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School’s out for the summer, so beat the boredom on Champaign County’s new Family Fun Trail with family-friendly activities that will please kids of all ages.

The Champaign County Visitors Bureau invites you to enjoy family-friendly activities throughout Champaign County.

Champaign County is full of hidden gems and so much to discover. Whether you want to let the kids run off pent-up energy, provide educational opportunities, or need a place to cool off, you can easily plan a fun-filled day or weekend on our Family Fun Trail. Pick up your passport at the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau located at 127 W. Court St. in Urbana and enjoy quality family time together as you explore all of the stops on your journey. Once you have visited all the locations on the passport, return it to the Visitors Bureau to claim your prize. The passport will be active from June 1-Aug. 11.

Start off your day with a visit to Freshwater Farms of Ohio, the largest indoor hatchery in Ohio. Get up close and personal with rare, endangered fish at the Sturgeon Petting Zoo and watch the trout jump for joy and splash in excitement as you hand feed them in the Trout Feeding Frenzy. Admission is free, but you don’t want to miss out on the gift shop featuring local items.

Too hot for outdoor activities? It’s always a cool 54 degrees inside Ohio Caverns: “America’s Most Colorful Caverns.” Located on state Route 245, the Ohio Caverns are the largest in the state, with over 2 miles of surveyed passageways ranging in depth from 30 feet to 103 feet. Guests may choose from two different tours through the different parts of the caverns.

Before or after your tour, guests can enjoy the 35-acre park, complete with a playground, picnic shelters, EV charging stations and newly renovated restrooms. And since no trip is complete without souvenirs, feel free to stop by the gift shop located in the visitors’ center. Tickets for tours can be purchased online or by visiting the ticket counter at the Caverns Visitor Center.

Travel a few miles down on U.S. Route 68 to Grimes Field Municipal Airport. Kids love watching small aircraft fly in on a sunny day on the patio at the Airport Cafe, famous for their homemade pies. The airport is also home to three free museums (Champaign Aviation Museum, Grimes Flying Lab Museum and Mid America Flight Museum) bringing aviation history to life. Check individual locations for hours of operation.

Head to Downtown Urbana for a treat. Camazzi’s has been a local favorite for kids of all ages for over 120 years. This is the place in Champaign County to satisfy your sweet tooth serving just about any kind of candy you can imagine. Don’t forget to join Johnny’s Candy Club.

Walk around the Square to take a look at the new “Be the Light” mural. This bright addition to Downtown Urbana was officially unveiled in early May 2023. Snap a picture with the mural as a great keepsake to remember the day.

By now, you probably need a place to cool off. Urbana’s Gloria Theatre has a rich history that began more than 113 years ago near the beginning of the 20th century. Today, GrandWorks is renovating and transforming this community treasure into a modern entertainment venue for movies and live theater. Catch a show or family friendly movie.

Burn off some energy at Melvin Miller Park at our brand new EVERYbody Plays Inclusion Playground, where children of all ages and abilities can enjoy the playground equipment. Guests can also enjoy other outdoor recreation at the park including a skate park, RC track, fishing pond, dog park, walking trails and bike path. Try a round of Disc Golf at Urbana Hilltop Disc Golf Course. This top rated course features a variety of open and wooded holes with some elevation changes.

End your adventure at Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, considered by many to be Ohio’s premiere natural area. It ranks the highest of any site in the state on the Ohio Floristic Diversity Index for its great diversity of plants. The boardwalk is accessible Wednesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Follow the Champaign County Visitors bureau on Facebook and Instagram and check us out on the web at visitchampaignohio.com for more information about great attractions and destinations in Champaign County.

Info from Champaign County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau