Ohio is an excellent state to explore. As you set out, expect the unexpected. Like many states, Ohio offers ample recreational attractions and historic sites. Somehow, Ohio manages to go beyond the banal with an abundance of one-of-a-kind attractions, festivals that celebrate the weird and wacky, places claiming to be the “biggest” or “best,” and little-known treasures that remain concealed unless you know where to look.
61. The Wilds, Cumberland. Grassy plains stretch from horizon to horizon at The Wilds, North America’s largest endangered-wildlife preserve, where exotic animals mingle in habitats that look much like their native homelands. Covering nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed, strip-mined land, or about 14 square miles, the Wilds is the reverse of zoos. Here animals such as Przewalski’s horse, the reticulated giraffe and Bactrian camel, to name a few, roam free while people’s movements are limited. Admission fee; 740-638-5030 (www.thewilds.org).
62. Air Force Museum-Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton. The oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world chronicles aviation, from the Wright Brothers to the space age. Ten acres of exhibit space in the two main hangar-type buildings display more than 250 aircraft, missiles and memorabilia including the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki in 1945. About 50 aircraft are in the museum annex, including a collection of presidential aircraft. Free; 937-255-3286.
63. Kings Island/Cedar Point. Ohio is a state filled with ups and downs. A visit to two of the state’s theme parks will quickly prove that point. Rated the world’s best amusement park by Inside Track newsletter, Cedar Point Amusement Park (Sandusky; 800-237-8386) has one of the largest collections of roller coasters in the country. New this year is the Power Tower, a 300-foot vertical drop ride that powers riders up and down. Paramount’s Kings Island (Kings Island; 888-923-2781) is home to 10 world-class coasters, including the Beast, the world’s longest wooden roller coaster. Plus, there are shows, more than 100 rides and attractions and a water park. Both parks charge an admission fee.
64. SeaWorld, Aurora. The 90-acre, marine-life entertainment park is a showcase for sea creatures. In addition to Shamu, the famous killer whale, there are sharks, dolphins, penguins and seals in exhibits and programs. New this summer: a nighttime laser and fireworks show, an “All-Star Mutts” show, a racing water-ski show and killer-whale adventures. Admission fee; 800-63-SHAMU (www.seaworld.com).
65. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland. Cleveland rocks as the music that changed the world lives on at the Hall of Fame, the world’s only institution dedicated to preserving rock ‘n’ roll. Instruments, hand-written lyrics and costumes along with interactive displays, a theater where artists discuss their work and a database of 500 songs that shaped rock are among the items that might make you misty-eyed. Admission fee; 800-BUCK-EYE.
66. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton. Our national shrine to professional football, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, displays treasured relics from the sport and honors the legends of the pro football world. The facility chronicles the first 100 years of football and includes two enshrinement halls where football greats are permanently honored. During the annual Football Hall of Fame Festival, July 24-Aug. 1, an NFL exhibition game will be played and the newest inductees will be named. Admission fee; 800-533-4302.
67. Museum Center, Cincinnati. The trains are gone, but Union Terminal lives on. Built as an Art Deco-style train station in 1933, the restored center is now home to the Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science where you can “spelunk” in the museum’s Limestone Cavern with live bats, and an Omnimax theater. The Children’s Discovery Center, an annex to the Museum of Natural History and Science, recently opened. Like a museum mall, the complex has a 10-story rotunda with mosaic murals, shops and a food court. Admission fees; 800-733-2077.
68. Presidential sites. Eight presidents were born or raised in Ohio, earning the state the nickname “Mother of Presidents.” Tour the homes or monuments dedicated to several of these former Ohioans:
– (Rutherford B.) Hayes Presidential Center, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont; 419-332-2081.
– The (Warren) Harding Home, 380 Mt. Vernon Ave., Marion; 614-387-9630.
– Harding Tomb, Ohio Highway 423 and Vernon Heights Boulevard, Marion; 614-387-9630.
– (Ulysses) Grant’s Birthplace, U.S. Highway 52 and Ohio Highway 232, Point Pleasant; 513-553-4911.
– Grant Schoolhouse, Water Street, Georgetown; 800-686-1535.
– Grant Homestead, 219 E. Grant Ave., Georgetown; 513-378-4222.
– (William) McKinley National Monument. 800 McKinley Monument Drive, NW, Canton; 330-455-7043.
– National McKinley Birthplace Memorial, 40 N. Main St., Niles; 330-652-1704.
– (James) Garfield Monument, 12316 Euclid Ave., Cleveland; 216-421-2687.
– (William Howard) Taft National Historic Site, 2038 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati; 513-684-3262.
– (William Henry) Harrison Tomb, Cliff Road west off U.S. Highway 50, North Bend; 800-686-1535.
Most sites charge a fee.
69. Living history villages. The past is still present at restored villages where costumed interpreters or guides show what life was like then. At Roscoe Village (Coshocton; 800-877-1830), a restored 1830s canal town, volunteers in period garb weave rugs, throw pots or work the printing press in six period exhibit buildings. Seeking religious freedom, German separatists established Zoar Village (Zoar; 888-909-OHIO), one of the most notable experiments in communal living. The 10 restored or reconstructed village buildings and knowledgeable guides depict the community at its most prosperous. Both villages charge a fee.
70. University Circle, Cleveland. The circle’s one square mile is home to more than 40 institutions. Eight are museums including the world-class Cleveland Museum of Art. No other city has such a concentration of institutions in such compact quarters. It’s the cultural center of Cleveland, where the fine arts, performing arts, film, technology, history, architecture and beautiful gardens are represented. Admission fee to most institutions; 216-791-3900.
71. Twins Festival, Twinsburg; July 31-Aug. 2. You’ll see double at the annual event, the largest gathering of twins in the world. Aaron and Moses, the Wilcox twins, inspired the city to change its name to Twinsburg in 1817. The Wilcox twins married sisters, died the same day from the same ailment and were buried in a common grave. Twinsburg remains the only U.S. city named for twins. Festival activities include a “double-take” parade, twins competitions and a talent show. Free; 330-425-3652 (www.twinsday.org).
72. Serpent Mound, Peebles. Nearly a quarter-mile long, this earthen embankment resembles a snake and is the largest serpent effigy in North America. The structure was built by an unidentified prehistoric culture possibly 3,000 years ago. After raising funds to buy the site because it was gradually being destroyed by plowing, Harvard University turned the site over to the Ohio Historical Society in 1900. Admission fee; 888-909-OHIO.
73. Lake Erie Islands. A slower pace and fewer people await just a few miles off the Ohio mainland at three of Lake Erie’s islands. The quiet village of Kelleys Island, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, still bears Ice Age scars, glacial grooves carved more than 300 centuries ago. Middle Bass’ seclusion is what lures people. Fishing and a tour of the historic Lonz Winery are preferred activities. South Bass features the International Peace Memorial honoring Admiral Perry’s victory during the War of 1812. There’s a commanding view from the top of the 352-foot monument. Kelleys Island, 416-746-2360 (www.kelleysisland.com); for other islands, contact the Erie County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-255-ERIE (www.buckeyenorth.com).
74. Amish country. Ohio’s fertile, rolling farmlands are home to the largest Amish community in the world. Shunning modern conveniences such as electricity and automobiles, the hard-working Amish easily are identified by their plain clothing and horse-drawn buggies. The Mennonite Information Center is a good place to learn about the people and their beliefs, as is the Behalt Information Center. To rub elbows with the Amish, stop at the farmers auctions or the Amish flea market in Holmes County. To tour Amish country by rail, the Ohio Central Railroad provides hour-long excursions. Amish Country Visitors Bureau, 330-893-3467 (www.visitamishcountry.com).
75. Lake Erie Circle Tour. Standing guard at what is known as the roughest point in Lake Erie, Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Once there were more than 20 lighthouses dotting Ohio’s Lake Erie shoreline. Some of the remaining dozen or so are visible from the shore on the scenic 200-mile drive, which also passes quaint lakeside communities along Ohio’s north coast. 800-441-1271 (www.circle-erie.com).
76. Pork Rind Heritage Festival, Harrod; June 12-13. Harrod, the pork rind capital of the world and the largest producer of pork rinds in the world, pays tribute to its favorite product at its annual family-oriented festival. The celebration includes a hog roast, parade and pork rind games. Free admission; 419-648-7032.
77. Holden Arboretum, Kirtland. Harvard University almost snagged Albert Holden’s trust fund. He changed his mind and started Holden Arboretum, now the largest arboretum in the United States. With botanic specimens appropriate to Northeast Ohio, Holden’s 3,100 acres include woodlands, ponds, fields, gardens and a valley accessed by a boardwalk that was produced by a glacier. There’s also a picnic area, a butterfly garden and 20 miles of trails through forest and fields. Admission fee; 216-946-4400.
78. Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum, Wapakoneta. Built three years to the day after Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon, the museum traces the life and accomplishments of its native son and celebrates Ohioans’ contribution to the history of flight. Displays include Apollo 11 artifacts, a moon rock, and a sound tunnel and infinity room that simulate space conditions. Admission fee; 888-909-OHIO (www.ohiohistory.org).
79. National Clay Week Festival, Uhrichsville; June 9-13. Call it a plumber’s dream. During the festival, the “Clay Capital of the World” recognizes its production of clay products. Areas of Ohio are known for their “artistic” use of clay. Uhrichsville’s involvement is practical, manufacturing sewer pipes. Clay Week started in the 1940s as a picnic for employees at area sewer pipe companies. The weeklong celebration has grown to include rides, an antique car show and a Little Miss Clay Contest. Free admission; 740-922-1644.
80. Ohio’s Castles, West Liberty. Be it ever so humble, Abram and Donn Piatt’s Norman French-style and Flemish-style castles were home. Located in unlikely rural Logan County, the brothers built the castles, named Mac-A-Cheek and Mac-O-Chee, down the road from each other on Ohio Highway 245 in the 1860s and 1870s. No cosmetic replicas, these castles can stand up to their medieval counterparts with a five-story watchtower and two-foot thick walls. Both homes, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, now offer guided tours throughout the summer. Admission fee; 937-465-2821.
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The Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism can be reached at 800-BUCKEYE (www.ohiotourism.com). Callers can receive a free Ohio map, travel planner with coupons for discounts at lodgings and attractions, and a calendar of events.
