Our team put together some ideas to help you make the most of your time in the greater Toledo Region. Toledo is the perfect place to stay while branching out to explore NW Ohio. From must-see attractions to local eats and hidden gems, consider this your go-to guide for family-friendly adventure.
Outdoor Activities and Outings
Enjoy over 16,000 animals representing 680 species! Explore the ProMedica Museum of Natural History and touch small sharks and stingrays at the state-of-the-art Aquarium in addition to all the zoo’s exotic animal exhibits. Enjoy lunch at one of the many food options available on the zoo campus.
Toledo’s newest Metropark, Glass City Metropark features The Ribbon, a multipurpose skating rink, playgrounds, on-site dining, and scenic views of Toledo’s downtown.
With more than 60 acres of display gardens and relevant plant collections, Toledo Botanical Garden offers visitors the opportunity to share, discover and enjoy cultivated beauty. It is also a center for the arts, with the Artisan Village, the region’s largest public collection of sculptures, and the annual Crosby Festival of the Arts creating a campus for horticulture, art and education.
Historic Canal Experience – Providence Metropark
Step back in time at the Canal Experience and get a taste of life on the Miami and Erie Canal. Providence Metropark is located in what was once the canal town of Providence, Ohio. Today, the Metropark has one of the greatest concentrations of canal era features in the country, including the Isaac Ludwig Mill, a working water-powered saw and gristmill.
Fort Meigs: Ohio’s War of 1812 Battlefield
Discover the War of 1812 at one of America’s largest reconstructed log forts. Explore blockhouses, artillery batteries, a quartermaster’s building and numerous traverses used by troops to defend the fort from British cannon fire. Learn about Ohio’s role in the war at this National Historic Landmark through soldiers’ letters and diaries, uniforms and weapons located in the adjacent Museum and Visitors Center.
Visit the Historic Village at Sauder Village to enjoy engaging stories, demonstrations, and fun activities while exploring historic homes, barns, gardens, and craft shops. Take a walk through time from 1803 through the 1920s while visiting Natives & Newcomers, Pioneer Settlement, and the 1920s Main Street. Enjoy a free train ride, meet farm animals, take a buggy ride, and explore the candy counter before grabbing a bite to eat at the Barn Restaurant or Doughbox Bakery – offering homestyle food and sweet treats!
Build your own flower arrangement from more than 60 varieties of fresh-cut flowers in the U-Pick garden, offering a colorful mix of varieties and textures. Guests can bring a bucket or vase for transporting their flowers (water on site) or purchase a vase or bucket from the GardenView Flower Stop.
Indoor Fun and Rainy Day Activities
Adventus Climbing
Whether you’re an experienced climber, or new to climbing, Adventus is the perfect place to hone your climbing skills. With a variety of climbing walls and bouldering experiences, there are ample ways for climbers of all experience levels to have fun. Helpful on-site staff is available to help show guests the ropes and outfit them with all of the necessary safety gear.
Franklin Park Mall
Franklin Park Mall features a wide selection of 150 retail stores, an expansive food court, a Cinemark movie theater, and a Dave & Buster’s. From a wide variety of stores to fun for the whole family, Franklin Park Mall has it all!
IncrediBowl Entertainment Toledo
Get ready to experience a whole new level of fun at Incredibowl Entertainment! They’ve got everything from luxury bowling lanes to a massive arcade, thrilling laser tag arena, elevated food and drinks, and kids bowl free all summer long!
Urban Air Adventure Park
Urban Air is the Ultimate Indoor Adventure Park! With trampolines and attractions that cater to any level of adventurer, there’s something fun for everyone. At Urban Air, guests can conquer obstacles, show gravity who’s boss, and have a blast seven days a week.
Wood County Museum
The Wood County Museum promotes stories of Wood County, Ohio and its County Poor Farm, connecting memories of the past to the present. With an array of artifacts and photographs, the Wood County Museum features fascinating stories spanning generations.
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums
Spiegel Grove houses the Rutherford B. Hayes Museum and 31 room mansion, along with 25 acres of park and the burial site of President and Mrs. Hayes. The Hayes family established the first presidential library open to the public in 1916. For over 100 years, the collections have grown beyond the core collection to include 90,000 books, manuscripts and images which reflect Hayes’ special interests, including genealogy, local history, and the Gilded Age period in which he lived.
American Civil War Museum of Ohio
The American Civil War Museum of Ohio is a unique educational museum that collects, preserves, and interprets the American Civil War, Ohio’s role in it, and its impact on the current generation of American people. Exhibits feature artifacts, dioramas, mannequins, audio-visual tools, hands-on experiences, and informational displays.
