Day Trips from Mason, OH You Need to Try

Mason, OH is close to various exciting attractions, so you won’t have to wait for a vacation to have some fun with friends or family members. Here are some of the best places to check out on a weekend day trip.

Dayton

Dayton, OH is about 40 minutes away from Mason, and it has lots of fascinating museums for kids and adults. For example, the National Museum of the United States Air Force is at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and it’s the oldest and largest museum devoted to military aviation in the world. You can see more than 360 aircraft and missiles and more Air Force memorabilia than anywhere else in the country. You can also try a variety of interactive flight simulators. Admission is free, and using a simulator or watching a movie in the theater costs $10.

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery lets kids play while learning about science and nature. It’s a combination of an aquarium, a planetarium, and a zoo. There’s a large treehouse where kids can see video footage of local flying squirrels. At Explorers Crossing, kids can learn about cooking, recycling, veterinary hospitals, and more. Admission is $11.50 for kids under 18, $14,50 for adults, and $12.50 for people over 60. Kids less than three years old get free admission.

The Dayton Art Institute has over 27,000 pieces in its collection, and you can participate in a self-guided tour by using your smartphone to scan QR codes. Explore galleries devoted to European art, American art, Asian art, African art, ancient art, outdoor sculpture, and more. Admission is free for kids six and younger and museum members. It’s $15 for adults, $5 for college students and kids under 18, and $10 for seniors and active-duty military members.

Yellow Springs

Image via Flickr by loganrickert

Yellow Springs is about an hour away from Mason. This charming town is perfect for spending a leisurely day shopping. It has lots of interesting shops and delicious restaurants. You can also visit Young’s Dairy, a working dairy that makes delicious homemade cheeses and ice cream. In addition, it has a petting zoo, a driving range, a miniature golf course, and batting cages.

The Glen Helen Nature Preserve has a trailside museum with ambassador animals, a raptor center, and more than 20 miles of beautiful hiking trails. The famous Yellow Springs has a beautiful waterfall, and it’s an excellent place for photos. Parking is $5 per car, and pets are welcome. Guided hikes are available for an additional $5.

Columbus

Columbus is about an hour and 20 minutes away from Mason. It’s the capital of Ohio, and it has plenty of interesting attractions. Free guided tours of the Ohio Statehouse are available, and the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has over 400 species of plants inside beautiful glass greenhouses. There’s also a community garden with interesting sculptures and a Hot Shop where you can watch artists create beautiful glass artwork.

You can go shopping at the Easton Town Center, sample some bratwurst and sauerkraut in the German Village, or explore the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo and aquarium opened in 1927, and it contains leopards, lions, tigers, American Bison, Asian elephants, Burmese pythons, and more. Camel, pony, train, and carousel rides are available. You can also take a boat ride to Dinosaur Island and see more than 20 animatronic dinosaurs.

The LEGOLAND Discovery Center covers 36,000 square feet, and it has two rides, a 4D theater, and 10 LEGO build and play zones. Kids and adults can learn how Legos are made, fight Lego monsters with infrared laser guns, and see Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland landmarks in Lego form. You can also use big bowls of Legos to construct your own creations and take photos with your favorite Lego characters. In addition, children from 3 to 10 years old will enjoy the Ultimate Indoor Lego Playground. Tickets start at $24.99, and annual passes are available.

Cincinnati

Cincinnati is only about half an hour away from Mason, and several guided city tours are available. You can explore the best alehouses and distilleries, find out more about the city’s paranormal past, or even see the city in a helicopter. The same person who designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge constructed the iconic John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. It’s been a symbol of Cincinnati since he finished it in 1866, and it was the longest bridge in the world at one time. It’s a National Historic Landmark, and it was the first bridge to use diagonal stays and vertical suspenders.

The Cincinnati Observatory is another National Historic Landmark, and it’s one of the oldest working telescopes in the Western hemisphere. People have been using it since 1845. Guided daytime tours cost $5, and you can visit at night and use the telescope for $25. On clear nights, Mars and the rings of Saturn are visible. The Irwin M. Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park opened in 1933. Admission is free, and it has over 3,500 plant species and an impressive butterfly garden. Indianapolis Indianapolis, Indiana, is about two hours away from Mason, and it has a variety of interesting attractions.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the site of the Indy 500, and you can drive a race car on the track or ride as a passenger with a professional driver. With these powerful cars, you can reach speeds up to 180 mph. The Indianapolis Hall of Fame Museum is next door, and it’s a National Historic Landmark. It has an outstanding collection of racing vehicles and automobile memorabilia. The Go Ape! treetop adventure course has obstacles, zip lines, swings, and more. It takes two or three hours to complete, and it’s an excellent way for kids and adults to enjoy nature.

These are only some of the excellent places you can visit on a day trip from Mason. Which attractions do you enjoy most? Contact us and let us know if we missed any of your favorite spots in the area.

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