I only had three days to explore Toledo and the weather was gorgeous. I had an itinerary built by the local tourism folks, my camera batteries were charged, and I was ready to tell a visual story of visiting the northwestern Ohio city. But what story would that be?
I never went for very long without capturing a photo. Urban parks, skyline photos, food! Around every corner there was something beautiful to photograph. With every stop, I had more to tell the story.
Take a look at my favorite travel photos from my time in Toledo. Leave me a comment below and tell me which was your favorite and why!
READ MORE: 18 Exciting Things to Do in Toledo, Ohio | A 3-Day Itinerary
Welcome to Toledo! It’s a city in the midst of revitalization and opportunity. I spent three days exploring the city and found more than enough to keep me busy and my camera clicking.
There were a lot of coffee shops in Toledo. Above, Rust Belt Coffee is located downtown and served these delicious fried apple pies. Below, Black Kite Coffee made an awesome mocha latte.
I always knew the Great Lakes were big, but I had no idea they were also deep. At the National Museum of the Great Lakes, I learned more about the geology and history of the lakes.
One of the perks of visiting the National Museum of the Great Lakes was the opportunity to take a self-guided tour of the Schoonmaker, a cargo vessel that once traveled the Great Lakes.
The owner of the vessel would frequently travel in a special cabin and wanted a faux fireplace for his evenings. Those are specially-designed lightbulbs in the fireplace.
The Toledo Museum of Art was one of the most beautiful art museums I have ever visited. The building itself was practically a work of art. I found myself spending more time capturing photos of the building than the art pieces.
I arrived at Maumee Bay State Park to find hundreds of seagulls lounging on a sandy beach along Lake Erie. But just minutes later, this guy runs through the seagulls, sending them flying away.
This was my happy place at Maumee Bay State Park. The semi-covered picnic table sat on a hill above Lake Erie, offering a stunning view. The weather was perfect and I had the entire place to myself. What more could I ask for?
I stumbled upon Perrysburg while looking for dinner my first night in Toledo. What a charming town! The town was named after Commodore Perry, a Navy officer who fought a pivotal battle on Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
The most exciting place I visited for photography was the Cannaley Treehouse Village at Oak Openings Preserve. An entire tree house village! I had a guided tour of the homes and learned about the history of getting them built. It was a fascinating experience that only made me want to stay there!
Seriously. Just look at this. Swinging rope bridges. Slides. Every home was elevated off the ground and fully furnished. I can just imagine the photos I would capture and fun I would have spending two or three nights here.
I never had to go far to find good food in Toledo, and Schmucker’s was really good food. The diner has been there for decades and now owned by the third generation of the family that started it. Do you know how painful it was to invest ten minutes capturing photos of the food before I could eat it?!
Maumee Bay Brewing Co. offered more than just fantastic craft beers – they also had a full menu for dinner. Thick, crunch onion rings got me started. The bacon cheeseburger was a great way to finish the day.
Walking around Toledo, I couldn’t help but look up. Not exactly record-setting skyscrapers, but still tall enough to remind me this was a city. Some of the buildings had beautiful architecture.
While looking up, down, left, and right at the beautiful buildings and public artwork, I suddenly heard a shout. I looked up to find The Handlebar bicycle bar slowly trudging along the street. Everybody was having fun despite the fact they had to keep pedaling to make the bar move!
I was a bit sad to leave Toledo behind. It was the first time I had ever seen one of the Great Lakes. It was a vibrant young city. And it was one of my favorite destinations of 2020. I look forward to returning to the city – and next time I’m going to the zoo!
