Welcome to Ohio!
Capital City: Columbus
Follow the Drinking Gourd
by Jeanette Winter (ages 3-7)
Learn about the Underground Railroad
World Classroom: Ohio
Whether you’re enjoying a family vacation or planning an extension to homeschool curriculum, Ohio does not disappoint. Full of history, a variety of landscape and nature opportunities, cultural experiences and just-for-fun Ohio has something for everyone.
Get out your National Parks Passport books and choose your next adventure! Do you want to experience nature or history? Do you want to spend a day or several days or just an hour or two? We’ve listed some ideas below:
National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Brecksville, OH
National Historical Parks & Sites
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park – Dayton, OH
Visit Dayton Aviation Heritage NPS.gov
First Ladies National Historical Site – Canton, OH
Meet all the First Ladies in American history from Martha Washington to Mary Todd Lincoln to Eleanor Roosevelt up to our current First Lady. Each has a story to tell from birth to serving in the White House.
James A Garfield National Historical Site – Mentor, OH
Visit James A Garfield NPS.gov
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park – Chillicothe, OH
Visit Hopewell Culture NPS.gov
William Howard Taft National Historic Site – Cincinnati, OH
Visit William Howard Taft NPS.gov
Located in Cincinnati, the William Howard Taft National Historic Site has a plethora of experiences surrounding it to last several weeks – so you’ll want to prioritize based on your family’s unique interests. Here’s a list of several options in the Cincinnati area: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Harriet Beecher Stowe House (does stamps for passport books), Krohn Conservatory, Findlay Market, American Sign Museum, Zoo & Botanical Garden, several options for city tours (underground, historical, haunted), art museums, children’s museums (Union Terminal has art, history and a children’s museum) and plenty of parks even along the riverfront. There are also plenty of overnight accommodations as well as transportation options and places to eat. See below for pics and more information about some of our picks.
National Monuments & Memorials
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument – Wilberforce, OH
Visit Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers NPS.gov
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial – Put-in-Bay, OH
Visit Perry’s Victory & Intnl Peace Mem NPS.gov
Additional Favorite Spots in Ohio
Cincinnati!
Cincinnati – National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Learn about slavery from the past as well as today. A vast collection of historical dates and personal stories. Guaranteed to learn something new and hopefully leave a changed person. All pictures © experiencebee.com
Cincinnati – Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Learn about the incredible inspiration for change brought on by one tiny woman and her perception and pen! As author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Abraham Lincoln is said to have referred to her as “the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.”
First two pictures © experiencebee.com; Harriet Beecher Stowe picture © The Everett Collection via Canva.com
Cincinnati – Krohn Conservatory
With showrooms of ferns, palms, orchids, bonsais and desert plants, Krohn Conservatory is a condensed collection of some of nature’s beautiful creations. If you time it just right, usually between May and June, you may get a chance in the special butterfly room too. All pictures © experiencebee.com
This art museum has pieces from all over the world and many different periods of time. Enjoy your day appreciating the art and there are even hands on activities and information stations for the kids! All pictures © experiencebee.com
Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market. Get all your groceries from fresh cheese and seafood to breads and spices. Check out the shops all around as you explore this quaint historical area.
There are lots of food options as well. We ate at Eli’s BBQ, and it was delicious! Some other favorite spots were Maverick’s chocolate – this is the real deal! We also found a cute bee store. There are food options for every palate, and you’ll love seeing all the specialties at the family store fronts. All pictures © experiencebee.com
Cincinnati – American Sign Museum
This unique museum continues to be a favorite among visitors to Cincinnati. Come check it out and see what it’s all about – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Cincinnati – Union Terminal – trains, art, history, culture
A soaring Art Deco masterpiece and a National Historic Landmark, Cincinnati Union Terminal is also a museum and cultural center where discoveries await.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
See all kinds of nature in one stop! Animals and plants galore!
This gorgeous park has a plethora of walking trails sure to please any active nature lover.
Cincinnati is proud of it’s Reds team. You can plan your trip around a game if your family are sport fans. Take the family to a good old American ballgame – and remember the peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
Good food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and Cincinnati has a wide variety of eating options. Our hands down favorite was Mita’s Bar de Tapas and it’s no surprise they are listed as the city’s best tapas and award winning. It’s not on the list of “family friendly,” but rather fine dining – so consider your family and if your children are older or well behaved you could all have a delicious cultural food experience. Other eating options include Taste of Belgium (gotta get the frites with aioli and sweet waffles for dessert), Goodfellas Pizza with unique New York pizza themed toppings and bread sticks longer than your arm, Eli’s BBQ – some of the best crispy yet moist pulled pork, and the usual burger, taco, pasta and other pizza finds. You can make it a quest to find some good Cincinnati chili if that’s your thing too. All pictures © experiencebee.com
Cleveland
Cleveland – A Christmas Story House
You’ve seen the 1983 film, now stay in Ralphie’s actual house! It’s rented out for visitors of the Cleveland area so enjoy a nostalgic throwback while your family explores another cool city in Ohio.
If you love lighthouses, Cleveland is a great center point for the lighthouses along Lake Erie’s Ohio coast. Make a day of coastal lighthouse exploring and be sure to bring a camera! Cleveland East Entrance lighthouse and Cleveland West Pierhead are a bit offshore and only reachable by boat. Journey less than an hour east for Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse and Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse. If you want to go further east you can visit Ashtabula and Conneaut lighthouses. Going less than an hour west from Cleveland will land you at Lorain, Vermilion, and Huron. Beyond that you can also visit Marblehead, Port Clinton and South Bass Island. Some are available for tours during certain seasons so be sure to do your research before you make the journey.
Cleveland – Great Lakes Science Center
Bring the kids for some hands on science! Get outside the book for some interesting variety in learning.
Cleveland – Greater Cleveland Aquarium
Because what’s not to love about visiting an aquarium with the family!
Cleveland – Historic Cleveland Coastguard Station
Some of our family’s favorite museums are the maritime museums. Here’s the next best thing to see the actual coastguard station.
Cleveland – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
If you love Rock and Roll, you’ll love the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Which R&R star’s music do you like best, and who would you be most excited to meet?
Lake Erie Ohio Coast
If you like roller coaster – you won’t want to miss a stop here when you’re in the area.
There are many lighthouses along the shoreline of Lake Erie in the state of Ohio. Here are some locations sporting lighthouses: Ashtabula, St Marys, Sandusky, Celina, Conneaut, Arcole Shore Estates, Fairpoint, Huron, Lorain, Toledo, Marblehead and of course, Cleveland as mentioned above.
