Is your troop ready to try new things? To stretch their boundaries and explore the world beyond their hometown? Then it’s time to venture out by planning a troop trip.

Where should you go? What about starting in the buckeye state? Ohio has some awesome destinations that your troop should consider for their next adventure. Check out some of our favorites below and start planning your next fun trip, Ohio style!

Our State Parks

If there’s something Ohioans love, it’s our state parks. With more than 70 different state parks with varying topography and opportunities for outdoor fun, you can’t go wrong with making a state park the base for your troop’s next outdoor adventure. Whether it’s marveling at rock formations and waterfalls on your hike through Hocking Hills, canoeing down the river at Mohican, or trying out island life in your yurt on Kelleys Island, our parks are awesome memory makers for Girl Scouts!

Where will you stay? There are so many choices beyond just a tent! There are a variety of accommodation options like lodges, cabins, yurts, rustic cottages, and more to choose from.

What can you do? So many things! Beyond the basic outdoor activities like hiking, outdoor cooking, and stargazing, many of our state parks have staff and equipment available for leading activities like fishing, archery, kayaking and paddle boarding, and educational programs on a variety of topics that can meet outdoor or naturalist themed badge requirements. And these activities and park staff can often be scheduled with little to no cost for youth education organizations.

Not sure how to find out which park has what accommodations, staff, and program equipment? Use the state park site to find information about activities, events, and accommodations available at each park. Or pick your favorite park and contact the park office to ask what programs and activities they can offer Girl Scout troops.

Shores of Lake Erie

As the most southern (and warmest) of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie stretches across most of the north of our great state and offers some pretty sweet opportunities for trips. You can wander the eastern shore near Cleveland, stopping along the way to rock out at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, feed your curiosity at the Great Lakes Science Center and the International Women’s Air & Space Museum, and take a scenic train ride at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Or head father west to Sandusky Bay, where you can test your coaster limits at Cedar Point, check out a lighthouse at Marblehead, then ride the ferry over to the nearby islands like Put-In-Bay and Kelleys Island for more fun.

The Capital

Columbus is the center of government for our great state and the most populated city in Ohio. So with all of those people, you know there just has to be an endless supply of cool things to do! Let your girls see their government at work with a free tour of the Ohio Statehouse, take a walk on the wild side at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (try their self-guided badge activities for Girl Scouts or get behind the scenes at a camp-in overnight), and science your heart out at COSI (which also has awesome camp-in opportunities). There are also nearby state parks for outdoor recreation, multiple professional sports teams with games to attend, and the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts supports a variety of Broadway, dance, and family friendly shows. So check out all the capital has to offer!

Does one (or all) of the options above sound like something your troop would enjoy? Then it’s time to gather your girls, present them with some options, and let them start planning a trip! Get ready to explore Ohio, Girl Scouts!

Need some help planning? Check out our Troop Trip Training manual for our policies, procedures, and best practices when taking your troop on a trip. Once you’ve got all the details worked out, don’t forget to submit a Troop Trip and Activity Notification Form before heading out on your troop’s adventure.