Springfield

Springfield Ohio sits roughly 45 minutes west of Columbus in Clark County. We include it when a fair, concert, museum day, or other outing is worth the drive for 614 readers, not because it belongs on the Columbus neighborhood grid or shares a school district with anyone inside 270.

For things to do in Springfield, check events first, then treat the trip as a dedicated outing rather than a casual errand between grocery stops. Pair long drives with planning tools like weekend in Columbus only when Springfield is one stop on a wider central Ohio loop, and use festivals and fairs when a seasonal event is the reason to go. Confirm start times before you leave Columbus; a 45-minute miss hurts more than a Short North miss.