I once had a coworker who said “Columbus is so great because it’s so easy to travel to other places.” It made me laugh because the reason they love Columbus is so they can leave Columbus. All jokes aside, we all know that Columbus has SO much to explore and for anyone who lives in these destinations below, come visit us for a weekend!
However, it is true that road trips from Columbus are generally pretty easy peasy and there are SO many places to explore throughout Ohio within the FIVE states that border our heart shaped state.
Here are 10 family road trip destinations that are under 4 hours from Columbus, offering a perfect blend of education, adventure, and entertainment that both kids and adults will enjoy.
Cleveland, Ohio (2.5-hour drive)
Home to the world-renowned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland caters to all family members with additional attractions like the Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland Botanical Garden, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
If you visit Cleveland during the warmer months, you can also make a visit to Lake Erie to enjoy a little beach weather or a boat ride! On your way outside the city, you can also take advantage of Ohio’s only National Park – Cuyahoga Valley is just south of Cleveland proper.
When our daughter was a baby, we took a quick 24 hour trip to Cleveland and wrote about it here. This is a great post from the Cleveland Traveler about 20 family friendly things to do in the city and surrounding area. Just make sure you visit Brewnuts for donuts, you won’t be disappointed.
Cincinnati, Ohio (1.5-hour drive)
Visiting Cincinnati is such an easy drive (just pop down I-71!) and there is so much to explore. Explore the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, one of the oldest zoos in the nation – we actually visited a few months ago, read about it here. Don’t miss the Cincinnati Museum Center and Cincinnati Art Museum for a perfect blend of fun and education – plus they are part of the COSI Reciprocal Program so you can get free or discounted admission!
Kings Island is a no brainer if your kiddo likes roller coasters, we’ve gone for some of their seasonal festivities and they are SO fun. My sister (EatPlayCbus) has taken her kiddos to Cincinnati many times and has a GREAT blog post with ideas for an overnight trip, read it here.
Indianapolis, Indiana (3-hour drive)
Indianapolis boasts the largest children’s museum in the world, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis – read our last review of the awesome museum. I find Indianapolis easy to navigate and a handful of fun kid-friendly spots that are perfect for a little weekend trip.
We had a blast at the Indianapolis Zoo and Conner Prairie has ALWAYS been on my list! They also have the Indiana State Museum and White River State Park as great places to take your family during your visit. Here is an article we wrote about 11 places to visit while in Indianapolis, read it here.
Fort Wayne, Indiana (3-hour drive)
We haven’t visited here yet but my sister just spent the weekend here and WOW, it looked so so fun! You can read her full guide here that includes so many great places to visit AND eat with kids. With the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Science Central, and Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, Fort Wayne offers a day full of discovery and learning.
If you have kiddos who love to explore open style markets, then you will definitely need to add Union Street Market! Fort Wayne isn’t a huge city but boasts SO much activity. Plus, it’s halfway from Columbus to Chicago so it’s also a great “stop” on a longer road trip if you want to add to a trip!
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (3-hour drive)
My mom lived in Pittsburgh for about 5 years and I always loved to explore the city when I would visit. Pittsburgh is an older city than Columbus and some of these other midwestern towns so their architecture is really magical. You will find a fantastic blend of fun and educational spots including the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and the four Carnegie Museums including Andy Warhol, Art, Natural History, and Science Center.
I also highly recommend spending the day down by the University of Pittsburgh (where the Carnegie Science Center is located) exploring the streets, stores, and definitely stopping in the Cathedral of Learning – very Hogwarts vibes. Another area I love is The Strip District which is a “one-half square mile shopping district is chock full of ethnic grocers, produce stands, meat and fish markets and sidewalk vendors.” Plus, you can get a famous Primanti Brothers sandwich which is honestly very delicious.
Chillicothe, OH (1-hour drive)
Chillicothe, Ohio offers a variety of family-friendly attractions and activities for visitors to enjoy and might not be on your radar! I haven’t done a full visit here yet but it’s on our list for the summer and for good reason.
If you’re an outdoor type family, be sure to put Adena Mansion and Gardens, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, and Yoctangee Park all on your list. There is plenty of history to absorb and beautiful art, nature, and playgrounds to explore.
Their historic downtown area boasts plenty of places to eat, drink, and shop! You can check out their tourism website for more tips on where to visit when you head down there.
Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio (1-hour drive)
Hocking Hills had a promotional glow up during c*vid! When you can only explore outdoors, that makes sense, right? Hocking Hills is over 2,000 acres and has six “areas” to explore throughout this Ohio State Park. Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Conkles Hollow (a state nature preserve), Rock House and Cantwell Cliffs are all unique and are best for certain groups of folks so be sure to do a little research before you visit.
If you’re just going down for the day, I personally recommend Old Man’s Cave as it’s where the brand new Nature Center/Visitor Center is located and the most approachable.
There are TONS of lodging options but some are pretty pricey. You can check out the ODNR website that can point you in the right direction if you want to stay down there for a few days.
Dayton, Ohio (1-hour drive)
I think Dayton has so much to explore! It is home to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, and the SunWatch Indian Village, offering a journey into history, science, and Native American culture.
We had so much fun at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and… it’s FREE! If you are a COSI member, you do get 50% off at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery so be sure to keep your membership handy.
If you want to do something fun and delicious, I also recommend doing the Butler County Donut Trail! The trail is in Butler County so parts of Dayton and the surrounding area. Check out all the details here.
Louisville, Kentucky (3.5-hour drive)
Okay, I’m embarrassed to say that I have not explored Louisville at ALL but have been there at least 150+ times in my life. My family lives in a small town about 45 minutes north of Louisville in Southern Indiana.
On my next visit, I’ll absolutely be going to the Louisville Zoo (free with Columbus Zoo membership!), Kentucky Science Center (free with a COSI membership!), the Frazier History Museum, and always a visit to Quills Coffee and Hi-Five Donuts.
My friend Julie from What Should We Do Today in Columbus recently went to Louisville and shared a great roundup of the visit. Check out her post here!
Ann Arbor, Michigan (3.5-hour drive)
Okay, us Ohioans are SLEEPING on Michigan. It’s amazing and beautiful! We made a pit stop in Ann Arbor a few years ago when we were on our way to Traverse City (also incredible).
Ann Arbor features the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum (free with a COSI membership!) and the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, offering children a chance to get up close and personal with science and history.
We also made a visit to their version of Katzingers, Zingerman’s which was delightful and a really fun environment for a sandwich shop! Lucky for us, we were visiting during the summer and their farmers market was in full swing – it’s always so fun to see what kind of produce you see at markets in other locations. We actually wrote an article specific to kid-friendly stuff in Ann Arbor that you can read here.
Planning a road trip from Columbus is now a breeze! So pack up the car, grab the kids, and get ready to make some unforgettable memories. If you have more suggestions on where we should add to this list, leave a comment below or let us know on Instagram or Facebook!
