Plan an easy road trip from Columbus Ohio from this list featuring 11 day trips from Columbus that are within a one hour drive AND great for families!
There really are so many fun things to do with kids in Ohio! I’ve put together this list of easy day trips from Columbus, Ohio that are great for families. These are all road trips you can do in one day.
Even though there are so many fun things to do in Columbus, sometimes we need a little change of scenery! And there are so many hidden gems in Ohio! I love when we discover a cute little downtown area, an amazing park or a great museum that is just outside of Columbus! It’s like being on vacation, even though you’re just a short drive away!
Check out the incredibly creative Hartman Rock Garden in Springfield, Ohio, learn all about Ohio’s aviation history in Greene County or let the kids get hands on with science at The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art and Technology in Newark, Ohio!
Explore some pretty cool parks like Wegerzyn Gardens in Dayton or Ariel-Foundation Park in Mount Vernon, Ohio! Or check out the cool gravity rail at Aldersgate Park in Marysville!
With one of these day trips from Columbus, you can spend a day exploring an Ohio town that is guaranteed to be filled with surprises! We have had so much fun taking these trips!
The criteria for this list is that the destinations are a one hour or less drive from downtown Columbus! So if you’re looking to break up the weekday routine or want a weekend getaway from Columbus, pick one of these nearby cities and go exploring!
If you’re looking to go a little bit further, check out my list of Ohio Road Trip Ideas that cover the whole state!
Easy Day Trips from Columbus for Families
If you're looking for ideas for easy day trips from Columbus, Ohio, this list is a great place to start! These family-friendly road trips from Columbus feature destinations that are all less than one hour away!
My family spent a day exploring Bellefontaine including mini golf, pizza, and, of course, coffee! Plus we found one of the most adorable and inspiring toy stores I have ever been in! Set aside a day for a trip from Columbus to Bellefontaine and enjoy what this cute town has to offer!
We were pleasantly surprised to find that Springfield is only 45 minutes from Columbus, which makes this trip an easy day trip! With a unique rock garden, a booming farmer's market and a kid-friendly art museum, it's easy to fill a day in Springfield!
It’s easy to forget that Dayton is only an hour away from Columbus! It makes for a great day trip from Columbus for nearby families. There really are a lot of things to do with kids in Dayton!
There are so many family-friendly things to do in Dayton that we have even spent the night at a hotel so we could pack in more fun!
Hopefully this list of fun things to do in Dayton, Ohio with your family will inspire your next road trip!
Lancaster, Ohio has a population of around 40,000, has a cute, walkable downtown area, nice parks, its own collection of local restaurants and a decent sized mall. So, something for everyone!
Lancaster is also home to a really fun, hands-on museum for kids! You can't miss it!
Just 45 minutes from Columbus, Yellow Springs, Ohio makes the perfect day trip with your family! There’s a little bit of something for everyone in the family: from food and shopping to animals and nature!
Home to Young's Jersey Dairy, a funky and eclectic downtown and a nature preserve, it's easy to fill a whole day in Yellow Springs!
Delaware is around 40 minutes from Columbus. It's just s short drive to this cute city that is home to the famous "dinosaur park" - one of the most unique parks and splash pad combos I have ever seen!
A trip to Delaware also includes a great downtown area and a great children’s bookstore! Oh, and don't forget cupcakes!
With a carousel and amazing children’s museum, downtown Mansfield, Ohio makes for a fun day trip from Columbus!
It's easy to spend a whole day in downtown Mansfield, also known as the Carrousel District. If you’re looking for a fun road trip this summer, I think this outing is worth the drive – which is only about an hour from downtown Columbus.
Plan a trip to Greene County, Ohio to explore Ohio’s history of aviation and to take flight yourself! Greene County is where the Wright Brothers developed aviation and took the first circular flight! It’s also home to several historical landmarks related to the birth of aviation including the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, monuments and airplane rides!
Plan a trip to Greene County from Columbus using our itinerary here as a guideline and introduce your family to the incredible role that Ohio played in the development of flight and airplanes!
Newark, Ohio offers several attractions for families to enjoy! A definite highlight is The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art and Technology, an awesome museum for kids featuring hands-on activities that teach kids about science, history and more!
A visit to Newark should also include a stop at the Dawes Arboretum! The beautiful gardens and natural play area for kids will round out your trip!
Plan your Newark, Ohio itinerary by choosing a couple of stops listed in this blog post and have a fun day out with the kids!
Marysville, Ohio is around 35 minutes from downtown Columbus and offers a quaint downtown, apple picking and a super fun playground for kids!
Each fall we love to pick apples and we have started to branch out and try a new orchard each year! This fall I picked CherryHawk Orchard for our annual apple picking adventure! We began the day with apple picking and then we spent some time exploring some more fun things to do in Marysville!
Mount Vernon, Ohio is just around 1 hour from Columbus has a super cute downtown, a great children's science museum, a really unique park and the coolest Dog Fountain around!
If you're looking for a super fun day trip from Columbus, Ohio, look no further than Mt. Vernon, Ohio! The downtown area is so cute and easy to walk around! There lots of things to do in downtown Mount Vernon that will appeal to families with kids of all different ages!
Hocking Hills is squeaking in with a 1 hour 1 minute drive from downtown Columbus! Arguably one of the most beautiful areas in Ohio, Hocking Hills State Park and surrounding region is a must-visit destination from Columbus!
This blog post focuses on the Old Man's Cave area of the park, home of the most popular hiking trail and the Hocking Hills Visitor's Center.
This area has two waterfalls, gorgeous scenery and a visitor's center that is great for kids!
Ohio has so much to explore! Central Ohio is in the middle of all of it and I’m so happy we can take mini vacations to some pretty cool places! I hope you are inspired to plan a day trip to one of these places with your kids! Tag me in your pictures on Instagram @whatshouldwedotoday_cbus !
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