Ohio touring, traveling and visiting information

Ohio's 5 Major Regions

5 Geographic Regions of Ohio

Northwest Ohio

Northeast Ohio

Central Ohio

Southwest Ohio

Southeast Ohio

 

Ohio is really made up of a patchwork of lands and terrains, each unique, and each diverse in what it provides travelers visiting the area. But when you start examining the state's regions you see some natural divisions in the state besides just east, west, north and south. In each region the land is different and it is used differently. Also, in the early development of the state, each of these areas attracted different types of settlers, that created a unique culture for each region.

More than a million acres of Ohio are woodlands. There are some 164,000 acres of woodlands in 60 of our 88 counties, and some 74 state parks, that have been preserved just for you, your children and your great grand children.

There are 12 major river systems in the state, with over 700 miles designated as Ohio State Scenic Rivers. Most of these waterways are available for study, canoeing, fishing, and just visiting. Ohio has led the nation in protecting its pristine rivers and streams through the scenic river program which started in 1968. We still have a long way to go in preserving our waterways, but at least we've started to make a difference.


Bi-Centennial Barns

To commemorate Ohio's bicentennial in 2003, barn painter Scott Hagan painted a bicentennial mural on a barn in each of Ohio's 88 counties. As you travel throughout the state, especially on the backroad's, be on the look out for these barns. The last barn Scott painted with the official Bicentennial logo was in Sandusky County at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds in Freemont. The first barn he painted was in Belmont County on SR 149, about 1/2 mile south of I-70.

Fayette County Bicentennial Barn

Early settlers devastated Ohio

The Native American's living in Ohio were really great stewards of the land. As more and more settlers moved in, they pushed out the Native Americans and forced them to go elsewhere.

With the promise of so much natural wealth at their fingertips, there was little regard to protecting that wealth. In just 6 short decades from the time Ohio became a state, almost the entire woodland areas were completely gone. Our forefathers did not understand what they had, nor did they see any reason for preserving it. They used it all up.

There is a great new book titled: Ohio Then & Now, by Randall Schieber and Robin Smith. Through careful research and dedication, they have taken early photographs of the state, and recreated the image as the scene looks today. The difference is startling. The thing you notice the most, is that today the state has trees— an abundance of trees that were almost completely missing from these early images. Even urban images that were mostly barren of trees, now have trees.

We cannot let that ever happen again. Our land is what ties all of our regions and our people together. We may not have the splendor of the Rockies in our backyard, but we do have the Hocking Hills. We may not have expansive ocean views, but we do have Lake Erie, and all the rivers and streams flowing north into the lake and of course, we have the Ohio River and all the rivers and streams that flow into it. All of us have a direct connection with these natural features and should protect them in everything we do.

Northwest Ohio

Northeast Ohio

.Southwest Ohio

Southeast Ohio

  • Hocking Valley Scenic Railway

  • Big Muskie Bucket

  • First Oil Well in North America

  • Buffington Island Historical Site

  • National Road & Zane Grey Museum

  • Campus Martius: Museum of the Northwest Territory

  • Ohio River Museum

  • Ohio Ceramic Center

  • Laurelville Fruit Farm

  • Hocking Hills

  • Olde Fam Market

  • Rhoads Farm Market

  • Walker's Farm

Central Ohio

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The Major Regions of Ohio

Northwest Ohio was a very contested area of land. Bloody battles were fought with Native Americans, and after that, we had to fight the British. It required especially rugged people to settle in this land.

Northeast Ohio was settled mostly by settlers from New England, with pockets here and there that came directly from European areas. They brought tidy little villages with a common area in the center of town that have been preserved. Many of those European pockets of settlements have also been preserved in areas such as Zoar and Sugarcreek.

Southeastern Ohio has an abundance of natural beauty in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. To capitalize on this natural bounty, southeastern Ohio has invested a lot of time, effort and money in developing tourism for the area.

Southwestern Ohio is in stark contrast with southeastern half of the state. Southwestern Ohio has a large diversity of commerce and invention. Cincinnati was the first major inland cities to be founded and those Wright brothers from Dayton made flying a reality. The Ohio River and the Miami and Erie Canal system played large rolls in the development of this area. Besides the sporting venues in Cincinnati and the cultural diversity, this area also boasts one of the nation's largest entertainment parks at Kings Island.

Central Ohio is the cross-roads of the state and where the 4 corner regions mix. In Central Ohio you'll find a little of everything that made Ohio great. From it's rich agriculture to its industrial development all came together here. It became the heart of our government and where people came to create the laws that protect and guide each of us.