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City in Wood County, Ohio
Photo: The original uploader was Wapcaplet at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bowling Green is a small college town in Northwest Ohio about 30 mi south of the Michigan border. Surrounded by miles of flat farmland, Bowling Green is best known for its public university, Bowling Green State University (BGSU), and its national tractor pull event. Locals often shorten Bowling Green to BG - pronounced "Bee Gee".
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An planetarium open to the public. Has regular educational showings for all ages, and holiday features. Most shows feature a regular star talk, then proceed with the show. Upstairs there is an observatory where public stargazing sessions are offered after weekend showings at the planetarium, or separately when events such as eclipses are ongoing.
Contains a tropical plant collection, and a desert plant collection. Also houses a student projects room and an aquaponics lab. Tours are available if scheduled in advance.
Several galleries dedicated to showcasing student artwork. The Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery and Willard Wankelman Gallery are conventional art galleries.The Hiroko Nakamoto Gallery, created by an interior design alumna who survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing, is stylized as a traditional Japanese tea room, and is a work of art on its own. Outside the galleries, the Fine Arts Building houses many smaller displays down its corridors which are typically accessible even if the main galleries are closed.
Formerly Gish Film Theatre
A movie theater that often showcases classic and modern movies, as well as the occasional guest speaker. Free public screenings are usually held during the spring or fall semester on Tuesday nights at 7:30PM, or Thursday nights at 7:30PM for international films.
The first floor houses the BGSU Herpetarium, a lab for the care and observation of over 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. Open to the public with an escort. The second floor houses the BGSU Marine Lab, which also offers public tours if planned in advanced. The Marine lab offers a variety of fish, as well as a touch tank where fish can be touched. The upper floors contain Professor Moseley's taxidermied animals on display in the hallways, as well as more modern specimens.
One of the first commercial wind farms in Ohio, it started in 2003, and recouped its costs in 2015. The site consists of four turbines that stand at over 250 ft tall that can generate over 7 megawatts. On clear days they can be seen from Wooster Street. Has an info board on site.
The Elephant/The Dinosaur
A 14 ft tall memorial to the events of May 4th, 1970 that took place at BGSU's sister school, Kent State University during the Vietnam war. This is a sister sculpture of a piece that was pierced by a bullet at Kent State during the shooting, made by the same artist with the same metal.
Clough Windmill
A residential street with many interesting houses built in a fanciful style. Notably, one house is a traditional style windmill. The inside is not open to the public, but it serves as a local landmark.
Little Red Schoolhouse / District #6 School
A preserved schoolhouse from the frontier era. It was built in 1875 in the Norwalk area, and was moved to its current location in 1976.
Built in the oil boom era, the courthouse is castlelike and the exterior is lined with turrets and stone carvings. On the courthouse grounds there are many war memorials. The courthouse is topped with a giant clocktower which is visible across the city, and has a nest for peregrine falcons. The grand staircase of the original courthouse is lavish, with giant painted murals. The law library is cozy and a relaxing environment to take a breather. The grounds outside feature a fountain and war memorials. This is an active courthouse, so you will have to pass through a security checkpoint to enter.
NCEM
Showcases historic construction machinery including trucks, excavators, paving equipment, drills, scrapers, rollers, graders, cranes, excavators, and tractors.
Classic car museum features a recreated 1940s-era Texaco gas station with authentic antique signage, a showroom of extensive automobile memorabilia, coin operated antique machines and classic cars that are all in excellent working order and are even driven on a regular basis. Within the museum painted murals and background scenes recreate the looks of a 1930s general store to a racetrack from the 1960s. The car collection features models from the 1930s to the 1960s. The facility also houses a complete four-bay shop for maintaining collector cars and a special area for events.
Wood County Historical Society
The Wood County Historical Center and Museum is the original site of the Wood County Infirmary, which was in operation from 1869 to 1971. The site re-opened as an Historical Center & Museum in 1975, and has rotating exhibits and self-guided tours inside, plus a public park outside with trails, picnic tables, herb garden, and original out-buildings. The Historical Center also hosts a variety of educational experiences and public events throughout the year.
BSAF
Bowling Green's local artists come and share their work with the community to help celebrate the arts. Fine arts and crafts throughout the Downtown area. Children's activities, live music, demonstrations, and various art events all weekend.
Stroll through the historic downtown and visit the many galleries and exhibitions featuring visual and performing arts from all ages. Artists' demonstrations, family activities and performances continue throughout the day. Has a raffle with prizes.
Annual event held the second full weekend in June. Step back in time and get your hands on history with soap making, rope making, fresh butter churning, free blacksmith and farm demonstrations, farm-themed activities, farm animals, historic games, swap meet, kiddie pedal pull, Power of Yesteryear antique tractor show, BBQ and live music. All set amid the rustic historical museum grounds.
The fair typically includes concerts, a car show, a demolition derby, tractor, truck and semi pulls, championship horse and pony pulls, dances, a cheerleading competition, live music, food, games, rides, industrial arts, woodworking and carving demonstrations, cookie decorating, balloon artists, livestock, flower show, quilts, needlework, karaoke, 4H projects, baked and canned goods, ice cream, wine competition and a parade of floats.
Pulltown
One of the three National Tractor Pullers Association Super National Events. This has all kinds of tractor pulling, from two-wheel drive to Super Semis. Part of the fairground is turned into a temporary campground with 2,107 campsites, making it the fourth-largest campsite for motorsport events in the USA, highlighting the sheer size of the tractor pull.
Mini summer festivals held downtown featuring live music, local crafts, and food. Occasionally hosted in the fall as well.
Anime Marathon
Animarathon is an annual two-day student-run spring Japanese anime convention. Animarathon has taiko, cosplay competitions, a maid cafe, special guests, and panels related to anime and Japanese popular culture. The Student Union ballroom is used to host artists and vendors of Anime merchandise.
O-hanami
The Cherry Blossom Festival is held annually in April by the Japanese Club at BGSU. The Cherry Blossom festival hosts Japanese cultural programming, origami and shodo brush writing workshops, a Taiko drum performance, Martial Arts demonstrations, a bon-odori dance, kimono try ons, Japanese game tables, and free Japanese snacks including sushi and green tea. The event started as a small gathering of 75 people in 2001 to thank the support of Tokyo Alumni, and hosts over 800 people as of 2018.
DM / Ziggython
A charity dancing event in support of the Children's Miracle Network. The largest student-run event on the BGSU campus.
Wood County Air Fair
Annual event to promote science, technology, engineering, and math to youth. Exhibits include robotics, food science, digital media, water science, and demos from Toledo institutions such as the Toledo Zoo and Imagination Station. Features live music with local bands. Operates jointly with the Wood County Air Fair, which showcases and flies current and historical aircraft, helicopters, hot air balloons, and rockets.
Annual robotics competition at BGSU featuring teams from Ohio and Indiana middle schools and high schools.
Annual spring entrepreneurship competition at BGSU operated by the College of Business. Each participating student, referred to as Hatchlings, work on a project over the course of several months with local business mentors. This culminates in a gameshow style event held in the basketball stadium where the Hatchlings compete to try to get investors to take a stake in their entrepreneurial projects.
BGSU's German club hosts an annual Oktoberfest celebration featuring polka music, and merryment. There is a buffet as well as a cash bar with beer.
BGSU's annual winter art talent show. Includes performance art, music, theater, fine art, and art sales.
Bowling Green High School has an athletics program with a variety of sports, including football, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, tennis, track, wrestling, bowling, hockey, golf, and lacrosse.
BGSU's soccer stadium. The Stadium has bleachers, a modern design and hosts both men and women soccer games.
The Doyt
BGSU's football stadium. The layout of the stadium is like a horseshoe, with the south end open. The north building is the Sebo Athletic center, where BGSU's collegiate athletes train. The stadium interior contains sports faculties, offices, and lounges. On years ending with an odd number, this stadium hosts the Battle of I-75 with BGSU Falcons' arch rival the Toledo Rockets. While it's not part of the stadium, the University of Toledo's Glass Bowl keeps a Cold War era US Army Nike Ajax rocket aimed at the Doyt's 50-yard line.
BGSU Ice Arena
BGSU's dual rink ice arena. The ice area includes a pro shop, and a lounge area. Hosts hockey games, figure skating, skating lessons, and public skating. The Falcons, Local High Schools, and the Black Swamp Ice Frogs play hockey here. The lobby has a small section with memorabilia of Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton, who used to skate here as a student.
Warren E. Steller Field
BGSU's baseball field. Features bleacher seating, natural grass turf, and an electronic scoreboard.
BGSU's primary basketball arena, replacing Memorial Hall for most events. The Stroh Center also houses the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame, practice courts and the Anderson Club.
A rugby field that has bleachers and a scoreboard. BGSU has a national championship winning Rugby team (2018).
A nature preserve connected to the Slippery Elm Trail. Has restrooms, a water fountain, resting areas, a bike repair stand, gardens, and descriptions of local wildlife on an educational board.
Has a baseball complex, softball complex, volleyball courts, Disk Golf, picnic shelters, and a natural area. One of the largest parks in Bowling Green by size.
City Park features the city pool and waterpark, skate park, rollerskating rink, the historic Needle Hall, and golf course at the adjacent country club. The waterpark includes a waterslide, lazy river, diving boards, and splash playground.
Simpson Garden Park
A park with a variety of plants and artistic structures. The park includes a healing garden, a children's park, and a Japanese garden. Golf cart tours are available.
A private 18-hole golf course in a quiet residential neighborhood on the edge of town. Has a restaurant at the clubhouse.
St.Johns Nature Preserve
Has a nature center, forests, and meadows.
Features a variety of performance halls specifically for the musical arts. Outside of regular rehearsals, practices, competitions, and special events, hosts two major recurring events - the New Music Festival and the Orchard Guitar Festival are in the Fall. It also hosts the Summer Music Institute which builds musical skills.
The performing arts building, featuring a proscenium theater, a black box theater, and the BGSU Box Office. The entrance to the black box theater features several replicas of ancient mosaics, the originals once kept here were returned to their home in Gaziantep, Turkey, at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum. A digital media lab on the second floor contains a giant Starcraft II box, signed by the dev team, one of whom was an alumnus. The back of the building is a grass ramp that leads to the second floor, and this area is occasionally used as an outdoor theater. Often hosts musicals.
Offers cycling and drinks throughout town on a custom multiperson cycle.
Myles Dairy Queen
One of the first Dairy Queens in the United States from 1940. It's a bit different from a normal Dairy Queen chain restaurant as the interior is much older and the food portions are more generous. Locals call it as Myles Dairy Queen or just Myles (which may also refer to a former pizza pub in town).
Local mom & pop family diner with large portions.
Sells solid pizza, subs, wings, and breadsticks. Has a ninja turtles pinball machine, psychedelic artwork, and a woody decor that screams 1980.
A tiny convenience store with a counter that sells gyros and Mediterranean food. Has many vegetarian options. Most orders are delivery, and the only place to eat on site is a small picnic site outside. The convenience store section has a selection of international beer, non alcoholic drinks, and snacks. Has a gyro-eating challenge to eat 6 large gyros in 66 minutes, but participants must call ahead to schedule a session.
Offers cheap and quick Lebanese Mediterranean food, with gyros and Greek fries.
A small deli that's southwestern from the food to the decor. Sell sandwiches, chili, BBQ, and roast beef. Has some vegetarian options.
A sister to El-Zarape closer to downtown with a different menu. Has a salsa bar.
Mr. Spots
A Philadelphia-style restaurant with cheese-steaks, wings and hoagies.
Pollyeyes
A pizzeria that offers an all-you-can-eat family pizza buffet, where they will make a pizza off the menu with each order. This allows you choice in what you eat with access to a buffet which includes pizza and salad. Allows for regular non-buffet orders too. Locals call it "Polly-eyes", not "Pag-Lee-ais".
American-Chinese sit down restaurant.
Formerly Naslada Bistro
SamB's offers a diverse menu in a fine dining environment. SamB's has an art gallery, and hosts a weekly Sunday Brunch.
A restaurant far from downtown and campus. They have a diverse menu selling Doukhobor Borsh, Cincinnati Goetta, seafood, burgers, noodles, and desserts like ginger ale cake. Many of their options are vegetarian, and they open their backdoor patio when the weather permits.
An on-campus dining hall. Frequented by freshmen. Also has a convenience store and a Creperie.
The food court in the Student Union. Has a variety of fast food chains, a convenience store, a smoothie shop, and a chain coffee shop.
BGSU's late-night dining hall. Has pizza, breakfast for dinner, Mexican, and burgers. .
Formerly known as The Oaks
An on-campus all-you-care-to-eat dining hall. Has a specialty vegan section, a salad bar, and a rotating menu. Dining services often holds themed dinners and events here, particularly those featuring named chefs or Tailgate Thursdays during the football season. The building is notable for a futuristic barn-like architecture, its side awning solar panels, a modest garden on the roof, hydroponics for growing food indoors, and a water reclamation system that processes rainwater. Outside the all-you-can-eat portion is a coffee and doughnut shop, an event kitchen on the first floor.
Flatlands
A minimalist coffee shop with a curated menu that changes each season. They are known for their latte art and to a lesser extent, their desserts.
Grounds
A relaxing, local coffee shop, they also have a variety of teas, other non-coffee drinks, sandwiches and desserts. They also are a used bookstore with a small comic section, some vinyl records, and plenty of local books. Has free Wi-Fi, but power outlets near tables are hard to come by. Has a group meeting room.
Sells burgers, mac & cheese, chicken, and sandwiches. Specialty drink is the "8-Ball" flavored vodka. Most of the menu is meat, but has some vegetarian and vegan options.
Pollyeyes
Unlike its parent restaurant Pagliai's, Campus Polleyes is a pizza pub. It is best known for their stuffed breadsticks, which are foot long breadsticks filled with cheese and pizza toppings. It delivers, and has a smallish dining area. They sell pizza and subs too, but they're not well-known for them.
EZ
A Mexican restaurant and cantina near I-75 that focuses on good and speedy service.
Formerly Myle's Pizza Pub
A pizza pub between BGSU and downtown Bowling Green. Sells pizza, subs, salads, and craft beers. Uses a large amount of cheese on its pizza, though not as much as the former Myles did. The sauce is quite tangy, and they offer cauliflower crust pizza.
A small venue to meet a few friends and drink some delicious brews made on site. As a nanobrewery they create some of their own drinks.
Known for its "Legal Joint" - a sweet cocktail with orange juice and some kind of alcohol.
The southernmost local sports bar, next to campus near the Greek Village. Known for their shot club.
Clazel
A former art-deco movie theater turned nightlife hub. While it's mostly a private venue for parties and weddings, it also hosts public events with bands and live entertainment.
Howard's
One of Bowling Green's oldest bars, and a bit of a dive. It's most notable for its strong focus on bringing in bands and live entertainment. Since it opened in 1928, it survived prohibition as a speakeasy and it's since hosted a variety of music acts, including John Scofield, The Ramones, 21 pilots, and Fall Out Boy.
Known for their Fishbowls filled with alcohol.
Known for their "ShotSkis" which is a ski lined with shots that is communally drunk at once.
The only motel on the south side of Bowling Green. Offers TV.
Offers Wi-Fi, a hot tub, exercise machines, a business center, exercise equipment, and an included breakfast. Has several handicap accessible rooms..
Offers free Wi-Fi, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a business center, and included breakfast buffet and coffee.
Offers Wi-Fi, a pool, a fitness center, and free breakfast. Has accessible rooms for disabled guests.
A nice hotel that offers free Wi-Fi, a pool, a fitness center, a business center, and free breakfast.
Includes Wi-Fi, breakfast, indoor pool, fitness center, and business center.
A local craft store that also offers toys, candy and party supplies among a variety of other things.
BGSU Bookstore
Formerly known as the BGSU Bookstore, Falcon Outfitters primarily offers BGSU apparel and goods. Also carries general goods, such as stationery, art supplies, and hygiene products. Ziggabyte is the Computing section of Falcon Outfitters. They offer computers, cables, and accessories.
A dying shopping mall on the far north of Bowling Green. A lack of business has driven a number of alternative businesses such as thrift shops and studios to occupy the mall.
Sells retro video games and memorabilia. Also has a small arcade.
A small bicycle chain in the Toledo metro. Sells bicycles, bicycle accessories, and offers bicycle repair services. For travelers who just need a bike for a short time, they offer daily rentals, although this can be more expensive than purchasing a cheap bike for periods longer than a few days.
A sewing and quilting supply store. They host classes on how to get started sewing with a variety of simple projects.
A market of local farms and businesses. Besides general produce a few specialty items and services can be purchased at the Farmers Market, such as Asian vegetables, freshly picked oyster and shiitake mushrooms, raw honey, blade sharpening, and handmade soaps. May have live music present.
By car
Bowling Green is on I-75 at exit 181, and it is a quick 25 mi drive south from Toledo, a 130 mi drive north from Dayton, and an 80 mi drive south from Detroit.G.
By bicycle
A community group Bike BG offers slow bike rides throughout the city once a month.
By bus
Each of the BGSU Bus Routes are color-coded.
By taxi
Taxicabs are very inexpensive at $3-4 per fare (as of January 2019).
By foot
Most of Bowling Green is about as walkable as any American city, with a few exceptions.
By bicycle
Bowling Green tends to be cyclist friendly. Most destinations have ample bike parking.
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