Bored kids at home? Try one of these day trips to spark some family fun

Are your kids bored yet? We are halfway through the summer and maybe you have exhausted the local pools and parks and are looking for something to do with your kids before school starts.

Before you start purchasing those school supplies for the academic year, consider a day trip in the region to take your children to experience things from an outdoor drama, festivals, fairs, and zoo animals.

Here is a list of some possible destinations for you and your family.

July 24-Aug. 4: Ohio State Fair

Ohio Expo Center and State Fair, 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus

In addition to food, rides, agriculture and arts, the fair offers a popular concert lineup. Set for this year are Kidz Bop on July 24; Alabama on July 25; Soul Asylum on July 26; Boyz II Men on July 27; La Zenda Nortena on July 28; Lauren Daigle on July 29; Ice Cube on July 30; comedian Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias on July 31; Stephen Sanchez on Aug. 1; Ohio Players and Midnight Star on Aug. 2; Jamey Johnson on Aug. 3. Concert tickets, which include fair admission, can be purchased at ticketmaster.com/OhioStateFair. (ohiostatefair.com)

July 26-28: Nelsonville Music Festival

Snow Fork Event Center, 5685 Happy Hollow Road, Nelsonville

Killer Mike, Courtney Barnett, Thee Sacred Souls and more than 40 other artists will perform across four stages. The event also offers camping, vendors selling artisanal goods and food and beverages, kids’ activities and more. Various ticket options are available. (nelsonvillefest.org)

Tecumseh! outdoor drama

5968 Marietta Road, Chillicothe

A summer tradition in Ross County, Tecumseh! is again being performed at Sugarloaf Mountain.

The drama has been recognized nationwide for its telling of the Shawnee leader who worked to defend his home in the Ohio area in the 1700s. The outdoor stage brings a unique viewing experience as guests sit beneath the stars watching battles and listening to the galloping of the live horses.

Tickets can be purchased for available shows online.

COSI

333 West Broad St., Columbus

The Center of Science and Industry, or COSI, has been a staple in Columbus for 60 years.

Through Sept. 2 COSI is featuring an exhibit of artifacts from the Titanic for the history buffs in the family.

A can't miss for this trip is the Dinosaur Gallery which includes a full-size cast of a T-Rex skeleton. Or take time to visit the planetarium or the Little Kidspace for the younger members of the family.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

4850 W. Powell Road, Powell

It seems a shame not to take a day with the family at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium which is not too far of a drive from Fairfield County.

The zoo features a wide variety of animals and different areas such as the Polar Frontier, Australia and Islands, Adventure Cove, and Asia Quest.

If you haven't been in a while, might we suggest you don't skip the manatees or the Heart of Africa, which is the largest part of the zoo spanning 43 acres where you might get the chance to feed a giraffe.

The zoo is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

And while you are there, head on over to Zoombezi Bay water park to cool down.

Hocking Hills

Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, Cedar Falls and all the beauty of nature await you and your family in the Hocking Hills region.

The park has the Best Hiking Trail in the nation, as decided by readers in USA TODAY'S 10Best ranking.

Hocking Hills State Park, located near Logan in southeast Ohio, was named one of the top destinations worldwide in Forbes' Best Places to Travel in 2023 list. It topped U.S. News & World Report's Best Places to Visit in Ohio the same year.

Whispering Cave is one of several trails at the park. According to the 10Best article, the 5-mile loop takes hikers over a swinging bridge and features the second-largest cave in the region, with a 105-foot seasonal waterfall flowing to the floor below.

Hocking Hills offers seven hiking trails, according to its website, with Whispering Cave being the longest. The other trails range from a quarter mile to two miles in length, and from easy to difficult.

Apart from hiking, Hocking Hills offers boating and fishing at Rose Lake, mountain biking on two 2-mile trails, hunting in designated areas, stargazing at John Glenn Astronomy Park, and an archery range, among others.

Utica’s Ye Olde Mill

11324 Mt. Vernon Road, Utica

Ye Olde Mill, which is the home to Velvet Ice Cream’s corporate offices in Utica, draws over 150,000 visitors annually, according to its website.

You can explore the 110-year history of the company at Ohio's only Ice Cream Museum. At the museum, you can learn about the Dager family which still operates the company today.

The site includes prepared meals served in a turn-of-the-century ice cream parlor restaurant.

Columbus Clippers

330 Huntington Park Lane, Columbus

For the sports-minded folks, don't miss the chance to take in a ballgame at Huntington Park, the home of the Columbus Clippers.

There isn’t any experience like going to the ballpark. Plus, they make Huntington Park so family-friendly your kids might not even realize they’re at a baseball game.

Lawn seat tickets start at just $6 for kids 12 and younger and only $8 for adults, and the prices don’t climb much higher than that. And if you go on a promotion night, you can get hot dogs for 10 cents on Dime-A-Dog night or $1 concession items on Dollar Days.

The MVP Kids Club offers several discounts and unique experiences for one fee of $35 which includes a free game ticket at any level every Sunday with an accompanying adult. Plus, the Clippers offer youth teams or organizations special outings at special prices if you want to take your little league team.

Kids with valid student IDs can get reserved seats and $5 in Clippers cash to use at the game for only $10 on Thursdays and Fridays. Sunday home games have family bundles, which include admission for two adults and up to four children or senior bleacher, standing room, or lawn seats for only $18. You can upgrade your bundle to reserved seats for $27.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Bored kids at home? Try one of these day trips to break up the tedium