New guide maps out Ohio road trip ideas, from state parks to Bigfoot

Zoom in: Our local section recommends outsiders check out the experimental museum Prototype, partake in Red, White & Boom, and visit North Market as it celebrates 150 years.

Zoom out: The lengthy guide features a state parks checklist, from Catawba Island off of Lake Erie to Shawnee 200 miles south in Portsmouth.

• It shares how Ohio is celebrating America's 250th birthday with public artwork, creative trails and movie screenings.
• For the cryptid cranks, the guide suggests attending the Ohio Bigfoot Conference near Cambridge in May or the Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival in August.

🐶 The intrigue: Gov. Mike DeWine's dog, Dolly, recommends visiting "pup-friendly hot spots" like Hamilton's Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park with 70 outdoor pieces "that blend nature with art."

💭 Tyler's thought bubble: I'm a lifelong Ohioan who has been to all 88 counties, yet I still use this annual guide for finding new travel ideas.

• One example: learning the Aullwood Audubon Center in Dayton has an iconic Thomas Dambo troll installation.
• Or that the new Ohio Museum of Horror in Galion has an on-site restaurant with a menu based on famous criminals' "last meals."

Go deeper: Read the digital guide or request a printed copy by mail.