Interstate 71 — Louisville, KY to Cleveland, OH

Hampton Inn Columbus-South

4280 Groves Rd, Columbus, OH 43232 · $$

Columbus is the natural overnight if you're doing the I-71 to I-75 connection through Ohio. You're south of the city, right on the highway, and tomorrow you either head southwest to Cincinnati and I-75, or southeast to connect with I-77. The Hampton Inn is standard issue — pool, breakfast, reliable — and Columbus has enough chain restaurants within a mile to feed even the pickiest family without drama.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

4850 W Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065 · $$

Jack Hanna made this zoo famous and it delivers. The Heart of Africa exhibit lets you feed giraffes from a platform, the aquarium has sharks, and the manatee exhibit is one of only a handful in the country. About twenty minutes off I-71 north of Columbus. If you've got kids under ten and half a day to spare, this is one of the best zoos in the country. The waterpark in summer is a bonus. Your kids will be exhausted by 4pm. Mission accomplished.

Kings Island

6300 Kings Island Dr, Mason, OH 45040 · $$$

A full-scale theme park right off I-71 between Columbus and Cincinnati. The Beast is the longest wooden roller coaster in the world and riding it at night is a top-ten life experience. The kids' area — Planet Snoopy — is perfect for little ones, and the waterpark is included with admission. If your route passes through southern Ohio and you have a day to give, Kings Island is the best theme park between Cedar Point and Dollywood. Your teenagers will beg.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland

1100 E 9th St, Cleveland, OH 44114 · $$

If your road trip starts in Cleveland or passes through it, the Rock Hall is sitting right on the lakefront and it's one of those museums where every generation finds something to love. Your parents recognize the Beatles exhibit, you recognize the Nirvana guitar, and your kids somehow know who Post Malone is. The building looks like a glass pyramid designed by someone who really loved geometry. Interactive exhibits, real artifacts, and enough music history to fill the car conversation for the next three states.

Ark Encounter - Williamstown

1 Ark Encounter Dr, Williamstown, KY 41097 · $$

A full-size replica of Noah's Ark — 510 feet long, seven stories tall, and visible from I-75. Whether your family is visiting for faith reasons or curiosity reasons, the sheer scale of this thing is worth seeing. Your kids will walk through three decks of exhibits and animal displays and walk out with a new appreciation for how big 'really big' actually is. Right at the I-75/I-71 split near Williamstown. Allow two to three hours.

Skyline Chili - Columbus

Various I-71 corridor locations, OH · $

Cincinnati-style chili on spaghetti with a mountain of shredded cheese. It's called a '3-way' and before you make the joke, just try it. Ohio is fiercely divided between Skyline and Gold Star, and asking which is better is how you start a fistfight in a state that doesn't fight about much else. The Griswold family is Skyline. This is non-negotiable. Available at basically every exit from Columbus to Cincinnati on I-71.