Places to go: Hocking Hills region of Ohio

The Hocking Hills region of Ohio is home to nine state parks, more than 9,000 acres of state forest land, part of the Wayne National Forest, contains four nature preserves and one of the largest metro parks in the state. The region includes Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, Conkle's Hollow, Cantwell Cliffs, Rock House, Cedar Falls, Clear Creek (Metro Park), Rock Bridge, Tar Hollow, Lake Hope, Lake Logan and Hocking Hills State Forest.

WHERE: The Hocking Hills region is in Southeast Ohio, generally between the triangle created by the towns of Chillicothe, Lancaster and Athens.

LODGING: A plethora of options, including lodges, cottages, cabins, campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, hotels and inns, are scattered throughout the region.

WHAT TO DO: shopping, hiking, fishing, camping, horseback riding, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and bird watching, to a name a few.

WHAT ELSE: There are a number of special events scheduled regularly in the area. Some locations cater to weddings. There are the nearby historic towns of Logan and Lancaster as well as a number of local restaurants and tourist attractions, such as Robbins Crossing and the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway.

MORE INFORMATION: Go online to www.hockinghills.com.