With family-friendly attractions, quaint countryside and excellent museums (including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), Ohio is tailor-made for a road trip. This itinerary along the shores of Lake Erie will give you a great intro into what the Buckeye State has to offer.

1. Sandusky

Starting Point • Entertainment, Outdoor Recreation, Sports

Start your trip in Sandusky, best known for Cedar Point, one of the most famous amusement parks in the country. Renowned for its thrilling roller-coasters, five of which measure over 200 meters in height, the park also boasts games and exhibits. Most of the other attractions in this Lake Erie town are geared toward families and include a speedway, a deer park and a handful of water parks. There are also plenty of great fishing opportunities on the lake.

2. Cleveland

Drive 66 miles, 1 hour, 10 minutes • Entertainment, History, Nature

On the banks of Lake Erie, Cleveland is the second-largest city in Ohio and is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which features a regular rotation of temporary exhibits dealing with rock music and its surrounding culture, as well as permanent exhibitions on rock past and present. Other excellent area attractions include the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Aquarium.

3. Ashtabula

Drive 58 miles, 1 hour, 1 minute • Food, History, Nature

Wrap up your trip by slowing down in the little city of Ashtabula, characterized by scenic terrain and lots of wineries, from the family-run Debonne Vineyards to the quaint Old Mill Winery housed in a historic building. The area is also full of historic covered bridges, some of which are well over a century old. Particularly photogenic examples include the Middle Road Covered Bridge in Conneaut, which dates back to 1868, and the Olin Covered Bridge from 1873.