Ohio Flights & Ohio Travel Guide

Most people are familiar with Ohio thanks to popular television shows, but there is more to this state than Drew Carey and the fictional WKRP in Cincinnati. Ohio is one of the nation's leading manufacturers and ranks third in manufacturing employment nationwide. But prior to building up the economy, Ohio served as a battleground in some pivotal wars.

Indians fought for Ohio land in 1794 during the battle of Fallen Timbers – today the site is a national historic monument. Travelers booking flights to Ohio might remember the War of 1812. It might have only lasted one year, but Commodore Oliver H. Perry defeated the British in today's Ohio in the Battle of Lake Erie. Today, Ohio's cities produce some of the nation’s most essential products. Akron produces rubber; Cleveland is the heart of auto assembly and auto parts; Dayton produces office machines, heating and cooling equipment; and Toledo is known for glass and auto parts. Chances are your flight to Ohio is thanks to Cincinnati, where jet engines are manufactured.

While Ohio maintains a pivotal role in our nation's manufacturing and industrial production, tourism is also a key factor in Ohio’s economy. Who can pass up a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or the Pro Football Hall of Fame? History buffs can visit the homes of U.S. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, William Howard Taft, Rutherford Hayes, Warren Harding and James Garfield. Thanks to the millions of visitors booking Ohio flights and hotel accommodations every year, the state sees more than $30 billion a year.

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When to Fly to Ohio

Peak Season:

Summer is the high season drawing the biggest crowds in outdoor hotspots, like the campgrounds and rivers, and especially the Lake Erie shore and islands. The cities are also busy, but the crowds are more manageable.

Tourists booking Ohio flights in the fall come for the foliage.

Off Season:

Winter is the slowest tourism season in Ohio, and there is not much to do. Cheap flights to Ohio and discounted hotel accommodations are likely available during the winter season.

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Getting Around Ohio

The Akron-Canton and Port Columbus airports have Ohio flights to Ohio cities. Amtrak train routes stop at Cincinnati, Cleveland, or Toledo, and there is bus service throughout the state.

Public transportation is a good option in the larger cities. Cincinnati’s Metro runs local commuter buses, Cleveland’s Regional Transit Authority (RTA) operates a bus and train system, and in Columbus the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) runs local buses. Cincinnati is also a great city for walking.

Driving is recommended for the rest of the state, particularly if you want to explore the Amish country or Ohio’s many scenic byways.

Sections of the Ohio to Erie Trail are open. This trail is open to bikes, horses, skates, snowshoes, and cross-country skis, but no automobiles. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the trail will be approximately 325 miles and run from Cincinnati to Lake Erie.

Ohio Insider Information

The Pumpkin show in Circleville, Pickaway County, is more than 100 years old, and takes place in October. Apart from the actual pumpkin show, there are parades (baby and pet), Miss Pumpkin and Little Miss Pumpkin pageants, Hog calling, egg tossing, big wheel race and pumpkin toss.
The German Village is a historic part of Columbus, which was settled by German immigrants in the mid-1800s. Anti-German sentiment in the early years of the 20th century and the closing of local breweries during the Prohibition years contributed to the area’s decline, but it was saved in the 1960s by local people. Has restaurants, an annual Oktoberfest and traditional events celebrating its German heritage.
The Longaberger Home Office Building in Newark is a very different office building. It is shaped like a picnic basket complete with basket handles and tags (725-pound gold leaf painted). It is open to visitors Monday to Saturday.
The Wright Cycle Company, the restored bicycle shop owned and operated by Orville and Wilbur Wright, the airplane inventors, is one of four sites around Dayton making up the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park. The Wright-Dunbar Interpretative Center is next door.
The top of Mount Adams, 818-foot, is dominated by Eden Park, which contains the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Playhouse in the Park. There is a village on the lower slopes of the mountain with charming shops and restaurants.
Clifton Mill dates from 1802 and is the largest remaining water-powered grist mill in the U.S. There is a country store and restaurant where the buckwheat pancakes are a specialty.
The Seven Caves in southern Ohio is composed of a 70-foot gorge, cut by Rocky Fork and Paint Creeks. There are well-marked trails through the caves which include Witches Phantom, Bear, McKimie, Marble, Dancing, and Cave of the Springs.

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