Weekend Getaway Itinerary Canton, Ohio: Top Things to Do in Canton
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Calling on football fans, if you’re looking for a weekend getaway, consider visiting Canton, Ohio! Although a smaller town, Canton’s claim to fame is being home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the birthplace of the National Football League. For the non-sports fan, Canton has a lot of presidential history including the William McKinley Memorial and Presidental Library and the National First Ladies Library and Monument. Here is how you can spend two days or a weekend in Canton Ohio!
Getting to Canton Ohio from Local Cities
Getting to Canton is very easy if your down for driving. Like most small-town destinations in the United States, it’s easier to get there by driving. Canton is about a two-hour drive from Pittsburgh and an hour drive from Cleveland, making it an easy weekend getaway from the city!
Things to Do in Canton: Weekend Getaway Itinerary
Day One: Weekend Getaway To Canton Ohio
Pro Football Hall of Fame
After arrived in Canton, make your first stop the Pro Football Hall of Fame! It’s very easy to spend an entire day in the museum. Canton’s claim to fame is the Pro Football Hall of Fame! The Hall of Fame is located in Canton because the NFL was founded here; however other cities like our hometown of Latrobe Pennsylvania, were up for consideration due to their role in the history of football. Latrobe still claims to be the location of the first professional football game!
Practical Information for Visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Hours: Winter and Spring 9am – 5pm daily Summer: 9am – 8pm daily
Admission: adults $28, parking is included
During your visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, guided tours are available.
Your visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame will start off with an introduction to the early days of football. As you continue through the exhibit, you’ll see how football has slowly transformed into the sport it is today. Here, you’ll read about stories of the people and events that influenced the game. You can relive some of football’s most famous moments like the Immaculate Reception. In America especially, football has transformed our society and world of sports, which is discussed in the exhibits “Road to Equality” and “Pop Culture.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is highly interactive and uses technology to engage visitors, so take your time and enjoy the experience! Don’t miss out on doing the “Game For Life” holographic theater experience, which is a multi-sensory immersive theater that features holographic representations of Hall of Fame legends such as Joe Namath, George Halas, and Vince Lombardi. Here, you’ll learn about how lessons from football can have impacts off the field.
As you continue through the museum, you’ll see a bronze bust collection of all inducted Hall of Fame Members. Have fun searching for your favorite players!
In the Super Bowl Gallery, you’ll get read about the history of the famous game, see your favorite teams’ Super Bowl Rings, the Lombardi Trophy, and highlights of the most recent Super Bowl!
Have Lunch at Jerzees
Jerzees is located not far from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was actually recommended to us by one of the workers at the museum! It makes sense that a sports bar would be located not far from a sports museum. This sports bar is a great place to watch the game after you learn all about it!
Afternoon: Visit the William McKinley Museum and Monument
If you haven’t had enough history for one day yet, spend the rest of your first day in Canton, by learning about William McKinley. Our 25th president, William McKinley practiced law in Canton, Ohio; so it’s appropriate his memorial is located there. The small William McKinley Museum is one of Canton’s hidden gems. At the museum, you’ll learn about McKinley’s rise to the presidency, his unfortunate assassination, and what life was like for Americans during the time period. Since McKinley was an advocate of science there is n extensive natural sciences exhibit and planetarium. During our visit, we loved the planetarium show that was included in our admission!
The permanent collections include a history of Stark County and McKinley’s life and legacy. The museum was surprisingly large with a lot to see, so it was easy to spend an afternoon there!
Day 2: Weekend Getaway To Canton Ohio
First Ladies National Library and Monument
National Historic Site
Canton is also home to the First Ladies National Library and Monument. Here you can learn about some of our famous and forgotten first ladies that contributed to American history!
Mission BBQ
Mission BBQ was awesome. They had lots of options on the menu, and their BBQ sauces were very diverse! The food was delicious and the concept was unique. Decorated with patches, uniforms, flags, and photographs of public servicemen, the mission of Mission BBQ is to honor these individuals.
Where to Stay in Canton: Staybridge Suites Canton
Staybridge Suites Canton was a great hotel or either a short or long-term stay. The hotel and suites had everything I could have wanted in a hotel. When I travel, having a full kitchen is a great amenity and these suites fit that desire! The rooms were very spacious and clean. This room is well equipped for a longer stay, especially if you need to cook your own meals. The indoor pool was very nice for visiting when it’s chilly outside. Although it was offseason, the patio with a grill looked great for the warm months. Breakfast was filling and fresh with lots of options including hot dishes, fruit, cereal, yogurts, and bread.
In terms of location, it was a short 10-minute drive from downtown Canton, which is great to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The hotel itself is situated right next to a grocery store and some restaurants. And its a stone’s throw away from the local shopping mall.