a number on your personal health. Don’t fear though because the Ohio Herb Education Center has got you covered. You can take the guesswork out of making herbal beauty care products by going to a class at the center. Instructors focus on one product per class and discuss the importance of each product, how to use it properly, and allow you to customize a take-home version that matches your skin type. 

They utilize hands-on techniques, so you can walk away with the information and confidence you need to be able to make your own products. This will save you time and money in the long run. Pick a date as well as a session topic before it’s all booked.

Being near the vibrancy of city life, the Herb Capital of Ohio is sure to accommodate any and all of your wants and needs this winter. Jumpstart your holiday season today!

Noble Cut Distillery 

614-532-9888 | 750 Cross Pointe Rd Suite K, Gahanna, OH | noblecutdistillery.com

Noble Cut Distillery is your local distillery and purveyor of spirits, but that’s not really it. Noble Cut Distillery seems to have a sort of mysterious origin. 

On their story page, they write about what seems to be the two people who founded this distillery, Seraphina and Tony. 

The way that these two are written about makes them seem like the badass characters from Wild West film. Seriously, give it a read - it’s pretty cool.

After reading those short bios of Seraphina and Tony, we can assume that you’d like to learn a lot more about those two. That’s (partially) what the tour of the distillery is for! 

In addition to the history of how this place came about, the tour guide at Noble Cut Distillery will walk you through the production process and explain how it’s all done. And, of course, it’ll end in everyone’s favorite room, the tasting room.  

Glow Putt Mini Golf 

614-528-4569 | 161 Granville St, Gahanna, OH | glowputtohio.com

Mini golf is fun but it's a lot more fun when everything is black lit and glowing in the dark! 

Finding a new place for a family outing can be a difficult task, but Glow Putt might be the answer to that issue the next time you go out with the family. 

When you go mini golfing at Glow Putt, you have the option of playing all 18 holes, or just nine. 

Glow Putt is a great place to have your child’s next birthday party too! They can accommodate up to 25 golfers with their base cost. If you have some more people who want to golf though, there is the option to have 40 golfers for an additional six dollar cost for every golfer beyond the original 25 mark. 

If you plan to have a party at Glow Putt, they also have an option to provide you with pizza, gift bags, and even invitations. 

Cinemark Theater

614-471-7625 | 323 Stoneridge Ln, Gahanna, OH | cinemark.com

Is there ever a better idea for a night out than going to the movie theater? We don’t think so either.

Cinemark is the perfect movie theater - all the current biggest movies and films, an arcade, and a large amount of theater rooms. In fact, they have so many, that you can even host a private watch party!

A private watch party is one of the best gifts you could get a film fanatic. At about $100 for a screening, and a 20 person guest limit, a private watch party is the perfect activity for you and the cousins, or a group of friends. 

If the price tag seems steep, splitting the cost amongst the twenty guests could definitely make getting a private showing worth the cost. 

Lazer Kraze 

614-656-8216 | 5524 N Hamilton Rd, Gahanna, OH | lazerkraze.com

We think that Lazer Kraze does itself a huge disservice with its name because it offers so much more than just laser tag. 

Lazer Kraze offers visitors a trampoline park, an arcade, and what’s called, “cyber sport.” 

Cyber sport is a game with two teams and has everyone in a bumper cart type of set up but a little smaller. Every player has the head of a lacrosse stick, and by using that scooper, you shoot the ball at targets mounted on the wall to win points. 

It’s a mix of bumper cars, lacrosse, and basketball, so it isn’t all that easy to explain. Check out the video that Lazer Kraze posted to get a feel for what we’re talking about. 

Looks fun right? Well, even if that isn’t your cup of tea, there’s still a trampoline park and laser tag. Lazer Kraze is definitely in the running for the best place to have a kid’s birthday party in Gahanna. 

Even if you can’t make it there to have a laser tag party, Lazer Kraze can actually bring the fun to you with Laser Kraze ToGO which is their service that allows up to 21 players to play laser tag wherever! 

Arepazo 

614-914-8878 | 515 S High St, Columbus, OH | elarepazogrill.com

Arepazo is Latin American restaurant established by a husband and wife duo who are originally from Venezuela and Colombia. 

They started off just having a stand where they sold arepas (the root of the namesake of this restaurant) at a Latino Festival in Central Ohio. They ended up selling like crazy which gave them the idea to start the restaurant, Arepazo!

The food served at Arepazo is authentic, fresh, and most importantly, delicious. If you’re unfamiliar with the flavors of Venezuela and Colombia, grabbing a meal at Arepazo is an absolute must.

If you’ve had some great Latin American cuisine, then you’ll surely recognize Arepazo’s dishes as some of the best you’ve had. 

Upper Cup Coffee Co. 

614-383-7496 | 121 Mill St, Gahanna, OH | uppercupcoffee.com

If you love good coffee and you want to support a local business, come by Upper Cup Coffee Company. 

Upper Cup Coffee Co. is a haven for coffee lovers in Gahanna. All they care about there is giving every customer the highest quality cup of coffee that they can. 

Also… look how cute that exterior is! How could you walk past that and not want to grab a cup of coffee there? It’s the perfect local spot to grab a cup of joe and head out to work, or stay a little while and enjoy your cup at a table inside. 

As you can see, Gahanna has quite a bit to offer. From artisan coffee to an herbal education center, Gahanna really is one of a kind!