Drinks Downtown & the Short North
Stories on High
A place for a drink in Downtown & the Short North, pricey ($$$) and worth about 3 hours. Best time to go: 9 pm – 1 am.
Why go
Rooftop bar on the 28-story Hilton Columbus Downtown tower, which threw a ticketed NYE party in 2025.
It is one of 9 curated places we feature in Downtown & the Short North, alongside 3 activities, 2 places to eat and 1 place for a drink. 3 more of our picks sit within about half a mile in a straight line, so it pairs easily with North Market and Nationwide Arena.
- Type
- Drinks · Nightlife
- Neighborhood
- Downtown
- Price
- $$$
- Time needed
- 3 hr
- Best time
- 9 pm – 1 am
Nearby
The 6 closest curated picks in Downtown & the Short North, measured as straight-line distance.
- 1North Market
Public market at the edge of the Short North since 1876, with stalls for Ohio cheese, pierogi, Jeni's ice cream and more.
Food · 0.1 mi straight-line - 2Nationwide Arena
Home of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, who played a Dec 31 home game in 2025.
Activity · 0.2 mi straight-line - 3Hotel LeVeque
Hotel inside the 1927 Art Deco LeVeque Tower, the city's landmark skyscraper, two blocks from the Scioto Mile.
Stay · 0.6 mi straight-line - 4Short North Arts District
Mile of High Street north of downtown lined with galleries, bars and restaurants under lit steel arches.
Activity · 0.6 mi straight-line - 5Scioto Mile
Riverfront parks and promenade along the Scioto River with the best ground-level view of the downtown skyline.
Sight · 0.8 mi straight-line - 6COSI Noon Year's Eve
The science museum's family countdown to noon in its atrium on Dec 31, held 10 am to noon in 2025.
Activity · 0.8 mi straight-line
On these curated routes
Stories on High is a stop on our Columbus New Year's Eve route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.
More bars & cafés in Downtown & the Short North
Another curated place for a drink in Downtown & the Short North. See the full Downtown & the Short North guide.
When to go: weather by month, based on German Village
Our climate figures for Downtown & the Short North come from nearby German Village. Average daily highs in German Village run from 35°F in January to 85°F in August; May is usually the wettest month. For Stories on High itself, we suggest: 9 pm – 1 am.
Modelled monthly averages for German Village from NASA POWER, not a forecast. German Village weather by month (covers Downtown & the Short North).
Getting there
Map links open a live search for Stories on High, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.
- Coordinates
- 39.97080, -83.00275
- Destination
- Downtown & the Short North, Ohio
Stories on High: quick answers
How much time do you need at Stories on High?
Plan on about 3 hours at Stories on High. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.
When is the best time to visit Stories on High?
Our pick: 9 pm – 1 am. Insider tip: The hotel sells NYE packages that bundle a room with party access.
Which TripsCircle routes include Stories on High?
Stories on High appears on Columbus New Year's Eve, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.
Add Stories on High to your crew's plan
Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Downtown & the Short North.
Plan Downtown & the Short North
- Downtown & the Short North travel guide 9 places
- German Village weather (covers Downtown & the Short North) weather by month
Lists & regions
Also in Downtown & the Short North
- The Refectory Food
Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.