Holiday In Glass City

Sometime ago, I started a notebook with places I wanted to visit in Ohio. Some places were exciting and new to me and others were places I needed to return to in hopes that the city would redeem itself. Toledo made up part of the negative half of my list because my previous experiences in the city were not pleasant. I remember going that way for Christian Camp as a child, which I did not enjoy. My last experience was with a work friend to check out the night life. I was maced by police in a club where people were fighting. That same night my dress was ruined by a bleach leak inside the designated driver's car. Since then the word Toledo has left a very sour taste in my mouth. Thank goodness I am mature enough not to let experiences like that keep me from EVER revisiting a place. 

 Monday was the Fourth of July holiday, so Sunday my companion and I headed to Toledo with a plan to get a feel for Glass City life. Toledo is nicknamed 'Glass City" because of it's long history and continued innovation in all areas of the glass business. One thing I was curious about was the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium. Being from Columbus,  which is considered the city with the number one zoo ( when Toledo isn't snatching the the title away from us) I had to see what all of the fuss was about. On my to do list was also Tony Packo's and visiting a local brewery. The rest we made up as we went along.

The Toledo Post Card Mural project by Victor Ving & Lisa Beggs  Located on Front & Main

The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

In Columbus, we like to always think that we have the best zoo. It is one of the largest zoos in the world and we have Jack Hanna. We are always one of three Ohio zoo's in the top ten list in the US, but the Toledo Zoo is the number one zoo on a few lists and has been rated number one for the last few years over Columbus, Cincinnati and other Metropolitan cities such as Chicago, San Diego and  Dallas. Sunday I got a better understanding of why Toledo tops the list though I only have the Columbus Zoo and Disney's Animal Kingdom to compare it to. 

Toledo's Zoo & Aquarium offers a few things that you will not find in Columbus like the Hippo Aquarium, African Elephants (Columbus has Asian elephants) and a Conservatory. The zoo's location, smack in the middle of the city, even makes it a little more interesting. It felt strange looking at cars traveling the street as I navigated over the bridges and paths through the zoo. I really loved the old buildings that house the indoor exhibits, beautiful stone buildings built in the 1930s, most of which are still being used for their original purpose according to the zoo's website. What I loved most about the zoo, other than the African elephants and the hippos, were the grounds. The landscape is very well maintained. The flowers were impressive, especially the ones all around the Conservatory. They had a vegetable garden with a path through it. The Aquarium and the Aviary are also very impressive with enough species in each that they could stand against lone aquariums and aviary sanctuaries. 

Rhinoceros Hornbill located in the Toledo Zoo Aviary

Moon Jellyfish located in the Toledo Zoo Aquarium

Hippos playing at the Toledo Zoo.

African Elephant at the Toledo Zoo

The Toledo Zoo Conservatory.

The Original Tony Packo's 

Made famous by Jamie Farr when his character in Mash mentioned the restaurant in several episodes of the show. After constantly hearing about Tony Packo's food on the show, the people came in droves. So, like those people, I decided that if I was ever going to Toledo for a day or weekend, I had to check out the famous place. I am glad I did. While it isn't the healthiest fare, it was better than I imagined. I had the fried pickle appetizer and the Tony Packo's Feast which included a cup of chili, the homestyle cabbage roll and a famous Tony Packo dog with shredded cheese. I was stuffed before I could finish. The customer service was impeccable, my tea never reached the middle of my glass. Going to Toledo for the first time and not having Tony Packo's would have be like going to Philly and not having the steak sandwich named after the city. Another good reason is the many famous people who have sat in those same booths and signed the hotdog buns that decorate the walls of the cafe. I snapped a few photos of some of the buns signed by comedians, movie and television stars.
 

The Original Tony Packo's located on Front Street Toledo.

The Original Tony Packo's Interior decor.

Famous comedians who have eaten at Tony Packo's.

The Tony Packo's Feast plus fries. My cup of chili was previously devoured.

The famous Tony Packo's dog!

Maumee Bay Brewing Co.

I had two brewing companies on my list, but Maumee Bay was familiar and they had parking. Located in the Warehouse District and far enough away from the Mud Hens baseball game on Sunday, we were pleased to easily find a parking space. The brewery is housed in The Oliver House. The building is the oldest remaining structure in the downtown area. They were out of a few of their beers, so I tried six of the seven they had available. My favorite beer was the very first taste I tried, Willie MacDougal's Wee Heavy Scottish Ale. I am not yet a seasoned beer drinker but I know what like. I liked a solid three out of six. Not bad! We got there half an hour before closing, so I didn't get to hang out as long as I wanted but the place had a lot of cool things to look at. They have a small museum and there are old brewery collectables all over the place, including the bar area where I spent the 45 minutes I was there.

The Historic Oliver House. Home to Maumee Bay brewing Co.

Taking a few moments at the entrance of the Maumee Bay Brewery.

A Maumee Bay Brewing Co. flight

Maumee Bay State Park 

I do not know much about the park since I arrived just in time to see the sun set. Let's just say this is a beautiful place to watch that happen. There are deer all over the place, hanging out and people watching. There is a beach. There are cabins, cottages and a lodge. We hung out with a couple families roasting marshmallows for s'mores at a fire pit by the water. I enjoyed my free dessert with a side of natural beauty. It was the perfect end for my day trip to Glass City. It was everything I needed to see to want to return. I am not finished with you Toledo.  

 

Sunday's sunset at Maumee Bay State Park.

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous! 

Kris,