It happens every year. As our editors begin preparing our annual "Best of Ohio" cover feature, the worrying begins: How are we going to add to - let alone top - the list we compiled last year?

And every year, the worrying proves to be groundless. The happy fact of life in Ohio is that there is always something else to discover and enjoy.

This year, we feature 55 uniquely Ohio experiences. Some you will recognize, some you will not. Those you have not yet explored will give you a fresh perspective on life in the Buckeye state. The golden oldies on the list, meanwhile, are worth rediscovering - perhaps this time with a friend or relative from out of state. After all, it's time we Ohioans showed off the reasons why we are indeed the heart of it all.

One of those reasons is crystal clear at the new Glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art ("Best Transformation of a Parking Lot"). Another reason is etched in stone amid the Glacial Grooves on Kelleys Island ("Best Place to See How Geology Works"). And yet another reason is written in history at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont ("Best Place to Step Back in Time").

Want to find out just how sweet it is to live here? Visit The Bonbonerie bakery in Cincinnati ("Best Torte") or Schmidt's in Columbus ("Best Cream Puff").

Prefer to indulge your wild side? Try the Maverick roller coaster, which debuts at Cedar Point in May ("Best Wild Ride"). Or experience the other-worldly ambiance of the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield "("Best Prison Break,").

Whatever your pleasure, your trip begins here. Have fun!