Northwest Ohio: A lot to do right in our own backyard

The Toledo Museum of Art is visible through the arches of Alexander Calder’s sculpture 'Stegosaurus.'

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
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Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky is a national attraction in northwest Ohio.

Northwest Ohio is a traveler’s paradise, especially come summertime. From amusement and water parks to a noted baseball stadium, museum, and zoo, the list of activities worth doing will almost certainly exceed the time you have to do them.

Here are 10 recommendations to get you started:

● Cedar Point, 1 Cedar Point Dr., Sandusky (Erie County)

Cedar Point has more rides (70 plus) and coasters (17) than any amusement park in the world.

New attractions: Pipe Scream will take thrill seekers over 302 feet of track, flying 43 feet above the midway at 43 mph, as it twists and spins; Lake Erie Eagles (riders sit in one of eight “eagles” suspended from arms 28 feet in the air. As the ride spins, the eagles will swing outward); Frog Hopper, relocated to Camp Snoopy, is now Woodstock’s Airmail, and Jr. Gemini is now Wilderness Run; and Light House Point — 52 new deluxe cabins, accommodating up to 10 guests

Least-busy days are Tuesdays through Thursdays. Operating hours vary through Sept. 7; weekends only Sept. 12 through Nov. 2. Admission, Cedar Point: $59.99 for those age 3 and older, 48 inches or taller; or $34.99 for senior citizens 62 and older and those age 3 and older who are less than 48 inches tall in shoes; free for children 2 and younger. Online, military, evening, combo and group rates available. Information: 419-627-2350, www.cedarpoint.com

● Biking and hiking trails (Lucas County)

Metroparks of the Toledo Area manages more than 150 miles of bicycle and all-purpose trails across 10 parks. Some trails wind around the river, and others extend into neighboring counties. The trails are used by the more than three million visitors each year. Trails range from one-quarter-mile to 15 miles. The paths wind along the Maumee River and through some of the rarest ecosystems on the planet. Information: metroparkstoledo.com.

● Sauder Village, 22611 State Rt. 2, Archbold (Fulton County)

Experience history up close at Sauder Village, Ohio’s largest living-history village. The village is made up of 40 historic homes, shops, farms, and gardens. A costumed staff leads activities and demonstrations of daily rural life in the 19th and early 20th centuries, while craftsmen blend skill and creativity in glass, metals, fabric, wood, and clay. Guests can also sample homemade foods. The village hosts many special events and exhibits during the summer, and also houses a collection of historic and vintage textiles and agriculture equipment. Information: saudervillage.com.

● Monsoon Lagoon, 1530 S. Danbury Rd. N., Port Clinton (Ottawa County)

A three-story slide, lazy river, adventure treehouse, go-carts, a miniature golf course, and a bumper-boat pond are among the park’s attractions. Open daily, operating hours vary May 24-26, May 31-June 1, June 7 through Aug. 24, and Aug. 30-Sept. 1; call for details. Admission: water park, $17, or $10 for senior citizens 62 and older, free for children 2 and younger; Do-it-all passes available. Parking is free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online. Information: 419-732-6671, 1-866-732-6671, www.monsoonlagoonwaterpark.com.

● Centennial Terrace, 5773 Centennial Rd., Sylvania, (Lucas County)

An intimate venue with a seating capacity of about 1,000. Performances: May 24 (8 p.m.): the Beach Boys; June 19 (8 p.m.): the Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas; June 20 (8 p.m.): Chris Young; June 21 (8 p.m.): Get the Led Out; July 11 (8 p.m.): Tesla; July 12 (8 p.m.): 1964 — the Tribute; July 23 (7:30 p.m.): Boz Scaggs; July 31 (8 p.m.): Happy Together Tour. Parking: $5. Tickets: $12.50 to $65 at www.etix.com or Toledo’s Stranahan Theater box office: 419-381-8851. Information: 419-882-1500, www.centennialterrace.org.

● Armstrong Air & Space Museum, 500 Apollo Dr., Wapakoneta (Auglaize County)

The museum chronicles Ohio’s contributions to the history of space flight, including the accomplishments of Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $8, or $7 for senior citizens 60 and older, $4 for children 6 to 12, free for children 5 and younger. Parking is free on site. Information: 419-738-8811, www.armstrongmuseum.org.

● Imagination Station, 1 Discovery Way (corner of Summit and Adams streets), Toledo (Lucas County)

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The hands-on science-and-learning center also features a simulation theater. Admission is $10, or $9 for senior citizens 65 and older, $8 for children 3 to 12, free for children 2 and younger. Parking in nearby surface lots. The special exhibit “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” featuring artifacts recovered from the ocean floor along with room re-creations and personal stories, runs through June 15. Information: 419-244-2674, www.imaginationstationtoledo.org.

The Toledo Museum of Art is visible through the arches of Alexander Calder’s sculpture 'Stegosaurus.'

● Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St. at Scottwood Avenue, Toledo (Lucas County)

The museum covers 4½ acres on two levels, with 45 galleries; the Glass Pavilion features five galleries. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, although fees are charged for some special exhibits. Parking: $5. Special exhibits: “In Fine Feather: Birds, Art & Science,” featuring works by noted bird artists and illustrators including Audubon, Alexander Wilson, John Gould and Roger Tory Peterson (through July 6); “The Art of Video Games,” focusing on the emergence of video games as a means of storytelling and audience engagement (June 19 through Sept. 28); and “Venetian Glass Birds: Lino Tagliapietra” celebrating the annual songbird migration through the marshes along the southern shore of Lake Erie, the chosen works represent three of Tagliapietra’s recent glass-blowing series (through June 22). The exhibit “The Great War: Art on the Front Line” marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I (1914–1918) on July 28. It includes paintings, sculpture, and works on paper by Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz, Childe Hassam, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Kathe Kollwitz, and others and runs July 25 through Oct. 19. Information: 419-255-8000, www.toledomuseum.org.

● Toledo Mud Hens, Fifth Third Field, 406 Washington St., Toledo (Lucas County)

The Detroit Tigers’ triple-A affiliate is an International League rival of the Columbus Clippers. Home games: May 26-29 vs. Durham; May 30-June 2 vs. Charlotte; June 12-15 vs. Buffalo; June 16-19 vs. Scranton; June 28-29 vs. Columbus; July 2-3 vs. Columbus; July 10-13 vs. Pawtucket; July 17-20 vs. Louisville; July 29-Aug. 1 vs. Norfolk; Aug. 7-10 vs. Lehigh Valley; Aug. 12-14 vs. Indianapolis; Aug. 15-17 vs. Columbus; Aug. 23-25 vs. Louisville; Aug. 26-27 vs. Columbus. Admission: $10, or $8 for senior citizens and children 3 to 12; free for children 2 and younger. Parking in nearby lots. Tickets/​information is available at the Mud Hens office, 419-725-4367, at the park, or online, www.mudhens.com.

● Toledo Zoo, 2 Hippo Way, Toledo (Lucas County)

More than 6,000 animals representing 500-plus species live on the 74-acre grounds. Big attractions: Penguin Beach, opening Friday, is an all-new animal space that takes Toledo Zoo visitors right through the exhibit with a holding pool, nesting dens, on-site quarantine facility, and an outdoor space with land, stream, and 20,000-gallon pool. Flamingo Key, opening the same day, provides visitors an island getaway with more than 20 Caribbean Flamingos,15 grey chicks with five adults of stunning color; while experiences throughout the zoo feature prehistoric creatures, flying reptiles and more. Open: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, until 6 p.m. weekends, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission: $15, or $12 for senior citizens 60 and older and children 2 to 11, free for children younger than 2. Parking: $7, or $15 for vehicles that take more than one space Information: 419-385-4040, www.toledozoo.org.