Nationwide Arena is a venue in or near Columbus that is most often used for Hockey
There is a bunch of parking available within a 10-minute walk of Nationwide Arena. The spaces range from $5-$10.
I would suggest not dealing with scalpers because they are not very trustworthy. If you must, try negotiating down below face value for the tickets or just buy them at the actual stadium.
The Blue Jackets fan are lackluster. They have lost lots of games over the years and the attendance has really dropped off. The ones that do come are fun to be around and it usually feels more like an away game than a home game.
I would suggest sitting down close the glass since it makes for a more engaging experience. You can also see up close how fast these hockey players are. You can also pay for a seat in the upper deck and sneak down later on to one of the many empty seats.
Inside the arenas are banners honoring the team. The Blue Jackets have banners for all of the teams in the NHL which is pretty cool. They also have a banner for the former owner which is random but nonetheless something to see.
This is one of the best venues I have ever been to where the traffic cops do such a good job of getting people out of the stadium.
One of the best places to see at the arena is the mini-arena that allows other people to play little street hockey before the game.
I like the Big Bank dueling piano bar because they play every song known to man and gives you a great selection of drinks. There are also a bunch of local college bars if you want the younger social scene.
The stadium is in an urban area and is about 5 minutes from downtown Columbus, Ohio. There are signs for the stadium.
The Blue Jackets give t-shirts, posters, bobble heads, mini hockey pucks and some other little things.
One of the funnest things to do around the stadium is the giant peg hockey game. It is a place where you can hang out and have fun with other fans before and after the game.
Buca Di Bepo, Ted Montana's Grill, and Rodizio Brazilian BBQ are great places to eat around the stadium. There are also a bunch of other good places right around the stadium as well.
The Blue Line is the official Blue Jackets gift shop that opens to the public on a daily basis even when the season is over, it is located at the Front Street entrance. If you come here for a hockey game, there are also CBJ vendors selling CBJ gifts all around the Arena. So are for concerts, merchandise booths and vendors are all around the Arena of the show you attend.
There are hamburgers, hot dogs, pretzels, and french fries at the stadium along with Papa John's pizza. There are a bunch of different kind of beers and soda.
The safety at the stadium is fine and Columbus is a very safe place to watch a hockey game.