Champaign County

Champaign County combines impressive natural experiences with caves, historic museums and unusual insights into American aviation. Those choosing a vacation rental for a varied trip can use their preferred mix of scenery, activity, culture and events as a guide when selecting a location.

Rare Nature and Special Landscapes

One outstanding natural destination is Cedar Bog Nature Preserve. The area is a National Natural Landmark and is considered the largest and finest example of a boreal and prairie fen complex in Ohio. Many rare plants and animals, as well as notable orchid, prairie and woodland flower populations, shape its character. For your trip planning, Cedar Bog is therefore particularly interesting if you want to experience nature not merely as a backdrop, but as an attraction in its own right.

Kiser Lake State Park also offers opportunities for an active stay. Motorboats are not allowed there; at the same time, there is a boat ramp and public docks. Four hiking trails cover a total of 4.5 scenic miles. This allows you to combine days by the water with walks without focusing exclusively on a single activity.

Caves, Trails and Experiences in the Air

Ohio Caverns offers two different ways to explore the underground landscape. The Historic Tour covers the area that was originally explored from 1897 to 1925. The Natural Wonder Tour follows a one-mile loop and includes Crystal King, the largest stalactite in Ohio. These two tours emphasize different aspects: one focuses on the early exploration, while the other highlights the geological features of the caves.

For longer stretches of trail, there is the Simon Kenton Trail. It is 35 miles long and runs from Springfield through Urbana to Bellefontaine. In Champaign County, parking and access are available at County Line Road, Woodburn Road, State Route 55 and the restored Urbana Depot. Those interested in aviation history can also find flights in a fully restored World War II B-25J Mitchell at the Champaign Aviation Museum. The aircraft seats seven people.

History and Unusual Collections

In Urbana, the Champaign County Historical Society Museum collects, preserves and interprets artifacts, documents and other resources related to the county’s history. The museum hosts a historical lecture every month; its largest annual event is Oktoberfest, a fall benefit event. The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum houses the world’s largest collection of memorabilia and information about John “Appleseed” Chapman. The center also includes a memorial orchard with apple trees directly descended from those planted by Johnny Appleseed.

Further insights are provided by the Grimes Flying Lab Museum, which presents the history of Warren Grimes and the Grimes Manufacturing Company as well as the Grimes Flying Lab Beech 18 aircraft. The Pony Wagon Museum in St. Paris is located in the original Pennsylvania freight house and displays artifacts from the St. Paris area, including Walborn-&-Riker pony wagons. In Mechanicsburg, the 1858 Meeting House is the city’s oldest surviving public building. The Mid America Flight Museum North restored the Travel Air 6000; it returned to service in 2021.

The Right Base for Your Trip

When choosing your vacation rental, you can consider whether nature, hiking trails, caves, museums or events should be the main focus. The Simon Kenton Trail provides a longer connection for anyone who enjoys planning their days along an extended route. Natural destinations such as Cedar Bog and Kiser Lake, by contrast, suit a trip shaped by scenery, water and short excursions. Those interested in culture can plan around Urbana, the museums and the historic attractions. For further orientation within the county, you can also find Urbana.

Another regional occasion is the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival, held every third weekend in September. Such fixed dates can play a role in trip planning if you would like to experience a special event in addition to nature and culture.

More Destinations for Orientation

For comparing other travel destinations, you can consider Clark, Wood, Crawford County, Mahoning, Lucas County, Jefferson and Summit.

For the higher-level travel overview: Ohio.