First published by The Journal Gazette
ike many Fort Wayne residents, I’ve lived inside my own bubble since the health restrictions from COVID-19 went into place last year, but now that some have lifted, I’m ready to resume travel.
I took a weekend trip to Toledo. Reports that this Midwest Rust Belt city is near death because of the decline in manufacturing are greatly exaggerated. To the contrary, its arts scene, well-cared for parks and redevelopment of its downtown riverfront make Toledo a perfect weekend getaway.
The famous Toledo Museum of Art is a must-see. Since its opening in 1901, it has been a magnet for artwork from global and local talents. It has special exhibitions of its collection and hosts traveling and mounting exhibitions in collaboration with other museums. With 45 galleries, the museum covers 280,000 square feet and has more than 30,000 pieces. It contains individual works from notable artists such as Peter Paul Rubens and Vincent van Gogh. You could spend an entire day exploring this museum.
With Toledo being known as the Glass City because of its long history of glass manufacturing, it only makes sense for the Toledo Museum of Art to open its Glass Pavilion dedicated to glass collection.
Located across the street from the Toledo Museum of Art, it features more than 5,000 works of art from ancient to contemporary times. It has managed to collect glass artifacts since the start of Toledo’s glass manufacturing, as well as other glass works from all over the world.
Toledo is also a great place to learn more about the Great Lakes. The National Museum of the Great Lakes is a maritime museum that is dedicated to the history and development of the Great Lakes. It contains more than 300 artifacts, has audiovisual displays, and about 40 hands-on interactive exhibits. The museum is also the docking location for the Tug Ohio Museum Ship and the S.S. Col. James M. Schoonmaker.
Near the National Museum of the Great Lakes is the International Park along the Maumee River. It has 30 poles on the boat basin which fly flags from various countries that have a commerce connection to the area. The Docks, a building close by, offers a diverse collection of restaurants with many having outdoor seating. You can get great views of the river and downtown while you eat or just relax with a drink.
On the other side of the river is Promenade Park. It’s often considered Toledo’s front lawn because it has a public space where people can gather to watch performances on the river or on a temporary stage built in the center of the park.
The park also offers a beautiful view of the riverfront. But if seeing the area from the ground doesn’t appeal to you, seeing it from The Heights, a rooftop bar located in the Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel, may.
The Heights offers a stunning view of the river and downtown. It’s reasonably priced, so grabbing one drink just to see the area from above is worth it.
Its downtown also has the Fifth Third Field, home of the Toledo Mud Hens, a minor league baseball team and a state-of-the-art arena, home to the Toledo Walleye hockey team.
To some, traveling to Toledo from Fort Wayne may sound boring because both cities seem similar, including both cities’ problems of not having grocery or pharmacy stores in downtown. But going on this short trip takes you from your comfort zone you have probably created this past year and it may introduce you to new experiences.
So take this two-hour trip and see what you can discover.