OHIO: THE BUCKEYE STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
Make
the most of your travel experiences. Taking a cruise is a
great way to see many different places when you travel. Cruises offer many
activities and things to do while on the ship, while offering you the
opportunity to explore different locations each time you arrive at a port.
Travel is a great opportunity to learn more things. Time spent abroad helps you
understand and appreciate diverse cultures. In addition, it encourages an
acceptance and tolerance of ways of life that differ from your own. When
you want to plan a vacation contact me!
Picturesque, pastoral scenery and rolling farmland may epitomize
Ohio, but this Midwest state also dishes up buzzing cities, terrific cultural
attractions and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure. Beyond the
farms, undulating hills and leafy dales abound. Along the eastern border, the
foothills of the Appalachian Mountains lure adventurous travelers, who can go
hiking, fishing and boating in local beauty spots such as Shawnee State Park.
Columbus, Ohio's largest city and state capital, is home to one of
the USA's biggest college campuses, Ohio State University, lending the city a
hip, student vibe. It also hosts the Ohio State Fair agricultural extravaganza
and is home to the historic German Village, where visitors can snack on
bratwurst or cherry strudel and visit Schiller Park, where open-air Shakespeare
performances take place throughout the summer. Stock up on organic produce and
locally roasted coffee at North Market, which has been welcoming hungry Ohioans
since 1876, and visit the Short North Arts District, home to chic art galleries
and edgy boutiques.
Cleveland, the state's second largest city, sits on the shore of
Lake Erie, tucked among northern Ohio's rugged river valleys and steep,
forested hills. Stop by Cleveland Lakefront State Park to lounge by the water
and visit one of the six lighthouses scattered around the lake. Also
overlooking the lake is The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a venerable museum that
honors music greats such Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Bob Dylan.
Alternatively, dose up on culture in Cincinnati. The striking Zaha
Hadid-designed Contemporary Arts Center shows an innovative, ever-changing
program of exhibitions. And the excellent craft breweries mean a good night out
is guaranteed.
Things
to see and do in Ohio
African Safari Wildlife Park
Experience the Midwest's
only drive-through safari at Cleveland's African Safari Wildlife Park (www.africansafariwildlifepark.com). Special feature
at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (www.clemetzoo.com) is the rainforest habitat, with
simulated tropical thunderstorms and an 8m- (25ft-) high waterfall.
Cedar Point Amusement Park
Spend the day riding
rollercoasters at Cedar Point Amusement Park (www.cedarpoint.com),
Kings Island Theme Park (www.pki.com) or Cincinnati's Boomerang Bay 'Down
Under' resort, featuring over 50 wet-and-wild activities and 30 slides.
Cincinnati
Reds and Cleveland Indians Baseball
Grab a hotdog and watch a
ballgame with either of the state's two pro baseball teams - the Cincinnati
Reds (www.cincinnati.red.mlb.com) and the Cleveland
Indians (www.cleveland.indians.mlb.com).
Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Tour Cincinnati's National
Underground Railroad Freedom Center (www.freedomcenter.org),
focusing on the struggle for freedom experienced by runaway slaves. See five
history galleries, changing exhibits, and a Slave Jail.
Cuyahoga Valley
National Recreation Area
Find many nature-based
activities in the 13,355-hectare (33,000-acre) Cuyahoga Valley National
Recreation Area (www.nps.gov/cuva). The 35km- (22-mile-) long river
surrounded by steep, forested hills, sandstone gorges and hidden waterfalls is
popular with birdwatchers and hikers. The Hale Farm and Village is a
living-history museum depicting life in the mid 19th century.
German Village
Enjoy a touch of German
culture in Columbus at the lavishly restored German Village (germanvillage.com),
complete with fine restaurants and taverns, and the 11-hectare (27-acre)
Brewery District, with vintage beer-making factories which now contain
restaurants, specialty shops and taverns.
Hocking Hills State Park
Go underground in Hocking
Hills State Park and explore Ash Cave, Ohio's largest recess cave, with a 27m-
(90ft-) high waterfall (www.hockinghills.com). Don't miss the Rock House (a
series of large rooms mysteriously carved into the side of a cliff), the 46m-
(150ft-) high Cantwell Cliffs and Hocking Forest, where rock climbing is
permitted.
Holden Arboretum
Tour Cleveland's Holden
Arboretum (www.holdenarb.org), the largest in the USA.
Johnny Appleseed
Heritage Center
Visit Johnny Appleseed
country in the picturesque north central region. Attend a musical drama in the
outdoor amphitheater (seating 1,600) at the Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center (www.jahci.org)
in Ashland.
Kelleys Island
Explore Kelleys Island (www.kelleysisland.com),
on the National Register of Historic Places. Along with old, picturesque homes,
it offers historical sights such as Inscription Rock, an exceptionally large
Native American pictograph.
Lake Erie
Participate in water
activities on Lake Erie (www.shoresandislands.com)
on Ohio's northern border. Watersports options include fishing, swimming,
boating and jetskiing.
Middle Bass Island
Do a little wine tasting
on Middle Bass Island (www.middlebass.org). The island is dominated by the
Gothic castle of the Lonz Winery, established in 1860 and still making wine.
Museum Center
Visit the Museum Center (www.cincymuseum.org)
at Cincinnati Union Terminal, where the Cincinnati Historical Museum and the
Cincinnati Museum of Natural History are housed in an art deco train station.
The Baseball as America exhibition
will delight sports fans.
National Museum
of the US Air Force
Visit the National Museum
of the US Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil) in Dayton, the world's
largest and oldest military aviation museum. The museum follows the history of
flight from the days of the Wright brothers to stealth fighter aircraft and
today's precision technology.
Neil Armstrong
Air & Space Museum
Relive the historic moment
in 1969 when Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. Visit the
Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum (www.armstrongmuseum.org)
in Wapakoneta, named in his honour.
Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame and Museum
Stop by the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland (rockhall.com),
one of Ohio's biggest and best tourist attractions. Browse the seven floors of
rock memorabilia and exhibits and live vicariously through the lives of the
over 700 inductees into the Hall of Fame, like The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen,
The Clash, and U2.
Serpent Mound State Memorial
Explore Serpent Mound
State Memorial, a giant snake effigy mound created by the Adena Native
Americans over 2,000 years ago.
Toledo Museum of Art
Discover art treasures at
the century-old Toledo Museum of Art (www.toledomuseum.org)
and adjacent University of Toledo Center for the Visual Arts (www.cva.utoledo.edu).
They are among the top 10 art museums in the USA.
Yoder's Amish Home
Visit Amish country in the
northeast of the state. Shop for handwoven baskets, handmade quilts, antiques
and fresh produce. For a glimpse into the Amish lifestyle, the Yoder's Amish
Home (www.yodersamishhome.com) in Holmes County, which
has two reproduction Amish farmhouses open to visitors, and buggy rides for
children.
Zanesville
Follow in the footsteps of
famous Western writer Zane Grey on a narrated sternwheeler cruise in
Zanesville. Visit the National Road/Zane Grey Museum, and learn about the
building of America's first highway and the town's famous Western writer.
REFERENCE SITES:
I love Ohio.
Dave Chappelle
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