Destination overview

Ohio could be described as a versatile state as there are lots of activities and attractions from visiting an Amish farm to chilling out on an island resort. If you’re adventurous you can take a turn on one of the world’s fastest roller coasters or visit your musical heroes at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Ohio has natural boundaries to the north (Lake Erie) and to the south (Ohio River) and is bordered by the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Ohio also shares Lake Erie as a border with the Canadian province of Ontario. The terrain is generally flat in the north-western parts due to ancient glaciers and gradually gets hillier as you head east and southeast toward the Allegheny and Appalachian mountain ranges. In addition to a Great Lake (Erie) and a major navigable river (Ohio), the State of Ohio offers a National Park (Cuyahoga Valley), a national forest (Wayne), a number of National Wildlife Refuges, and a parcel of islands on Lake Erie.

Comprising 88 counties, Ohio can be characterised as having five regions. Northwest Ohio comprises flat agricultural land surrounding Toledo and stretches into Indiana to the west and Michigan to the north. Northeast Ohio is also known as Greater Cleveland where rolling wooded foothills from the Allegheny Mountain range subside as they approach Lake Erie. Mid-Ohio surrounds the capital city of Columbus; Southwest Ohio is made up of hilly areas approaching the Ohio River, surrounding Cincinnati and rolling into Kentucky; and Southeast Ohio is very hilly coal mining country in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains that roll into Pennsylvania and West Virginia and include the Wayne National Forest.

Columbus

Columbus is the capital of Ohio and located centrally within the state in the Mid-Ohio region. Sited in an area where the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Plains meet, Columbus is a fusion of many different parts of America. It is the home of Ohio State University (the nation’s second largest), which together with the Ohio Government has fuelled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus and created a business and research environment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of Ohio State University and other academic institutions in Columbus.

Cleveland

Drawing from its roots as a working man's town, Cleveland has toiled hard in recent years to prove that it’s a city on the move. It has some great shops and recreation areas and the dining scene is fast becoming a drawcard for foodies. However, Cleveland’s top attraction is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. More than a collection of memorabilia, though it does have Janis Joplin's psychedelic Porsche and Ray Charles' sunglasses, there are interactive multimedia exhibits that trace the history and social context of rock music and the performers who created it.

And why is the museum in Cleveland of all places? Because it’s the hometown of Alan Freed, the disk jockey who popularised the term “rock 'n' roll” in the early 50s.

Cincinnati

Cincinnati splashes up the Ohio River's banks and the prettiness of the city may surprise you. Here you will find haunted music-club mansions and twisting streets to hilltop Mt Adams. While in the city, don't forget to catch a baseball game and take a walk along the riverfront. Families will enjoy The Beach Waterpark located just half an hour from Cincinnati in Mason. Situated on over 35 acres, this unique, tropical park offers a lush getaway that features over 40 slides and entertainment attractions for kids of all ages.

Northwest Ohio

Home to Cedar Point and the world's biggest roller coaster, northwest Ohio has plenty of other ways to get the heart pumping, too. Explore train, plane and auto museums or some of northwest Ohio’s old forts. And make sure you hop on a ferry to Put-in-Bay for a Lake Erie Island adventure.

Put-in-Bay

Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island has been an ideal stopping point for boaters ever since Native Americans “put in at the bay” during their many journeys across Lake Erie. Since 1864 the island has been a tourist destination and hundreds of thousands of visitors have enjoyed the small town quality and quaintness of this island resort community every year.

More than three-quarters of a million visitors visit the downtown area each season and enjoy the Victorian era buildings that dominate Delaware Avenue. Put-in-Bay offers a wide variety of activities for the entire family including a narrated island tour, charter fishing, nine holes of golf, a visit to the historical museum, biplane rides, boating, sailing, swimming, parasailing, a nature trail, 18 holes of miniature golf, gem mining, an antique car museum and cave tours.

With two wineries, beautiful vineyards, excellent dining, RC car racing, kayaking, jet skiing and fishing, you won’t be looking for something to do! There’s also an eclectic mix of shops, each independently owned and filled with unique items. And there is a wide selection of musical entertainment. This very pretty island just about has it all and should not be missed if you get the chance to visit.

Central Ohio

From the hottest spots in German Village to the Ohio State Fair, one of the largest, most-loved state fairs in America, there's something for everyone in central Ohio. Enjoy symphonies and rock shows, balloon and pumpkin festivals, major and minor league sports, and so much more.

Southwest Ohio

If you love the great outdoors, you will love southwest Ohio with a dozen state parks, six nature preserves and eight hunting and fishing areas. You can relax on the beaches or go boating on the Ohio River.

Southeast Ohio

Escape to adventure and explore Old Man's Cave in Hocking Hills and take a wild ride through the woods by zip line or ATV. Rich with history, including the Hopalong Cassidy and Clark Gable museums and Captain Hook's Tomb, southeast Ohio is waiting to be explored.

Ohio's southeastern corner cradles most of its forested areas, as well as the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and scattered farms. Around Lancaster, southeast of Columbus, the hills lead gently into Hocking County, a region of streams and waterfalls, sandstone cliffs and cave-like formations.