A trip to the zoo
Our first story came at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where Untamed Adventure program lets groups have breakfast or lunch at the zoo, hear from zoo experts and interact with the animals.
“Right off the bat, we do a tour with one of our educational staff members through one of our regions, usually Polar Frontier or Asian Quest,” said Roger Dudley, group sales representative for the zoo. “They bring out artifacts and are knowledgeable about what the animals eat, their names, how the keepers interact with them on a day-to-day basis.
“That takes about an hour. Then they have lunch at a shelter house and then are visited by some of the animals. They do a half-hour meet and greet. That is when it becomes pretty interactive.”
Dudley said that although the animals will vary from visit to visit, groups are guaranteed to get to pet a couple of them. They may be dingoes, the always-popular penguins, flamingos, owls or armadillos.
“It gives them [groups] a little more purpose,” said Dudley, “instead of just getting dropped off at the front gate and having two hours to go through on your own. They are getting some special treatment.”
Our breakfast the next morning was not with lions, tigers and bears, but with two “personal stylists” at Nordstrom in the Easton Town Center. Kevin Bailey and Maria Kontomerkos gave us a look at the latest styles in men’s and women’s fashions, including apparel, accessories and shoes — flowery-pattern swim trunks are in for men — and we then had the run of the store before it opened.
Easton, about 10 minutes from downtown Columbus, is like “Main Street comes to the mall.” It was one of the forerunners in lifestyle centers — mixed-use developments that combine shopping, dining, entertainment, hotels, office space and residential units in an area designed more like a small town than a suburban shopping mall.
The 90-acre Easton Town Center features nationally known chains and specialty stores along tree-lined streets with pocket parks, fountains and benches.
“A lot of thought was put into every corner,” said Bethany Braden, marketing manager for the center.
Our final stop was at North Market, the last public market in Columbus, which has been around for 135 years. More than 30 small, independent merchants are spread throughout a former warehouse, offering a great variety of food and merchandise. During the spring and summer, a large farmers market is located outside.
In addition to being a great place to turn a group loose, North Market also offers group programs, including an Amazing Tastes Tour, which includes a history of public markets in Columbus, meeting some of the merchants and tasting some of the many types of food and wine available in the market.
“The odds are that the person you are talking to is the proprietor. They are doing it because they love it,” said Mary Martineau, director of marketing for North Market.
Walking down just one row, I started with Omega Artisan Baking, recognized by Food Network Magazine as having the best breakfast rolls in Ohio; I then passed Sarefino’s Pizzeria and Deli, Flavors of India, Pastaria, Lan Viet Market, Jeni’s Fresh Ice Cream, Pam’s Market Popcorn and Taste of Belgium — “real Belgium waffles made by real Belgians.”
“There are lots of little specialties,” said Martineau. “No matter how picky, you will find something.”
And the same can be said about experiential opportunities for groups in Columbus, where an aggressive and innovative program provides interesting experiences for even the most discerning interest.
