The new Roar & Explore Pass and overnight getaways offer Columbus visitors and locals alike incredible flexibility with fully customizable experiences at an affordable price. Whether they’re local Cbus residents, visiting from out-of-town or staying with families and friends, those seeking a safe and easy way to build lasting memories will love having access to two distinct money-saving options that perfectly fit their needs. Available now and ideal for fall and winter escapes, learning trips or entertainment, guests can immerse themselves in the best of Columbus by booking their Roar & Explore Pass or an overnight getaway at ExperienceColumbus.com/fun.
Offering flexibility for locals or multi-day trips without a hotel attached, the Roar & Explore Pass includes bundled admission to four top Columbus attractions: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Columbus Museum of Art and National Veterans Memorial and Museum. At just $60 plus tax per adult and $40 per child, the Roar & Explore Pass represents 20% or more in savings and is delivered instantly via text and email with no app to download. In the coming months, visitors can look forward to:
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium offers the new, state-of-the-art Adventure Cove, a Pacific Northwest-inspired rocky coast and harbor setting for the sea lions and seals, along with the immersive Jack Hanna’s Animal Encounters Village. Guests can stand face-to-face with giraffes and feed the world’s tallest animal in the 143-acre Heart of Africa exhibit. In addition to more than 10,000 species at the zoo, families love its eyepopping seasonal decor at events like “Boo at The Zoo” and “Wildlights.” Made famous by its Director Emeritus “Jungle” Jack Hanna, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium stars on National Geographic’s wildly popular “Secrets of the Zoo,” where Disney+ viewers get a backstage pass to life at the zoo.
Franklin Park Conservatory’s 88-acre botanical oasis includes hands-on interactive experiences that connect kids and parents to the natural world in its Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden. Special exhibitions “Paul Busse Garden Railway” and “Harvest Blooms” thrill visitors of all ages with miniature model trains that whirl through unusual botanical themes and fall’s vibrant colors. Oct. 14-18 and Oct. 21-25, Pumpkins Aglow highlights the magic of the harvest season under the stars surrounded by hundreds of glowing carved pumpkins and enchanting scenery. Then, Nov. 14-Jan. 6, the Conservatory’s lush gardens become a winter wonderland during Conservatory Aglow, where brilliant light and poinsettia displays, interactive art installations, gingerbread houses and a model railway encourage exploration.
Columbus Museum of Art’s schedule is jam-packed with exhibitions, events and programs that any budding van Gogh will love. Nov. 21, 2020-Oct. 23, 2021, The Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson Legacy Project presents the work of this Columbus native and MacArthur Genius Award recipient through interactive programs, stunning colorful works and engaging textures and imagery. This important exhibition was created using art and personal journals discovered in Robinson’s east Columbus home after her passing.
National Veterans Memorial and Museum’s powerful storytelling and state-of-the-art exhibits honor veterans from all eras and conflicts, across all branches of the military. Paying tribute to those who served and their families, this narrative journey tells the stories of individual veterans and their families while inspiring service. Through Jan. 3, the special exhibit “So Ready for Laughter: The Legacy of Bob Hope” explores comedian Bob Hope’s decades of service entertaining American troops through artifacts, rare and unpublished photographs, wartime correspondence and videos. “We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America,” is a series of 50 moving watercolor by artist Mary Whyte portraits of Veterans, one from each state, is also on display through March 14.
When booked directly with Experience Columbus, an overnight package offers guests a variety of hotels along with the significant added value through their choice of a combination pass for two people to a pair of Roar & Explore attractions. Travelers can choose passes for two people to either Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and National Veterans Memorial and Museum, or Columbus Museum of Art and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
In addition to creating affordable and memorable learning experiences via the Roar & Explore Pass and getaways, Columbus’ tourism community capitalized on the city’s strengths and forward-thinking spirit by launching its groundbreaking “Live Forward” campaign. Among its many elements, the new Live Forward Pledge signifies an organization’s strict health and safety protocols, including, rigid cleaning standards, social distancing, a citywide mask requirement and clear communication of guest expectations. Many vibrant Columbus businesses, including attractions, hotels, restaurants, shops, have safely reopened and are ready to welcome both residents and visitors. In addition, Experience Columbus is one of the nation’s first organizations to lead a collaborative, citywide effort to pursue the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s GBAC STAR™ accreditation. GBAC STAR is the cleaning industry’s gold standard and the only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation for facilities. The first in the city to achieve full certification, John Glenn Columbus International Airport is one of only three airports in the world to have done so.
