July/August 2025
Travel
There is much to celebrate in these two communities this year, from the city of Akron’s bicentennial to the summer festivities at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region is packed with outdoor fun, living history and food finds. Here are some great destinations to explore this summer.
Grab a blanket or a lawn chair and head to these music festival across our state with acts ranging from bluegrass to jazz.
From a charming spot that honors legendary candies to a museum dedicated to preserving World War II history, our Best Hometowns 2024-25 offer destinations you’ll love.
Explore five picturesque drives that show off the beauty, history and opportunities for outdoor adventure that make the Mountain State a summer draw.
Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region is a wealth of fun as summer draws to a close. Enjoy floral finds, events geared for furry friends and much more this season.
Take to the shore this summer with these great festivals in Lake Erie towns and islands that celebrate life on the water.
This festival, which started as a one-time celebration, has become a beloved community tradition that brings author talks and a bookish marketplace to our capital city this summer on July 13 and 14.
This tranquil spot in Bethesda is filled with historic cottages and has a long legacy as a summertime retreat.
This unique event at Penitentiary Glen Reservation invites families to experience a night under the stars, along with a delightful opportunity to learn more about the world around us.
This tradition features plenty of German beer, food and fun on Sept. 26 through 28. Tickets go on sale Aug. 6.
The youth flag football event takes place July 17 through 20 in Canton and features 16 gridiron matchups among four age groups, as well as visits from Hall of Famers.
Join forestry experts and nature lovers at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums for a day of learning, tours, and talks celebrating our state’s trees.
Fashioned from a single tree trunk, the flagpole stands tall in the site where the original one was installed at Ohio’s only American Revolution-era fort.
From racing pigs to grand champion livestock, no visit to the Ohio State Fair is complete without taking a closer look at the animals you’ll find there.
Yes, we know, frying everything makes it taste better, especially when you’re strolling the midway.
From the Cardinal Gate’s namesake to the Dairy Products Building’s iconic butter creations, here are four famous spots you'll want to visit (and snap a quick photo) at the fair.
When the midday sun starts to blaze, it’s time to look for a little shade. Here are spots to chill out and discover some really cool things.
The annual Craft Beers, Cocktails & Corks event returns to this former presidential estate in Fremont on Aug. 23 to provide great local sips and even a VIP experience.
From Aug. 1 through 3, Ohio’s lineup of giant-sized oddities welcomes a special visitor — a 61-foot-tall rubber duck.
Summer means it’s time to fuel up and hit the road, and when you’re out there, you’re going to get hungry. Check out these old-school destinations that serve a heaping helping of vintage vibes.
Plan your visit with our guide to what’s new, what’s cool and what you’ll want to be sure to see, eat and do between July 23 and Aug. 3.
Food + Drink
From community celebrations focused on melons and zucchini to a celebration of all things tomato, bring your appetite to these events happening this month.
Around Ohio, breweries are discovering that a little friendly competition is as appealing to visitors as the beer itself.
Housed in a former downtown service station packed with vintage vehicles and old-school memorabilia, this fun downtown spot serves up a menu of comfort food favorites.
Downtown’s 21c Museum Hotel announces that chef Corey Cova will helm the kitchen at its on-site restaurant, Metropole.
Sampling three of this bakery’s sweet treats reveals why it has become a local favorite known for putting an inventive spin on nostalgic flavors.
The Cincinnati-based chain’s Elote pizza returned to the menu Aug. 5, offering a blast of savory, late-summer flavor.
Eating in your car is a Rubber City tradition and Swensons Drive-In is the reason why. The company has locations across Ohio, limited-time menu collaborations and a core experience that has remained unchanged for generations.
This northeast Ohio-based ice cream maker begins selling pints of its sweet-and-savory limited tribute to a local classic Aug. 6.
The Pomeroy-based operation won a silver medal at the 2025 American Cheese Society Awards for the cultured whole milk buttermilk it brought to market in 2025.
This small-town spot in Sandusky County uses the 1950s as the backdrop for its lineup of big breakfasts and creatively constructed burgers and sandwiches.
This institution has been in the city since 1941 but was remade for the modern age, with a fun Over-the-Rhine neighborhood location housed inside a gleaming chrome diner car.
This restaurant along the Lake Erie shore features coastal- and Mediterranean-inspired fare and has a charitable mission in honor of the owners’ late son.
This fun downtown spot feels plucked straight from the 1980s and ’90s, serving up burgers, hot dogs and a lineup of house-brewed beer.
Open since 1957, this stand located just outside Cincinnati serves up coneys, burgers, fries and root beer in a roadside spot built on community and tradition.
The new shop on West Market Street opens July 17 with fanfare, a great giveaway and even something for your four-legged best friend.
Arts
These annual awards from the Ohioana Library honor Ohio-centric books. They will be presented Oct. 15 at the Ohio Statehouse.
From optical illusions and computer algorithms to crafted woodworks, here are 7 can’t-miss exhibitions in Ohio this summer.
A new exhibition at the Dayton Art Institute showcases works by the late Curtis Barnes Sr., a painter and community leader who left a lasting impact on the city he called home.
Dayton native Gary Sandy and Brady Kress, president and CEO of Carillon Historical Park, co-star in “A Very Carillon Christmas,” a fast-paced holiday adventure celebrating several Gem City inventions.
Home + Garden
Rebecca Loomis of Cincinnati captures the beauty of nature by using flowers and resin to create a line of jewelry that is as intricate as it is beautiful.
Ohio Life
On July 20, 1972, the museum showcasing aviation and space history was unveiled in the famed astronaut’s hometown.
A groundbreaking idea began to take shape in Ohio 200 years ago this summer, as the simultaneous creation of two major canals ultimately opened the state to trade and transformed the place we call home.
This coin silver cup with floral and grapevine decoration was once awarded to first-place winners at the Ohio State Fair.
From a wild ride at a beloved amusement park to a massive park along the Ohio River to a quirky museum in the Hocking Hills, here’s what our staff loves about Ohio this month.
Soon to be recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, Tom Hamilton looks back on his iconic career as the radio voice of the Cleveland Guardians.