Summer is the perfect time to get outside and explore! Toledo and the surrounding areas offer opportunities for the whole family to get outdoors and discover the natural wonders of this area.
Toledo Botanical Gardens
5403 Elmer Drive, Toledo
metroparkstoledo.com/explore-your-parks/toledo-botanical-garden-metropark/
With 60 acres of gardens and plant collections, Toledo Botanical Gardens is a great location to explore various annuals and perennials. Additionally the Doneghy Inclusive Garden allows for sensory exploration. For the kids, the Secret Forest is an awesome multi-level children’s discovery area in the Botanical Gardens which makes for a fun way to connect kids to the gardens and nature. The Toledo Botanical Gardens also features an Artisan Village with sculptures to explore, and the annual Crosby Festival of the Arts. For music exploration, the gardens feature a summer music series focusing on jazz.
577
577 East Front St., Perrysburg
577foundation.org/
577 is a community arts and nature center which formerly was Virigina Secor Stranahan’s estate. She donated the land to the city with the intent that it would be opened to the public as a place to nurture innovation, evolution, and growth. The center provides a number of fun activities for children and adults such as community classes and workshops focused on fine arts, culinary arts, gardening and wellness. Additionally the center features spaces of discovery for children such as the StoryWalk Project, a nature trail with signposts featuring pages from a picture book, the Children’s Nature Playscape which is an interactive garden and play area, the River Walk Trail with sensory signposts to help children discover what is happening around them and Did’s Dig, which is a fossil dig site.
Toledo Metroparks
Various Locations
metroparkstoledo.com/
Perhaps one of Toledo’s greatest treasures are the Toledo Metroparks. With a Metropark within 5 miles of every Lucas County resident, there’s an opportunity to explore nature for everyone. The 19 Metroparks in the Toledo Metropark system offer trails to hike or bike, playgrounds to explore and various camps, classes and events. For kids, there are school and group programs that make a great field trip option in which kids can learn about a variety of subjects from trees to birds to geocaching to pond life. And the parks also offer the chance to explore various outdoor activities like archery, fishing, mountain biking and photography with their outdoor adventures programs. The Toledo Metroparks are sure to provide adventures all summer long. For a list of events happening each day, be sure to check out the park system’s event calendar.
Maumee Bay State Park
1400 State Park Road, Oregon
ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/maumee-bay-state-park
Located on Lake Erie, Maumee Bay State Park is a perfect location for kids to explore and learn about The Great Lakes. Maumee Bay State Park combines meadows, woods and marshes. Families can enjoy camping, hiking, visiting the nature center and exploring the Storyboard Trail. Kids will love looking for the various wildlife creatures that can be found at Maumee Bay including over 300 bird species, and various turtles, frogs, and snakes. The state park also offers access to Lake Erie with two sand beaches for swimming and access to the water for boating.
Fossil Park
5705 Centennial Rd., Sylvania
outdoorsylvania.com/fossil-park/
A great way to explore nature, and the history of Northwest Ohio, is with the Fossil Park. This park allows kids to dig for fossils and learn about the Northwest Ohio of 375 million years ago when Ohio was a sea full of prehistoric life. This free experience allows kids to keep whatever fossils they find, and the hope is they will further research and study those fossils while at home. Along with the fossil dig, the park includes a trail perfect for walking, running or biking.
