NJ to Ohio Road Trip, HELP!
 

My friends and I are planning a 5 day rode trip to Cedar Point, OH in August. We are leaving from NJ to Cedar Point and taking a one day trip to Toledo, OH. Does anyone know of any interesting or little known stops along the way? Good resturant eats? Thanks.

Since Cedar Point will be good for a day @ most, I would suggest a day (or more) @ Kelley's Island. Not sure why you would be going to Toledo ?!?

I believe you will be going through Cleveland..homeof the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame...

While in Toledo you can grab a bite at Tony Packo's (on the east side of the river, just north of I-280) and check out the signed hot dog buns and MASH stuff (the place was mentioned by Jamie Farr in a few MASH episodes).

If you hit the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, you may want to consider a membership. When we went last year, admission was $20/person, while a year's membership was $50 and gives you and a guest unlimited admission for a year, and a t-shirt. I figured I was paying $10 for the t-shirt, since I would have paid $40 in admission for 2 of us anyway, and if I was ever back in Cleveland in the next year, I could go back for free. Make sure you buy the membership from the gift shop before you buy an admission ticket, since they won't refund it if you join afterwards.

You could stop in Pittsburg for a day and go to Kennywood as well.

Thank you for all our responses. I guess there is not much to do in Toledo???!

In Kelley Island what is there to do?

Thanks again.

We live in the Cleveland area and have driven to the Jersey shore many times, so I know the drive well. Are you taking the PA turnpike? Toledo has a nice art museum..especially for kids. You can go to Kelley's for a quiet little island. There are some restaurants and many summer homes and some shops. Put-in Bay on South Bass Island has more to do. They have a lively downtown area with many bars and restaurants. Also an impressive tall monument to Commdr. Perry. You can go up to the top for a lovely view. Gets VERY lively at night, a serious party spot. Lakeside is a chauttaqua near Sandusky and worth seeing. The Rock Hall is lots of fun.

Yes, definitely skip Toledo and experience Put-in-Bay/South Bass Island, especially if you like to watch (and/or join) a bunch a drunks. Find a place to stay on the "mainland" in advance, however. And don't miss the last ferry off the Island at night or else you'll be stuck there.

There is a lot of history in the Toledo and northwestern Ohio area. If you are interested in the United States West Frontier of the 1790's and early 1800's there are several places of interest.

http://www.fallentimbersbattlefield.com/

http://www.fortmeigs.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_and_Erie_Canal

If you are really into roller coasters, & Cedar Point is tops in coasters, & if going in August when it can be crowded, you may think about going for 2 days to Cedar Point. or If you are into amusement parks, another one in the Cleveland area is Geauga Lake, which is also a Cedar Fair park, such as Cedar Point is. Geauga Lake is a 1 day park. But if too much amusement park, for a day off, I also suggest Put-in-Bay & Bass Islands. If I remember correctly, I think there is even a winery somewhere on the Islands.
http://www.geaugalake.com/
http://www.putinbay.com/
http://www.put-in-bay.com/

Thanks again. Yes, we will be taking the PA turnpike? Are there any interesting stops that you, corinascot have taken?

Yes, Cedar Point can definitely be a 2-day park if it's your first visit and you love roller coasters. Or you could consider doing one evening (Starlight pass) and a day. Go to their website www.cedarpoint.com and request a coupon book (I think they call it a Fun Guide or something like that) and they will mail it to you in a few weeks. It has a coupon in it for 2-for-1 starlight passes and discounts on the one-day tickets. To extend your time in the park, remember that if you get in line at one of the big coasters (Magnum, Millennium Force, Dragster, Maverick) just before closing, you will get to ride, even if the line is 2 hours long. They will run through the entire line before they close up.

If your going to the Sandusky are and want to have a ton of fun, There are Islands in Lake erie and the most popular one is Put-in-Bay
www.putinbay.com. The weekends are more adult oriented and the midweeks are great for families.

Some great webites to explore the island

www.putinbay.com -comprehensive site about Put-in-Bay

www.putinbayonline.com - comprensive site about the island

www.putinbayreservations.com - great site for Hotel and Home rentals on Put in Bay.

www.islandclub.com - The best home rentals on PutinBay.

Cedar Point could be a two-day park, there is at on to do.

Definitely skip Toledo.

Paris, are you planning on a one day drive to Sandusky? It's an easy drive, just wondering if you were looking for a place to spend the evening in between.

In addition to the other mentions, an Indians game at Jacobs Field...er... Progressive Park is really fun. Right next door to the Rock Hall is the Great Lakes Science Center. Family fun. There is a Hard Rock Cafe in Tower City, walking distance to any of the above. Cleveland has a great Natural History museum and even better art museum.

Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island has more activities than Kelleys Island.

Paris took this trip last year. But this info may be useful to others.