Ohio · best-of list
15 Top Things to Do in Ohio
All 15 things to do our route editors picked in Ohio, across 5 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
15 things to do in Ohio, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Cleveland 4 picks
A Christmas Story House
Cleveland · On our Indiana & Ohio City-Nature Loop route
The Tremont house from the 1983 film, with a museum across the street.
Photo: APK · CC BY 4.0
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland · On our Indiana & Ohio City-Nature Loop route
Free world-class collection from armor to Impressionists in University Circle.
Photo: Erik Drost · CC BY 2.0
Great Lakes Science Center
Cleveland · On our Indiana & Ohio City-Nature Loop route
Hands-on science museum next door, with the NASA Glenn visitor center.
Photo: Cards84664 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Cleveland · On our Indiana & Ohio City-Nature Loop route
I.M. Pei pyramid on the lake with stage costumes, instruments and hall of inductees.
Tip: Allow 3 hours; go early to avoid school groups.
Photo: GordonMakryllos · CC BY-SA 4.0
Downtown & the Short North 4 picks
COSI Noon Year's Eve
Downtown & the Short North · On our Columbus New Year's Eve route
The science museum's family countdown to noon in its atrium on Dec 31, held 10 am to noon in 2025.
Tip: Included with admission; arrive by 10 am to get a spot in the atrium.
Nationwide Arena
Downtown & the Short North · On our Columbus New Year's Eve route
Home of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, who played a Dec 31 home game in 2025.
Tip: When there is an NYE game, the Arena District bars fill right after the final horn.
Photo: Eric · CC BY-SA 2.0
Scioto Mile
Downtown & the Short North · On our Columbus New Year's Eve route
Riverfront parks and promenade along the Scioto River with the best ground-level view of the downtown skyline.
Tip: Stand on the Main Street Bridge for the classic skyline and river reflection after dark.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domain
Short North Arts District
Downtown & the Short North · On our Columbus New Year's Eve route
Mile of High Street north of downtown lined with galleries, bars and restaurants under lit steel arches.
Tip: The Joseph hotel here hosted its own NYE toast in 2025 if you want to stay close to the bars.
Photo: Jsjessee · CC BY-SA 2.0
Downtown Cleveland & the Flats 3 picks
Playhouse Square
Downtown Cleveland & the Flats · On our Cleveland New Year's Eve route
Theater district on Euclid Avenue, with a 20-foot outdoor chandelier hanging over the street.
Tip: Check the holiday schedule; shows often run between Christmas and New Year's.
Photo: Erik Drost · CC BY 2.0
Public Square
Downtown Cleveland & the Flats · On our Cleveland New Year's Eve route
The city's central square under Terminal Tower, with trees wrapped in holiday lights through December.
Tip: Walk through after dark on Dec 30, when it is quieter.
Photo: Erik Drost · CC BY 2.0
Windows on the River
Downtown Cleveland & the Flats · On our Cleveland New Year's Eve route
Event hall in the old Powerhouse on the Flats' West Bank, which runs a ticketed New Year's Eve party.
Tip: Ask for a table by the windows facing the river and the skyline.
Photo: Erik Drost · CC BY 2.0
Downtown Cincinnati 2 picks
Elm Street Plaza
Downtown Cincinnati · On our Cincinnati New Year's Eve route
New plaza beside the convention center, home of the free 2025 party with an ice rink and two fireworks shows.
Tip: Get there by 7:30 p.m. for the early show or 11:30 p.m. for midnight.
Photo: Hayden Schiff · CC BY 4.0Fountain Square
Downtown Cincinnati · On our Cincinnati New Year's Eve route
Downtown's central square around the 1871 Tyler Davidson Fountain, which held a ticketed 21+ party in 2025.
Tip: Stop by on Dec 30 for the holiday tree and the fountain lit up at night.
Ohio City & the Lakefront 2 picks
Hope Memorial Bridge
Ohio City & the Lakefront · On our Cleveland New Year's Eve route
1932 bridge over the Cuyahoga lined with eight Art Deco stone figures called the Guardians of Traffic.
Tip: Walk the sidewalk from Ohio City for views up the river to downtown.
Photo: Erik Drost · CC BY 2.0Ohio City streets
Ohio City & the Lakefront · On our Cleveland New Year's Eve route
Victorian neighborhood around West 25th Street with brick storefronts, bars and coffee shops.
Tip: Walk Market Avenue and Bridge Avenue for the oldest blocks.
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Ohio?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 15 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Ohio has the most things to do on this list?
Cleveland and Downtown & the Short North lead with 4 each; the other picks are spread across 3 more destinations.
Are any of these free?
8 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Playhouse Square, Elm Street Plaza, Hope Memorial Bridge, Public Square, Fountain Square, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Ohio
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Cleveland 4 on this list
- Downtown & the Short North 4 on this list
- Downtown Cleveland & the Flats 3 on this list
- Downtown Cincinnati 2 on this list
- Ohio City & the Lakefront 2 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.