North Rickenbacker - Columbus, OH Area Guide

North Rickenbacker was developed to provide base housing in the mid-20th century, after the Lockbourne Army Airfield was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command and renamed Rickenbacker Air Force Base. The neighborhood provided base housing until the base was redesignated the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in 1980. North Rickenbacker residents learn more about the area’s history by visiting museums in Groveport, including the Motts Military Museum on South Hamilton Road and the Groveport Village Heritage Museum on Main Street. Groveport also hosts several annual events, including the Groveport Home & Garden Tour in June and the Hometown Car and Motorcycle Show.

North Rickenbacker doesn’t house any restaurants within its boundaries. However, residents don’t have to venture far to find good food. A short drive north on State Route 317 takes you into Groveport, where you find a variety of Chinese, Mexican, Italian and fast-food restaurants. Great Wall Chinese Restaurant on Groveport Road opens seven days per week and offers lunch specials from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The restaurant serves typical Americanized Chinese fare and gives patrons the option to dine at the restaurant or call in their order for pickup. Visit the restaurant in the evening for a Szechuan- or Hunan-style dinner, or try one of the establishment's Thai specialties, such as the pad Thai. Regular customers rave about the General Tso’s chicken, egg rolls and lo mein. For Mexican food, visit Los Mariachis Mexican Restaurant on Main Street. Locals say that the restaurant has amazing food, great service and affordable prices. Regulars recommend starting your meal with the beef and bean nachos appetizer and ordering the enchiladas rancheras or the alambre with rice. Little Italy Pizza serves the best pizza in the Groveport area. The family-owned restaurant, located on Main Street, has been serving the area since 1979 and has a reputation for serving large portions of food at affordable prices. While the establishment serves amazing pizza, it also features a variety of Italian dishes, including fettuccini el forno, manicotti and chicken Parmesan. You won’t find any evening entertainment venues in North Rickenbacker, but locals frequently visit Birch Tavern in Groveport, a laid-back local bar located on Main Street. For dance clubs, upscale bars and music venues, residents drive into downtown Columbus. Other popular options include Alumni Pub, a cocktail bar in Winchester Square Shopping Center in Canal Winchester, and Lovell’s Tavern on Alum Creek Drive just west of Groveport.

The majority of North Rickenbacker residents rely on their own vehicles for transportation because other transportation options remain limited. A lack of bike lanes makes the roads unsafe for cyclists, and the need to go outside of the neighborhood to work and complete basic errands makes walking difficult. You can’t hail a cab in North Rickenbacker, however, local cab companies schedule rides via the phone, and Uber services the area. The majority of the neighborhood’s non-driving residents ride the bus. Central Ohio Transit Authority bus route 081 transports North Rickenbacker residents throughout the Columbus area. Residents who drive appreciate the amount of ample free parking in the area. Also, a short drive west on State Route 317 connects you with U.S. Route 23, which takes you to Interstate 270 and downtown Columbus.

Both families and people who enjoy outdoor activities visit Groveport Park on Groveport Road. The park features an aquatic center, baseball fields, soccer fields and an EVOS playground, which helps kids build muscle strength, mental agility and endurance while they play. The park’s 1.8-mile paved walking trail takes you around two ponds with fountains, making it ideal for an evening stroll or walking your dog. Groveport Park connects with Blacklick Park via an unpaved walking/bike path at the northwest end of the park. At Blacklick Park, a 3-acre park that houses some of Groveport’s largest trees, you find a 0.25-mile path that leads you to Lock 22 – the only lock in Groveport. Spanning 15 acres, Heritage Park on Wirt Road in Groveport houses Palm’s Pond – a popular fishing pond that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources stocks annually. Heritage Park also host several annual events, including the Apple Butter Day Festival in October, the Fall Festival and the Nature Fair. During the summer, the park holds free concerts periodically.

The cost of living in North Rickenbacker sits around one percent higher than the cost of living in Columbus. The slight difference only affects the housing costs, however, housing in the area remains affordable. Expect to pay around $545 per month for a one-bedroom residence. A beer at a nearby bar costs between $3 and $5, and one-way bus fare costs $2. The Central Ohio Transit Authority also operates express buses in the downtown area, which cost $2.75 per ride. Gas prices hover around 3 percent lower than the national average.

You won’t find any department stores, malls or upscale retail establishments in North Rickenbacker. In fact, other than a handful of packing supply stores and the base’s exchange, the neighborhood doesn’t house any stores at all. Groveport has several retail establishments, mostly big-box retailers and a few specialty stores. Pickerington, approximately 15 miles northwest of North Rickenbacker, houses the closest mall – the Mulberry Lane Shopping Mall. Visit Flower Boutique on Main Street in Groveport when you need a flower arrangement for a special occasion. The shop features a variety of themed arrangements designed for celebrations, birthdays, and sympathy. It also has a complete line of arrangements designed as corporate gifts. The shop also carries a wide variety of roses and honors military discounts. Also located on Main Street in Groveport, Groveport Comics specializes in comic books, trading card games, miniature games and role-playing games. The shop has a room reserved for gamers who need a place to face challenging opponents. The majority of North Rickenbacker residents complete their grocery shopping at Kroger on Groveport Road in Groveport. However, Canal Winchester also houses several options, including Walmart Supercenter and Meijer. The closest farmers market, Canal Winchester Farmers' Market on South High Street in Canal Winchester, opens seasonally between May and October. The farmers market opens weekly on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon.