Does anyone have suggestions regarding hotels / areas in Columbus? Is downtown Columbus a good area?

Also, any idea regarding parking at Ohio Stadium?

Thanks in advance.

I believe the Renaissance Downtown is the Cal Athletics HQ -- the team is staying somewhere else. We are staying at the Holiday Inn nearby because it is much cheaper, and offered rooms with two beds.

I'm not counting on parking. I probably won't even rent a car. We'll take whatever transportation is available to get the 3-4 miles from downtown to the stadium.

There are a number of public parking lots on and off campus. Campus parking is $15. The following is from the Ohio State website.

2012 FOOTBALL PARKING

Public parking is available in any "Day-of-Game" lot on a first-come, first-served basis at a charge of $15 per vehicle. Please see the 2012 Football Parking Map for parking lots and garages reserved for season permit parking, OSU parking permits only, and day-of-game parking. Parking lots tend to fill early on game days. If you are going to the game, you should plan on arriving at least 1.5 - 2 hours prior to kickoff.

Parking Alternatives On Home Football Saturdays
Several alternatives are available to help Buckeye fans avoid campus traffic on home football Saturdays. These options are as follows:

For those fans parking on West Campus, a free shuttle will provide continuous service beginning six hours before kickoff continuing through one hour after the game. Shuttles pick up and drop off fans at Mount Hall on West Campus and the Sisson Hall footbridge located just west of Drake Union and Ohio Stadium.

Park at the Ohio Expo Center and ride the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) shuttle to campus. Avoid campus football traffic with COTA's parking and transportation to and from all home football games. For more information, visit www.cota.com.

Construction Impacts
The 12th Avenue Garage will be closed from July 2012 - December 2012 for renovations and will not be available for football parking during the 2012 football season. In addition, 12th Avenue, between Neil Avenue and College Road will be open to eastbound traffic only.

Jabes & GO: Thanks! very helpful.

Both before and after the game. High Street is right next ti campus (kind of like Bancroft, except a lot more fun).

If you are going to Columbus and have the chance, go to Thurmans. Holy Crap it is good. It's a hole in the wall burger place, you will wait for a while to get seated (buy a pitcher and enjoy the wait), but it is a very unique Ohio College town experience.