You Could Spend Forever Exploring This Ohio Small Town, But We'll Settle For A Weekend
By Sarah McCosham|Updated on April 26, 2024(Originally published June 01, 2023)
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
The year my husband and I got engaged, he was finishing up a graduate degree at Bowling Green State University — and I was homeless for the summer while I waited to start my own graduate program in Detroit. So we spent a cozy summer in Bowling Green; he got me a used bike so I could explore while he toiled away in the library writing his thesis. (Side note: it was definitely a “cozy” summer, as we lived in a 120 square foot “apartment” with no air conditioning. Oof!) Humble digs aside, I fell in love with this lovely little town, exploring its sidewalk-lined streets, popping into local coffee shops, and daydreaming at community parks. You could easily spend forever in this charming little town, but if all you have is a weekend to explore Bowling Green, Ohio, that’ll do, too.
Nestled in the northwest corner of Ohio, Bowling Green is a charming college town that, despite being home to around 30,000 residents, has a decidedly small-town sensibility.
That being said, in the summer months when the dorms empty out and the BGSU students head home, the town becomes much quieter; the campus a lovely place to wander and stroll.
This is a theme throughout the town; a place surrounded by rolling farmland and cornfields. Nestled within this bucolic landscape, however, you'll find some surprising hidden gems, like Simpson Garden Park.
Simpson Garden Park is 11 acres of gorgeous gardens in the middle of Bowling Green, Ohio. It's absolutely breathtaking all year round and has a sublimity to it akin to a Japanese garden.
Simpson Garden Park, 1291 Conneaut Ave, Bowling Green, OH 43402, USA
In terms of dining, Bowling Green is, of course, full of college town favorites, from sandwich shops and pizzerias to coffee shops and smoothie bars. The Clay Pot Bistro is in a league of its own, however. This unabashedly European bistro is a town iconoclast that serves up authentic and elevated French cuisine in a wholly accessible and welcoming environment.
The Clay Pot Bistro, 182 S Main St, Bowling Green, OH 43402, USA
Bowling Green -- and the surrounding Wood County -- is also known for its array of unique museums: Snook's Dream Cars, the Wood County Historical Society, and the Historical Construction Equipment Museum (yes!) are some fun finds to explore in the area.
Snook's Dream Cars, 13920 County Home Rd, Bowling Green, OH 43402, USA
Of course, the heart and soul of Bowling Green, Ohio, really is found in its downtown district. Filled with small businesses, restaurants, and cafes, it's easy to spend an afternoon wandering downtown Bowling Green.
You'll often find yourself in the midst of a fun festival happening in downtown Bowling Green, too, from food truck festivals and art fests to holiday events and more.
And in a nod to its agrarian roots, the National Tractor Pulling Championship is *the* must-visit festival of the year in Bowling Green. Held annually since 1967, this event, one of the largest in the nation, is held at the Wood County Fairgrounds and draws an estimated 60,000 people... maybe you'll be among them this year!
Have you visited this charming town in northwest Ohio before? A weekend in Bowling Green, Ohio is sure to recharge your batteries and give you a whole new appreciation for our beautiful state, and *all* its lovely little locales.
Looking for more beautiful places to explore in Ohio? Check out this stunning footage from Holden Arboretum, another great day trip destination in Ohio:
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