Experience BG: A Parental Guide to Their Student’s College Town

Coming to Bowling Green to visit your millennial in college? Is your student a first year and they have not yet had the chance to explore all of what Bowling Green has to offer? Coming to college as a millennial can be stressful and nerve racking, especially if they have been living on campus away from home for the first time. Here’s an abridged blog about what Bowling Green’s off campus attractions are. Focusing on activities that both parent and child, and maybe grandparents can all participate in.

Some of the sights to see in Bowling Green are the various architectural features of the buildings throughout the city, both on the campus and in the city. Other attractions that the city has to offer are its nine different parks, recreational activities and locations, along with museums, and art galleries. Interwoven from over two centuries, Bowling Green is a mixing pot of traditions and history.  The Wood County Historical Center and Museum is where the former county Infirmary operated for nearly a century, from 1869-1971. This site has housed many exhibits since its conversion in 1975, at times the Wood County Historical Center and Museum hosts art exhibits. Which, leads to another attraction that the city has to offer. BG is the home to ten art galleries and theaters. BG also has many outdoor recreational locations that consist of BG City Park, Wintergarden Park, Carter Park along with several others, if it is the outdoor experience they wish.  The City Park is complete with playgrounds, a skate park, a water park and a golf course.

When the college student grows hungry, not just for food, but rather, off campus cuisine, Bowling Green has many unique dining options with fifty local restaurants. They range from different types of international cuisine to pub style dining. Unique BG dining opportunities are Call of the Canyon Café, and SamB's, Uraku Sushi, and El Zarape. Call of the Canyon Café is a charming family restaurant that offers southwestern style cuisine. This restaurant also offers an assortment of mouth-watering pies and other desserts. SamB’s is a local favorite that has been in Bowling Green for over forty years. SamB’s is known for their pecan chicken dinner, as well as seafood specials. Another seafood option is sushi, which can be found at Uraku Sushi, a Japanese Restaurant. Uraku has a wide variety of Japanese, Korean, and Thai foods; along with a very extensive sushi menu. Another restaurant with a very extensive menu is El Zarape. El Zarape is the local Mexican restaurant, which offers authentic Mexican cuisine. If pizza is what the student is longing for, there are several locally owned pizzerias that do not leave disappointed. A town favorite is Myles that is located on Wooster Street.

 Other unique opportunities can be explored utilizing the eight different tours that the Bowling Green Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has to offer. Some of the tours the CVB offers are the BG Art Tour, the Dark Tour, and the Green, Garden Tour, and the Brew Tour. The BG Art Tour is a self-guided tour through out Bowling Green’s craft stores that include hands on experiences, as well as art galleries, and theater productions. And if music is of interest, Finders Records has the largest record collection in Ohio. The Dark tour offers a unique experience through allegedly haunted locations in Bowling Green. The turmoil caused by a ghost, who haunts Joe E. Brown, Eva Marie Saint and Gish theaters on the BGSU campus. This occurs when a seat and formal invitation are not given to her. The Dark Tour offers spooky experience for those seeking a little more thrill.  Another tour is the Brew Tour, which is a self-guided exploration though locally owned and run breweries. If you wish to participate with your college student and they are 21 years or older, the nightlife and entertainment venues are vast and plenty. Grumpy Dave’s Pub or Howard’s Club H are where people come to perform. Many of the performers are locals, but every once and a while celebrities such as Frankie Muniz or Nick Jonas can be spotted performing or enjoying the nightlife.

If the student is interested in life in general, the Green and Garden Tour would be something for them. It offers a variety of you-pick destinations. A you-pick destination is a farm or orchard where individuals can come and pick their own fresh fruits and vegetables. The tour also has several nature hike locations such as Wintergarden Nature Preserve. Wintergarden offers miles of nature trails that you can enjoy as your student and yourself view the native forest and prairie meadows. Another popular green location is the Bowling Green Wind Farm. At the wind farm have the you have opportunity to walk right up underneath the massive wind turbines and learn about wind energy.  

From the hustling and bustling of Main Street to the historic district of Boomtown, Bowling Green has many different attractions for all ages. There is always a new experience to be had when you visit your student in Bowling Green.