Toledo: Family-Friendly Fun in the Glass City
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| Anthony Wayne Bridge1 |
Toledo, known for its innovation in the glass industry, is a culturally-diverse, family-friendly city situated along the banks of the Maumee River at the westernmost end of Lake Erie. The city is a cultural hub for those who seek arts, entertainment and history. Travelers with children enjoy the numerous family-friendly attractions and venues that the city has to offer. Outdoor enthusiasts are drawn to a multitude of recreational opportunities, including an extenisve system of parks and gardens which feature natural habitat used for leisure, recreational and educational purposes.
ORIENTATION
Situated on the northern Ohio border with Michigan, Toledo is located at the crossroads of the Ohio Turnpike and Interstate 75. Located 60 mi (96 km) south of Detroit, Michigan, at the headwaters of the Maumee River, the city isapproximately a five-hour drive from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Indianapolis, Indiana, or Louisville, Kentucky, and a three-hour drive from Columbus, Ohio.
HISTORY
The city today is filled with historic locations that mark the rich history of the region. As a major pioneering trail and trade route, early Toledo was marked by numerous battles between American Indians and incoming European settlers. In the crusade to settle the Northwest Territory, many military assaults were launched and are now commemorated through a series of preservation projects, including the Fallen Timbers Battlefield. One of the earliest treaties to be signed between settlers and American Indians took place in 1805, signed at Fort Necessity along the Maumee River. Toledo's first settlement, Port Lawrence was established in 1816 and, by 1832, a second colony, named Vistula, was formed. A consolidation of the two settlements was soon followed by the incorporation of Toledo in 1837.
In less than a century from its inception, Toledo would be transformed into an industrial hub for automobile manufacturing, shipping and glass industry. Early industrialist Edward Drummond Libbey introduced the region to the glass industry, starting up a glass plant in the area in 1887. In 1936 Toledo made architectural history with the Owens-Illinois Glass Company building, the first urban construction to be completely covered with glass. The legacy of the glass trade persists in the city with three major glass manufacturers headquartered in Toledo. In 1941, automobile manufacturer Willys-Overland began building Jeep vehicles, which also continues to this day. Modern Toledo is less focused on manufacturing than it once was and is better known as a market city serving a larger region of neighboring counties. Health care, retail and transportation continue to be thriving economic sectors for Toledo.
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| Climate
data from the Midwest Regional Climate Center |
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Four distinct seasons mark the city's climate, lending to its ever-changing scenery. With a comfortable spring and summer, a cool and colorful autumn and cool, snowy winters, Toledo's weather allows visitors to take in a variety of seasonal activities that the area has to offer. Visitors can expect cool to cold temperatures from November to March, with warming trends commencing in May, leading to temperatures averaging around 75°F (24°C) during June, July and August. Cooling begins after this period, with autumn temperatures averaging around 70°F (21°C) in September and 60°F (16°C) in October.
TRANSPORTATION
By car, visitors can reach Toledo in a number of ways. Interstate Highway 75 and the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/90) intersect at the city. This highly-traveled highway, known as the Main Street of America, makes travel into Toledo effortless. I-145 encircles the city, making any destination point within the urban center accessible. Visitors traveling by air can access both direct and connecting flights at the Toledo Express Airport or the Detroit Metro Airport, an approximate one hour drive away. General air transport can be arranged at nearby Metcalf Field. Visitors can also make their way to the city via Amtrak, with a station centrally located in the city's downtown district. While in Toledo, visitors can access city attractions using the city's public transit system, TARTA. During summer months, visitors take unique tours of downtown Toledo and its restaurants on the TARTA Lunch Trolley
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
The Valentine Theater
Conveniently located in downtown Toledo, Valentine
Theater, operated by the Toledo Cultural Arts Center, plays host to
a wide variety of cultural and performing arts attractions as well as many community-based
groups. As the performance venue for the Toledo Opera, Toledo Jazz Society,
Toledo Symphony among others, the theater creates cultural experiences for residents
and visitors alike. National and international groups have graced its stage
including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Boys Choir of Harlem, performances of
the stage shows Grease, Cabaret, and Oklahoma. A massive renovation project
completed in 1999 has restored the 910-seat facility beyond its original grandeur.
COSI Toledo
Known formerly as the Center of Science and Industry, COSI
Toledo is a science museum catering to the young and young at heart.
With eight Learning Worlds to discover, COSI provides fun, interactive and educationally
rich experiences to all its visitors. Visitors can ride a high-wire cycle to
discover the properties of gravity, test their athletic ability at the center's
sports science area and explore engineering design and water works technology.
The museum also presents a number of rotating science-themed exhibits throughout
the year and hosts a number of special programs and workshops for small to large
groups.
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| Cloisters at the Toledo Museum of Art2 |
The Docks
Visitors looking to tempt their palates need not venture further than the Docks.
This unique restaurant district, located just east of downtown in International
Park on the Maumee River, features a wide variety of dining experiences sure
to please most appetites. Cajun, Mexican, Italian, and American cuisine are
but a few of the options offered to diners. With exciting nightlife venues,
this riverfront location is ideal for those looking for a fun night out. Visitors
can enjoy a meal or dance the night away while taking in spectacular views of
the city and river.
The Toledo Museum of Art
Providing a comprehensive collection of art works with holdings numbering
over 300,000, the Toledo
Museum of Art boasts art from all periods and includes exhibits on African
and Asian Art, decorative arts and sculpture, glass, modern works and much more.
The gallery's weekly It's Friday concert series provides visitors with musical
performances, guided tours, interactive activities and informal lectures designed
to promote new perspectives on the collections and enhance the art experiences
of all who visit. The 76,000 square-foot Glass Pavilion is an aesthetic masterpiece
featuring glass architecture. Housing the museum's glass collections, the pavilion
also features a glass-making facility and interactive area where patrons can
learn more about the processes involved in creating glass.
SS Willis B. Boyer Museum Ship
History and nautical buffs will appreciate the uniqueness of the floating SS
Willis B. Boyer Museum Ship, situated at International Park on the Maumee
River. Paying tribute to the region's shipping heritage, this 617-foot (188m)
bulk freighter offers visitors one-hour interactive tours that chronicle the
almost 70-year career of the self-proclaimed queen of the lake freighters.
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| Lights Before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo3 |
Sporting Venues
Located conveniently on the east side of Martin Luther King Bridge, the Toledo
Sports Arena is a 5,200-seat, multi-event center and home to the East
Coast Hockey League's (ECHL) Toledo
Storm. Aside from hosting numerous hockey games, the arena also plays
host to a variety of additional sporting and performance events. Visitors can
take in sporting events, live musical concerts and trade shows. Fifth
Third Field, home to the triple-A baseball team the Toledo
Mud Hens, is an open-air baseball stadium situated in the warehouse
district of downtown Toledo, just blocks from the Maumee River. Featuring minor-league
baseball games, this sporting complex is also within walking distance to numerous
restaurants and drinking establishment, perfect for hosting post-game celebrations.
The Toledo Zoo
Established in 1900, the Toledo
Zoo has grown to become one of the top attractions in the city of Toledo.
Aspects of the past remain prominent as visitors tour the expansive, naturally-landscaped
zoo grounds, most notable in the incorporation of five Spanish colonial buildings
which dot the landscape and enhance the character of the zoo. The 12-acre (5ha)
Afrika exhibit houses numerous African species and can be viewed from the safari
rail train that encircles the display. Visitors can also observe the underwater
antics of the resident hippopotamuses in the world-famous Hippoquarium. Stop
in for an Arctic Encounter with seals and polar bears where the Kid's Cave can
provide visitors with a face-to-face viewing of the massive bears. If visiting
during the Christmas season, travelers must take in the annual Lights
Before Christmas event, when the zoo grounds are transformed with a
dazzling light display that features more than a million lights.
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| Hippoquarium at the Toledo Zoo4 |
Situated in the warehouse district of downtown Toledo, Erie Street Market is a year-round market offering a wide range of shopping experiences for visitors. With over 30 vendors showcasing a variety of specialty items, this shopping venue is a popular destination for locals and travelers looking for fresh produce, diverse dining options and unique gifts. Located adjacent to Erie Street is the longstanding Toledo Farmers Market, an open-air marketplace which features locally-grown, fresh produce and flowers. Antique-seekers can peruse fine furnishings and collectibles at the neighboring Superior Antique Mall, which features over 80 vendors. Libbey Factory Outlet, a shopping outlet for the city's famed glass manufacturer is situated just steps from the markets and offers factory-priced discounts on a wide range of glass products.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau ; Anthony Wayne Bridge; Toledo, OH, USA
- Toledo Museum of Art; Cloisters at the Toledo Museum of Art; Toledo, OH, USA
- Toledo Zoo; Lights Before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo; Toledo, OH, USA
- Toledo Zoo; Hippoquarium exhibit at the Toledo Zoo; Toledo, OH, USA
