Experience the great outdoors with Choice Hotels. Our Ohio hotels are conveniently located near a number of stunning gardens, beautiful parks, and astounding wildlife. Take a look at these outdoor points of interest in Ohio.
In North Central Ohio
Lake Erie
Most of northern Ohio is bordered by Lake Erie, offering 10,000 square miles of lake surface and 871 miles of shoreline. Countless activities like sailing, fishing, swimming and picnicking can be accessed on and around the lake. Check out Marblehead Lighthouse, one of the area's most-photographed landmarks.
Kelleys Island
Located on the western basin of Lake Erie and accessible by ferry, Kelleys Island provides you with a place to relax, play miniature golf, rent bicycles and explore the island. The entire island is more than four square miles, the largest fresh water American island in Lake Erie.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Located between Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park encompasses 33,000 acres along the banks of the Cuyahoga River. This vast park is what you want it to be: adventurous and exhilarating or peaceful and relaxing. Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, bird watching and picnicking are just a few of the activities available at the park.
In Southeast Ohio
Serpent Mound
3850 State Route 73
Peebles, OH 45660
800-752-2757
This is the largest serpent effigy in the US, nearly a quarter of a mile long. Serpent Mound looks like an uncoiling serpent and was excavated in the late nineteenth-century by Harvard University archaeologist Frederic Ward Putnam. He attributed the creation of the effigy to the builders of the two nearby burial mounds, believed to be the Adena culture (800 BC-AD 100). The head of the serpent is aligned to the summer solstice sunset and the coils also may point to the winter solstice sunrise and the equinox sunrise. Visitors may walk along a footpath surrounding the serpent. The museum contains exhibits on the effigy mound and the geology of the surrounding area.
