Livingston-McNaughten - Columbus, OH

After the Civil War, Columbus experienced a massive population boom, and the city grew at unprecedented speeds starting in the early 1900s and lasting until the mid-century. As the population grew, new housing development made room for these new residents. During the mid-20th century, people had settled in the suburbs, new development was still underway, and the town became a transitional neighborhood between downtown Columbus and Reynoldsburg.

Livingston-McNaughten doesn’t house any museums or hold any annual events. However, a short drive to Reynoldsburg takes you to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Reynoldsburg Truro Historical Society. Downtown Columbus houses numerous art galleries and museums, such as the Central Ohio Fire Museum. It hosts several annual festivals, including the Ohio State Fair, the Taste of Hungary Festival and the Columbus Arts Festival.

From Livingston-McNaughten to downtown Columbus, fast food and chain restaurants line U.S. Route 40, giving residents a selection of dining options. While the neighborhood doesn’t house any fine-dining establishments, it does offer a handful of locally owned restaurants, all of which sit near the East Livingston Avenue and Brice Road intersection.

For Cajun food, visit Cajun Island on Brice Road. Open daily from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., Cajun Island has a reputation for serving oversized portions of food made to order. The restaurant dishes out gumbo and pizza and sells its scrumptious sauces by the bottle.

Visit Eastern Palace Restaurant on east Livingston Avenue for Chinese food and the best sushi in Columbus. Regular customers consider Eastern Palace one of the city’s hidden gems, and people travel from all over the city to eat here. While the restaurant’s sushi remains a local favorite, customers also recommend the Mongolian chicken and the golden almond chicken.

Funny Greek on East Livingston Avenue features an eclectic mixture of Greek and American cuisine. The restaurant serves burgers, fries and hot dogs, but crowds love the gyros. The massive jumbo gyros come topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and your choice of creamy garlic sauce or tzatziki sauce.

Livingston-McNaughten has an active nightlife. Watch the game and drink a beer at Shooters Sports Bar on Brice Road or dance the night away at Bellagios nightclub on East Livingston Avenue.

The majority of Livingston-McNaughten residents prefer to drive their own vehicles to their destinations. Access to Interstate 270 and U.S. Route 40 makes commuting easy, and the area businesses offer ample free parking.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority operates several bus routes in the area that transport passengers between downtown Columbus and Reynoldsburg, as well as to other areas of Columbus. You can’t hail a cab in Livingston-McNaughten, but local cab companies schedule rides via phone, and Uber serves the area. The neighborhood streets don’t have designated bike lanes. Because of this, most of locals consider walking and biking a leisurely activity instead of a transportation option.

For outdoor exercise or a fun family outing, visit Blacklick Woods on East Livingston Avenue. The 643-acre park forest areas laced with hiking trails perfect for hiking and biking. Explore the nature center to learn about the area’s natural history and wildlife, have a family picnic in the summer or go sledding in the winter. The park welcomes leashed dogs, and it designed pet trails specifically for furry guests and their owners.

A portion of the Blacklick hiking trails runs through Huber Park, connecting it with JFK Park. Spanning 26 acres, JFK Park features 10 lighted baseball fields, four tennis courts, a skate park, picnic areas and a large playground area. Huber Park also has a playground and five baseball fields. For yearly fun, Reynoldsburg hosts the Tomato Fest in Huber Park each August.

The cost of living in Livingston-McNaughten rests around 2 percent higher than the average cost of living in Columbus. Expect to pay approximately $603 per month to rent a one-bedroom residence. A beer at a restaurant or bar will run between between $3 and $5, and a one-way bus ride costs $2.

Local commuters purchase gas at prices that sit around 3 percent lower than the national average.

In addition to restaurants, U.S. State Route 40 serves as the backdrop for lines of stores and shopping opportunities. The area houses chain stores and a few locally-owned shops.

Great Games & Clubhouse on Brice Road specializes in role-playing games. Regular customers enjoy visiting the Clubhouse because of its helpful staff. The store hosts Magic nights on Fridays so stop by to play or watch the adventures unfold.

Livingston-McNaughten residents complete large grocery shopping trips at Kroger in Reynoldsburg. Russian Home on East Main Street carries an extensive collection of Russian groceries and meat, and Chuchay's Market on McNaughten Road carries a selection of Filipino staples. For fresh produce and baked goods, visit Summit Ridge Farm Market on National Road Southwest in Reynoldsburg. This market runs from May to October and is open every day but Monday.