20 Family Friendly Ohio Daytrips Perfect for Spring Break
Just because your spring break means staying in Ohio and not basking in the sun on a Florida beach doesn't mean you're not going to have fun. Sticking around close to home is a great chance to explore some things that have probably flown under your radar, all within just a couple of hours of Cleveland. From nature to indoor water parks and beasts of the wild, the Buckeye State has you covered.
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Quaint downtown Hudson is that perfect weekend day trip that is just the right distance from home to make you feel like you’re venturing out, but close enough where you won’t be stuck in the car for hours. Learned Owl is a fantastic bookstore, One Red Door is one of the best restaurants in the area, and there's a variety of shops to keep everyone in the family happy.
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Want to feel like you’re back in college enjoying your glory days? Head to Kent’s Main Street. It's both one place and many at the same time. Kent Main Street features a slew of arts and crafts stores, places to eat and lots of cultural richness. The burger’s at Ray’s are a mainstay of the town, see a show at Kent Stage and Zephyr Pub is a fun place to drink to end the night.
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Everybody knows about the top attraction in Sandusky -- Cedar Point. But if it’s still too cold for Cedar Point and you’re itching for some fun, Kalahari, the indoor waterpark, is just the place for a day or weekend of family activities.
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Looking to climb some hills? Great Seal State Park has over 1,800 acres of hilly and challenging trails worth exploring. This park’s hills are depicted on the Great Seal of the State of Ohio, hence the name.
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Also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, some of the sites here might look familiar if you've ever seen "Shawshank Redemption" (who hasn’t?). Take a tour and see the now-closed (and super creepy) prison for yourself.
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Just east of Columbus, this state park is a beautiful place to hike, bike, camp and do whatever else those do outdoors. The sunsets over the lake are gorgeous. But it’s also a wonderful place to see Big Foot, supposedly. Over the years, there have been supposed sightings of the giant. See for yourself.
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In southern Ohio, Hocking Hills has some of the most beautiful hiking trails and natural attractions in the Midwest. Old Man’s Cave is a must-visit for the natural beauty. Conkles Hollow is for serious hikers. Do some ziplining and check out Cedar Falls. Stay in a cabin and head to nearby Athens for a night on the town.
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Just outside of the Cincinnati, the Miamisburg Mound is one of the two largest conical mounds in eastern North America. Built by the Adena people in what historians best estimates say was around 1000 to 200 BC, the mound was used as a burial ground, but many facts about the mound remain unknown. The mound is 65-feet-tall and 800-feet-wide.
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Located in the Old West End neighborhood of Toledo, the spot was founded by Toledo glassmaker Edward Drummond Libbey in 1901. It continues to hold one of the largest glass art collections in the world. Stop at Tony Packo’s for some world famous chili dogs on the way.
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Part of the Columbus Zoo, The Wild’s is a non-profit nature reserve, safari park and conservation center located in southeast Ohio. The park has many animals that you’d see on an African safari, like cheetahs, giraffes, rhinocerosases and wild dogs. Watch out!
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The Wilds/Facebook
