Go Paddle Boating at Creekside in Gahanna, OH

I am giddy with delight as I introduce the first cBus Mom guest blogger. She is an incredibly talented writer and a great friend: Susan McGowan lives in Columbus, Ohio where she collects orange cats and blogs about seeing the world with her ragtag pirate crew at Travels With Pirates. Follow her on Twitter @SelimaCat.

Close your eyes and picture a small-town watering hole that probably never existed, even fifty years ago, except maybe on TV or in books. Picture the slow river curling its way through the grass. Picture ducks piled up like so many rocks along the shore. Picture the paths and benches full of kids and parents and teenagers and tastefully canoodling couples and old people and dogs and babies on blankets. Imagine all this, and you might have a picture of Creekside in Gahanna.

Creekside is a mixed-use development set along the Big Walnut Creek where it runs through downtown Gahanna, a suburb just 15 minutes east of downtown Columbus. The spiffy new part of the development combines shopping, hotels, and restaurants centered around a limestone waterfall that drops into the Creek. Modeled after San Antonio’s River Walk, there are picturesque footbridges, plenty of cafe tables, and enough places for kids to get moderately wet to make for a pleasant afternoon.

Below this plaza, the park itself is green and tree-filled, carved out by the Creek. Shady paths wind past canoe drops, picnic areas, fields of wildflowers, “conversation circles” formed by conveniently broad, flat limestone boulders, groves of trees strung with fairy lights.

My family knows I get into “moods”. A few weekends ago, I decided I would have to put a pencil in my eye if I spent another Sunday afternoon at the playground, watching my daughter go down yet another primary-colored “food tube” slide, as she calls them. Let’s take a picnic to the park, I said, someplace we’ve never been before. Immediately, everyone was suspicious. Will there be a playground? asks Granuaile. Do we have to? asks my husband, the Cap’n. I don’t know and yes, I answered. Pack up your picnic basket, friends, this ship is sailing to Gahanna.

We arrived a little past 11AM, and spent a bit exploring the paths. Granuaile immediately gravitated toward the river walk area, but seemed disappointed that the various splashing fountains didn’t allow for full-body immersion (though another family seemed perfectly happy, nay even relieved, about that). We wandered back and forth across the wrought-iron footbridge and regretted our brought-from-home picnic when we smelled garlic from one of the nearby restaurants.

On summer weekend afternoons, there are paddle boats for rent. For $5, you get a 2- or 4-person boat for 15 minutes (life jackets provided and required). We were afraid there would be a rush for the boats (there wasn’t), so we were waiting in line when the kiosk opened. We then paddled alongside ducks and ducklings, waved at onlookers, and saw countless sleepy snakes and one tiny green turtle sunning itself on a rock.

After our boat ride, we walked through the woods, where I tried to convince Granuaile that actual fairies hung the lights in the trees, in preparation for their monthly meetings. I pointed out a fairy that was hiding under a leaf. She said she didn’t believe me, but kept her eyes glued to the brush, just in case.

We ate lunch on the riverbank, near the heart of the park–a muddy wading beach. A local church was doing full-immersion baptisms in the water while the congregation sat on the bank, hung out on the bridge, and cheered loudly at each dunking.

When the churchgoers cleared out, we fed our crumbs to some of the least-hungry ducks I’ve ever seen. Then we tested the water for ourselves, wading in to our knees, and holding hands tightly. It’s not water I would swim in–the current is fast and brown–but it’s squishy and perfect for dipping your toes on a hot day.

We were muddy, wet, well-fed, and tired–time to go home. We squished back to the car, Granuaile dancing, picking flowers, and declaring it a wonderful day. Let’s come back the day after the next day and do some more splashing, she said, loosey-goosey as always about the passing of time. The Cap’n shrugged. I’m willing, he said. The best part? Not a playground in sight.

The Important Stuff:
*We found parking in a little lot where W Johnstown Road dead-ends into the park. There is also a free underground parking garage at the Plaza development, at the Mill and Walnut intersection.
*Stroller friendly.
* Paddle boats are available on summer weekend afternoons (Saturday and Sunday, after 12PM) for $5 for 15 minutes.
* There is lots of shade for picnickers and walkers–splashers should wear sunscreen and hats.
* Check out the Creekside Gahanna website for information on outdoor concerts, family-friendly open-air movies, and other special events held at the park or Plaza.