Best Road Trips to Take From Bedford

If you’re in the mood to take a break from your daily routine and get out to explore the surrounding areas of Bedford, Ohio, you’ve come to the right place. Our team at North Coast Auto Mall has put together a list of places you can visit and things to do within driving distance of our friendly town.

Explore Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge

“tree trunks during daytime” licensed under Unsplash by Josh Carter

Explore the beautiful Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge when you want to escape into nature. Founded in 1964 in Northwest Ohio’s Lucas County, the wildlife refuge serves as a break and habitat for migrating birds in the Lake Erie marshes. Cedar Point has about 2,445 acres of preserved land divided into three pools. The largest pool accounts for a majority of the acres, which is 2,000. When you visit the refuge during the spring or fall time, you can experience the sight of birds resting and refueling between their nesting periods.

When you travel to the National Wildlife Refuge, you can experience the coastal wetlands and many animals, such as the muskrat, black tern, and wood ducks. Some activities you can enjoy here include hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and photographing the animals and nature. You can also sign up for staff lead programs and tours through the wildlife habitats and nature. The programs are often free and designed for both youth and adults visitors. 

Location: 14000 West State Route 2 in Oak Harbor, Ohio 

Visit the Andy Warhol Museum

The Andy Warhol Museum is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is Warhol’s hometown. Inside the museum, you’ll find a comprehensive collection of his artwork and archival material. When you explore the museum, you’ll find permanent exhibits, along with rotating exhibits that you can return to throughout the year to view. On one floor of the museum, you can enjoy watching films and clips for free or choose to rent the films. If you’re planning on taking a trip here, be sure to book your tickets and time slot ahead of time.

No need to worry if you get hungry as you’re hanging around the museum and taking in all the artwork, as there’s a cafe for you to enjoy and refuel with. And before you leave the museum and come back home to Bedford, be sure to stop in the gift shop and pick up some souvenirs to take back home to commemorate your trip.

Location: 117 Sandusky Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Founded in 1893 and located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens offers 15 acres of natural beauty to explore. Within those 15 acres, there are 14 glasshouse rooms and 23 distinct gardens to explore while you’re there. As you’ll notice with the building architectures, they’re industry-leading in sustainability, green practices, and beautiful seasonal flower shows. You can enjoy the gardens on your own or join a guided tour with staff members to learn the history of the plants and gardens. There are classes for adults, children, and educators to benefit from while you’re there.

It’s also important to book your tickets in advance, and you can do so online. There’s a cafe and gift shop on the property for you to explore and take care of your needs while you’re exploring. After you’re finished in the garden, you can stop in to downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to explore the city more before you make your journey back home.

Location: One Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Spend Time at the Greektown Casino-Hotel

If you’re looking for a place with exciting nightlife and plenty to do out on the town, consider road tripping to the Greektown Casino-Hotel. At this hotel, there’s no shortage of activities for you to do. You can get a room, eat your meals, host meetings and events, find entertainment, and gamble in the casino. Before you book your stay, be sure to check out the dates of the entertainment planned to perform during your stay. Pick the dates for the performances that look most interesting to you.

If live performances might not be your thing and you’d rather just play the casino, you can do that too. The casino has several games for you to choose from, such as tables, slots, and poker rooms. On their website, you can book the dates that you want to rent a room. Or if you want to dine here without renting a room, you can make reservations for dining only on their site, too. Before you make the road trip back home, be sure to make a trip into downtown Detroit, Michigan, to explore all that the city offers.

Location: 555 E Lafayette Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan

Shop at the Strip District

It’s always fun to get out and explore another area to shop and dine at, and you can do just that when you visit the Strip District, which is only 104 miles southeast of Bedford. Here, you can enjoy all that the locals enjoy in culture, food, and shops. When you visit, be sure to sign up for the ‘Burgh Bits & Bites food tour to try a bit of everything.

For shopping, you can enjoy international and specialty grocery stores to experience something you may not have ever had before. There’s no shortage of breweries, distilleries, and wineries in the distract for you to sample.

Location: 2100 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Our team at North Coast Auto Mall hopes you visit and enjoy the best road trip destinations in the greater Bedford, Ohio, area. Did you find our list satisfactory? Perhaps we missed a favorite hidden gem of yours. If we did, let us know. Feel free to drop us a line and we’ll be sure to add your recommendation to our list.

If you’d like a used vehicle to help you get to these outstanding places, our friendly and professional staff members can help you find the perfect car for your budget and driving needs.