Looking for day trips from Toledo Ohio? We’ve got 10 fun places you can go. Any of these destinations would also make fantastic weekend trips from Toledo!
Toledo, Ohio, is a success story of revitalization. Just one hour from Detroit, Toledo has long played a crucial part in the automotive industry and was once known as “the Glass City.” After some tough times, Toledo is bouncing back.
You’ll still find a lot of glass, more often in art, but you might also find some beach glass along Toledo’s beaches.
While the city itself has a lot to offer, there are some excellent day trips from Toledo, including these options within two hours.
Tip: Grab this Road Trip Journal & Activity Book for fun on the road. This is not your run of the mill road trip journal that is geared towards kids, this is one that adults will love.
Sandusky, Ohio
Distance from Toledo: 60 miles, or 65 minutes
A fun Toledo day trip, and hot spot along Lake Erie’s Shores and Islands, is the adventure town of Sandusky. Widely known as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World,” Sandusky has plenty of things to explore on a day trip.
Of course, Sandusky is home to Cedar Point Amusement Park. Cedar Point has grown to an entire resort destination on the peninsula in Lake Erie. Not a fan of giant roller coasters? No worries; there are plenty of other things to do in Sandusky!
- Go for a spin at the Merry-Go-Round Museum
- Visit the Maritime Museum of Sandusky
- Take a self-guided walking tour of downtown Sandusky
- Hop aboard a boat tour or dinner cruise from Sandusky Bay
Put-In-Bay, OH
Distance from Toledo: 54 miles, or one hour and 45 minutes (summer only)
Arguably one of the best day trips from Toledo Ohio is a visit to Put-In-Bay. From Toledo, you drive to Catawba Island and hop a 30-minute ferry over to South Bass Island, where Put-In-Bay is located.
This small island town has a reputation for being a party scene, and while that’s accurate, there are a lot of other things to do in Put-In-Bay besides the nightlife.
- Start your trip on the Put-In-Bay Tour Train
- Launch a boat at South Bass Island State Park
- Sample some great food and sweet treats in downtown Put-In-Bay
Marblehead, OH
Distance from Toledo: 50 miles, or one hour
One of the best things to do within an hour of Toledo is a visit to Marblehead. This day trip that can be combined with a visit to Kelley’s Island or Put-In-Bay.
One of many charming towns along Lake Erie’s Ohio shore, Marblehead is best known for the Marblehead Lighthouse that has been in operation for 100 years as of 2022. The area is now a state park and features a museum in one of the keepers’ houses near the lighthouse.
The lighthouse and museum are open seasonally, while the state park is open year-round. From here, you can also visit Johnson’s Island, where you can see a Confederate cemetery on what used to be a POW camp in Lake Erie.
Mansfield, Ohio
Distance from Toledo: 101 miles, or one hour and 50 minutes
My hometown of Mansfield, Ohio is the perfect day trip from Toledo. Also known as the Carousel Capital of Ohio, the small size of Mansfield means you can cover a lot of ground in one day and still be back at your Toledo hotel by evening. A few of my favorite Mansfield attractions include:
- The Ohio Bird Sanctuary
- Gorman Nature Center
- Malabar Farm State Park
- A self-guided driving tour of the Shawshank Trail
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Distance from Toledo: 120 miles, or one hour and 50 minutes
Ohio’s only National Park is just two hours from Toledo and Columbus, making it an easy day trip for spectacular scenery. The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail cuts right through the park, making it the perfect National Park to explore on bicycle. There are also dozens of hiking trails and fantastic waterfalls.
Blue Hen Falls and Brandywine Falls are two of the most popular waterfalls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There’s also a covered bridge you can check out, as well as a scenic railroad.
Ohio Caverns
Distance from Toledo: 105 miles, or two hours
Did you know that “America’s Most Colorful Caverns” are located in Western Ohio? Two hours from Toledo and just one hour from Columbus, visitors can tour Ohio Caverns and see the largest known stalactite in Ohio.
Located just outside West Liberty, the Caverns are open year-round, offering a variety of tours for visitors. The Natural History tour explores the history of the caverns and their discovery. To see the most cave formations, take the Natural Wonders tour. In the winter months, they offer a hybrid version that combines both tours.
Fort Wayne, IN
Distance from Toledo: 102 miles, or one hour and 45 minutes
Fort Wayne is a bit of a hidden gem of Indiana, and at just 100 miles away, it makes a great day trip from Toledo. Set at the crossroads of three rivers, Fort Wayne has over 200 years of history to explore, as well as modern attractions for the whole family.
There are many great cultural attractions in Fort Wayne, including several theaters and performance arenas. Other ideas include:
- View the city from the deck of a kayak trip on the river
- Attend a Tin Caps baseball game
- Tour the DeBrand Fine Chocolate factory
- Visit the Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo.
Find more fun things to do in Fort Wayne!
Ann Arbor, MI
Distance from Toledo: 55 miles, or one hour
I don’t know about you, but I always enjoy visiting university towns in the Midwest. Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, and it is only one hour from Toledo.
Ann Arbor has all of the perks of a college town – world-class museums, performing arts, and sports. Check out the University of Michigan Museum of Art, or take a stroll through the University of Michigan Nichols Arboretum.
The Museum of Natural History and the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum are also fun things to see in Ann Arbor. Of course, being a college town, you’ll find great food for a good price before you head back to Toledo.
Detroit, MI
Distance from Toledo: 59 miles, or one hour
Another newly-revitalized Midwest city is Detroit. Best known for the automotive industry (that spawned the glass industry in Toledo), Detroit makes a fantastic day trip from Toledo. From public art to sports and entertainment, there’s a little bit of everything in Detroit.
Some of the best things to see on a Detroit day trip include:
- Henry Ford Museum of Innovation
- Belle Isle Park
- Take a self-guided tour of Detroit street art & public art
- Visit the Motown Museum
- Grab a beach chair and picnic lunch at Campus Martius Park
Windsor, Ontario
Distance from Toledo: 59 miles, or one hour and 5 minutes
If you’re itching to get a stamp on your passport, you can even leave the country on a day trip from Toledo! Windsor, Ontario is just one hour from Toledo.
Like its American counterpart Detroit, Windsor was once an industrial city that fed the Canadian automotive industry. Today, it’s probably best known for casinos that draw Americans across the border. However, there’s more to Windsor than just gambling.
For one thing, if the U.S. Dollar is strong, shopping in Canada will save you money! Windsor also has a beautiful waterfront park underneath the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor to Detroit.
Need more day trips in Ohio? Check out these ideas for weekend getaways in Ohio!