Bowling Green (Ohio)

Bowling Green is primarily a college town. Bowling Green State University is known for its education, music, and aviation programs. As a result, many events have an educational bent, music and the arts are popular in town, and clear days are hallmarked with frequent flybys of propeller-driven airplanes.
The city also functions as the county seat and the largest city of Wood County, Ohio. The only other large city in the county is the Toledo suburb of Perrysburg. It lies on the edge of the Toledo Metropolitan area and caters to locals in nearby towns and farms by offering shopping, education, and entertainment, much like the city of Findlay to the south. Because of this Bowling Green is a melting pot between college country culture.

History

Bowling Green was settled in 1832 near the center of the Great Black Swamp, and was named by its settlers after Bowling Green in Kentucky. It got its start as a city thanks to the oil boom in the 1880s and the resulting clearing of the swamp. The college was established in 1910 as Bowling Green State Normal School to train teachers along side its sister college in Kent. By the 1930s it became a fully fledged university. During World War II the University helped train Navy personnel. After World War II ended, the influx of returning soldiers and their baby boomer children greatly increased the size of the university, as well as the surrounding city. While current events are university focused, many relics of the oil days remain in and around the Bowling Green area.
Since its founding, the university has taught many notable people including Olympians, scientists, captains of industry, and Hollywood actors.

Climate

Bowling Green has four distinct seasons. The spring brings plentiful cherry blossoms. The summer can have sweltering and humid heat, but the hydrangea and hibiscus bloom. During the fall the temperatures drop and the trees change the color of their leaves to shades of red, orange, and yellow. Winters in Bowling Green can be highly variable. Some winters are mild with only a few inches of snow accumulation. However sometimes winters can be quite harsh with blizzards and several feet of snow accumulation or ice storms. A constant of all seasons are frequent windy days. A windbreaker is recommended, even in the early summer.

Visitor information

• Bowling Green Visitor Center

  phone: +1 419-372-2336
  address: 130 S Main St
  Information about the city, maps, as well as BGSU information, coupons on retail and dining in the historic downtown district, travel and overnight packages and a variety of self-guided and guided tour options.

• BTSU Info Desk

  phone: +1 419-372-2741
  The Bowen Thompson Student Union Information Desk can provide information specific to the Student Union, and general campus information. Offers car rentals for a fee. This also serves as the general BGSU lost and found. Upstairs on the fourth floor is the LGBTQ+ resource center, which can offer advice specific for LGBT travelers.

• BGSU Office of Admissions

  phone: +1 419-372-2478
  While intended for prospective students, the Office of Admissions is familiar with providing directions on and off campus. The Office of Admissions also offers free tours of the campus for prospective students.

• BGSU Events CalendarThe official university calendar. Highlights trending upcoming events related to the university campus, and is useful for finding smaller niche events. Usually details ticket prices, locations, parking info, and other details for each event.

By plane

The nearest major airport is the Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) at just over an hour north of Bowling Green by car. Some passenger flights may also go to the closer Toledo Express Airport (TOL) which is only a half hour north of Bowling Green by car.

• Wood County Regional Airport

  phone: +1 419-354-2908
  address: 1261 E Poe Rd
  Private pilots may land at this general aviation airport, and non pilots may charter flights here. This airport is on campus and offers a lounge, fuel, and an airport shuttle. The airport has some historic significance - During World War II the airfield was used to train pilots for the Navy. There is also a Korean War-era Lockheed T-33 jet on display near the lounge. While many organizations take pictures of their members on the wings of that jet, you should ask permission before attempting it yourself.

By car

Bowling Green is on I-75 at exit 181, and it is a quick drive south from Toledo, a drive north from Dayton, and a drive south from Detroit.
Regional car services include: a city subsidized van service with low rates, B.G. Transit Reliable Taxi, Supercab, BG Airport Shuttle, and Bill's Limousine.

By bicycle

A community group Bike BG offers slow bike rides throughout the city once a month.

• Slippery Elm TrailGoes south to North Baltimore, passing through the villages of Portage and Rudolph. The trail is asphalt and features several rest stops and water fountains. At the entrance at the Bowling Green Black Swamp Preserve, there is a free bicycle repair station. Van Buren is south from the end of the trail on flat country roads.

By car

Bowling Green is next to Interstate 75, and its Main Street is also an important local highway (Old US 25). Outside of the downtown area and campus, it may be time consuming to go without a car.
Free parking is available along both sides of Main Street in the downtown area. However getting a spot can be difficult during business hours and late at night from Thursdays to Saturdays.
The city operates public parking lots in the downtown area. The university also offers public parking in many of its parking lots. These are both available for small fees, and may be free during certain hours, especially during the weekend.
BGSU and the city both have parking enforcement units! BGSU uses automated plate readers and human patrols to quickly catch parking violations. Those parked illegally will almost certainly get caught, and the small fee at the kiosk is much better than a moderate fine. Most public parking lots that charge a fee have replaced their coin operated meters with an automated kiosk that lets you register your licence plate number, eliminating the need to go back to your car to place a permit on it.
There are a few car rental agencies in town, and one on campus.

By bus

• BGSU Shuttle Services

  phone: +1 419-372-0236
  The university provides a shuttle service, with some routes going off campus. The central hub of the bus service is the Centrex building. Shuttles are wheelchair accessible. Current shuttle locations and ETAs can be viewed with the live shuttle tracker or via an app. SMS "BGSU" to 41411 for route info on all cell phones.

Some residential areas will charter a private bus to make regular stops between their neighborhood and campus. The city also sometimes runs buses between parking and major events downtown, such as the Black Swamp Arts Festival.

By taxi

Taxicabs are very inexpensive at $3-4 per fare (as of January 2019).

• B.G. TransitA city-subsidized public transportation service whose route is determined by scheduled rides. Vans are accessible to the disabled. Since it is not a traditional taxi service, schedule your ride at least an hour in advance, but accommodations may be made for short-notice trips if capacity is available. It does not go beyond more than from the city limits.

• Reliable Taxi

  phone: +1 419-352-8294
  A private taxi company.

• Supercab

  phone: +1 419-494-3380
  address: 326 Industrial Pkwy Suite 2 (Office)
  A private taxi company. Offers a flat rate for service to the Toledo Amtrak or Greyhound station ($45), Toledo Express Airport ($50), and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport ($110)

By foot

Most of Bowling Green is about as walkable as any American city, with a few exceptions.
BGSU is even more walkable then the rest of Bowling Green. Almost every major building is within of another.
The Downtown area too is similarly extra walkable, as it is less then long. Walkability is helped by shaded building passages, ample crossings, and frequent benches.
Wooster Street opposite of the university is unpleasant to walk due to a lack of shade and close proximity to vehicle traffic. Many locals choose to cross the street to the University Sidewalk, or walk down Clough Street (Pleasant shaded residential street parallel with Wooster).

By bicycle

Bowling Green tends to be cyclist friendly. Most destinations have ample bike parking.
On-campus bike parking is widely available outside each building. Some buildings, such as the Art Building and the Student Recreation Center have newer green roofed racks that can keep your bike dry in light rain.
The downtown core of BG should be bypassed by cyclists who are passing through. Because of heavy traffic and low visibility around corners biking on the street is less easy here, and biking on the sidewalk is illegal downtown. For cyclists visiting downtown as a destination there are some anchored stands for bicycle parking.

Bowling Green State University

• BGSU PlanetariumAn planetarium open to the public. Has regular educational showings for all ages, and holiday features. 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.

• Biology Greenhouse

  phone: +1 419-372-2375
  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.

• Fine Arts GalleriesSeveral 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.

• The BGSU Film Theater

  address: Bowen Thompson Student Union
  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.

• Life Sciences BuildingThe 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.

Attractions

• BG Wind FarmOne 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 tall that can generate over 7 megawatts. On clear days they can be seen from Wooster Street. Has an info board on site.

• Bridge Over Troubled WaterA 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 StreetA 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.

• Education Memorabilia CenterA preserved schoolhouse from the frontier era. It was built in 1875 in the Norwalk area, and was moved to its current location in 1976.

• Wood County Courthouse

  phone: +1-419-354-9000
  address: 1 Courthouse Square
  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 itself 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.

Museums

• National Construction Equipment Museum

  phone: +1 419-352-5616
  address: 16623 Liberty Hi Rd
  Showcases historic construction machinery including trucks, excavators, paving equipment, drills, scrapers, rollers, graders, cranes, excavators, and tractors.

• Snook's Dream Cars

  phone: +1 419-353-8338
  address: 13920 County Home Rd
  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 Center and Museum

  phone: +1 419-352-0967
  address: 13660 County Home Rd
  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.

Festivals

• Black Swamp Arts Festival

  phone: +1 419-354-2723
  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.

• Winterfest

  phone: +1 419-353-9445
  Winterfest is the third weekend in February annually and has more than 30 fun winter-themed events for all ages. Visit the sparkling ice chalet, ice skating competition, the ice sculpture exhibits with an interactive photo area and artist-created snowflakes decorating the whole downtown. Be part of the fun with a chili & soup cook-off, BG Parks & Rec Frostbite Run, ice skating, snow games and downtown retail open house Sparkle Night.

• Art Walk

  phone: +1 419-354-4332
  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.

• Heritage Days

  phone: +1 419-352-0967
  address: 13660 County Home Rd
  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.

• Classics on Main Car ShowAn annual car show held on the third Saturday in June. Features live entertainment, food, and activities in Downtown Bowling Green. It's packed with car enthusiasts showing off historic cars and other vehicles that usually range in age from the 1920s to the 1980s.

• Wood County Fair

  phone: +1 419-352-0441
  address: 13800 W Poe Rd
  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.

• National Tractor Pull Championships

  phone: +1 419-354-1434
  address: 13800 W Poe Rd
  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.

• Firefly Nights

  phone: +1-419-354-2323
  Mini summer festivals held downtown featuring live music, local crafts, and food. Occasionally hosted in the fall as well.

On-campus events

• AnimarathonAnimarathon 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.

• Cherry Blossom FestivalThe 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.

• Dance MarathonA charity dancing event in support of the Children's Miracle Network. The largest student-run event on the BGSU campus.

• STEM in the ParkAnnual 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.

• Falcon BEST Robotics CompetitionAnnual robotics competition at BGSU featuring teams from Ohio and Indiana middle schools and high schools.

• The HatchAnnual 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.

• OktoberfestBGSU'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.

• ArtsXBGSU's annual winter art talent show. Includes performance art, music, theater, fine art, and art sales.

Sports

A popular fight song is "Ay Ziggy Zoomba" (pronounced Aye Zigg-e Zoom-ba). If someone shouts, "Ay Ziggy Zoomba", you should respond "Ay Ziggy Zoomba Ze!". Games against rival school the University of Toledo are often shorted to TSUN, meaning "That school up north".

• Bowling Green Bobcats

  address: 530 W Poe Rd
  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.

• Cochrane StadiumBGSU's soccer stadium. The Stadium has bleachers, a modern design and hosts both men and women soccer games.

• Doyt L. Perry StadiumBGSU'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.

• Slater Family Ice Arena

  phone: +1 419-372-2264
  address: 417 N Mercer Rd
  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.

• Steller FieldBGSU's baseball field. Features bleacher seating, natural grass turf, and an electronic scoreboard.

• Stroh Center

  address: 1535 E Wooster St
  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.

• Rugby FieldA rugby field that has bleachers and a scoreboard. BGSU has a national championship winning Rugby team (2018).

Parks & golfing

• Black Swamp Preserve

  address: 1014 S Maple St
  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.

• Carter Park

  address: 401 Campbell Hill Rd
  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

  phone: +1 419-354-6223
  address: 520 Conneaut Ave
  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 Sensory and Children's Garden Park

  phone: +1 419-354-6297
  address: 1291 Conneaut Ave
  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.

• Stone Ridge Golf Club

  phone: +1 419-353-2582
  address: 1553 Muirfield Dr
  A private 18-hole golf course in a quiet residential neighborhood on the edge of town. Has a restaurant at the clubhouse.

• Wintergarden

  phone: +1 419-353-0301
  address: 615 S Wintergarden Rd
  Has a nature center, forests, and meadows.

Activities

• BiG Fab Lab

  phone: +1 419-971-4244
  address: 1234 N Main St
  A makerspace in the Woodland Mall with a wide variety of industrial equipment for rent, as well as workshops on how to use it. Has free open houses on Thursdays. Hosts a variety of sub organizations such as a drone racing group.

• Moore Musical Arts CenterFeatures 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.

• Wolfe Center for the Performing ArtsThe 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 a outdoor theater. Often hosts musicals.

• Black Swamp Fine Arts School

  phone: +1 419-665-1063
  address: 419 Gould St

• Teaching Kitchen

  address: 705 Ridge St
  A teaching kitchen operated by university chefs that offers public lessons on how to prepare various foods and drinks. Lessons are usually themed around a particular holiday, diet, or cuisine. Lessons are usually split between meat and vegetarian options.

• The Art Supply Depot

  phone: +1 419-352-9501
  address: 435 E Wooster St
  A small art supply store just off of campus. Offers a variety of art supplies, as well as public classes during the schoolyear. Has a small gallery for exhibitions, generally of local artwork.

• The Beat Dance Company

  phone: +1 419-290-1952
  address: 1330 Brim Rd
  Offers dance lessons in various styles including tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary.

General items

• Ben's

  phone: +1 419-352-3389
  address: 154 S Main St
  A local craft store that also offers toys, candy and party supplies among a variety of other things.

• Falcon Outfitters

  phone: +1 419-372-2851
  Formerly known as the BGSU Bookstore, Falcon Outfitters primarily offers BGSU apparel and goods. Also carries general goods, such as stationary, art supplies, and hygiene products. Ziggabyte is the Computing section of Falcon Outfitters. They offer computers, cables, video game systems and accessories, and virtual reality headsets.

• Woodland Mall

  phone: +1 419-353-6368
  address: 1234 N Main St
  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. Has a video game arcade, and a movie theater.

Media stores

• Cameron's Comics

  address: 119 E Court St
  Sells comic books and other nerdy items.

• Finder's Records

  phone: +1 419-352-7677
  address: 128 N Main St
  An independent record store selling CDs, vinyl, and DVDs. Has a large selection, and is willing to special order rarer items.

• Rock Em' Sock Em' Retro

  phone: +1 419-806-4750
  address: 127 S Main St
  Sells retro video games and memorabilia.

• The Stacked DeckSells tabletop and card games.

Specialty stores

• Cyclewerks

  phone: +1 419-352-9375
  address: 248 S Main St
  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 then purchasing a cheap bike for periods longer then a few days.

• iOutlet

  address: 1036 N Main St
  Offers same day repair for some Apple devices. Also sells Apple devices and accessories including cases and screen protectors.

• Klotz Floral Design and Garden

  phone: +1 419-353-8381
  address: 906 Napoleon Rd
  A local florist and gardening store. Founded in 1918 by a deaf gardener, they offer selected flowers for special events such as birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. They also offer chocolates, small gifts, and other complimentary goods.

• Main Street Antiques

  phone: +1 419-575-4157
  address: 244 S Main St
  Three large rooms filled with antiques. Offers hand selected items in a clean gallery style layout.

• The Busy Thimble

  phone: +1 419-806-4022
  address: 148 S Main St
  A sewing and quilting supply store. They host classes on how to get started sewing with a variety of simple projects.

• Farmers Market

  address: 201 S Main St
  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.

Bowling Green's downtown area has a small town atmosphere with plenty of dining establishments to choose from, including sports bars (and other "bar" food), pizza, Italian, and family dining.
The area near I-75 and the extreme north and south ends of Main Street have many chain restaurants.

Budget

• Dairy Queen

  phone: +1 419-352-8042
  address: 434 E Wooster St
  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).

• Kermit's

  phone: +1 419-354-1388
  address: 307 S Main St
  Local mom & pop family diner with large portions.

• King Buffet

  phone: +1 419-352-8989
  address: 1070 N Main St
  An off-campus Chinese buffet. They also offer à la carte deliveries.

• Pisanello's Pizza

  phone: +1 419-352-5166
  address: 203 N Main St
  Sells solid pizza, subs, wings, and breadsticks. Has a ninja turtles pinball machine, psychedelic artwork, and a woody decor that screams 1980.

• South Side 6

  phone: +1 419-352-8639
  address: 737 S Main St
  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.

• Stimmel's Market

  phone: +1 419-352-7792
  address: 220 W Wooster St
  A deli on the far west side of town. Sells coffee, doughnuts, breads and other fresh foods.

• The Cookie Jar

  phone: +1 419-354-8780
  address: 130 E Court St
  Little bakery with a variety of cookie recipes, including a special cookie of the day. Orders are pick up or delivery. Specialty cookies are often sold out later in the day.

Mid-range

• Call of the Canyon

  phone: +1 419-353-2255
  address: 109 N Main St
  A small deli that's southwestern from the food to the decor. Sell sandwiches, chili, BBQ, and roast beef. Has some vegetarian options.

• Guajillo's Cocina Mexicana

  phone: +1 419-806-4866
  address: 434 E Wooster St
  A sister to El-Zarape closer to downtown with a different menu. Has a salsa bar.

• Mister Spots

  phone: +1 419-352-7768
  address: 206 N Main St
  A Philadelphia-style restaurant with cheese-steaks, wings and hoagies.

• Pagliai's

  phone: +1 419-352-7571
  address: 945 S Main St
  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".

• The China

  phone: +1 419-353-1231
  address: 1039 Haskins Rd
  American-Chinese sit down restaurant.

• UrakuSells Japanese sushi, Vietnamese Pho, and Thai cuisine.

• BurGers

  phone: +1 419-352-3663
  address: 1424 E Wooster St
  Sells burgers, fries, and DiBenedetto's recipe subs. Makes either 1/3 or 1/2 pounders using fresh meat from a rural butcher, and has a vegetarian beat burger option. Parking up front is sparse, but there's some parking hidden behind the building.

Splurge

• Naslada Bistro

  phone: +1 419-373-6050
  address: 182 S Main St
  A downtown Bulgarian bistro. Sells European dishes, seafood, crêpes and wine.

• SamB's

  phone: +1 419-252-7252
  address: 163 S Main St
  SamB's offers a diverse menu in a fine dining environment. SamB's has an art gallery, and hosts a weekly Sunday Brunch.

• Sunset Bistro

  address: 1220 W Wooster St
  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.

Dining halls

On campus, most restaurants are condensed into halls. The most notable ones are listed below.

• Carillon Place

  phone: +1 419-372-6101
  address: 913 E Wooster St
  An on-campus all-you-care-to-eat dining hall. Frequented by freshmen. Dining services often holds themed dinners and events here, particularly international themed dinners focusing on a country or region or murder mystery dinners. The all-you-can-eat section has a subsection for those with common food allergies. Also has a convenience store and a sweet shop outside the all-you-can-eat section.

• Falcon's Nest

  phone: +1 419-372-2641
  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.

• Sundial Kreischer

  phone: +1 419-372-2825
  BGSU's late-night dining hall. Has pizza, breakfast for dinner, Mexican, and burgers. Anyone can freely borrow board games from the Marco's to play while they eat.

• The Oaks

  phone: +1 419-372-2771
  address: 705 Ridge St
  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.

Coffee shops

• Flatlands Coffee

  phone: +1 419-482-8049
  address: 138 N Main St
  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 for Thought

  phone: +1 419-354-3266
  address: 174 S Main St
  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.

As a college town, Bowling Green has a number of pubs and bars. During the school year, and especially Thursday through Saturday, bar traffic is at its highest. During the day and during breaks, traffic slows down quite a bit.

Pubs

• Beckett's Burger Bar

  phone: +1 419-352-7800
  address: 146 N Main St
  Sells burgers, mac & cheese, chicken, and sandwiches.

• Black Swamp Pub and Bistro

  phone: +1 419-372-4386
  The only pub on the BGSU campus. The pub offers higher end, classier dining then most venues on campus, and is also the only place to buy alcohol on campus. Mocktinis and non-alcoholic drinks also available. The only place on campus that expects tipping.

• Campus Pollyeyes

  phone: +1 419-352-9638
  address: 440 E Court St
  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.

• City Tap & The Attic

  phone: +1 419-352-0090
  address: 110 N Main St

• El Zarape

  phone: +1 419-353-0937
  address: 1616 E Wooster St
  A Mexican restaurant and cantina near I-75 that focuses on good and speedy service.

• Pizza Pub 516

  phone: +1 419-352-1504
  address: 516 E Wooster St
  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.

• Reverend's Bar and Grill

  phone: +1 419-352-0400
  address: 130 E Wooster St
  A downtown bar with a heavy focus on food and beer quality. The bar features specialty beers and drinks.

• The Stones Throw Tavern & Grill

  phone: +1 419-35-IRISH
  address: 176 E Wooster St
  An Irish pub just on the edge of Downtown. The regulars tend to be a bit older and it's frequented by graduate students. Has televisions with sports games and live music Saturday nights.

• Two Foxes Gastropub

  address: Main St
  A pub that offers whisky, mocktales, and custom dishes.

Bars

• Bowling Green Beer Works

  phone: +1 512-299-2101
  address: 322 N Grove St
  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.

• BrathausKnown for its "Legal Joint" - a sweet cocktail with orange juice and some kind of alcohol.

• Campus Quarters

  phone: +1 419-353-8735
  address: 107 State St
  The southernmost local sports bar, next to campus near the Greek Village. Known for their shot club.

• Clazel

  phone: +1 419-353-5000
  address: 127 N Main St
  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 Club H

  phone: +1 419-352-3195
  address: 210 N Main St
  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.

• Nate & Wally's Fishbowl

  address: 149 E Wooster
  Known for their Fishbowls filled with alcohol.

• Ziggy's

  address: E Wooster St
  Known for their "ShotSkis" which is a ski lined with shots that is communally drunk at once.

Thanks to the Interstate Bowling Green has more hotels then usual for a city of its size. As a result, these hotels are all near either the highway or the university which is adjacent to the highway.

Budget

• Best MotelThe only motel on the south side of Bowling Green. Offers TV.

• Day's Inn

  phone: +1 419-352-1520
  address: 1740 E Wooster St
  Shabby and run-down but usually is one of the lowest-priced options in Bowling Green. Adjacent to I75 with free (if slow) Wi-fi and an outdoor pool. Offers discounts for weeklong stays.

Mid-range

• Best Western Falcon Plaza

  phone: +1 419-352-4671
  address: 1450 E Wooster St
  Offers Wi-Fi, a hot tub, exercise machines, a business center, exercise equipment, and a included breakfast. Has several handicap accessible rooms.

• Holiday Inn Express

  phone: +1 419-353-5500
  address: 2150 E Wooster St
  Offers free Wi-Fi, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a business center, and included breakfast buffet and coffee.

Splurge

• Fairfield Inn & Suites

  phone: +1 419-352-0033
  address: 1544 E Wooster St
  Offers Wi-Fi, a pool, a fitness center, and free breakfast. Has accessible rooms for disabled guests.

• Hampton Inn

  phone: +1 419-353-3464
  address: 142 Campbell Hill Rd
  A nice hotel that offers free Wi-Fi, a pool, a fitness center, a business center, and free breakfast.

On campus you can use any of the blue emergency telephones in an emergency. These will immediately call dispatch and report your location, and flash an alarm.

Getting around

Drivers on Wooster Street should drive with caution. Many drive aggressively and jaywalking is common. Trucks often turn onto main street at a tight, low visibility, and busy intersection. Don't be afraid to slow down and yield, even if you are in the right. There are some unusual on demand crosswalks on Wooster. Slow down and drive with caution when the light blinks yellow, and fully stop when the lights blink red.
Watch where you walk - Campus operations sometimes leaves manholes open to access the vast tunnel network under the campus, mind the signs and don't fall in.
Bowling Green has a lot of nightlife, but please don't drink and drive. There is a free bus service from Thursday to Saturday from the downtown area to BGSU, which is close to many hotels. If the bus is not available, consider a designated driver, or use one of Bowling Green's taxis that can take you to your hotel safely.

Weather

Bowling Green experiences all manner of severe weather. The most common storms are thunderstorms with possible hail, but tornadoes during the summer pose the biggest threat. After a heavy rain, some areas will suffer from flash flooding. Bowling Green can also experience cold weather and rarely blizzards during the winter. Very rarely Bowling Green can experience minor earthquakes as it is directly next to a fault line. These earthquakes are usually low magnitude and rarely cause even minor damage, but may startle animals.

Police

Depending on where you are in Bowling Green, you may be served by one of two police departments.

• BGSU Police Department

  phone: +1 419-372-2346
  address: College Park Office Building
  Responsible for the BGSU Campus. BGSU Police cars are white and orange. This is a full police force, and not the same as the regular campus security.

• Bowling Green Police Division

  phone: +1 419-352-2571
  address: 175 W Wooster St
  Responsible for the city outside of the university. City police cars are white and blue.

• Campus Escort Service

  phone: +1 419-372-8360
  They will escort you to any location on campus if you are in a non-emergency situation and would like an escort to feel safer.

Bowling Green contains a number of family doctors and dentist practices.

• Falcon Health Center

  phone: +1 419-372 227
  address: 838 E Wooster St
  A non-emergency medical center with a pharmacy close to campus. The clinic offers vaccinations, and can offer a limited number of vaccines for international travel such as Diphtheria or Yellow fever if scheduled in advance. Wellness appointments, Physicals, Counselling, and Lab Work can also be done here. Operated jointly by BGSU and the Wood County Hospital.

• Speech and Hearing Clinic

  phone: +1 419-372-2515
  address: Ridge St
  A specialized clinic operated by the university for hearing and speech issues. Offers training sessions to help English as a second language speakers manage their accent.

• Wood County Community Health Center

  phone: +1 419-354-9049
  address: 1840 E Gypsy Ln
  Offers general non-emergency health services including wellness checks, a pharmacy, and a laboratory. Offers a phone translation service if you have difficulties explaining your problem in English. Travelers in need of assistance can consult with social workers here.

• Wood County Hospital

  phone: +1 419-354-8900
  address: 950 W Wooster St
  Hospital offering emergency, surgical, and specialty services. Offers workshops to improve personal health.

• BGSU WiFiOn campus visitors can connect using the "BGSU Guest" Wi-Fi network, or via the eduroam network. You need a valid phone number to connect to the guest network for each day of use. Speeds usually reach around 30Mbps up and down. Public computers are available in Jerome Library.

• Jerome Library

  phone: +1 419-372-2051
  address: 1001 E Wooster St
  The primary library of Bowling Green State University. The first floor features the Collab Lab which is similar to a makerspace, and the learning commons academic help center. The university mace and pendant is also visible on the first floor. The third floor is dedicated to music and contains a listening center, and the fourth floor is dedicated to the universities popular culture collection which includes movies, comics, zines, and tabletop gaming books, as well as the Ray Bradbury collection. The seventh floor is a group study floor and is a good place to relax. The building dominates the BGSU skyline and is a piece of artwork meant to represent a bookshelf.

• Wood County Public Library

  phone: +1 419-352-5104
  address: 251 N Main St
  Offers books, public Wi-Fi, and other amenities. The library lobby is a good place to rest or meet up when visiting downtown. Besides books, the library has a computer lab, local history books, CDs, Magazines, and movies on DVD. The library also offers 3D printing, 3D scanning, technology classes and resources for casual education. In early September the library hosts the Annual Fall Book Sale to get rid of unwanted books, DVDs, and CDs

Telephones

The local area codes are 419 and 567, with 419 usually belonging to older organizations. BGSU maintains an online directory for phone numbers on campus. The area code must be dialed on all calls.
Most major wireless carriers have a retail presence and 4G coverage in Bowling Green, and there are a few independent electronics shops that may repair phone hardware or offer SIM cards.

Post

The ZIP code for general city addresses is 43402, and the ZIP code for university addresses is 43403.

• BGSU Print Copy Mail

  phone: +1 419-372-9633
  address: 441 Woodland Circle
  Offers mail, copy, and printing services.

• Bowling Green Post Office

  phone: +1 419-352-7545
  address: 111 W Washington St
  Offers mail, retail, and some passport services.

Media

• BG Falcon MediaThe student-run media at BGSU. The student newspaper, the BG News prints a few times a week during the school year, and is available online. BG24 is the student-run TV station, and the studio is publicly visible from the Kuhlin Center hallway. Student media mostly focuses on local events and sports.

• BG Independent NewsAn online-only newspaper that focuses on local events, local politics and university internal politics.

• Sentinel-Tribune

  phone: +1 419-352-4611
  address: 1616 E Wooster Suite 15
  The primary newspaper for the city of Bowling Green outside the BGSU campus.

• WBGU-FMThe BGSU student run radio station with programming focusing on Indie music, jazz, news, and other student programming. Broadcasts on 88.1MHz. The radio studio is visible in the entryway to the Kuhlin Center.

• WBGU-TV

  phone: +1 419-372-2700
  address: 245 Troup Ave
  The university-owned television station and PBS affiliate. Broadcasts on channel 27 with studios out of the Tucker Center for Telecommunications, which is sometimes open to guests. Local programming of interest to travelers includes Senic Stops, which covers tourist attractions in Northwest Ohio, and Live at Howards which covers bands performing at a local dive. Signal is reachable in most of Northwest Ohio, from the state borders with Indiana and Michigan to just short of Marion Ohio.

Gyms

• Community Center

  phone: +1 419-354-6223
  address: 1245 W Newton Rd
  Offers a fitness studio and a gym with cardio equipment. Operated by the City of Bowling Green.

• Student Recreation Center

  phone: +1 419-372-2000
  address: 1411 Ridge Rd
  The main university gym. Open to the public for a fee. Has an olympic sized swimming pool, a recreation pool with a large hot tub, volleyball courts, basketball courts, treadmills, weights, a Rock Climbing Wall and more. The rec center also offers trainers and classes as well as changing rooms, and disease testing.

Laundry

• Kirk's Coin LaundryThe building is run down, but the cost is accordingly low.

• Lmaries

  phone: +1 419-353-WASH
  address: 111 Railroad St
  A no-coin laundromat that has some larger machines for things like bedding and horse blankets. The facility is very clean, but new customers will need to acquire a smart card from the kiosk in the back before they can use the machines, which do not accept coins. Has an ATM, detergent and softener vending machines, TV, a pool table, air hockey, and slow but free Wi-Fi.

• The Wash House LaundromatA downtown laundromat of average quality. Has some arcade machines and is across the street from the library.

Child care

• Child Development Lab

  phone: +1 419-353-7407 x227
  address: 812 N College Dr
  A laboratory school on campus.

Religious services

• First Presbyterian Church

  phone: +1 419-352-5176
  address: 126 S Church St

• HillelA Jewish student organization that hosts Shabbat services and arranges trips to Toledo synagogues. Has a small off campus apartment for meetings.

• Indian Student AssociationWhile they aren't specifically a Hindu organization, they often arrange for celebrations of important holidays such as Diwali.

• Muslim Prayer RoomA dedicated location on the university campus where Muslims may pray. Take shoes off before entering. Provides prayer matts.

• St Aloysius

  phone: +1 419-352-4195
  address: 150 S Enterprise St
  A Catholic church is a historic brick building.

• St John's Episcopal Church

  phone: +1 419-353-0881
  address: 1505 E Wooster St
  A modern church close to campus.

• St Marks Lutheran Church

  phone: +1 419-353-9305
  address: 315 S College Dr

• Trinity United Methodist Church

  phone: +1 419-353-9031
  address: 200 N Summit St
  A church housed in a Victorian era domed building.

Smoking

BGSU is a non-smoking campus. Vaping and chewing tobacco are allowed outside, but smoking is only allowed in certain parking lots. The university may charge smokers with trespassing, even if they are not students.

The seal

It is rude to split up a group while walking around the University Seal, or to walk around it to the left. However, walking to the right of the seal is seen as a good luck charm. Standing on the seal (watch your balance!) at midnight for a kiss is a sign of future romance, and also a sign that you won't graduate.

Wood County

Bowling Green is in the center of Wood County, and all of these are not more then a half hour away by car.

Urban

• Perrysburg: An affluent Suburb of Toledo on the north end of Wood County. Home to the Levis Commons shopping complex and the historical Fort Meigs. An easy north of Bowling Green on I-75 or Dixie Highway.

• Apple Butter Festival of Grand RapidsLocated in the riverside city of Grand Rapids, the Apple Butter Festival is a celebration of all things apple.

• Pemberville Opera House

• Luckey Fall Festival

• Toledo, Lake Erie & Western Railway and Museum

  phone: +1 419-878-2177
  address: 17475 Saylor Ln, Grand Rapids

Nature & history

• Carter Historic Farm & Zimmerman Schoolhouse

  address: 18331 Carter Rd

• Rudolph Savanna

  address: 10330 Rudolph Rd, Rudolph

• Cricket Frog Cove Area

  address: 14810 Freyman Rd Cygnet
  Offers hunting and fishing.

• Bradner Preserve

  address: 11491 Fostoria Rd, Bradner
  The largest county park in Wood County.

• Beaver Creek Preserve

  address: 23028 Long Judson Rd Grand Rapids
  A preserve with meadows and brush. Offers stargazing sessions.

• William Henry Harrison Park

  address: 644 Bierley Ave Pemberville
  A nice park along the Portage River in Pemberville.

• Thurston State Park

  phone: +1 419-832-7662
  address: 1466 SR 65
  Offers hiking, hunting, fishing, and boating along the Maumee River.

Nearby cities

• Toledo: The nearest major city to Bowling Green. An easy drive north of Bowling Green on I-75.
• Van Buren: A quaint village with a large state park.
• Findlay: An industrial city with an abundance of Victorian architecture, specialty shops, and restaurants. An easy drive south of Bowling Green on I-75.
• Sandusky: A city with lakefront resorts and the Cedar Point amusement park. A drive east of Bowling Green.
• Huron: Home to the BGSU Firelands campus and the Huron Playhouse. Around drive east of Bowling Green.
• Ann Arbor: A larger college town which is home to the University of Michigan. About drive north.
• Lake Erie Islands: These islands are more remote vacation hotspots. Drive to Lake Erie and take a ferry or private boat.