As "Bob the Fish Guy" rearranged his hearty display of salmon and workers at the famous "Egg Lady" counter prepared their cartons of lily white "jumbos" for sale, there it stood out in a colorful display case: a peanut butter Buckeye.

What better way to spend part of an early Saturday post-football season afternoon in Columbus, Ohio than by visiting the city's North Market and munching on a bite-size Buckeye. Columbus is, after all, home to Ohio State University and the capital of the Buckeye state. While the vast campus with its high rise dormitories and expansive sports centers sits about a mile north of Columbus' downtown area, there is a different kind of robustness to this metropolitan area of 1.6 million people apart from the famed university.

Columbus, like the explorer it was named after, is a place for those who like to discover. Besides serving as the state's seat of government, it's a community that values the arts, features professional sports, has many fine restaurants and has an appreciation of history. It's also a town that's simple to get around with an easy-to-maneuver street and expressway system, a not-too-crowded nor out-of-the-way international airport and a busy and exciting downtown where much of the action takes place. What's particularly enjoyable about downtown Columbus is that it's compact in size. Driving from one spot to another takes literally minutes. Walking is a favorite pastime, too. One national magazine has ranked Columbus as the 12th best walking city in the United States with a population of more than 500,000.

Founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers, Columbus was a city created for the sole purpose of establishing a capital for Ohio. It's located smack in the center of the state, 354 miles, or a seven-hour drive, from Chicago. By air from O'Hare Airport, the ride takes only an hour. Airfare during certain times of the year can be extremely reasonable. For instance, when I visited Columbus, a round-trip ticket cost about $120.

Of course, the big seasonal attraction in Columbus is Buckeye football played from late August to late November. The monolithic Ohio Stadium, built in 1922, has been expanded several times and today, it seats 104,000. The student body of about 42,000 is one of the largest of any U.S. university.

At the heart of Columbus is The Arena District, a modern 95-acre entertainment venue situated downtown. The district literally surrounds Nationwide Arena, built only six years ago as home to Ohio's only NHL team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Columbus Destroyers Arena Football team. Within those 95 acres is a new eight-screen theater, PromoWest Pavilion concert hall, and at least nine restaurants. There's also a number of nightclubs with names like Fat Eddies, and Frog, Bear & Wild Boar Bar, as well as a strong mix of retail stores and plazas.

Within a block or two of Nationwide Arena stand several new hotels such as the Hyatt, Crown Plaza and The Lofts where I stayed. Located just a few blocks from The Arena District, up Front Street, is the bustling North Market. Open seven days a week, North Market's 35 to 40 vendors of food, flowers and fine wine attracts one million visitors annually. The Market is literally a United Nations where everything from Sushi to Thai food is offered. It's a favorite place for locals to hang out, grab a cup of coffee, gab with friends and people watch.

Situated about five blocks from Nationwide Arena is Columbus Capital Square area‹sort of the cultural center of the city‹where three theaters, an art gallery, the uniquely shaped Ohio Statehouse, and Columbus City Center shopping mall are located. Only a few blocks away from that is the Columbus Museum of Art where until earlier this year "Renoir's Women" was showcased. While walking near the Statehouse one early December evening, I happened to peak inside the 78-year-old Ohio Theater as patrons of a holiday show were exiting. The sight of ornate Spanish Baroque-style architecture was stunning. Equally inspiring was the story of how a group of local citizens saved the building from the wrecking ball literally minutes before scheduled demolition‹testimony as to how much the citizens of Columbus value things of quality and culture.

On the "outskirts" of downtown Columbus, which in local terms means about a half mile, lie two other popular spots. The Center of Science & Industry‹or COSI‹is considered one of the most respected science centers in the nation. It's a place where kids and adults alike can learn about everything scientific from fighting cancer to oceanography. Like Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry, there are hundreds of interactive exhibits and even a display where visitors can travel through time to see how advancements in technology have changed peoples' lives.

The other popular spot, which is a must visit either day or night, is Columbus' German Village. Once the center of German life dating back to the early 19th century, German Village nowadays is a neighborhood of quaint shops, excellent dining and shopping and cobbled streets. In 1865, fully one-third of Columbus' population was German. Small brick German-style homes sprung up throughout this once thriving working class community. With the arrival of World War I and discrimination, local Germans slowly began moving away and the Village deteriorated.

In the 1950s, however, a revival was launched and the German Village Society formed to preserve the neighborhood's heritage. What remains are many of the brick houses with their slate roofs, a few horse hitching posts and wrought-iron snow birds on roofs designed to keep snow from falling to the ground. Another unique German Village spot is The Book Loft, an unusual store comprised of about a dozen of so floors and 32 rooms where every imaginable type of book can be purchased. Other favorite spots in the Village are Lickety-Split Ice Cream parlor, Lindey's Restaurant, and the expansive, serene Schiller Park, named after the famed German philosopher, historian and dramatist Johann Friedrich Schiller.

Considering a visit to Columbus? Here are some helpful telephone numbers and website:

* Experience Columbus, 800-354-2657; www.ExperienceColumbus.com

* German Village Society, 614-221-8888; www.germanvillage.com

* North Market, 614-463-9664; www.northmarket.com

* COSI Columbus, 614-228-COSI; www.cosi.org

* Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 614-645-3550; www.columbuszoo.org

* Arena District, 614-857-2336; www.Arena-District.com

* Columbus Museum of Art, 614-221-6801; www.columbusmuseum.org