Listen Here
Ohio destinations for perfect summer vacations
By Melissa Carrick
For the Pulse
As finals creep closer and closer, summer is on the mind all over campus. As some students might be dreaming of white sand, clear waters, and palm trees, others know that financially, a tropical getaway might not be realistic.
Although Ohio is often known for inconsistent weather and corn fields for miles, there are escapes and adventures to make and be had in the Buckeye state – especially during the summertime.
Cedar Point, the amusement park, is located in Sandusky, Ohio and is what thrill seekers live for.
“The park is known as an intense thrill park and has the most rides in the world at 78,” according to coaster-net.com. “You can spend one day at the park and not even get through half of the park.”
Cedar Point is known as the roller coaster capital of the world and is an affordable mini vacation with maximum fun. A day at this amusement park starts at $40, according to cedarpoint.com, which can be relatively cheap for all it has to offer. If the heat becomes too much guests can make their way over to Cedar Point’s waterpark, Soak City, to cool off.
Another great location with a lot to offer is Hocking Hills, located in Logan, Ohio, the state park offers endless hiking/biking trails, getaways in log cabins, and beautiful waterfalls among many other activities.
“I go to Hocking Hills all the time during the summer,” stated Chelsea McManaway, sophomore at the University of Findlay. “They have a bunch of different trails that have tremendous views of water falls and overhanging cliffs, I also like that there’s no phone signal in the park so it’s really a getaway.”
Another park Ohioans say is worth a visit is the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Brecksville, Ohio. As a national park, Cuyahoga Valley offers hiking, kayaking, fishing, horse trails, and camping.
Hocking Hills and Cuyahoga Valley are both great locations to spend the day or even a weekend for a family or friend getaway with nature.
For the animal lovers, it’s important to know that Ohio is home to several zoos, aquariums, and safaris.
There are different events during the summer in Ohio as well, such as 5K’s, festivals, and even a donut trail (a trail that leads to different donut shops). So, if nature or exercising is not in the summer agenda, Butler County Donut Trail can be a delicious destination.
“Grab a traveling donut companion and head out on a sweet new trail in Butler County,” stated the gettothebc.com website. “Follow the trail markers to find delicious donut shops.”
All travelers will need is to download the donut trail map and passport and once they have stopped and ate a donut at every shop to complete their donut passport a T-shirt will be rewarded.
Lastly, for the beach lovers, Ohio does have its fair share of beach getaways including Kelley’s Island, Marblehead, Maumee Bay, and many other secret or not-so-secret spots to cool off from the hot summer sun.
Ohio may not be a student’s ideal summer destination, but with some research and an open mind, adventure awaits.
