The Lake Erie port city of Toledo, Ohio, makes a great jumping-off point for exploring the Great Lakes region or an awesome summer destination all on its own. In fact, it was recently recognized for its family-friendly and affordable attractions, taking the top spot in Forbe’s 2023 list of the “Most Affordable Cities for Family Vacations.”
Toledo and its suburbs offer a plethora of big city amenities while maintaining many of the benefits of a smaller city—low cost, minimal traffic, plenty of parking, etc. The city’s residents and visitors enjoy a rich array of cultural, outdoor, and entertainment opportunities in this thriving city. In fact, Toledo boasts an impressive number of accolades as home to acclaimed museums, sports facilities, parks, zoo, and more, making it a great place to spend some of your summer vacation. Continue reading for our list of 25 things you must do in and around Toledo this summer!
1. Cruise the Maumee River: Whether you are taking your own boat out or catching a ride on The Sandpiper, boating the Maumee River is about as summery as it gets. Drop your anchor and take a dip at the shallow sandbar located near Rossford, find a secluded spot to drop a fishing line, enjoy the local river wildlife and lovely waterfront views, park your boat and stop for a bite to eat at one of The Docks restaurants, and be sure to make a stop at the next item on our list!
2. Check Out the Glass City River Wall: While you are out on the river, be sure to stop and marvel at the Glass City River Wall. As the much-celebrated largest mural in the United States, the Glass City River Wall is a Toledo must-see. The mural’s construction is a community-organized and funded art project located at an operational ADM grain facility on the east bank of the Maumee River. It includes 28 silos measuring approximately 160,000 square feet. Artist Gabe Gault created the mural design, which was painted by a team of local artists. The sunflowers reference a historically important crop to the region, and the portraits represent the Indigenous peoples of the lower Great Lakes who first farmed along the Maumee River’s banks. The mural can be seen from various vantage points around the area, including the highways, but the best view is from the Maumee River. It’s also received national attention, with a profile on CBS’ Sunday Morning and other press.
3. Enjoy a Lunch Date at the Toledo Museum of Art: If you are in need of a cool, quiet retreat this summer, make a lunch date for the Toledo Museum of Art. The Museum Café offers a delicious menu of fresh sandwiches and salads. Named “Best Ohio Attraction” in a recent USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest as well as “Best Art Museum in Ohio” in 2017 by Ohio Magazine, TMA offers numerous opportunities to explore art of all types through its permanent collection, special exhibits, classes, camps, The Peristyle theater, and its unique Glass Pavilion. The family center even offers opportunities for children to be artists with daily painting and craft projects. After you enjoy lunch, check out TMA’s impressive collection, which includes works by Rubens, Fragonard, Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, El Greco, Turner, Degas, Monet, Cézanne, Matisse, and Picasso, among many others. Some of our favorite pieces include Fragonard’s “Blind Man’s Bluff” and “The Architect’s Dream” by Thomas Cole. Enjoy the summer weather by taking a stroll around the outdoor gardens and art installations.
4. Take Yourself Out to a Ballgame at Fifth Third Field: Summer and baseball go hand in hand, and we love catching a Mud Hens game at Fifth Third Field! The minor league Mud Hens enjoy a lot of love from their hometown—and Toledoans also enjoy a lovely stadium that rivals even some major leagues ballparks. The ballpark, located in Toledo’s Warehouse District, is well-integrated into the downtown restaurant scene with Hensville offering multiple dining and entertainment options.
5. Explore Metroparks Toledo’s Whimsical Nature-Themed Playgrounds: Metroparks Toledo’s park system is expansive, well-maintained, diverse, and gorgeous in all seasons. Recently voted the best parks system in the country, we are not short of reasons why Metroparks Toledo is deserving of the accolades. With a tagline encouraging visitors to “Get Outside Yourself,” Metroparks Toledo delivers an impressively vast array of experiences that will appeal to nearly any type of outdoor visitor. From archery to horseback riding, birding to camping, photography to mountain biking—Metroparks Toledo has it all! One of our favorite attractions in the metroparks is the unique nature-themed playgrounds. These whimsical and larger-than-life playgrounds are located throughout the system, including at Pearson, Oak Openings, Farnsworth, and Secor metroparks, and give kids and adults alike a chance to feel like they are scurrying amongst the local wildlife.
6. Walk the DORA: Toledo’s Downtown Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) gives you a chance to enjoy the fresh summer air while sipping on your favorite adult beverage and taking in the sights of the vibrant downtown. Launched in 2017, the DORA was expanded in 2020 to include the Central Business District, Warehouse District, east and west riverfronts, The Docks and Summit Street between Cherry and Bush, giving you plenty of room to roam. Pick up a designated cup at more than 30 participating restaurants, pubs and entertainment venues and stroll away. We love meandering along the river, walking around Fifth Third Field when a ballgame is playing, or enjoying the sights and sounds of a lively downtown event. Check out a map and list of participating restaurants from Destination Toledo here!
7. Get Up Close and Personal with the Animals at the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium: We’ve visited a lot of zoos around the United States over years, and we’ve never seen anything quite like the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium. The Toledo Zoo and Aquarium houses more than 10,000 animals from 720 species, including plenty of hands-on opportunities. Interactive opportunities include a petting zoo, aquarium touch tanks, walk-through section in the aviary, walk-through rainforest and prairie exhibits in the Museum of Natural History, Tower Ridge giraffe feed deck (extra cost), daily animal feedings (we think the hippo feedings are pretty neat!), and staff educational sessions where they share animals to pet or animal pelts and other educational offerings.
8. Wade the River at Nature’s Neighborhood: While you are at the Toledo Zoo enjoying the animals, spend some time cooling off and building river dams in Nature’s Neighborhood’s river play area. This educational and interactive exhibit is a great way to stay cool in the summer heat. It is also adjacent a mud kitchen and play area and conveniently located near restrooms, a new quick-serve Monarch Marketplace concession, and The Museum of Natural History.
9. Catch a 3D Movie at Imagination Station: Who doesn’t love watching movies in a dark theatre to escape the stifling summer heat? We love catching a 3D movie at Imagination Station‘s 8,200-square-foot KeyBank Discovery Theater. This huge 58-foot wide, 4K screen—and the help of the complimentary 3D glasses—make you feel like you are swimming with ocean creatures, burrowing with groundhogs, and soaring with eagles! The entire museum is entertaining and educational, so you will definitely want to stay and play. Also, beginning June 1, 2023, you can also check out an awe-inspiring new exhibit called “Ultimate Dinosaurs: Meet a New Breed of Beast.”
10. Peruse the Beauty of the Toledo Botanical Garden: The Toledo Botanical Garden offers 60 acres of display gardens and plant collections, in addition to the Artisan Village, the region’s largest public collection of sculptures. While you are there, be sure to check out the Secret Forest playground, which features a charming collection of treehouse-inspired towers, climbing walls, and rope bridges for little ones to play on.
11. Gather at Promenade Park: Promenade Park is a significant spot for those Toledoans who still remember the Party in the Park and Rally by the River events from the 1990s. Today, Promedica’s investment in their downtown Steam Plant location has seen the area renovated to include a splash pad, art installation and amphitheater area overlooking the Maumee River. Promedica hosts events throughout the summer, including concerts and a summer movie series.
12. Tour the National Museum of the Great Lakes: The National Museum of the Great Lakes is a true Toledo gem, offering 40 hands-on immersive and interesting exhibits, an impressive collection of more than 300 artifacts, and the chance to actually step inside and tour two historic ships, the 617-foot iron ore freighter Col. James M. Schoonmaker and the Museum Tug Ohio. The privilege of hosting a national museum entirely devoted to the Great Lakes region is not something Toledo takes lightly. That is obvious by the extensive development Toledo has invested in surrounding the museum, including the newest Glass City Metropark (see its special spot on this list!), which opened in June 2023.
13. Meditate at “The Spot.” This special region of Oak Openings Metropark has become a locally famous area for photographers and nature lovers alike. Search #thenwohiospot on Instagram and you will see why. Walking through the area, which totals 4 acres of more than 2,000 red pine trees, transports you away from the hustle and bustle of the popular park into what feels like the illustrated pages of a fairy tale. This area is stunning all times of year and continues to attract visitors from outside of Toledo due to its ethereal beauty and sense of calm. “The Spot” can be found on Girdham Road near Monclova Road, adjacent to the horse trail.
14. Enjoy a Day—or week—at Maumee Bay State Park: Located in nearby Oregon, Maumee Bay State Park is the closest state park to Toledo (the next nearest being Kelleys Island and East Harbor state parks). It also offers a variety of fun summertime activities as well as a beautiful lodge and campground. Lounge at one of its two beaches, purchase a day pass for the lodge pool and splash pad, climb the “Big Hill,” bike around the campground and various trails, cast a few lines in several fishing ponds, practice your drive at the fantastic golf course, or take a walk on the nature boardwalk. Maumee Bay is worth the short drive for anyone visiting Toledo.
15. Dine Al Fresco on a Restaurant Patio: Ohio winters can be brutal, so Toledoans know you have to take advantage of patio weather when you can. Destination Toledo has put together a very handy outdoor dining guide. One of our favorite Toledo patios is at Souk Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar. We also love spending time on the river at any of the outdoor patios at the The Docks, especially Real Seafood Company.
16. Rock Out to Live Music: Myriad live music options are available in Toledo, including events at local restaurants, Hollywood Casio, Stranahan Theater, and the Promedica Summer Concert Series. The Toledo Zoo’s historic amphitheater is a marvel in its own right, but listening to great music under the stars there is an experience you don’t want to miss. During its summer concert series, the zoo will be welcoming headliners Barenaked Ladies, Chicago, Kids Bop, and Matchbox 20.
17. Delve Into NW Ohio History: The region’s history is on full display in many of the Metroparks Toledo properties, including preserved remnants of three original locks from the Erie Canal system at Side Cut Metropark, a replica of an historic canal boat (and canal boar rides!) and Isaac Ludwig Mill at Providence Metropark, the Fallen Timbers Battlefield, and the 1938 historic Manor House at Wildwood Metropark. Other history options include Toledo’s historic neighborhoods, such as the Old West End.
18. Camp Out at Cannaley Treehouse Village: The only public treehouse village in the country, Cannaley Treehouse Village is a simply magical place to spend a summer night. Located at Oak Openings Metropark, the village includes four- and six-person treehouses plus three raised platforms attached to trees for tent and hammock camping.” Each treehouse includes electricity and air conditioning, and guests can enjoy a lighted path to the group gathering area that includes a campfire pit and seating. The treehouses book quickly. Follow the Metroparks on social media for updates on available nights!
19. Spend a Nostalgic Movie Night at Parkside Drive-In: Just outside of Toledo in Oregon is the newly re-opened Parkside Drive-In movie theater. Area drive-in aficionados will recall that this historic theater was recently saved from permanent closure by a group known as Save Our Screen. Formerly known as the Sundance Kid Drive-in, the Parkside has been renamed in honor of its original name when it opened in 1949. Today, the drive-in offers movies on two screens along with concessions and is possibly the most nostalgic of summertime activities in the Toledo area.
20. Marvel at Toledo’s Historic Collection of WPA Architecture: Toledo is home to several excellent examples of Works Progress Administration (WPA) architecture, structures built in the 1930s to help provide jobs and revitalize the Great Depression economy. Most of these buildings can be found in at the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium. The entire zoo is a veritable treasure trove of WPA buildings. Some can’t-miss buildings include the Aquarium, Reptile House, The Aves (aviary), the Amphitheater, and the Promedica Museum of Natural History. The zoo’s leadership has preserved as much as possible of the original architecture through years of refurbishments and renovations, making this a stunning collection of WPA nostalgia and beauty. The Toledo Main Branch Library is another good example of WPA architecture in the area. It has seen major renovations over the years, but much of its original charm has been preserved.
21. Spend an Afternoon at the New Glass City Metropark: Glass City Metropark, the newest amongst Metroparks Toledo’s offerings, is nothing short of spectacular. The park features multiple playgrounds, a splashpad, event spaces, and The Ribbon, a 1,000-foot paved multi-use loop opened for ice skating in the winter of 2023 and used for walking, roller skating, or scooters in the summer months. Roller skates, scooters, and more can be rented from the adjacent Market Hall, which also includes a restaurant, restrooms, and lockers.
22. Take a Day Trip to A Lake Erie Island: Yes, Ohio has islands! And they are summertime hot spots for tourists and locals alike. Toledo is conveniently located within an hour of the Miller and Jet Express ferries that will take you to Put-in-Bay/South Bass Island, Kelleys Island, and Middle Bass Island. Enjoy a daytime getaway or make a vacation of it by spending the night. There are enough entertainment options to keep your summer schedule jam-packed.
23. Take Part in a Dig at Fossil Park: If you are interested in prehistoric life, or simply enjoy digging, check out the Toledo suburb of Sylvania’s Fossil Park. Kids and adults can spend time digging in a designated area of Fossil Park’s 5-acres rock quarry, purportedly one of “only two prime Devonian Era sites on the entire planet.” Diggers can find corals, brachiopods, echinoderms, and trilobites. Be sure to bring a spare change of clothes and shoes. You will get dusty!
24. Attend a Fair, Festival, or Farmer’s Market: The Toledo area comes alive in the summertime with tons of festivals, fairs, and farmer’s markets. One of our favorite festivals is the Crosby Festival of the Arts at the Toledo Botanical Garden. If you enjoy art, the Momentum Art and Culture Festival will take place later in the summer as well. The Toledo Beer and Bacon Festival brings two of our favorite things together and Jeep Fest celebrates Toledo’s long partnership with Jeep. We love the Toledo Farmer’s Market as well as others in local suburbs, such as Perrysburg.
25. Kayak the Maumee River Water Trail: If you are in the mood for a little exercise with a view, bust out your kayak and take a trip down the Maumee River Water Trail. The trail, which covers more than 100 miles from Lake Erie’s Maumee Bay to the Ohio-Indiana border, includes 39 access points and connects five Toledo Metroparks (Bend View, Farnsworth, Middlegrounds, Providence, and Side Cut), three state parks (Independence Dam, Mary Jane Thurston, and Maumee Bay), three wildlife areas (Meyerholtz, North Turkeyfoot, and Van Tassel), and 15 other publicly owned parks, according to Destination Toledo.
