- The Toledo Zoo
The Toledo Zoo is a family favorite with planned activities all year round including rides, behind the scenes tours, playgrounds and interactive activities for kids of all ages. In addition to the zoo’s 4,700 species of animals, the large air-conditioned aquarium with interactive experiences, an ocean lab, and touch tank is a highlight that you won’t want to miss.
For those looking for more, the zoo offers a few extra experiences that require an additional fee. Ride the full-size African themed Carousel, the fun Safari Railway train, or hand-feed a giraffe.
For the even more adventurous, the zoo offers an Aerial Adventure Course with a zip line, sky bridge, and challenge course.
If you want to see everything, plan for at a 5-6 hour visit. You can bring your own snacks and lunch or visit their air-conditioned food court for several lunch options. There are also plenty of concessions throughout the zoo.
Toledo Zoo & Aquarium
2 Hippo Way, Toledo, OH 43609
(419)385-5721
Website
- Imagination Station
The Imagination Station is Toledo’s local science center with educational and fun activities for the whole family including a “Little Kidspace” designed for kindergarten age and younger children. Other activities include an interactive IDEA Lab with an animation station, design-your-own marble run, and air car race. You can also defy gravity by riding the high-wire bicycle or become a human yo-yo and be propelled up to 13 feet into the air on the BOYO attraction.
With hundreds of hands-on exhibits, special attractions and workshops, plan for at least a 4-hour visit. You can bring your own or purchase a hot lunch from their Atomic Cafe on site.
Be sure to check their online calendar of daily events when planning your visit and don’t miss popular roller coaster simulator before you leave!
Imagination Station1 Discovery Way, Toledo, OH 43604
(419)224-2674
Website
- Toledo Museum of Art
According to the museum, “Since its founding in 1901, the Toledo Museum of Art’s purpose is art education” and it does not let us down. With a long list of daily activities and demonstrations, there is always something to see, do, and learn and it all comes with the perfect price, FREE.
At no cost to visitors (other than parking for non-members), this internationally known museum offers more than 30,000 gallery pieces in all mediums from glass, paint and paper, to electronic media. It also hosts a fun, educational Family Center where families with young children can take a hands-on class and make art together.
A full schedule of their demonstrations and family activities can be found on their website.
Toledo Museum of Art2445 Monroe Street, Toledo, OH 43620
(419)255-8000
Website
- Toledo Botanical Garden
Celebrating more than 50 years of “growing,” the Toledo Botanical Garden is a free, year-round public garden full of nature’s beauty and activity. The gardens offer over 60 acres of display gardens and a two-acre urban farm where you can explore and learn about nature. You can walk and appreciate the large variety of plants and landscape sculptures, take a hands-on class, or enjoy a jazz performance during their summer concert series.
The Botanical Gardens also celebrate “Nurturing the Joy of Growing” with a variety of children’s programs. They offer nature investigations, healthy eating, urban farming, protecting water and soil, and learning about plants and animals through real-world education and environmental stewardship.
During the last full weekend of June, be sure to visit the Crosby Festival of Arts hosted at the Botanical Gardens. As the oldest outdoor arts festival in Northwest Ohio, the festival is a two-day art show, where you can enjoy a wide range of fine art including photography, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, glass and more.
Toledo Botanical Garden5403 Elmer Drive, Toledo, OH 43615
(419)536-5566
Website
- The Valentine Theatre
Since its renovation in 1999, this historic 120-year-old theatre offers diverse productions and performing arts experiences for all ages. The 901 seat theatre produces a huge list of events throughout the year. For special shows be sure to order tickets in advance, but you can always catch a musical, theatrical performance, or concert that will be sure to entertain the whole family.
The theatre also offers special “School Days” outreach programs sharing educational theatre experiences for school field trips. Most of the productions are about one hour in length and can be scheduled by contacting their outreach coordinator from their website.
The Valentine Theatre410 Adams Street, Toledo, OH 43604
(419)242-2787
Website
- Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
This beautiful nature preserve covers over 5,000 acres just outside of Toledo and is called home by a large range of plants and wildlife. It is considered a “bird watchers paradise” with a many birds nesting and migrating through the area, but is also home to the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly, southern flying squirrel, and a variety of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
You can visit Oak Openings Preserve for the day starting as early as 7 am. The main park closes at dark, but you can extend your visit and camp overnight. The park offers two primitive tent campsites, a tent platform campsite, and two rentable cabins.
With over 50 miles of trails, you’ll be able to explore the preserve by foot, bike, cross-country skis, or horseback. Visit their website for rental information and trail maps.
Oak Openings Preserve4139 Girdham Road, Swanton, OH 43558
(419)360-9179
Website
- Fort Meigs
The reconstructed Fort Meigs is located in Perrysburg on Ohio’s War of 1812 battlefield. Although the original fort was destroyed by fire after the war, it has been rebuilt with a museum and education center now including 3,000 square feet of exhibits to tell the story of the soldiers who fought and lived there during Ohio’s role in the war of 1812.
The Museum, Education Center, and Battlefield are family friendly and include many original artifacts from the war to help share the history of the time through interactive blockhouse exhibits, guided tours and multimedia presentations.
With a beautiful view of the Maumee River, you and your family can enjoy a day trip through history together. Plan for a minimum of three-hour visit.
Fort Meigs
29100 W. River Rd, Perrysburg, OH 43551
(419)874-4121
Website
- Fossil Park
As one of only two geological parks in the world with Devonian Era sites, Fossil Park is fun for the whole family. Bring your buckets and plan on getting dirty as you dig for fossilized brachiopods, coral and other prehistoric life that lived in Ohio 375 million years ago.
The soft shale is easy enough to break open with bare hands, so tools are unnecessary and prohibited, but it is recommended that you bring a brush to clean your fossils and a container to carry them home. If the weather is sunny, be sure to bring sunscreen since the digging areas are uncovered without trees or shade.
The park also offers a variety of other activities including a playground, walking and bike trails, fishing, picnic areas with grills, snow sledding and volleyball courts. Pets are allowed in most areas except the fossil pit. Admission and fossil hunting are free of charge to all visitors.https://a5818d56dca6f962bb26bdeaf1620c63.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Fossil Park5675 Centennial Road, Sylvania, OH
(419)882-8313
Website
- Swan Creek Park
Located in downtown Toledo, Swan Creek Park offers a nature break when enjoying the many things to do in Toledo.
The park offers five trails with scenic overlooks, a swinging bridge, indoor and outdoor picnic shelters, and two playgrounds. There are also many wildlife viewing areas and feeding stations featured through the park, including a “Windows on Wildlife” mini-nature center.
Open 7am until dark each day, Swan Creek Park is a great place for a nature break for you and your family when visiting the city.
Swan Creek Park4301 Airport Hwy, Toledo, OH 43615
(419)360-9186
Website
- Indian Creek Zoo
Although Indian Creek Zoo is not officially in Toledo or even in Ohio, it’s worth the short 20 minute trip from downtown and across the Michigan border, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Toledo.
This small private zoo offers families the opportunity to meet and encounter a variety of animals up close and personal. In fact, you’re invited to feed many of the animals including rabbits, goats, llamas, donkeys, and camels.
Would you like to pet a sloth or feed a giraffe? With a little advance planning and an additional fee, you can schedule a Sloth Encounter and visit with Hokey and Pokey the zoo’s resident sloths or spend time with Puzzles the giraffe and his friend Jigsaw the alpaca.
Many consider this little zoo a local “gem” that can’t be missed, especially for families with young children. You can experience the zoo comfortably in about 2 hours. The zoo is closed during the coldest part of the winter, so be sure to check their website for their current hours when planning your visit.
Indian Creek Zoo. 2740 Consear Road, Lambertville, MI 48144
(734)224-0390
Website
0 Comments