Things That Made My Heart Smile: Ohio Edition

Hi, blogging friends!
Our family vacation to Ohio has come to an end, and I am filled with joy. The primary reason for our trip was to explore the state and attend a Twenty One Pilots concert, but we also created so many wonderful memories along the way. Looking back, these moments truly made my heart smile.

❤️ Exploring a new state together 
❤️ Experiencing Ohio dressed in beautiful fall colors 
❤️ Watching our oldest daughter connect with fellow Twenty One Pilots fans through her artwork 
❤️ Discovering the special Twenty One Pilots exhibit at COSI 
❤️ Spending a day at the Columbus Zoo 
❤️ Exploring the creativity of Otherworld 
❤️ Surviving a downpour while waiting in the merch line 
❤️ Making memories together as a family 
 
After months of planning, booking flights, and counting down the days, we finally arrived in Columbus. We started our trip with an early morning, some rain, and a bit of anxiety. After our luggage mishap in Wisconsin, I secretly worried our bags wouldn’t make it, but thankfully everything arrived without issue.

One of the first things I noticed while exploring Columbus was the stunning fall colors. While Colorado certainly has beautiful autumn scenery, the landscape in Ohio felt different. Everywhere I looked, I saw vibrant shades of orange, gold, and red. Even the simplest drives were transformed into something beautiful. By the way, my favorite season is fall—I just love it! Do you have a favorite season?

Our walks were lovely.

This little chipmunk enjoying a snack, and look at the beautiful fall foliage.

On our walk, I saw this beautiful morning glory vine. 

Loved visiting The Hive; their mini handmade biscuits were delicious! I especially enjoyed the scallion cheddar ones, along with my oat milk cappuccino.

Exploring Columbus

One of our favorite places to visit was the Columbus Zoo, where we spent hours exploring and seeing incredible animals. Some of our favorites included giraffes, elephants, red pandas, lions, and penguins. There is something truly special about taking a day to slow down and appreciate nature.

Another highlight was our visit to COSI. As soon as we entered, we were excited to see a special Twenty One Pilots exhibit near the front entrance. The rest of the museum was equally fun, with hands-on exhibits and plenty to explore.

We also visited Otherworld, which is honestly one of the most unique places. It kind of reminded us of our visit to Meow Wolf. Every room felt like stepping into a different world filled with creativity, lights, and surprises.

The Rainy Merch Adventure

One afternoon, we found ourselves standing in an extremely long merchandise line. Before we were in the merch line, I found myself scrolling social media to find information about merch being sold on days leading up to the concert date. I knew if we waited the day of the concert, we might be standing for quite some time. We ended up in the merch line, and still it was a pretty long line that wrapped around the streets. I found myself questioning if we even needed merch. As we waited, the weather suddenly changed, and the skies opened up. Before long, rain was pouring down on everyone in line.

Luckily, before walking there, we stopped off at Target and purchased umbrellas.

At the time, it felt slightly miserable, and my husband was slowly losing patience with how slow the line was moving.  Looking back, it is one of the funniest memories from the trip. Sometimes the stories that start with "Remember when..." become the moments you treasure most.

One thing we were disappointed about during the trip was missing Pilots in the Park. Our oldest daughter had packed several pieces of her Twenty One Pilots artwork, hoping to trade with other fans.

Even though we missed the event itself, things worked out better than we expected.

Throughout our trip, she met fans at the stadium, while sightseeing, and even while exploring Columbus. She ended up trading artwork with some incredibly kind people and came home with bracelets, keychains, necklaces, fan art, and other handmade treasures. Watching her connect with fellow fans and seeing the generosity within the fan community ended up being one of my favorite memories from the entire trip.

The Day Of The Concert

After months of counting down the days, securing tickets, booking flights, and planning our adventure in Ohio, concert day finally arrived on October 17, 2026. The excitement in Columbus was remarkable. Everywhere we went, we saw fellow fans wearing merchandise, exchanging bracelets, sharing stories, and eagerly awaiting the show to begin.

The opening bands were EmiGrace and Death Cab for Cutie, and both brought so much energy to the stadium. They were the perfect way to start the evening and get everyone excited for what was to come.

As the stadium filled and the lights began to dim, it was hard not to feel emotional. This was our third time seeing Twenty One Pilots in three years, but this show felt different. Maybe it was because we were in their hometown. Maybe it was because there were over 100,000 people packed inside Ohio Stadium. Or maybe it was because we knew how much planning, anticipation, and excitement had gone into this trip.

There is something special about looking around and seeing thousands of people singing the same songs, sharing the same excitement, and experiencing the same moment together. For a few hours, nothing else seemed to matter. Everyone was connected through music, memories, and a shared love for the band.
One of the coolest surprises of the evening was discovering the light-up bracelets waiting for us in our seats. Throughout the concert, the bracelets synchronized with the music and changed colors during different songs. Looking around and seeing the entire stadium glowing in different colors was absolutely breathtaking. It transformed the crowd into part of the show and made the experience feel even more magical.

As if that wasn't enough, drones filled the sky during several songs, creating designs and images above the stadium. Watching them move in perfect synchronization while the music played below was incredible. Between the glowing bracelets, the massive crowd, and the drone show overhead, it felt less like a concert and more like an experience that everyone was sharing together.

Another highlight of the evening was seeing the Ohio State University Marching Band join Twenty One Pilots during Seven Nation Army. It was such a fun surprise and felt like the perfect hometown touch for the show. Hearing the drums echo throughout the stadium while over 100,000 fans sang along was beyond awesome and became one of my favorite moments of the night.

I'm telling you, there is just something special about a Twenty One Pilots concert. It isn't only about the music. It's the community, the energy, the creativity, and the way complete strangers come together and leave feeling connected. As much as I loved hearing the songs and seeing the incredible production, my favorite part was sharing the experience with my family.

 

As fans, we are incredibly grateful for the music, the memories, and the experiences that Tyler and Josh have given us over the years. After such a massive tour and an unforgettable hometown show, I truly hope they enjoy a well-deserved break. Time moves quickly, and there is something special about stepping away, recharging, and spending time with the people who matter most. After all, family time was one of the greatest gifts this trip gave us as well.

Ohio gave us beautiful fall colors, new experiences, unexpected rainstorms, amazing adventures, and countless memories. Most of all, it gave us time together.

And that, more than anything else, made my heart smile. ❤️💛🖤

Thank you for reading about our adventures in Columbus, Ohio!

These light-up bracelets were so awesome! 

Togg and Jog skit

They made us laugh so much!

Concert Setlist:

Hometown (Intro), Goner, Overcompensate, The Contract, Morph / The Hype, Center Mass, Tear in My Heart, Screen, Robot Voices, Shy Away, Heathens, Next Semester, Routines in the Night, Message Man, Pet Cheetah, Polarize, Chlorine, Navigating / At the Risk of Feeling Dumb, Nico and the Niners, Heavydirtysoul, Doubt, Fairly Local, Jumpsuit, Ode to Sleep, Ride, Can't Help Falling in Love, Oldies Station, Isle of Flightless Birds, Holding On to You, Mulberry Street, Drum Show, RAWFEAR, Drag Path, Seven Nation Army, Tally, Downstairs, Guns for Hands, Stressed Out, and Trees. [setlist.fm], [kerrang.com]