Cabin fever? 6 fun, obscure roadside attractions

Sick of TV? Sick of cooking? Sick of being cooped up in your house all the time? Cabin fever has reached an all-time high.

Ohio winters are enough to drive you crazy. Get ahead of the lunacy by venturing out on a little road trip to 6 unique attractions right here in Columbus!

King Gambrinus, King of beer

Brewery District

Photo courtesy of tbo

The drunken royalty was hoisted above the entrance of the August Wagner Brewery at 605 S Front Street for many years. August Wagner was a native of Bavaria and chose to use Gambrinus as his mascot because it pays homage to an old Bavarian king. After the brewery closed in the 1970s, the building was demolished but the king was preserved.

Wagner-Hagans Auto Museum

476 E Kossuth St., Columbus

Did you know since last summer, the No. 1 attraction in Columbus on TripAdvisor is the Wagner-Hagans Auto Museum? Thanks, Columbus Alive. This unassuming spot on the south side is one of Columbus’ best hidden gems!

Annabelle the Praying Mantis

Chadwick Arboretum

Photo courtesy of OSU

Standing at an intimidating 15′ tall, Annabelle can be found at the corner of Olentangy River Road and Woody Hayes Drive.

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Gates of Hell

Clintonville

Photo courtesy of Ohio Exploration

The Gates of Hell is a legendary drainage tunnel beneath High Street in Clintonville. The big graffitied mouth leads to two gates that angle in. It’s said that these gates open up to willing skateboarders who dare ride through the tunnel. Jury’s still out on that one but it’s a neat, creepy spot to check out nonetheless.

Giant cement corn cobs

Dublin

This field of corn cobs has a dual purpose; pay homage to the farmer who once labored over the land and also remind residents and passersby of Dublin’s rich agricultural history. Plus, everyone’s got a soft spot for a super obscure roadside attraction to make all your social media follows wonder, “Where the hell are you?”

Early Television Museum

Hilliard

This is our only exception to the height rule of roadside attractions. But parents are always looking for ways to get their children to realize how good they have it and what better way to cultivate gratitude than a museum full of ancient TVs? They’ll really appreciate their iPhones once you get back to the van.

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