Ohio Travel Guide

Ohio Travel Guide: Cincinnati

Located in the southwest corner of Ohio nestled against the Ohio River, the city of Cincinnati offers riverboat gambling, a host of interesting museums, the Cincinnati zoo, and a number of diverse and historic neighborhoods. The city center is Fountain Square, which dates to 1871 and is lined with department stores, hotels, banks, and popular restaurants. At the edge of downtown, Cincinnati’s Museum Center, housed in the former Union Terminal train station, is home to the Museum of Natural History and Science, the Cincinnati History Museum, an OmniMax Theatre, and the Cinergy Children’s Museum.

Just north of downtown, the Gaslight district delights visitors with trendy restaurants, restored 19th century homes, independent coffee shops, and an eclectic collection of boutiques. Downtown, the interactive National Freedom Underground Railroad Museum tells the story of courageous Ohioans who risked all to help escaped slaves cross the state to new lives in Canada. Also, not to be missed is the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, home to a large indoor Manatee Springs exhibit as well as Vanishing Giants, an exhibit dedicated to giraffes and elephants.

Cleveland

No Ohio travel guide would be complete without mentioning Cleveland, home of the world-renowned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Located on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland is made up of diverse neighborhoods surrounding a vibrant and revitalized downtown area. On the lake, the Rock Hall (as it is known locally), designed by architect I.M. Pei, sparkles with a geometric glass façade. Inside, the interactive museum takes visitors through the history of this popular music genre with such things as John Lennon’s hand-written lyrics to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Iggy Pop’s outrageous stage costumes, Eric Clapton’s guitar, and Michael Jackson’s sparkled glove. All exhibits are accompanied by headphones to allow visitors to experience the artists’ music.

Outside of downtown, University Circle named for the adjacent Case Western Reserve University, is home to the prestigious Cleveland Art Museum, one of the last great museums with free admission in the United States, as well as the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and its fascinating dinosaur exhibit, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Crawford Auto Museum and its treasure trove of vintage automobiles and airplanes, and the Western Reserve Historical Society Museum. The Grammy-award winning Cleveland Orchestra performs just down the street at the acoustically perfect Severance Hall, a beautiful concert hall with Doric columns and a lovely Beaux Arts lobby.

Ohio Travel Guide: Columbus

Home to Ohio State football, the state government, and golf legend Jack Nicklaus’ signature golf community Muirfield Village, Columbus is a city of contrasts. Founded primarily by German immigrants, much of the original settlement has been preserved in Columbus’ German Village, located just south of downtown. This large neighborhood includes trendy restaurants, a German-style Bierhaus, interesting shops, and Schiller Park, the area’s green space. Adjacent to German Village is the city’s Brewery District, home to luxury highrise condos and former breweries converted into interesting restaurants. North of downtown is the Short North neighborhood with dozens of art galleries, a host of ethnic restaurants, and one-of-a-kind boutiques. It’s a great place for a summer stroll.

Ohio loves its football and any Ohio travel guide must include mention of it. Columbus’ Ohio State University Buckeyes are a perennial favorite and a must-see if you can obtain tickets. Based in OSU’s horseshoe stadium, the team is frequently a contender for a national college football title. Other attractions in the capital city include the Columbus Center of Science and Industry (COSI), the Columbus Museum of Art, and the Wexner Center for the Arts, a relatively new contemporary art museum. Each August, the city hosts the Ohio State Fair, a celebration of Ohio’s rural life, industry, crafts, and the arts.