By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
There may be a few secrets about Bowling Green that even long-time townies don’t know.
Like, which house boasted the first bathtub?
Which hotel’s guest list included stars and dignitaries like Ernest Hemingway, Clark Gable and President Warren Harding.
Which businesses attribute unexplainable occurrences to being haunted?
And, since Bowling Green is home to 13 pizza shops, what does it mean when pizza pie is called a “Sinatra?”
These and other secrets are revealed in some tours put together by the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Several of the 17 themed tours don’t reveal any mysteries – but just put together tours designed for visitors or local residents interested in everything from coffee, gardens and architecture, to haunted places, thrift store treasures, and researching family trees.
“We’ve been building these tours for probably 10 years,” said Wendy Chambers, executive director of the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The tours can be self-guided, using brochures listing the highlights. Or the tours can be guided by Convention and Visitors Bureau staff.
Some are in demand by motorcoach visits – most notably the “mystery tour” which includes the city’s wind farm west of town.
And some are popular with visiting family and friends.
“If somebody comes to town to visit and their family wants to show them around, or maybe for a family reunion or class reunion,” there is a tour for everyone, Chambers said. “It’s a great way to show your family about the town you are proud of.”
A lot of the tours include suggestions for dinner and shopping, plus have perks like vouchers for the candy counter at Ben’s, or “make and take” opportunities.
The coronavirus pandemic has temporarily halted bus tours to Bowling Green.
“It will pick back up when they are safe,” Chambers said.
But now is a great time for residents to explore their own backyard treasurers, she said.
Anyone interested in viewing brochures for the 17 themed tours, or booking tours may access information at https://visitbgohio.org/tours/.
Following is a list of the themed tours in Bowling Green:
- Arts – featuring hands-on arts opportunities, galleries, festivals, and performance theaters.
- Brews – reminding people that “beauty lies in the hand of the beerholder,” and listing BG Beer Works, Aistear Brewery, Arlyn’s Good Beer, plus restaurants serving beer.
- Coffee – featuring Grounds for Thought, Flatlands Coffee, Biggby, and places that serve brunch.
- Dark Tour – highlighting the haunted history of Bowling Green, and best if taken at night. The tour tells of haunted tales and unexplained occurrences at places like For Keeps, SamB’s, BG Manor, Oak Grove Cemetery, South Main Elementary, Eva Marie Saint Theatre, and the old county jail.
- Desserts – reminding people that “Life is short. Eat the dessert.” The tour touts local baked goods, ice cream, pies, cookies, doughnuts and other desserts.
- Family fun – pointing out places where children and adults can make hands-on art or jewelry, where they can harvest berries or pumpkins, plus activities at summer camps, the library, parks, and the BGSU planetarium.
- Family Trees – offering tips for tracing your family tree through research and cemetery visits, plus places that can help like the historical museum, genealogical society and library.
- Girlfriends Tour – featuring fashion, wine, food, parks and frozen yogurt.
- Green Garden – listing “you-pick” places, farmers’ markets and garden tours.
- Healthy Lifestyle – focusing on fitness locations, healthy food, plus parks and recreation programs.
- History & Architecture – showing off the city’s historic homes, businesses and governmental buildings – including the courthouse and the Cla-Zel theater which started out in the era of silent movies.
- Holiday Tour – focusing on speciality shopping, decorations and holiday events.
- Indulge Tour – pointing out places for a spa day, shopping, wine and dining.
- Pizza Tour – showing the city’s 13 pizza shops.
- Thrifty Tour – highlighting local resale shops for clothing, furniture, toys and books.
- Treasures of BG – focusing on some of Bowling Green’s more famous features such as the wind farm, Simpson Garden Park, Snook’s Dream Cars, Wood County Museum, Bens, Finders, For Keeps, Coyote Beads and Grounds for Thought.
- Wedding Tour – listing items needed for soon-to-be-wed couples, like hotels, jewelers, salons, sweets, venues, flowers, photographers and catering.
