5 Best Ohio Road Trips

Looking for your next big American adventure? Pick up a rental car and head out on an exciting Ohio road trip. From famous filming locations to haunts from the gangster underworld of the twentieth century, this Midwestern state is the ideal spot for a long-distance road trip you’ll remember for years.

With Hertz car rental, planning your road trip is easy and you can travel in comfort and style between stops. Check out our top five road trip routes in Ohio, straight from our American Road Trip Planner, and get ready to discover unmissable destinations in the Buckeye State.

New York to Minnesota: Filming Locations

1657 miles, 11 days, 12 stops

Film buffs will love this 11-day tour of the most famous sights seen in films over the last 50 years. With our road trip route at the ready, you’ll have the experience of prepping for a zombie apocalypse in Monroeville or picking between two of the world’s most famous superheroes in River Rouge.

A classic coupe would be perfect for this trip. So, why not pick from such cars as a Ford Mustang GT or a Chevrolet Camaro to cruise through incredible locations on your way from New York to Minnesota?

As you pass through Ohio, stop at the Ohio State Reformatory to check out the location seen in the 1994 classic The Shawshank Redemption. Whether travelling with friends, family or solo, this road trip is a great way to make fantastic movie memories.

Plan your Filming Locations trip

Wisconsin to New Jersey: Roller Coaster Tour

2841 miles, 16 days, 13 stops

Thrill seekers will have the ultimate adrenaline-fueled adventure on this road trip, taking in 13 of the USA’s most exciting amusement parks and roller coasters. We could talk about so many rides on this road trip, but we’ve been strict and only picked one ride from each stop to get your blood racing.

Interestingly, this route takes you through Ohio twice – once at Cedar Point, where you can try out Millennium Force, which opened in 2000 and reaches almost 100mph. It also has views over Lake Erie at its highest point of 300ft.

After visiting two awesome sites in Pennsylvania, you can make your way back to Ohio and Kings Island to experience the Banshee coaster. This is the world’s longest inverted roller coaster and has the additional thrill of maxing its top speed halfway around the track.

Stretching across 10 states, with 13 stops in 16 days – strap yourselves in and have fun on this road trip adventure.

Check out the Roller Coaster Tour

New York to Illinois: Grit, Gangsters and Gasoline

1283 miles, 10 days, 12 stops

The East Coast and the Midwest have quite the past with gangsters, the mafia and mob wars. From crime families in New York to Al Capone ruling Chicago, these gangland legends still fascinate and horrify us to this day.

Take a trip through the hidden underworld of NYC to visit the Graffiti Wall of Fame and discover the secrets of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. Step inside the old prison cells of Eastern State Penitentiary and learn about its gangster inmates.

In Ohio, head to the Ohio State Reformatory and take a history tour around the famous location, where ghost sightings have occurred in recent years. You will also head past Helltown – a former town cleared to be a national park that never happened. Now it is the sight of multiple hauntings, myths, and legends, so make sure you’re prepared to be spooked.

Go underground on the Grit, Gangsters and Gasoline road trip

Kentucky to Massachusetts: Cross-Country Sporting Successes

1157 miles, 10 days, 13 stops

Are you a fan of major league sports? Well, this all-American road trip is sure to satisfy any sports fan's curiosity.

Take in the sights of the famous Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory to see how the legendary baseball bats are made. Spot your favourite players on the wall at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in New York. And of course, visit the famous Fenway Park stadium in Boston.

Passing through six states in total, this road trip route balances out Ohio’s sporting highlights with a few relaxing stops at the Cicinnati Observatory Centre, Columbus Zoo and Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area. Then it’s on to the main events.

Stop off at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton to get fully versed in American Football. And head north to Cleveland and the North Coast Harbor, where you can visit the FirstEnergy Football Stadium – home to the Cleveland Browns football team.

Follow our Cross-Country Sporting Successes road trip

Montana to Cleveland: Interstate 90

1957 miles, 12 days, 13 stops

If you’re looking for a tour of America’s fantastic landmarks and scenic landscapes, you can’t go wrong with a road trip along the I-90 east-west highway.

Drive from Montana to Cleveland, passing through various states as you wind down to Ohio. Admire the Toledo Botanical Gardens, which are simply stunning with their 60 acres of flowers, shrubs, and vegetables. After the Botanical Gardens, head to 78^th Street Studios and the Cleveland Museum of Art to round off your wonderful cultural trip.

Plan your Interstate 90 road trip with Hertz

Ohio has so much history waiting to be discovered – from gangster haunts to sporting icons and movie locations. Book your Ohio car rental with Hertz today to see the Buckeye State like never before.

Looking for more things to do? Check out the Hertz travel blog for top tips and attractions.