Women in Columbus’ German Village neighborhood (photo courtesy of Experience Columbus)
Travel

Explore the History of 4 Ohio Cities on These Walking Tours

Whether you’re visiting for the first time or have lived there your entire life, these insightful treks are an entertaining way to learn more about these Ohio cities.

Hidden Marietta Ghost Trek Walking Tours • Marietta
Visitors to Marietta from June through October can explore the history and paranormal atmosphere that lingers in Ohio’s first city with a choice of three different Ghost Trek Walking Tours: Front Street, Putnam Street and Harmar Village. The tours, which started in 2013, share some history of the city and stories of paranormal encounters. The Front Street Tour includes a walk along the riverfront as well as a stop into the reportedly haunted Lafayette Hotel.
hiddenmarietta.com

The Ultimate Queen City Underground Tour • Cincinnati
In 1800s-era Cincinnati, lager was fermented and stored in underground tunnels that ran below streets of the city’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. When modern refrigeration arrived, the tunnels were filled in and forgotten about. Now, this lost piece of history is open for exploration on the Ultimate Queen City Underground Tour, offered by American Legacy Tours. Over the course of two hours, explore these expansive lager tunnels as well as a crypt in the basement of a church built in 1869. americanlegacytours.com

German Village Walking Tours • Columbus 
John and Jan Clark have lived in Columbus’ German Village for more than 30 years and started resident-led walking tours of the area in 2015 to share their love for the neighborhood. In the 1850s, nearly half of the city’s population was of German descent and that heritage is still reflected in the neighborhood today. Stops on the tour include the 1865 St. Mary Catholic Church as well as favorite shops like The Book Loft. germanvillagetours.com

Canton Hall of Fame City Food Tour (photo courtesy of Explore City Tours)

Canton Hall of Fame City Food Tour • Canton 
Taste your way through Canton’s downtown on this three-hour experience from Explore City Tours that visits four to six restaurants and teaches participants about the city’s history along the way. Participants can enjoy a variety of small-plate servings, ranging from burgers to pizza to Asian cuisine. There is also an option to stop by Bender’s Tavern, Canton’s oldest restaurant. Tour tickets can be upgraded to include a drink package. explorecitytours.com

For more Ohio travel inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.

Related Articles

See More Articles on:

History