Ohio Guide and Deals

It is no secret that Cleveland native, autodidactic historian, and self-proclaimed people person Karl C. Johnson loves his city. After learning everything there is to know about the Sixth City's rich history, he decided to put his newfound knowledge to use by crafting his own distinctive tours that replace standard architectural jargon with vibrant yarns involving history, politics, and personal experiences. He leads his jaunts on segways, buses, limousines, or on foot. During segway tours, Karl gives his guests a choice in the amount of narration he performs, from moderately narrated tours that cover more ground to fully narrated tours that progress more slowly. If guests prefer to travel by bus or automobile, Karl will highlight specific areas of the city that his guests desire to see, such as Public Square or the rack where they hang the key to the city.

Since 1985, Trolley Tours of Cleveland has shuttled more than one million riders around the city aboard its fleet of open-air, bright-red trolleys. Winding along an approximately 20-mile route, the city tour showcases some of Cleveland's most iconic sights, including the Victorian homes of Ohio City, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and downtown, where an eclectic mix of modern and historic architecture stretches skyward to amaze passersby and to high-five low-orbiting superheroes. Personable, professionally trained guides accompany the nationally known tour with Cleveland-centered facts and stories.

Aside from untangling urban avenues with informational junkets, Trolley Tours of Cleveland also makes its wheels available for conventions, weddings, and more, enabling businessmen and bridesmaids alike to avoid having to hitch rides on vigorously tossed bridal bouquets.

Under the guidance of founder Chad Fath, the licensed helicopter pilots and instructors at Higher Ground Helicopters take visitors on scenic 'copter rides above the city as well as train students to become full-fledged pilots. Flight training lessons take place in the evenings to accommodate busy adult schedules, with the goal of turning inexperienced students into certified professionals within 10 to 18 months. For guests on the fence about flying, Higher Ground offers hands-on demos, which consist of 30 minutes of ground training, 30 minutes of piloting in the air, and 30 minutes of watching The A-Team reruns. For guests who simply wish to enjoy the scenery, Higher Ground's expert pilots host scenic tours that showcase the Cincinnati skyline.

The FAA certified flight instructors at Champion City Aviation jet students into the skies with both college and casual training programs. The facility's combination of ground school and in-the-air education covers vital aviation techniques, including flight rules and regulations, radio procedures, and how to handle inclement weather. Ground school sessions unfold inside a modern classroom equipped with computer technology, and air training utilizes Champion City's fleet of training aircraft.

The Westcott House Foundation celebrates its charge’s history through continuing preservation efforts, safeguarding the house as both a museum and shrine to Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision for Prairie-style homes. One of 260 of Wright’s remaining houses in the world, the pristinely restored structure entices visitors from far and wide with its architectural allure and unparalleled hide-and-seek spots. The grounds embody Wright’s love of melding a building with its site, boasting a terrace, a pool, and period-inspired gardens. An intricately latticed pergola connects the carriage house to the main building, a rare and interesting gem among Wright’s normally trellis-free Prairie homes.

Founded by a group of friends who created the acclaimed Newport Gangster Tour as a fundraiser in 2008, American Legacy Tours blossomed into a full-fledged tour company two years later. Participants choose from seven distinct tours that traverse cities as guides share fascinating and sometimes seedy history. The Queen City Underground Tour ventures beneath the city’s streets into a hidden burial vault and long-forgotten tunnels, and the Newport Gangster Tour delves into a scandalous past by visiting the sites of former brothels and speakeasies. Elsewhere, on the Haunted Covington Tour, guests feed their thirst for fright and their hunger for candy handouts from amiable apparitions.