C-BUS is a Party for Pedal-Powered Pub Patrons

The Pedal Wagon tour in Columbus is one of a few big reasons I started this publication.

My wife took me and some friends on a tour of downtown, stopping at Seventh Son Brewery for drinks and ending up at Elevator Brewery and Draft Haus.

My birthday is in July, and this was 2023 – only a few weeks after my family of five and I made the exhausting trek by freeway from our former home in San Clemente, Calif. 

Laura Lee surprised me with this tour by inviting some of my closest Ohio friends from OU and the Ohio Valley where I grew up.

Surrounded by old pals and a party atmosphere, the Pedal Wagon tour showed off the best of downtown Columbus. Our friendly tour guide kept us on track with a smooth ride as we shared some Ohio brews, and parked patiently as Jimmy ran back a block for his wallet.

I got a social hour, tour, a workout, dinner and a buzz all in a few hours. All of it left me with warm fuzzy feelings about downtown Columbus and a lingering curiosity about the city and its scenes — food, social, sports, music and others.

Jill Krieger, Pedal Wagon’s president, said the touring company launched in Cincinnati in 2011 and grew to service Dayton; Covington, Ky.; and finally Columbus.

Sports-centered tours are the latest new offerings. 

“We started in fall of last year with our Pedal Pregame organized around our local sports teams,” Krieger said. “We do sports bars and custom drop-offs on game days.”

Have your wagon pilot stop for game-day food and drinks at preplanned pubs, or any custom dropoff locations organized around Columbus sporting events. At the end of the tour, get you and your friends dropped right at the stadium gate before the National Anthem sounds.

This summer, you can pick from a variety of other tours, too. Pedalers can now cruise all the best bars and restaurants at Easton (next to my home in Gahanna), pedal to Sunday brunch, or zip around on a wee, adorable six-person wagon. Check out the website for different tours and more details.

A change in Ohio law eight years ago opened up the pedal wagons across the state to start allowing alcohol on board.

Stay tuned later this summer; The SkilletReport will team up with Pedal Wagon to publish a feature with photos and video.