Best Vacation Spots in Ohio

Vacation and Holiday Ideas!

There are plenty of fun and exciting vacation spots in the state of Ohio. In fact, you may find it hard to choose just one vacation spot to visit in the state. Whether you are looking for a family vacation or a romantic getaway, you will find plenty of options in Ohio. Here are some of the top places to stay and visit in the state.

Columbus

Consider visiting Columbus, the capital city of Ohio. Here you will find plenty of things to see and do, including Easton Center, the German Village, and the Center of Science and Industry. For golfers, the Blacklick Woods is rated one of the top ten most difficult public golf courses in Greater Columbus by Business First magazine. Columbus also offers a busy nightlife and plenty of shopping options so that you will always have something to do. If you are looking for accommodations, consider the Westin Columbus, Sheraton Suites, or The German Village Guest House, which is rated three-diamonds by AAA, as well as being recently voted "Best Columbus Hotel 2010" by Citysearch.

For those interested in getting in some outdoor activities, two parks you may want to consider visiting in and around the Columbus area are the Scioto Audubon and Battelle Darby Creek. Scioto Audubon is billed as a 94-acre oasis in downtown Columbus. A magnet for birds such as egrets herons and blue-winged teal, it's a fabulous spot for birders. Another main attraction is the park's free 35-foot high outdoor climbing wall, which is largest free outdoor climbing wall in the U.S. Climbers must bring their own equipment. Battelle Darby Creek located southwest of Columbus in Galloway features more than 20 miles of riparian forest along the Big and Little Darby Creeks. Enjoy fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, canoeing and sledding.

You also won't want to miss The Santa Maria, a replica of Christopher Columbus' flagship, the Santa Maria. There you'll find replicas of the navigational tools, as well as be able to play the games the sailors played to pass the time. The ship is located in Battelle Riverfront Park, located in downtown Columbus. The park is a series of promenades and greens on the east side the Scioto River.

Cleveland

Cleveland is another great vacation spot in Ohio. This city is the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is definitely a place to visit if you’re into the history of rock music. Cleveland also offers such attractions as:

Great Lakes Science Center - with hundreds of hands-on exhibits, including the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, Biomedical Technology Gallery and the 1925-built steamship William G. Mather.
Playhouse Square - a collection of nine venues, making it one of the country's largest art center outside of New York. Venues range from the intimate, 100-seat Kennedy’s Cabaret, to the 3,200-seat State Theater.
University Circle - located 4 miles from downtown Cleveland, University Circle is home to more than 20 artistic and cultural venues, such as the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, Reinberger Galleries at The Cleveland Institute of Art and the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival.

For accommodations in Cleveland, consider the Glidden House and the Brownstone Inn Downtown.

Dayton

If you enjoy a bit of history in your vacation, then you may want to visit Dayton. This is called the “birthplace of aviation” because it is the hometown of the Wright brothers. Definitely worth a visit is the US Air Force Museum, which features an incredible array of exhibits and galleries, including:

Early Years Gallery
World War II Gallery
Korean War Gallery
Southeast Asia War Gallery
Cold War Gallery
Missile & Space Gallery
Presidential Gallery

Other attractions in Dayton include the 65-acre Carillon Historical Park, which features original 1905 Wright Flyer III, and the Oregon Historic District, where you'll find the Dayton Art Institute and the Boonshoft Museum. If you're the outdoors-type, be sure to head on over to RiverScape Metro Park in downtown Dayton, which follows the Great Miami River, where you can rent bikes, roller blades or kayaks. Because of the historic feel of the city, consider such accommodations as the Inn Port Guesthouse or Garnet House Bed and Breakfast.

Cincinnati

Home to the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals, and called "Chili Capital of the World," Cincinnati is also home to some wonderful museums, including:

Cincinnati Art Museum - Ranked 'Top Art Museum for Families' by Parenting magazine
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal - home to the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library.
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center - located in downtown Cincinnati, along the banks of the Ohio River, the Freedom Center chronicles the efforts of those involved in the "Underground Railroad" which allowed slaves to escape slavery in the South. The Center also assists those seeking to explore their genealogy with the FamilySearch Center in the John Parker Library.

Cincinnati also boasts a spectacular parks system, with five regional and 70 neighborhood parks and 34 nature preserves. They're all wonderful, but if you only have time to visit a few of these parks, don't miss the Krohn Conservatory with a rainforest waterfall and butterfly shows; and Burnet Woods, a 90-acre park near the University of Cincinnati which feature birding, hiking trails, a fishing lake, and the Wolff Planetarium, the oldest planetarium west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Hocking Hills

Want to experience the most beautiful area of Ohio? Hocking Hills is definitely at the top of the list. With spectacular cliffs overlooking deep gorges, the Hocking Hills area has become one of Ohio's most popular tourist destinations. Located an hour southeast of Columbus, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the Hocking Hills region is made up of 9 state parks, 4 nature preserves, and over 9,000 acres of state forest land. Two of the most popular attractions in Hocking Hills are Old Man's Cave and Hocking Hills Canopy Tours, where you can soar above the tree tops on a zip line; and a train ride on the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway.

Lake Erie

With a shoreline of approximately 71 miles, the shore (and islands) of Lake Erie are also top vacation spots in Ohio. Whether you're fishing, boating, or renting a bike on Catawba Island, there's no way you can get bored while visiting Lake Erie. From Catawba Island, you can take a ferry to South Bass Island, where you can visit the underground lake at Perry's Cave, or take a stroll through the Butterfly House next door, home to over 500 different types of exotic butterflies from around the world. You'll find many different types of accommodations on Lake Erie, from hotel chains to resorts to campgrounds to Bed and Breakfasts. Some standouts are The Simpson-Flint House in Sandusky and A Water's Edge Retreat Luxury Bed & Breakfast on Kelly's Island.

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