Matthew Caracciolo - Moon Ohio: Getaway Ideas, Outdoor Adventure & Family Fun, Creative Cuisine & Culture

Ledges loop trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

For families, theres a lot of fun to be had for a fraction of the cost of many premier destinations. In one small state, you can find two top-shelf amusement parks (Cedar Point and Kings Island), excellent zoos, and innovative hands-on museums.

Then you have the cosmopolitan offerings of the Three Cs: Cleveland, the Gilded Age cultural powerhouse; Columbus, the polished, fashionable capital; and Cincinnati, the old-world river town. Together they boast monumental museums and architecture, legacies of the industrial age. They tantalize with exciting food, brought here by those who have just arrived and those who have been here for generations. And theres plenty of beer to wash it all down, with over 300 craft breweries in the state. Another just opened while you were reading this paragraph.

But what of the countryside? Holmes County is the center of the second-largest Amish settlement in the world, a pastoral symphony of farmland, rolling hills, and touristed villages. The dense Appalachian foothills to the southeast conceal a world of cliffs, rock formations, and adventure sports. Lake Eries shoreline and islands attract birders and those looking for a quiet retreat... or a party, depending on the island. And dotted across this land are remnants of mysterious mound-building civilizations long, long vanished.

So define Ohio however you like. Make it your own. In the United States, youll be hard-pressed to find such a variety of things to do in a comparable amount of space.

National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus

Amish Country.

covered bridge in Ashtabula County

(pictured).

in Cleveland.

, a collage of woods, cliffs, and cultural heritage.

, attracting visitors looking for antiques, cheese, and some peace and quiet.

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scene.

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Where to Go

Columbus and Vicinity

Ohios progressive capital embraces art, technology, and a nationally recognized food and drink scene. Family attractions COSI (Center of Science and Industry)