Whether you’re ready to be swept off your feet in romantic Marietta or get away from the city in Amish Country, Ohio has incredible options for your weekend getaway.

Written by Jessie Devine

Reviewed by Kathleen Flear

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Table of Contents

Best weekend getaways for couples in Ohio
Best weekend getaways for families in Ohio
Best weekend getaways for booklovers
Best weekend getaways for foodies
Best weekend getaways for outdoor enthusiasts
Best cheap weekend getaways
How to get cheap insurance that covers your rental car

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Whether you and your sweetheart are dying to get away for the weekend or you need a few days to get in touch with nature,

Ohio

has the best weekend getaway for you.

Life can’t always be all about the grind. Sometimes you need to take a few days off and explore the cool places around you. But if you don’t know where to go, the planning can get daunting.

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Best weekend getaways for couples in Ohio

Logan

Stay at:

The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls

(cabins start at $219/night, cottages and geodomes also available)

Or:

Hocking Hills Inn and Coffee Emporium

(suites start at $85/night)

Start your weekend

Logan

right with a cup of coffee at the

Hocking Hills Coffee Emporium

, and then take a walk through

Old Man’s Cave

for breathtaking views of waterfalls and rock formations. For lunch, head over to

The Olde Dutch Restaurant

for a delicious buffet, and then hit up the

Logan Antique Mall

and find treasures to remember your trip. Finish your day with a gourmet meal at

Kindred Spirits

—and don’t forget dessert.

Begin day two with a delightful breakfast at

Penny’s Pastries

on Main Street. Then get ready to relax with your sweetheart inside a cedar sauna barrel at

Sauna Pods Hocking Hills

. A trip to Logan wouldn’t be complete without a visit to local favorite lunch spot

Pearl’s Diner

. Take a few minutes to check out the

DustyBlues Art Gallery

, and then end the day chilling at the

Hocking Hills Winery

Marietta

Stay at:

The Lafayette

(rooms start at $80/night—

Signature Romantic Getaway

suite package available for $280)

Or:

The Hackett Hotel

(suites start at $109/night)

In historic

Marietta

, start your romantic getaway with breakfast at

Jeremiah’s Coffee House

. Then visit

The Castle

to see stunning Gothic architecture and learn about Marietta’s history. Get over to

Tonya’s Country Kitchen

for lunch, and if you have room, hit

Whit’s Frozen Custard

to share a treat with your sweetie. Then tour Marietta on one of the town’s

Trolley Tours

, and visit

Austyn’s

for a fine dining dinner experience.

On day two, start with breakfast from local farm-to-table restaurant

Busy Bee

. Then get outside and walk the

Marietta River Trail

. For lunch, try the tasty fare at

The Cozy Kitchen

, and then visit the

B&O Harmar Bridge

where you and your honey can lock a padlock and toss the key into the river. Have dinner on the river at

Boat House BBQ

, and then catch a fun evening show at the

Peoples Bank Theater

Pro tip: Don’t let that small-town charm go to waste—take lots of pictures!

Best weekend getaways for families in Ohio

Sandusky

Stay at:

Hampton Inn Sandusky-Central

(rooms for $94/night)

Or:

Cedar Point’s Castaway Bay

(rooms for $169/night)

Bring the kids and spend the day at

Sandusky’s

famous

Kalahari Resorts Waterpark

. Then hit up

Berardi’s Family Kitchen

for dinner before taking a five-minute drive to

Toft’s Dairy Ice Cream Parlor

—Ohio’s oldest dairy.

Start day two with breakfast at

Sandusky Bay Pancake House

. Then visit the

Merry-Go-Round Museum

to learn about merry-go-round history and ride the

Stargazer Carousel

. Grab pizza for lunch at

Brick Oven Bistro

and then visit

Lagoon Deer Park

where you and your kids can feed deer and other animals by hand. Finish your mini family getaway with dinner at

Better Half Family Restaurant

Northeast Ohio

Stay at:

Shady Oaks Farm Bed and Breakfast

(family suite ranges $189-$220/night)

Or:

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Macedonia

(rooms start at $86/night)

Just outside of

Cleveland

, you’ll find tons of fun and family-friendly things to do. Get the best brunch in Ohio at

Blue Door Cafe & Bakery

, and then drive about ten minutes to the

Stow Community Farmers Market

. There, you can buy everything you need to have a picnic in

Cuyahoga National Park

while you and your family spend the day in nature.

The next day, have a classic breakfast at a retro cafe called

The Lamp Post

before visiting the

Little Turtle Pond

for free fishing (for kids under 15) and turtle viewing! Get some lunch at

Molly Brown’s Country Cafe

and then test your family’s logic and teamwork at

Locked in at the Lakes Escape Room

. Finish up with dinner at

Akron Family Restaurant

MORE: 8 pro tips for long car rides with kids

Best weekend getaways for booklovers

Columbus

Stay at:

50 Lincoln Short North Bed and Breakfast

(rooms starting at $140/night)

Or:

Graduate Columbus

(rooms starting at $83/night)

Columbus

, start the day with a cup of coffee and a book at

Birdie Books and Café

, and then check out the

Thurber House Museum and Literary Center

. Afterward, try

Two Dollar Radio Headquarters

bookstore and vegan lunch spot, and then hit up the

Book Loft of German Village

—Columbus’ favorite bookstore.

Day two starts with coffee (or maybe an early cocktail?) and a treat at

Kafe Kerouac

. Then you should definitely hit up the

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum

before lunch at

Super Chef’s

, a comic-book-themed breakfast-and-lunch cafe. A book lover's visit to Columbus would be incomplete without stopping by the

Columbus Metropolitan Main Library

. Then take a short drive just out of Columbus for dinner at the

Asterisk Supper Club

—a literary-themed restaurant that serves as a big free library where you can take a book, leave a book.

If you go at the end of April, be sure to attend the

Ohioana Book Festival

Cincinnati

Stay at:

21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati

(rooms from $169/night)

Or:

Kinley Cincinnati

(rooms from $179/night)

Start your

Cincinnati

vacation at the

Iris Book Cafe

with breakfast and a book, and then visit the famous

Mercantile Library

. Spend some time exploring the arts district, and then visit the

Gaslight Bar & Grille

—also known as the Library Bar, which lives in a building that used to house the Clifton Branch Library.

Day two begins with breakfast at the

Sleepy Bee Cafe: Oakley

. Then take a two-minute walk to the

Blue Manatee Literacy Project

bookstore, where you’ll find independent books you won’t find at other stores. In the evening, head over to

Motr Pub

for one of Word of Mouth’s weekly live poetry events.

If you like book festivals, check out the annual schedule for

Books by the Banks

MORE:

Literary road trips

Best weekend getaways for foodies

Columbus

Stay at:

Hotel LeVeque

(rooms from $222/night)

Or:

Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square

(rooms from $96/night)

Columbus is a great place to be for book lovers, but it’s also becoming a food capital of the USA. Start your vacation with Ohio’s best donuts from

Buckeye Donuts

. Then join the

Short North Food Tour

to try the culinary delights of Columbus’ arts district. When you’re finished, you’ll be just on time for afternoon tea at the

Cambridge Tea House

. If you have space for dinner, get a fine dining experience at

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse

Day two begins with a classic and delicious breakfast at

Scotty’s Cafe

, which was voted the #1 diner in Columbus. In the afternoon, join the

German Village Food Tour

where you’ll visit

Katzinger’s

, featured on the Food Network’s show The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Athens

Stay at:

Ohio University Inn

(rooms from $86/night)

Or:

Deer Ridge Bed and Breakfast

(rooms from $125/night)

Start your foodie getaway with breakfast at the locally famous Mexican restaurant,

Casa Nueva

. Spend the rest of the morning at the

Athens Farmers Market

to taste locally homemade goodies. Take a break in the afternoon at

Town’s End Coffee Bar

before taking one of a variety of cooking classes at

Savoir Cooking

The next day begins with a delicious quiche breakfast from

Village Bakery & Cafe

. Take a stroll down to the Athens Downtown Historic District where you’ll find cobblestone streets, galleries, and the

Bubbles Tea Company

. For lunch, try the fun and funky

O’Betty’s Red Hot

hot dog restaurant, and if you still have room by dinner, finish the weekend off right with a taste of international cuisine at

Restaurant Salaam

MORE:

Foodie road trip Midwest

Pro Tip: To find more great places to eat, ask a local on the street what their favorite is.

Best weekend getaways for outdoor enthusiasts

Loudonville

Stay at: The

Mohicans Treehouse Resort

(starting at $250/night)

Or:

Mohican Adventures Campground and Cabins

(camp for $30-$40/night or choose a cabin starting at $185/weekend night)

Have breakfast at

Mellor’s Family Restaurant

, and then get going with a hike in

Mohican State Park

. When you break for lunch, try out

Trail’s End Restaurant

, and then go canoeing with outfitting by

Loudonville Canoe Livery

. Pick up some takeout from

Black Fork Bistro

and get some rest for a second exciting day.

Grab some coffee and a fresh Amish baked treat at the

Mohican Country Market

before you set out on your day two adventure. Head over to

Treefrog Canopy Tours

to take an exciting zipline tour of the forest, and then get some lunch at the

Copper Mug Bar and Grille

. Spend the rest of your day chilling out riverside at the Black Fork Mohican River.

Kelleys Island

Stay at:

Water’s Edge Retreat

(suites starting at $291/night)

Or: Camp at

Kelleys Island State Park Campground

(nightly rates $24-$100 depending on the type of site)

Get to know Lake Erie with a weekend stay on Kelleys Island. Start your vacation with a lakeside breakfast at

Taste by the Lake

. Take a walk down the beach to the

Ed Curilla Preserve

to visit the red cedar forest and pools that house unique reptiles and amphibians. In the afternoon, fill up your belly with delicious barbeque at

Peeper’s

before heading south to take a boat ride onto the lake with

Seaway Marina

Start your day with a tasty breakfast at Captain’s Corner and then pick up picnic supplies at the

Island Market

, because you’re heading to the other side of the island. Hike around the

North Shore Loop Hiking Trail

. When you’re finished, check out the

Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve

to see 18,000-year-old deep grooves left by a glacier, plus ancient marine fossils in the limestone. Finish your weekend with the best seafood (and view) at

Portside Marina

MORE:

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Best cheap weekend getaways

Amish Country

Stay at:

Sugarcreek Village Inn

(rooms from $65/night)

Or:

Camp at Amish Country Campsites

(site for $29/night)

Start your Amish weekend getaway with a homestyle Amish breakfast at

Boyd & Wurthman’s

, where a three-egg omelet will set you back just $7.99. Then take a hike and see fascinating art installations at

Holmes County Open Air Art Museum

for free. Get a delicious and inexpensive lunch at Berlin’s

Plain and Simple Diner

. After lunch, stop by the

World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock

on the hour and half-hour for a (free) full show including Swiss polka music and dancers.

The next day, get a cup of coffee and try the famous sourdough donut for breakfast at

Amish Country Donuts

. Grab some picnic supplies at the

Dutch Valley Market

, and then spend a few hours meeting and hand-feeding exotic animals at the

Farm at Walnut Creek

for a $15 admission ticket. Make a free visit to the

Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center

for a guided tour illustrating the history of the area. Then have a nice dinner made with locally sourced ingredients at the

Olde World Bistro

MORE: Best fall road trips in the Midwest

Toledo

Stay at:

Red Roof Inn Toledo - University

(rooms from $59/night)

Or:

Quality Inn Alexis Road

(rooms from $71/night)

Toledo

, start the day at

Mama’s Kitchen

for a cheap and tasty breakfast. Head over to the

Toledo Museum of Art

to see all the latest exhibits for free, and then grab lunch at

Monroe St. Diner

. After lunch, make a trip to the

Toledo Botanical Garden

for a relaxing (and free) stroll through breathtaking flowers, plants, and trees. Finish the evening with dinner and a drag show at

Hamburger Mary’s

Grab a latte and a homemade donut at

Black Kite Coffee

and take them for a walk through Toledo’s most loved historical neighborhood.

Toledo’s Old West End

serves as a showcase of Victorian and Edwardian architectural styles that are sure to please. When you’ve walked enough to work up an appetite, get lunch at

Schmucker’s Restaurant

. Plan and book ahead of time to finish your weekend with one of

Imagination Station’s

adult field trips, complete with a signature cocktail and fun, themed activities.

Pro Tip: To find more free stuff to do, check social media and community websites (like libraries) for free events on your travel dates.

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How to get cheap insurance that covers your rental car

Most of our weekend getaways involve some driving—and if you don’t live in the area, you may want to

rent a car

, and you’ll need insurance. If you’re road-tripping with your own vehicle, you probably already have insurance—but did you know you’re probably paying too much for it?

If you’re not comparison shopping with

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