TOLEDO, Ohio - In 1835 Michigan lost a battle to Ohio.
It wasn’t over football, basketball or any other sport.
It was a fight to keep what would become known as The Glass City.
The Toledo War of 1835 ended with the Spartan State handing over Toledo to its southern neighbor.
More than 150 years later, Toledo still belongs to the Buckeye State, but it isn’t much different from a Michigan city. The abundance of Ohio State flags and bumper stickers are really the only reminders that you’ve crossed the border.
The city is only a two-hour drive from Lansing. There are two ways to get to Ohio’s most northwestern metropolis. The fastest way, from Interstate 96 to U.S. 23 - though part of 96 is under construction - will take you past Brighton and the nearby Kensington Valley Factory Shops. The other route, from U.S. 127 to Interstate 94 to U.S. 23, usually takes about 15 minutes more and passes by Jackson. Trees highlight both drives, especially during the fall.
When you get to Toledo, don’t skip the Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St. This free attraction displays more than 30,000 works of art from countries around the world, including paintings by Matisse, Picasso and Van Gogh. See one of Monet’s original “Waterlilies” paintings and an Egyptian mummy. You can spend anywhere from a couple of hours to a whole day in the museum, which usually closes at 5 p.m. but stays open until 9 p.m. Fridays.
When you’re done appreciating art from around the world, try one of Toledo’s hometown restaurants. The Maumee Bay Brewing Co., 27 Broadway St., offers pizzas for under $9. Try the beer sampler, with samples of six different beers made at the brewing company.
Get a hot dog or some Hungarian chili at Tony Packo’s, 1902 Front St., a restaurant that became nationally known from its appearances on the television show “M*a*s*h.” Check out the hot dog buns on the walls signed by U.S. presidents, internationally renowned singers, sports stars and other famous people.
You could have a picnic in one of the city’s parks, including Wildwood Preserve Metropark, on Central Avenue just west of Corey Road. Tour the Manor House, a three-story Georgian colonial mansion complete with servants’ quarters, a large dining room with wallpaper from Europe and a huge toy railroad in the basement.
The park, which hosts many nature trails of its own, connects with the University/Parks Trail, a 6.3-mile pathway that winds through the city. The trail resembles a mini-road, divided into two lanes. The smooth pavement invites in-line skating and biking, as well as walking.
If you want to go shopping, turn right and follow the trail to Franklin Park Mall, 5001 Monroe St. To get a taste of local college life, go left to the University of Toledo. Beware of occasionally having to cross busy roads.
University of Toledo student Rebecca Kappus’ apartment is on the trail. She uses it to go to class every day, as well as for exercise.
“It’s in the middle of campus, the middle of the city, but you’re surrounded by nature,” she said.
UT’s campus somewhat resembles MSU’s, with the Ottawa River running through the middle, dividing the older and newer sections. Bancroft Street is the university’s Grand River Avenue, offering coffee, ice cream, a student book store and pizza.
Get some espresso or café au lait at Maxwells Brew, 2661 W. Bancroft St. If you haven’t eaten, try some Tailgate tuna or chicken salad for $4.25, a Bancroft burger for $3.25 or a University Hills steak for $5.15. Wash it down with a “candy bar” drink such as Snickers or Milky Way for $2.10 more.
Despite the college names and prices, not many college students frequent the shop, owner Gary Jacob said. But it’s a good place to meet professors, doctors and university staff members, he said.
To see where many of these professionals live, take a drive through Ottawa Hills. The neighborhood, next to UT, showcases large houses of different architectural styles.
To see more of the locals, take a trip to the Toledo Zoo, 2700 Broadway St. The zoo has more than 4,000 animals from 600 species, housed in 16 areas, including the Tiger Terrace, Hippoquarium, Kingdom of the Apes and Cheetah Valley. It closes at 4 p.m., so you might want to get an early start.
If your interests lie in the scientific world rather than the animal kingdom, visit COSI, 1 Discovery Way downtown, a hands-on learning center that includes a science park, kaleidoscope gallery, atrium and atomic cafe, among other exhibits. COSI closes at 5 p.m.
Downtown Toledo has some one-way streets, but it is not as confusing as some cities’ downtowns. Remember that downtowns in big cities can be unsafe, so stay in a group if possible at night.
If you get tired of the urban area, go to Sylvania, a small city just west of Toledo, to see old streets lined with antique stores, coffee shops, bakeries and saloons.
If you’re going through hockey withdrawal because you couldn’t get Spartan tickets, you could try to catch a Toledo Storm hockey game at the Toledo Sports Arena, 1 Main Street. Call (419) 691-0220 for tickets.
To see more of the area, continue to Maumee, 20 minutes south of Toledo. The city has bowling alleys, drive-in theaters, restaurants and other places that stay open late into the night.
If baseball is your sport, you could go to a Toledo Mud Hens game at Ned SkeldonStadium at the Lucas County Recreation Center on Key Street in Maumee. The Mud Hens is a minor league team. Call (419) 893-9483 to get tickets.
