NEW in OHIO
C – Marion. Explore-It-Torium. 244 S. Main Street. https://www.exploreitmarion.org/. Tuesday-Friday 9am-3pm. $6.00 per person. Located in the historic Carnegie Library building, we are 10,000 square feet of fun. Come explore, imagine, create and learn in our hands-on play areas. Go camping and search for lost animals in the Nature Area. Plant, harvest and sell produce in the Barnyard. Build and race cars in the Maker Space or take things apart to see how they work. Cut, paste, paint and glue in the art room or put on a puppet show. Try out future careers in the Little City as a policeman, vet, doctor, nurse or mechanic.
CE – Cambridge. The Deerassic Park Education Center is a one of a kind place, where youth and families are encouraged to explore the outdoors, participate in outdoor education experiences and learn a lifelong love and appreciation for nature.
While here, guests will increase their knowledge of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and much more while also learning about the history of Deerassic Park.
No trip to Deerassic Park would be complete without getting a chance to view the live deer herd. Deerrassic Park offers two different viewing areas to see Ohio’s state mammals up close and personal.
Deerassic Park is easily accessible and near the intersection of Interstates 70 and 77. 14250 Cadiz Rd, Lore City, OH 43755 (Cambridge area, on Rte 22 near Salt Fork State Park). The Deerassic Park Welcome Center is open to the public for the season through , Thursdays & Fridays 2-6 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed Sunday-Wednesday). There is no admission fee. https://deerassic.com.
STATEWIDE – These Whimsical Storybook Trails At Ohio State Parks Are The Perfect Adventure For The Whole Family. https://www.columbusnavigator.com/storybook-trails-ohio-state-parks/
C – Columbus (Powell). Columbus Zoo & Aquarium’s Adventure Cove: Starting with California sea lions and harbor seals – species found along the Pacific coastline that are increasingly in need of our help – guests are offered awe-inspiring opps to view these intelligent, playful pinnipeds on land and underwater. It will make you giggle…
C – Mt Vernon. Ariel-Foundation Park is open April 1 through November 15. Daily hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and it’s completely free to visit. The park is located at 10 Pittsburgh Ave, Mt Vernon, OH 43050, about an hour northeast of Columbus. You can find more info and start planning your visit by visiting the Ariel-Foundation Park website.
CW – Dayton. Aullwood Audubon Nature Center. As an environmental education, sustainable agriculture, and Audubon Center of the National Audubon Society in western Ohio, Aullwood Audubon teaches, leads and inspires people to preserve, protect and enjoy nature, farming and the environment. Aullwood offers both children and adults the opportunity to encounter and appreciate the world through experience-based education. Discover our woods, streams, ponds, prairies, meadows, working sustainable farm, educational animal exhibits, and much more!
Aullwood Audubon is open 9 AM to 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday and 1 PM to 5 PM Sunday. Aullwood’s Nature Center, Farm Discovery Center, trails and property are closed on Mondays. Aullwood’s trails are only open during business hours. For holiday closings, please visit our Events page. Aullwood Audubon is open rain or shine. General admission tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. For this reason, we recommend carefully planning your visit to allow for adequate time to explore our facilities and our new “The Troll that Hatched an Egg” exhibit by Thomas Dambo.
CW – DAYTON Children’s Discovery Garden at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark https://whatshouldwedotodaycolumbus.com/wegerzyn-gardens-metropark-dayton-ohio/
CE – Middlefield. Corner Field Model Railroad Museum & Trading Post Train Shop. They’re a model train museum and also a hobby shop that sells, Lionel, MTH, etc electric trains. They have the Largest Family Owned Model Railroad in the United States. http://www.cornerfieldmodelrailroadmuseumandhobby.com/home.html.
Hours on Wednesday’s are 11AM to 4PM, Thursday’s 12PM to 4PM, Friday’s / Saturday’s of 11-4 and Sunday’s of 12-4. These hours will remain this way for a while. If any questions regarding the museum, call at 440-636-5162. 16720 Pioneer Road Middlefield, OH 44062
New Admission Price:
Adults: $10.00
Seniors: $8.00
Kids 4-12: $5.00
Under 3: Free
NC – Sandusky – White Star Quarry is located at 901 South Main Street, Gibsonburg, OH 43431. The beach is open for weekends only starting May 27, then daily starting June 10. This Ohio Quarry Has Tropical Vibes And Crystal Clear Water https://www.columbusnavigator.com/white-star-quarry-ohio/
S – Chillicothe. Grandpa Joe’s. 22 W Water St. They’re open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. One Hour From Columbus You’ll Find A Candy Shop With An Epic $5 Candy Buffet. Grandpa Joe’s is filled to the brim with nearly every candy you can imagine and tons of glass bottled soda pops.The shop is the place to go when you’re searching for that one favorite candy that you had as a kid but can’t find anywhere else. It definitely takes you back to sweeter and simpler times. https://grandpajoescandyshop.com/
S – Butterfly Ridge. Hocking Hills (Rockbridge). 17864 State Route 374, Rockbridge, OHIO, 43149. Butterfly Ridge is open every day except Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. There are guided tours each day at 1 and 3 p.m. or if you prefer, you can walk the one mile trail on your own. Admission is $5. On the property, you’ll find the hiking trail, a prairie, a treehouse, and a Nature Center & Gift Shop. Butterfly Ridge is located just 5 minutes from Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve and less than 10 minutes from Hocking Hills State Park. https://www.butterfly-ridge.com/
NW – Pumpkin Maze Playland. Pandora, OH (about 7 minutes from Bluffton) called Suter’s Produce. www.suterproduce.com. They have a new corn maze theme every year and go all out with costumes and decorations to fit the theme! (Click on “Corn Maze” to see all the past mazes.) Everyone in this area loves the corn maze, the hayride through the woods to the pumpkin patch and watching the old cider press work (on Wed. and Sat. mornings)! – Amy from Bluffton, Ohio
S – John Glenn Astronomy Park, Hocking Hills State Park. jgap.infoAn astronomy park in the Hocking Hills State park was inspired by our vanishing night sky. The Hocking Hills, in rural southeastern Ohio, is one of the few areas left in the state of Ohio where the night sky can be seen in its near pristine state. The observatory provides a venue for visitors to the Hocking Hills State park to experience the night sky through a large telescope and with their eyes.
The observatory also draws on the countless generations of humans who marked the important changes of the seasons through the motion of the sun and who built great structures that commemorated these days. The plaza has been designed to allow the rays of the sun to fall upon a special central point on the first day of each of the four seasons.
ADDITIONAL INFO
NE – Kirtland. HOLDEN ARBORETUM. (pg 164). Canopy Walk at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio features a 500 ft. long elevated walkway suspended 65 ft. above the forest floor. It gives visitors a truly unique perspective of the forest and the animals that live among the trees. And as an added bonus, there’s an observation tower on site that takes you up even further up—so much further that you end up above the trees.
S – BIG MUSKIE BUCKET/MINER’S MEMORIAL PARK/JESSE OWENS STATE PARK. 4470 E. State Route 78 McConnelsville, OH 43756. http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/jesseowens The Miner’s Memorial is a monument to the achievements of the men and women of AEP and its subsidiary Central Ohio Coal Company, located along State Route 78. One of the main attractions of this memorial is the Big Muskie, which is the largest dragline ever built. This “bucket” moved more than 483 million cubic yards of material while in operation from 1969 to 1991. Two school buses (side by side) or an entire marching band could fit inside the bucket!
The State Park is the newest and largest in Ohio. The rolling hills of Jesse Owens State Park and Wildlife Area are a success story in environmental stewardship, conservation and reclaiming land for outdoor recreation. Located in Morgan County and surrounded by thousands of acres of land open to public use, the 5,735-acre park and wildlife area is teeming with wildlife as well as ponds and waterways full of paddling, boating and fishing opportunities.
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