What to do and see in Ohio, United States: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas

January 10, 2022 Madelene Haan

If you are looking for an active place to stay with world-class attractions, Ohio’s major cities can satisfy any vacation desire. Each offers its own distinct flavor of fun, from professional sports – Bengals (Cincinnati), Cavaliers (Cleveland) and Indians (Cleveland again) – to museums, outdoor activities and more. One of the most famous is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. If football is your thing, don’t miss the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. For the science-minded, visit the meat eaters at the Carnivore Conservation Center in the Wilds near Cambridge, dedicated to the breeding and scientific study of endangered mid-sized carnivores. Kids will also love Planet Snoopy in Sandusky or the Columbus Zoo’s Zoombezi Bay Waterpark and Jack’s Landing rides.
Restaurants in Ohio

1. Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve

2514 Cleveland Rd E State Route 6, Huron, OH 44839-9720 +1 419-433-4601 http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/oldwomancreek#tabr2
Excellent
77%
Good
21%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 48 reviews

Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve

Watch birds of prey such as bald eagles and osprey hunt for fish.

Reviewed By davidhaupt123 - Vermilion, United States

Great hidden gem which offers a nice trail appropriate for leisure walking or some off the trail hiking as well. Scenic view of creek and Marsh that is home to a variety of wildlife including Great Egrets, Blue Herons, and a variety of other animals. Must do if you're in the area and enjoy the outdoors.

2. Oak Openings Preserve

4139 Girdham Rd, Toledo, OH 43558-9667 +1 419-826-6463 http://www.metroparkstoledo.com/metro/parksandplaces/index.asp
Excellent
86%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 216 reviews

Oak Openings Preserve

Reviewed By allisonnorden - Port Clinton, United States

One of my favorite parks in the Toledo Metropark system, this park gives you all the beauty and thrill of nature! I highly recommend visiting in the fall... early to mid November. The leaves are amazing with their colors! When visiting, I suggest parking at the Lodge and walking trails down to Mallard Lake. You can do the Blue trail to see quite a bit of the area around there, including many bird species!

3. Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum

4521 Spring Grove Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45232-1934 +1 513-681-7526 http://www.springgrove.org/
Excellent
83%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 736 reviews

Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum

Reviewed By chellye - Lexington, United States

Visited to see the grave of General Joseph Hooker. What a beautiful site! Very well maintained and tons of interesting monuments. Definitely going back in the spring when the weather is nice.

4. Cincinnati Nature Center

4949 Tealtown Rd, Milford, OH 45150-9752 +1 513-831-1711 http://www.cincynature.org
Excellent
83%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 161 reviews

Cincinnati Nature Center

Just minutes away from the downtown urban core, Cincinnati Nature Center offers tranquility and solace among 1,800 acres of forests, fields, streams and ponds. With twenty miles of award-winning trails on two picturesque properties, the Nature Center provides spectacular experiences for people of all ages during all seasons. From enchanting spring wildflowers to the dazzling colors of autumn, the ever-changing beauty of nature attracts more than 200,000 visitors each year. With more members than any other nature center in the country, Cincinnati Nature Center provides the community with a unique and valuable education resource for innovative, nature-based learning opportunities in a variety of formats. School field trips, family and adult seasonal programming, summer camps, teacher retreats, in-school programs and volunteer classes all help connect individuals with nature.

Reviewed By hobartsabroad - Antalya, Turkey

I was honestly shocked by how beautiful the Cincinnati Nature Center is! Great place for hiking and relaxing all year round. Something I didn't realize is how large the grounds are. Plenty of trails for both short and longer walks/ hikes. Highly recommend!

5. The 577 Foundation

577 E Front St, Perrysburg, OH 43551-2135 +1 419-874-4174 http://www.577foundation.org/
Excellent
91%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 108 reviews

The 577 Foundation

Reviewed By johnkT7029HS

A well known name in Toledo's elite families!. Virginia was such a lovely lady!. She loved all people, but had a real heart for helping the less fortunate. It shows at her estate grounds. Here, you'll find a gently used bookstore full of wonderful kids books, and all the way up to love novels for adults! There are many useful classes offered here for many different hobbies. Also, Virginia set aside an area for a multi-person gardening!. For apartment livers, who live to garden but don't have anywhere to do that, you can do it here! Also, a wonderful grounds to simply take a stroll and relax on the Riverside!. The grounds are well taken care of, and absolutely beautiful during the fall colors! This is one of the hidden JEWELS of Perrysburg, Ohio. For those who love it, it's simply known as The 577!!!

6. F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm

1828 Smith Rd, Akron, OH 44313-5012 +1 330-865-8065 http://www.summitmetroparks.org/parksandtrails/faseiberlingnaturerealm.aspx
Excellent
80%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 199 reviews

F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm

Reviewed By loriar - Harrow, Canada

Beautiful park with well laid out hiking trails. We were very impressed on how clean everything was, both in the Visitor's center and on the trails. Great interactive activities for children and friendly staff on hand to answer questions. We loved that all the trees where identified.

7. Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve

24858 Big Pine Road, Rockbridge, OH 43149 +1 614-265-6561 http://naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/conkleshollow
Excellent
85%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 354 reviews

Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve

Reviewed By ToledoZin - Ohio, United States

This easy walk along the paved trail turned into an excellent surprise ending! The views from the paved trail are very nice and they are doing a noble job to preserve and improve the area. The best part is the short bonus walk off the pavement. We didn’t find the dirt/rock trail to be difficult to manage at all and worth the little additional effort- the recess cave and waterfall was a big highlight of our visit to the Hocking Hills area Best of all is that it was not nearly as crowded as other spots

8. Brecksville Reservation

9000 Chippewa Creek Dr, Brecksville, OH 44141-2065 +1 440-526-1012 http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/Main/Reservations-Partners/Brecksville-Reservation-4.aspx
Excellent
86%
Good
10%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 50 reviews

Brecksville Reservation

Reviewed By WHMeg - Willoughby Hills, United States

Although we're hikers, we definitely saw strollers, dog walkers and trail runners enjoying themselves. There are also Bridle Trails, so if you're walking on those, you're apt to meet up with a rider or two, as well. Signage is a bit confusing, so I highly recommend stopping at the Nature Center and getting a map, or printing one out before you go as it's easy to get yourself turned around. Ample picnic spots and various parking areas as well, so if you're meeting someone make sure you both know EXACTLY where you are meeting!

9. Deer Haven Preserve

4183 Liberty Rd, Delaware, OH 43015-8616 http://www.preservationparks.com/parks-facilities/parks/deer-haven-preserve/
Excellent
82%
Good
12%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 17 reviews

Deer Haven Preserve

Reviewed By rjbmann

Great hiking trails with a water fowl observation area. There is a cozy nature center with exhibits of local wildlife. There is also bird watching windows where you can stay dry and warm while observing all the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks that come to visit.

10. W.W. Knight Nature Preserve

29530 White Rd, Perrysburg, OH 43551-3546 +1 419-353-1897 [email protected] http://www.wcparks.org
Excellent
97%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 30 reviews

W.W. Knight Nature Preserve

This 44-acre preserve offers hiking trails and boardwalks through various natural areas. Canoe and kayak on the pond for free every Monday in the summer. The pond also offers family fishing opportunities. There is a pollinator garden, Windows on Wildlife viewing area and library, special event venue ideal for weddings, ADA accessible trails, Yoga and photography programs and more. Opened in 2005, the Nature Center at the preserve offers various educational opportunities for all ages.

Reviewed By rickmaluchnik - Rossford, United States

Living nearby I have excellent access to this trail and walk it regularly (had to fill in below where it asked when I was there but I do go regularly.) Nonetheless I never get tired of walking or running it. It is a great walk to free your mind, heart and spirit. Not too long and easily walk-able in short time . . . like 15 minutes! It is forested and dear walk around out in the open (occasionally.) The only drawback are the Canadian Geese which I never liked because they can get aggressive towards kids but no other drawbacks. The Pond is rich in minerals and growing better yearly. Also it is usually pretty low volume so one can be alone to think, write, read or just relax and get mellow . . . when not walking or running!

ThingsTodoPost © 2018 - 2024 All rights reserved.