Things to Do

You may be thinking... "Oh, what the hell? We're going to Ohio!?" and then you probably look at a map and see the state of Iowa and you get yourself all confused.

First, it's O-H-I-O... so it's time to get yourself trained for the classic Ohio call and response, especially since you'll be arriving near the start of the college football season...

"O-H-" says one Buckeye fan, "I-O" says the next and so on. So you've got it... you're going to Ohio! And don't forget, it's pop, not soda!

With that said, we would love for you to explore as much as you can on your own in addition to our planned events --whatever your time with us allows. Check out our recommendations below - they are listed by proximity from Oregon, Ohio, and are shown on the Google Map here.

Hover over each title below and click through to check out each activity's official site.

THE GERMAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL

Set on ten acres of wooded land, the German American Festival (GAF) is an annual celebration of German and Swiss culture and it's the second largest in the country! With authentic German beer, food, music and dance performances, the GAF offers the traditional feel of a summer festival. The festival runs August 26th-28th with the following hours: Friday 6:00 pm - 1:00 am, Saturday 2:00 pm - 1:00 am and Sunday 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm. Depending on where you stay this weekend, there may be a complimentary shuttle to and from the fest!

Grab 'das boot' and enjoy a couple of hours pre- or post- wedding at the fest!

TONY PACKO'S CAFE

A favorite of Joe's, Tony Packo's Cafe is one of the oldest restaurants in the Toledo area and probably the most famous! Popularized by Toledo actor, Jamie Farr of the beloved TV show M*A*S*H, this restaurant serves unforgettable hot dogs (try the MOAD // the mother of all dogs!) and delicious Hungarian home cooking (chicken paprikas and noodles is the bomb!)

There are two convenient locations:

The Original Tony Packo's | This location is on the East Side of Toledo and is the closest location to Oregon. It's also the original spot where it all began in Birmingham Village which used to be a traditional Hungarian neighborhood.
Packo's at the Park | This location is in downtown Toledo near Fifth Third Field and is within walking distance to the Welcome Party!

National museum of the Great Lakes

When visiting Northwest Ohio, it's hard to miss the Great Lake Erie. It's part of the 5 Great Lakes that are the most important natural resource in the world. Visiting this new museum, you'll also learn that they are an integral part of thousands of years of history. The Lakes have dramatically impacted the social, economic and political history of the North American continent. Stop in to see over 300 artifacts and 40 interactive exhibits and take a tour of the historical Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship.

Land Ho! Admission is around $12.

HOLLYWOOD CASINO

The Hollywood Casino offers a fun night for those who like to take a gamble or just sip on a free pop (A favorite of Kate's Aunt Connie).

Enjoy slots, table games and a poker room with a full service bar and live musical entertainment!

IMAGINATION STATION

A great option for those visiting us with kids and science lovers alike, the Imagination Station offers a fun place to visit for an afternoon. With a mission to provide the community with a fun and informal science education, the center's interactive exhibits are great way to spend some time in the city.

Admission is $11 for adults with discounts for kids and seniors.

The TOLEDO MUD HENS + HENSVILLE

One of our favorite things to do with our Ohio family and friends is to take in a Toledo Mud Hens game downtown.

The team is a AAA farm team for the Detroit Tigers (In Joe's first Mud Hens game he got to see Maglio Ordonez hit a homer!) The atmosphere down by the ballpark is lively + fun, and the tickets + beers are cheap!

Make sure to stop by one of the games the weekend of the wedding to see Muddy and Mudonna, the team mascots, and firework displays after each game.

THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART

The Toledo Museum of Art is an internationally know art museum located in the Old West End neighborhood. It offers a collection of more than 30,000 objects in its main Greek Revival building and its separate Glass Pavilion located across the street. Since you will be visiting during the summer months, we also recommend taking a short walk around the outside of the main building to enjoy the Sculpture Garden.

The museum was originally founded by Edward Drummon Libbey, a Toledo glassmaker. The last name may sound familiar due to the worldwide presence of Libbey Glass products. Their success in glass manufacturing gave Toledo the nickname of the Glass City.

A note about the museum-- it's free to the public and continually has traveling exhibitions as well as artwork by some of Kate's favorites: Matisse, Van Gogh + Monet.

THE TOLEDO ZOO

Another fun place Joe + Kate like to visit, the Toledo Zoo is an award-winning animal sanctuary - USA Today ranked it #1 in America in 2014.

Some fun facts:

While the Zoo itself has grown and expanded, many of the original buildings still in use on the campus were built by the Works Progress Administration!
It all began in 1900 when a woodchuck was donated to the Zoo but today it now boasts over 700 species.

Enjoy a morning or afternoon at the Zoo's new Aquarium (re-opened in 2015) and many other exhibits including Africa!, African Savana, Cheetah Valley and Penguin Beach among others -- Everybody's zooing it!

Admission for adults is around $20 with discounts for kids and seniors. Check their website for coupons.

PUT-IN-BAY

Put-In-Bay or South Bass Island is an island in the middle of Lake Erie and during the summer months it's a place where many locals go to cut loose and relax.

A short boat ride (the Jet Express) or a more relaxing + cheaper ferry ride (the Miller Ferry) will get you to the island for a day of drinking and exploring.

Things to do on the island:

Visit any one of the island's popular bars - our favorites are Frosty's for beer and pizza, Mr. Ed's, the Roundhouse Bar and the Beer Barrel for the world's longest bar
Grab a golf cart or tandem bicycle and explore Perry's Victory monument which commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie in one of the most significant naval battles during the War of 1812. You can see Canada from the top!
Discover Heineman's winery and Crystal Cave – the world's largest geode.

CEDAR POINT

Quite possibly Joe's favorite place to visit in Ohio, Cedar Point is the place for thrill seekers!

With more than 16 roller coasters, getting to the Point is a must for those who love fast rides, touching the sky and screaming your head off! Two new rides, the Rougarou and Valravn, will be added by summer 2016 so if you can make the stop (only a one hour drive from Oregon), we highly recommend it!

Let us know if you want to add this to your itinerary, we can help you find discounted tickets.