Lexington KY to Columbus OH: Distance, drive time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Lexington KY to Columbus OH drive are Ark Encounter, Cincinnati and Kings Island. The distance from Lexington to Columbus by car is 181 miles, with a 2h51m driving time.
Finding things to do between Lexington KY and Columbus OH
The drive from Lexington to Columbus connects a horse-obsessed Kentucky town to the capital of Ohio.
Interesting Lexington experiences include downtown food tours, guided art walks, zipline tours through the Kentucky River Palisades. You can also try bluegrass cocktail tours, visiting a thoroughbred horse farm and visiting Mary Todd Lincoln House.
In Columbus, a three day attractions pass covers most of the top sights. These include the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. For other Columbus experiences, try scavenger hunts, a town tour aboard the Trolley Pub and the Legoland Discovery Center.
Lexington KY to Columbus OH distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Lexington to Columbus is 181 miles. That makes for a driving time of approximately two hours and 51 minutes. The quickest route goes up the I-75 then the I-71.
The best stops to add to a Lexington to Columbus road trip itinerary are Ark Encounter, Cincinnati and Kings Island.
Lexington to Columbus road trip attractions: Ark Encounter
Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, is an attempted life-size recreation of Noah’s Ark. It has been turned into a three deck attraction, full of models of Noah’s family and animals. There’s a heavy push on spreading the word of the Bible here, so it won’t be for everyone. But the enormous ship is indisputably impressive.
There’s also a small zoo and a zipline course on site.
Lexington to Columbus road trip stops: Cincinnati
Cincinnati is the biggest city in southern Ohio, with a wealth of attractions. Among the more distinctive are the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the American Sign Museum.
Top Cincinnati activities include underground tours – some with beer tasting – and food tours by streetcar. You can also try baseball history tours, indoor skydiving and guided ghost walks.
Top attractions between Lexington and Columbus: Kings Island
Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, should fulfil all your theme park requirements. There are several thrill rides, including the giant frisbee-style Delirium, the shuttle-style Invertigo and Banshee, an inverted rollercoaster with seven inversions.
The Planet Snoopy section is more geared towards families and Coney Mall has rides that hark back to traditional fairgrounds.
Access to the Soak City water park is included in the ticket price.
- Read the Columbus to Cincinnati drive guide for more attractions.
More Lexington road trips
Atlanta to Lexington KY | Chicago to Lexington KY | Lexington to Knoxville | Indianapolis to Lexington KY | Louisville to Lexington KY | Lexington to Nashville.
More Columbus road trips
Akron to Columbus | Columbus OH to Ann Arbor | Columbus OH to Atlanta | Columbus to Buffalo | Canton OH to Columbus OH | Columbus OH to Chicago | Columbus to Cincinnati | Columbus to Cleveland | Dallas to Columbus | Dayton to Columbus | Columbus to Detroit | Columbus to Indianapolis | Columbus to Louisville | Nashville to Columbus | Columbus to Philadelphia | Columbus to Pittsburgh | St Louis to Columbus | Toledo to Columbus.