More people hit the road for travel during the summer than any other time of year. This year, with gas prices so high, many people are looking to keep closer to home. In Ohio and its surrounding areas, there are many places to visit for a day or overnight stay.
Janet McClary of Millstream Travel, located here in Bowling Green, offered several ideas for weekend trips. McClary suggested that the Cleveland area was a popular destination. The Flats in Cleveland is the city’s entertainment district and offers more than 60 restaurants and nightclubs located along the Cuyahoga River.
Cleveland also offers the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a Museum. For $20 admission, visitors can check out permanent exhibits such as “The 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll” and it features displays for artists enshrined in the Hall of Fame from Frank Zappa to Prince. There are also special exhibits that are only offered for a limited time. Currently the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is showing an acclaimed presentation of the history of rock music in Ohio.
Closer to home is Toledo, where there is both a highly regarded zoo and museum to visit. The Toledo Zoo costs $9 admission and has animal exhibits such as cheetahs, bald eagles and elephants. The zoo also has a summer concert series, featuring the Moody Blues and 80s rock sensation Rick Springfield.
Maybe you are not a fan of Rick Springfield’s pop-rock. If so, then check out the Toledo Museum of Art. This month showcases the 86th Annual Toledo Area Artists Exhibition. Artists from all over Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan compete for prize money and awards.
Calli Helldobler, a pre-med biology student at the University, likes to attend “It’s Friday” at the Toledo Museum of Art. The Museum stays open to 10:00 p.m on fridays and has live music, lectures and a series of guided tours.
“It’s a cultural experience,” Helldobler said. “I don’t think people take advantage of it.”
The Museum is free to the public.
If the outdoors is more your type of activity, Ohio has over 70 state parks, while Michigan has even more. Maumee Bay State Park is less than a half-hour drive from Bowling Green and has over 250 campsites on 1,336 acres. Maumee Bay State Park offers boating, fishing, swimming, golfing and several other outdoor activities.
Joe Cozzens, an environmental policy major at BGSU, appreciates the park for a variety of reasons.
“In addition to being gorgeous, it is an important wetland preserve for ecological purposes,” Cozzens said.
McClary advises students to plan early because travel is picking up again.
“People are feeling more confident to travel,” McClary said.
She also notes that students should really figure out how much they want to spend, to budget money for the trip, because ultimately that will limit their options.
