The Short North wasn't always a place people wanted to walk. For most of the 20th century, this stretch of High Street between downtown Columbus and Ohio State's campus was a fading commercial corridor, overshadowed literally by an elevated interstate ramp and figuratively by disinvestment. What turned it around, starting in the 1980s, was art — cheap storefront rents pulled in galleries, and those galleries pulled in the district's identity. Today it's one of the densest concentrations of contemporary art, public murals, and independent restaurants in the Midwest, and it's built almost entirely for walking.
This route runs the spine of High Street from Goodale Street north toward 5th Avenue, weaving in the arch-lined sidewalks, the gallery storefronts, and a few blocks of side-street murals that don't show up if you just drive through. It's flat, walkable in a couple of hours, and works whether you're catching the Gallery Hop on a first Saturday or walking it on a regular weekday when the crowds thin out and the art is easier to actually see.
Mosey built this route to string together the district's public art, its architecture, and its food without backtracking — pull up the app and it'll cue the history at each stop as you reach it, so you're not standing on the sidewalk squinting at a plaque. You're just walking, eating, and getting the context as it becomes relevant.
The Route: 7 Stops Through the Short North
"The steel arches spanning High Street were installed starting in 2002 as part of a streetscape overhaul meant to visually stitch the neighborhood together and slow traffic into a more pedestrian-friendly corridor. There are 17 of them running the length of the district, each lit at night, and they've become the most recognizable symbol of the Short North's rebranding from a rough commercial strip into an arts destination. The project followed decades of decline tied to the construction of I-670, which physically cut the neighborhood off from downtown in the 1960s."
Start under the first arch near Goodale and look north — you'll see the full repeating line of them disappearing up High Street, which is the best single photo op on the route. They're most dramatic after dark, so if you're doing this walk in the evening, budget extra time here.
"One of the longer-standing galleries in the district, Hammond Harkins has represented contemporary Ohio and regional artists across painting, ceramics, and sculpture since the 1990s, part of the first wave of galleries that gave the Short North its identity before the murals and restaurants arrived. The gallery model here was deliberate: cheap storefront leases in a struggling commercial strip attracted artists and dealers who couldn't afford space downtown, and their presence is what eventually made the neighborhood desirable enough to gentrify."
Entry is free and browsing is genuinely welcomed, no pressure to buy. Go in even if you're not planning to purchase anything — the rotating exhibitions change monthly and give a good read on what's happening in the regional contemporary scene.
"The Short North's murals grew out of the Gallery Hop tradition, the monthly first-Saturday event started in 1988 where galleries stayed open late and artists spilled into the streets. Pearl Alley and the side streets off High became informal canvases as the district's identity solidified through the 1990s and 2000s, with building owners commissioning local artists rather than treating graffiti as a problem to paint over. Many of the murals cycle every few years, meaning the alley looks different from one visit to the next."
Duck off High Street here — this is the kind of stop most people driving through completely miss. Morning light works best for photos since the alley is narrow and shadows fall hard by midafternoon.
"North Market traces its roots to 1876, when the city established it as one of four public markets serving Columbus neighborhoods — it's the only one still operating on its original mission. The current building dates to 1995 after the market moved a block from its original site, but the vendor-stall format and the emphasis on local, independent food producers carries through from the 19th century. It's one of the reasons the Short North's food identity developed alongside its art identity rather than after it."
This isn't the meal stop, but it's worth a slow lap even if you're not eating — Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams got its start as a market stall here, and there's usually a line worth the wait. If you want to eat here instead of the featured meal stop below, the market is a solid choice with a dozen-plus vendors under one roof.
"This stretch of High Street includes several early-1900s commercial buildings that once housed hardware suppliers, furniture makers, and other small manufacturers serving the surrounding residential neighborhoods before the district's commercial decline in the mid-20th century. The large-scale murals painted on their sides in the 2010s were part of a second wave of public art investment, distinct from the original gallery-driven Gallery Hop murals, aimed at giving the district's building stock a more contemporary visual identity."
Cross to the opposite sidewalk to get the whole mural in frame — standing directly underneath only gets you a partial view. This is a quick stop, but it bridges the gap between the district's older brick architecture and its newer public art layer.
"Studios on High operates as a working artist cooperative, meaning the people staffing the gallery are often the artists whose work is on the walls, a model that's been part of the Short North since cooperatives and small galleries first colonized the empty storefronts in the 1980s. It's a direct continuation of the neighborhood's original arts-district premise, rather than a later addition catering to tourism. The cooperative structure has helped it survive rent increases that pushed out some of the earlier commercial galleries as the district became more desirable."
Free to enter, and the artists working the floor are usually happy to talk about their process if you ask. Worth checking their schedule in advance — some cooperative members hold open studio hours that let you see work in progress, not just finished pieces on the wall.
"Harvest Pizzeria opened on High Street in 2013 as part of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants group's push into the neighborhood, right as the Short North's food scene was maturing alongside its art galleries. The restaurant leans on wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza with an emphasis on local Ohio produce and meats, part of a broader mid-2010s shift among Columbus restaurants toward sourcing regionally rather than importing everything. It occupies a storefront that reflects the same adaptive reuse pattern seen throughout the district — older commercial buildings retrofitted for a food-and-arts economy that didn't exist here a generation earlier."
No reservations needed for smaller groups, but weekend evenings run a wait — go for a late lunch or early dinner around 5pm to skip it. The wood-fired pizzas are the reason to come; portions are generous enough to split, which works well if you've been snacking your way through the North Market stop earlier.
Planning Your Walk
Best time to walk: Late July in Columbus runs hot and humid, typically mid-80s to low 90s by midafternoon. Start this walk in the morning or save it for early evening when the light is better for the murals and the sidewalks aren't radiating heat.
Shoes: Flat concrete sidewalks the entire way — comfortable walking shoes are all you need, no hills or uneven terrain.
The narration: At each stop, Mosey surfaces short, sourced historical context — who commissioned a mural, when a building went up, what used to occupy the storefront — so you get the story without hunting for a plaque.
Walk This Route with Mosey
Open the Mosey app to follow this exact route with turn-by-turn guidance and historical narration cued to each stop — no planning required, just walk.
Download on the App Store — Free