Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Cleveland, Ohio

Set on the shores of Lake Erie in northern Ohio, Cleveland is a modern and adventurous city for fans of shopping, history, and music. Home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland is also home to an impressive list of sports teams, cultural centers and architecture throughout its downtown core and suburbs, including Elyria, Mentor and North Canton. The holidays have come and gone, so treat yourself to a gift from the historic West Side Market. Sad to see Christmas off the calendar? Visit A Christmas Story House – the house museum where the famed yuletide film was actually shot. Start your new year off right, and explore the adventures of Cleveland.

Movie buffs, your time has come this spring in Cleveland. Make plans for the 2012 Cleveland International Film Festival starting in late March. This year brings the 36th annual festival to Forest City, and features special programs like the Nesnadny + Schwartz Documentary Film Competition and the Central and Eastern European Film Competition. CIFF takes place in downtown Cleveland at the Tower City Center. Free parking can be found at the Tower City Center Self-Parking Garage, or take advantage of the RTA – Cleveland’s own public transit. Don’t miss nearly 300 film showings at the Cleveland International Film Festival, and rest those eyes overnight at a Best Western hotel in Cleveland.

For more culture in Cleveland, make your way to University Circle – a 550-acre cultural hotspot in the eastern part of town. Here you’ll find the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Grab a traditional Italian lunch in the Little Italy district of University Circle, or see what exhibits are on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art. In fact, we’ll make it easy for you; check out the CLE OP: Cleveland Op Art Pioneers exhibit through the end of February, or catch the Rembrandt in America exhibition starting in late February. Admission is free, so enjoy your time at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Tuesday through Sunday in University Circle.

Want the perfect souvenir from your spring trip to Cleveland? There’s no better a place than the historic West Side Market. Set in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, the market is in full swing Monday through Saturday, starting at 7 a.m. Shop for organic foods and specialty items from local vendors, and bring home coffee, herbs and non-perishable ingredients for your kitchen at home. The West Side Market is celebrating its centennial in 2012, so be sure to show your support of Cleveland's Public Market during your trip to Forest City. Unpack your market finds at a Best Western hotel in Cleveland, Elyria, Mentor and North Canton, and enjoy your time in Ohio’s second largest city.

Aerial View of Toledo, Ohio

Ohio’s Black Swamp, the southwestern shore of Lake Erie and the Toledo Metropolitan area are all part of Northwestern Ohio. The Oak Openings Region, also part of NW Ohio, is the state's most diverse ecosystem. Oak Openings features black and white oaks along with grassland prairies. Port Clinton, Sandusky and Norwalk near the Lake Erie shoreline are buttoned down for winter. Although it’s off-season for the beach and water sports, winter is ideal for birding and fishing. Known as the Walleye Capital of the World, Port Clinton and Sandusky are great places to take advantage of fishing Lake Erie. Its winter remember a warm jacket, the wind gusts off Lake Erie are chilling.

Caribou Creek, Manitoba Tubs and Soak’n Oak Springs – its Sandusky in winter. Known for Cedar Point and its roller coasters, Sandusky is also home to year round waterpark fun at Great Wolf Lodge. Grab your swimsuit and beat the winter blahs with a getaway to Sandusky. An hour from Cleveland, an hour and a half from Canton / Akron and two and a half hours from Columbus – it's worth the drive to enjoy the 84 degree weather inside Great Wolf Lodge Water Park.

Halloween may be past, however Ghostly Manor in Sandusky is a must see and be thrilled destination year round. Ghostly Manor opens February 3rd after its holiday wonderland. Ranked as one of America’s best haunts, make your way through the old mansion - if you dare. If you don’t dare, Ghostly Manor also features Skateworld and the XD 4D Theater for family fun and entertainment.

Ohio's winter is ideal for birding along the shores of Lake Erie. Western Lake Erie marshes include Maumee Bay State Park and Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area. Kitty Todd Nature Preserve and Maumee State Forest are prime viewing spots in the Oak Openings Loop region. The seventeen Lake Erie Islands feature the only Ohio habitat where the Great Gray Owl and Baird’s Sparrow have been spotted.

Remnants of massive marshes and wet prairies remain in Sandusky Bay, which can be seen by travelers over the State Route 2 Bay Bridge. Hosting large populations of migrating birds, Sandusky Bay is one of Ohio’s prime birding areas. The Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve, Little Portage State Wildlife Area and Willow Point State Wildlife Area are near Sandusky Bay. With 313 bird species spotted near Port Clinton and Sandusky, this is a great winter getaway.

Ohio’s Maple City, Norwalk, also calls itself the best little city in Ohio. Mid-way between Cleveland and Toledo, Norwalk is a cross roads for Ohio as well as Detroit to the north. Although you’ll have to wait for May, Norwalk is just 20-miles south of Cedar Point Amusement Park. Also home to America’s Race Track, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park is on State Route 18 just outside Norwalk. Plan now for an April 14th getaway to the raceway's Test-n-Tune, launching the 2012 season.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Pack those gloves and scarves, we’re heading to southern Ohio in 2012. Visit Cincy in the New Year and check out amazing attractions and activities scattered throughout the city. Bundle up for a brisk stroll through the beautiful campus of the University of Cincinnati, or beat winter's chilly air with a day at the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Traveling with children? Take the kids to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens for Penguin Days, happening through late February, or catch the start of Zoo Blooms in early April. Cincinnati is a wonderful town to explore, but that’s not all southern Ohio has to offer this season.

An hour north of Cincinnati lays the city of Oxford – a college town if ever there was one. Home to Miami University, Oxford is a historic town offering plenty of attractions and events for its many visitors. Take a brisk tour of Miami University in uptown Oxford – and explore the Miami University Art Museum, or National Historic Landmarks like the William Holmes McGuffey Museum and the Langstroth Cottage. Many restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques are just off campus, so discover uptown Oxford with lunch at 45 East Restaurant and Pub or a quick latte at Main Street Gourmet. Take advantage of the nearby Best Western hotel in Oxford, within walking distance of Miami University.

Another fixture of southern Ohio is the city of Chillicothe – the state’s first capitol and an adventure to explore. Chillicothe is an incredibly scenic and historic town, home to such points of interest as the David Nickens Heritage Center, the Chillicothe Railroad Museum, and a portion of the Ancient Ohio Trail. Start 2012 off right with a brisk walk down Chillicothe's Old Second Street, or course your way through the First Capital District in some comfortable shoes and warm winter clothes. Chillicothe’s Historic District is home to some great shopping, and now that the Christmas season is over, treat yourself to a new read from Book World, something for the home garden at Affinity, or just about anything from Susie's Gifts For All Seasons.

As winter turns to spring, discover more shopping and history in the southwestern Ohio city of Mason. Set just northeast of Cincinnati, Mason grants travelers easy access to the attractions of Cincy, as well as local festivals, boutiques and museums. Take a stroll though the Historical Society’s Alverta Green Museum for a little background on the area, or visit in late spring for the opening of the Kings Island Theme Park. Boutique shoppers - browse the shelves of Dixie Union Station Railroad Memorabilia, as well as DuPriest Antiques and the Unusual, and take your new gifts back to the Best Western hotel in Mason – where you’ll be spending your nights in southern Ohio.

The Horseshoe
Ohio State University

In no time at all, winter turns to spring in central Ohio, the vibrant city of Columbus fills with activity for visitors. Dubbed Discovery City for a reason, Columbus grants visitors access to adventurous attractions like the Columbus Museum of Art and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. During your time in town, be sure to stop by the Franklin Park Conservatory for a look at Orchids! Vibrant Victoriana – a toasty escape from Ohio's winter chill until April brings spring days. Spend Valentine’s Day with your loved one under Chihuly glass artwork at the Franklin Park Conservatory, and spend a warm and comfortable night at a Best Western hotel in Columbus, Grove City, or Pickerington.

Speaking of Grove City, this little town is home to many historic sites, beautiful parks, and the nearby attractions of Columbus, like Capitol Square. During your early spring in central Ohio, check out the Arnold Sports Festival happening in early March throughout the Columbus metropolitan area. Make your way to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Ohio State University, and Nationwide Arena for a glimpse of athletic competitions, including 12 Olympic events. Browse through nearly 700 vendors at the Arnold Fitness EXPO – featuring the latest in exercise equipment and apparel. Stick to your 2012 resolutions at the Arnold Sports Festival, and rest easy at the Best Western hotel in Grove City.

Less than two hours northwest of Columbus is the city of Wapakoneta – hometown to famed astronaut Neil Armstrong. Your first stop in Wapakoneta: the Ohio Historical Society’s Armstrong Air & Space Museum. Closed on Mondays until April, the museum features exhibits on the Space Race and Neil Armstrong, and even houses the Gemini VIII spacecraft and an actual Apollo 11 moon rock. Don’t miss the short documentary shown in the Astro Theater, or let the kids have a crack at one of seven interactive exhibits in the museum. The Best Western hotel in Wapakoneta puts you within walking distance of the Armstrong Air & Space Museum; so enjoy a brisk stroll to yet another fascinating attraction in central Ohio.

Just an hour east of Columbus, the city of Zanesville features even more museums, historic sites, and unforgettable attractions. Take a trip across the famous Y Bridge, stroll through the 18 galleries of the Zanesville Museum of Art, or let the kids loose at the Dresden Junction Toy Train Museum. Bundle up and hit the historic streets of downtown Zanesville – a throwback district of central Ohio taking visitors to the early 1800s when downtown was first being established. Shop through boutiques, sit down to lunch at a quaint café, or grab a free Discover Downtown Zanesville map and enjoy a self-guided walking tour. Although you can’t walk all the way back to the Best Western hotel in Zanesville, its a great place to rest-up for another adventurous day in central Ohio.