Discover Lucas

Lucas County borders Lake Erie to the east and the Maumee River to the southeast. Along the Lake Erie shoreline, visitors can enjoy a wide range of water-based and land-based activities. There are also marshland trails, large metroparks and cultural destinations in Toledo. This makes it easy to explore Lucas County based on your interests, whether paddling, cycling and hiking or discovering glass, shipping and regional history.

River landscapes and unique habitats

The Glass City Riverwalk runs along the Maumee River. Between Maumee and Waterville are the Maumee River Ledges, a rare alvar habitat found in only a few places around the Great Lakes. Pearson Metropark also preserves one of the last remaining stands of the Great Black Swamp. These places show different sides of the landscape: riverfront, a unique habitat and a piece of the region’s natural history.

Trails for different activities

At Howard Marsh, water and land trails offer distinctly different activities: the six-mile water trail is designated for canoeing and kayaking, while the five miles of dike trails are suitable for hiking and cycling. At Manhattan Marsh Preserve Metropark, a 1.3-mile trail with nearly 1,500 feet of concrete boardwalk and observation points leads into the marshland. These details clearly distinguish a trip on the water from a trail through a wetland.

The 1.5-mile Northwest Territory Trail is a loop through Fallen Timbers Battlefield. The site covers 187 acres of open fields, with a wooded area near the center. Another designated cycling route is the 2.1-mile Lake Erie Bike Path in Maumee Bay State Park. Side Cut Metropark connects to the Wabash Cannonball Trail. Whether you’re looking for a loop, a route through marshland or a connection to a longer trail, these details offer different points of reference.

Metroparks, gardens and history

At 5,000 acres, Oak Openings Preserve is by far the largest metropark. The park is home to the only public treehouse village in the United States, as well as two campgrounds and two cabins. At Pearson Metropark, the Johlin Cabin, built in 1867, is one of the historic highlights. Those interested in garden spaces and sensory experiences can enjoy the Doneghy Inclusive Garden, an accessible sensory experience featuring visual, auditory, taste and tactile elements.

Glass, shipping and Toledo culture

The Glass Pavilion pairs an important glass collection with a working glass studio rooted in Toledo’s glassmaking heritage. At the National Museum of the Great Lakes, visitors can board the 617-foot museum ship Col. James M. Schoonmaker. Imagination Station offers hundreds of interactive exhibits and demonstrations; at the Toledo Zoo Aquarium, visitors can touch sharks, stingrays and horseshoe crabs in the Touch Tank.

The Toledo Botanical Garden features more than 60 acres of display gardens and plant collections. Local history can also be traced through specific places and dates: the Toledo Farmers' Market was founded in 1832, and the Toledo History Museum preserves physical artifacts from the city’s history. Wildwood Manor House is designed in the Georgian Colonial style. Together, these destinations offer different ways to experience art, nature and history, without letting any one theme define your stay.

Getting here and planning your hotel stay

Lucas County offers easy access to two airports, an Amtrak station, regional bus service and taxi services. When planning your hotel stay, you can first decide which experiences you want to shape your trip: trails and marshland, river and lake activities, or museums and culture. The transportation options listed here also help you plan how to get around.

Discover more destinations: Maumee, Oregon, Toledo, Sylvania, Greene, Delaware County, Carroll, Pike County

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