Snow Day in Upper Arlington: A Practical Plan for Families

Upper Arlington schools close at the first hint of ice, and the city's parks, library and pool halls fill up fast — here is how to structure a snow day with children, from sledding hills to hot chocolate.

Start with the parks before the plows arrive

Upper Arlington's sledding geography is straightforward. The slope at Northam Park, off Northwest Boulevard between Fishinger and Lane, is the default for families in the south of the city — gentle enough for a four-year-old, long enough to keep an eight-year-old busy for an hour. Arrive before 10am; by mid-morning on a snow day the parking lot off Tremont Road is full and the hill is crowded with teenagers who treat it as a terrain park. Bring a plastic sled rather than a wooden one, and wear boots with real tread because the path down from the shelter house ices over quickly.

Thompson Park, further north off Kenny Road, is the quieter alternative and my pick if you have toddlers. The slope is shorter, the run-out is flat, and there is a parking lot right beside it. Fancyburg Park on Kioka Avenue has a modest hill plus a playground that stays usable when the snow is light. All three are free, unstaffed and have no warming hut, so plan on 60 to 90 minutes outdoors rather than a whole morning.

When fingers go numb: libraries, pools and indoor cover

The Upper Arlington Public Library on Tremont Road is the single best snow-day fallback in the city, and it is where I would send any family whose children are past the sledding stage. It opens at 9am on weekdays, has a dedicated children's floor, puzzles, and public computers. On snow days it fills with families by mid-morning, so arrive early or come after 2pm when the first wave leaves for lunch. The Lane Road branch is smaller but often overlooked, which makes it a decent bet when the main building is heaving.

For something more energetic, the Upper Arlington Community Center and the municipal pool at the High School on Ridgeview Road run open-swim sessions that survive bad weather. Columbus Aquatics facilities a short drive east on Fishinger Road are another option. The nearby Mall at Tuttle Crossing, about 15 minutes west via Interstate 270, is the reliable indoor backup — a food court, a cinema and enough walking distance to burn off a morning. Skip the big-box strip on West Lane Avenue unless you actually need supplies; it is traffic-choked on snow days.

Getting around, and where to base yourself

Upper Arlington is a streetcar suburb with no rail station of its own. The nearest connections are Columbus's COTA bus routes on Northwest Boulevard and Lane Avenue, which run into downtown Columbus in roughly 20 minutes when roads are clear and considerably longer in snow. Driving is the norm here, and the city's plows prioritise Northwest Boulevard, Lane Avenue, Fishinger Road and Kenny Road. Side streets off Tremont and Coventry Road can stay slick for a day or more, so if you are staying locally, choose a hotel on or near one of those main arteries.

Most visitors book in Columbus and drive in, because Upper Arlington has a limited number of hotels and they cluster along the Lane Avenue and Kenny Road corridors, close to the Ohio State University campus. Rates in January and February sit well below the autumn football weekends, which makes a winter stay good value. If your trip is built around the university or the hospitals on Olentangy River Road, base yourself there; if it is a family visit, a Columbus hotel near Interstate 270 west keeps Tuttle Crossing and the parks within a short drive.

Food, timing and what to skip

Snow days here are short on open kitchens. The reliable bets are the bakery-cafés and diners along Lane Avenue and Northwest Boulevard, which tend to open even when schools close, plus the grocery stores on West Lane Avenue for picnic supplies if you are heading back to a hotel room. Columbus's Short North and German Village districts, 15 to 20 minutes east, have far more choice if you want a proper lunch out. Book nothing tight: on snow days a 15-minute drive can become 35, and the side streets off Lane Avenue back up badly around school pick-up time.

Skip the temptation to drive to a distant attraction. Zoombezi Bay and the Columbus Zoo are seasonal, COSI downtown is a fine rainy-day museum but gets mobbed when every district in Franklin County closes at once, and the Olentangy River trail is beautiful but not where you want children on ice. Best months for a genuine snow day are January and February; December snow usually melts within a day. My recommendation: sled at Northam before 10am, library at 11, lunch on Lane Avenue, and an afternoon swim.

Before you book

What people ask before booking Upper Arlington.