Visitors will find more thrills, wonder, happiness in Ohio this year

Ohio’s diverse collection of distinctive visitor experiences will grow even larger in 2018!

“Ohio is home to amazing visitor experiences, and we’re proud to kick off 2018 by sharing some of the newest offerings that will satisfy travelers’ thirst for meaningful and impactful getaways,” said Matt MacLaren, director of TourismOhio. “Whether it’s an adrenaline-inducing roller coaster ride or a serene opportunity to connect with nature you’re seeking, it will be easy to find it here in 2018.”

For more travel ideas and inspiration, visit Ohio.org. Download the free “Official Ohio Travel Guide by TourismOhio” app for easy access to everything you need to explore Ohio.

Celebrate National Culture & History

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland will showcase a $15 million renovation when it hosts the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on April 14, 2018. This star-studded event also will include a dedication for the 2018 inductee exhibit and other rock and roll themed events and activities at the Rock Hall and throughout the city.

B-17F Memphis Belle will go on display at The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton May 17, exactly 75 years after completing its final WWII mission. It was the first U.S. Army Air Forces heavy bomber to complete 25 missions over Europe and return to the U.S. The Memphis Belle will anchor a new exhibit featuring interactive displays, archival film, artifacts and more in the WWII Gallery.

Cincinnati Museum Center at the iconic Union Terminal will reopen this year after an extensive restoration process and will welcome an addition: The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education. Once the hub of rail transportation in Cincinnati, Union Terminal is home to the Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the Duke Energy Children’s Museum and the OMNIMAX Theater.

National Veterans Memorial and Museum, which recently earned a spot on Architectural Digest’s most anticipated buildings of 2018 list, will open on the Scioto Peninsula in downtown Columbus this fall. The 50,000-square-foot museum will be the only place where stories of our veterans, their families and the fallen – across all military service branches and eras – will be told together.

Take a Deep Breath

Steel Vengeance, the world’s first hyper-hybrid coaster, will get thrill seekers’ blood pumping at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky this year. The steel-on-wood hybrid coaster will stand more than 200 feet tall and feature a 90-degree initial drop, a record breaking 30 seconds of airtime and four stomach turning inversions!
The John Glenn Astronomy Park opens June 21 among the Hocking Hills State Parks, about one mile from Old Man’s Cave State Park Visitors Center, where visitors can take advantage of the area’s pristine darkness to explore stars and planets. The indoor/outdoor facility will feature a large telescope and an outdoor plaza containing a sundial and floating celestial fountain.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden will open in May at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Columbus. The two-acre garden joins the outdoors, art and educational experiences providing a new place for children to run, play and explore the great outdoors, including 16 interactive activities like a playhouse garden, canopy walk, wetlands, a stream and a Nature Art Studio.

Quench Your Thirst

Gervasi Vineyard in Canton will add a luxury boutique hotel and distillery in late 2018. The single story, 18,000-square-foot boutique hotel will boast 24 large, luxurious Tuscan-mission-style suites, and the 10,000-square-foot distillery will feature a line of craft spirits, with cocktails playfully designed and named to fit a 1920s “gangster” theme.

The DogHouse, a project of Scottish brewer, BrewDog, will open the world’s first crowd-funded craft beer hotel in Canal Winchester in September. The 50-room hotel will be attached to the brewery’s U.S. headquarters located southeast of downtown Columbus. It will boast several beer-themed amenities including an IPA-filled hot tub and a mini-fridge in every shower.

Twin Oast Brewing Company will open on a 60-acre farm estate featuring forested areas, stone fruit orchards, and home-grown produce on Lake Erie’s Catawba Island. The brewery will have a small menu year-round, with rotating food trucks offering dishes that pair perfectly with the brews. This rustic, fruit-focused brew farm also will feature live entertainment at its amphitheater.