On my drive back to Buffalo from Cincinnati, I unintentionally ended up on another planet.

A fascinating planet where everywhere you touch, or step, triggers a titillating response from the environment.

Where each room leads you to another in the most gleefully surprising ways: through the belly of an enormous worm, the inside of a 1950’s-style arcade game, or a giant’s teeth and tongue. Where the shapes, colors, lights, and sounds immerse you into unearthly stimulation of your senses.

A planet called Otherworld.

Named one of Time Magazine’s coolest places of 2019, Otherworld is an interactive art exhibit that encompasses you within the imaginations of over 40 artists.

On our two-hour fortuitous detour, my friends and I crawled, ducked, and laughed our way through secret passageways.

There were surprises at every turn – we left the place not completely confident that we hadn’t possibly missed something, and eager to go back!

The brightly colored creatures of this planet possessed every feature imaginable: antlers, utters, horns, fur, tentacles.

We swung on chairs made of neon spiderweb glowing in a blacklight room. We pushed our way through a maze of 20-foot inflatable clouds.

We climbed through a patch of dinosaur-sized eggs belonging to a gigantic, menacing, green and pink caterpillar. Funky, futuristic music intriguingly complimented our adventure.

Upon entering the facility located in Columbus, Otherworld ignites your imagination like a pre-exploration brain-stretch.

According to the staff, you are to imagine you are trespassing in restricted areas of the laboratories of Otherworld Industries, a tech company that is dabbling in experiments with alien life.

You get lost in a handful of alternate realities. The impressive props, drawings, sculptures and mechanics truly bring this fantasy to life.

In addition to being a kid-friendly, family activity, Otherworld hosts adult-only events inside their spectacular 32,000-square-foot venue.

The events typically include a dance DJ, full bar and free water for guests. Upcoming events will feature well-known DJs such as Will Clarke and Hannah Wants.

If you’re looking for something extraordinarily unique to experience, Otherworld is worth the five hour drive! Tickets are $25 and the attraction is open every day of the week except Tuesdays.

Otherworld will awaken the childlike awe lying dormant inside of even the stiffest of personalities.