💻 The Most-Googled Topics This Year In Columbus

Plus: 💸 Ohio Has Lost Millions As International Travel To The U.S. Declines

Author

Chelsea Wiley
December 16, 2025

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Sponsored by Short North Stage 🎭
Get ready to groove down the Yellow Brick Road with The Wiz, a bold, brassy, and family-friendly take on The Wizard of Oz! Follow Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion as they face witches, flying monkeys, and a wizard who’s more smoke and mirrors than magic. With electrifying songs like “Ease on Down the Road” and Dorothy’s heartfelt “Home,” this PG-rated production will have you clapping, cheering, and dancing in the aisles. Showtimes run through December 28, 2025, at the Garden Theatre MainStage. For tickets and more info, please click here

Hello, Tuesday! Chelsea here.

As 2025 winds down, I can’t help but wonder what Columbus was searching for online this year. From the songs we couldn’t stop playing to the slang we needed to decode, our city’s Google trends tell a story all their own. Some searches made me laugh, others made me go “huh?” and a few reminded me just how quirky Columbus can be. Music, sports, concert tickets, and even jerseys kept us clicking, showing what really had our attention this year. Here’s a look at the top searches that defined Columbus in 2025.

💸 Ohio Has Lost Millions As International Travel To The U.S. Declines
International travel to the U.S. fell sharply this summer, costing Ohio millions in lost visitor spending. New data shows how even mid-sized markets like Columbus can feel the ripple effects of a global tourism slowdown.

🍸 Drink Your Way Through The Holidays On Grove City’s Cocktail Trail
Looking for a festive way to toast the season? The Visit Grove City Holiday Cocktail Trail lets you sip limited edition holiday drinks at nine local spots and earn prizes while you’re at it.

Headlines 📰 

📵 Ohio’s new statewide school cellphone ban goes into effect Jan. 1, meaning phones will need to stay off and out of sight once students return from winter break. Many central Ohio districts have already made the shift, including South Western City Schools, where Central Crossing principal (and my trigonometry teacher in 2005, Go Comets!) Steve Fairs says students are more engaged in class and more social during the day. (NBC4)

👏 For Ohioans working to rebuild their lives after addiction, legal help can be the missing piece. Across the state, attorneys are using opioid settlement funds to help people secure benefits, housing, and clean up old records so recovery can actually move forward. (WOSU)

🎵 The state’s independent music venues quietly power billions in economic impact, but many are barely hanging on. A new report shows how crucial these spaces are to local jobs and culture, even as closures in Columbus and beyond signal how fragile the scene has become. (Axios Columbus)

☁️ Weather: 35 with increasing clouds

Sponsored by Columbus Children’s Theatre 🎄
Kick off the holidays with a magical twist on A Christmas Carol! In this fast-paced, 60-minute musical, Ebenezer Scrooge gets a visit from three spirited ghosts who help him rediscover the joy of giving, friendship, and festive fun. Packed with catchy songs, colorful characters, and plenty of holiday cheer, it’s the perfect show for families with kids ages 4–12, and a beloved CCT tradition. Make Mr. Scrooge part of your holiday season! Get your tickets here!

Coming Up 📆

🎵 12/16: chokecherry
🏒 12/16: Blue Jackets vs. Anaheim Ducks
🩰 12/16-12/21: The Nutcracker
🎭 12/16-12/21: SIX: The Musical
🏒 12/18: Blue Jackets vs. Minnesota Wild 
🏀 12/18: OSU Women's Basketball vs. Norfolk State 
🎭 12/18-12/21: The Wiz
🎵 12/19: Silly Goose
🎭 12/19-12/23: Mr. Scrooge
🎻 12/20: Santa & the Symphony - Sensory Friendly Series
🎵 12/20-12/21: Holiday Spectacular
🎓 12/21: OSU Winter Commencement
🩰 12/23: My First Nutcracker
🎸 12/23: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Today's Photo 🤳

Instagram Post

❄️ Get out there and enjoy the snow while it lasts! We’re leaving these freezing cold temps behind so before you know it, all the snow will be gone.

Want your photo to be featured? Use #columbusnavigator or tag us!

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- Chelsea