Easier than traditional rock climbing, via ferrata courses feature a set of rungs and cables that assist movement across the rock.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – You say you can’t afford to take a summer vacation? We say you can’t afford not to.

The kids go back to school in a month, the sunny season is slipping by and the high price of travel means you haven’t left the county in weeks.

Allow us to help.

Ohio is loaded with free and nearly free attractions – enough to fill a day trip, a weekend away or a full week of summer fun.

From the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in southwest Ohio to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the northeast, the state is filled with inexpensive attractions that offer priceless experiences.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of several art museums in Ohio with free admission.

So get off the couch and cross cost off your list of excuses. You’ve got some exploring to do.

Here are 12 of our favorite no- and low-cost attractions.

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Spread across 20 indoor acres east of downtown Dayton, this museum is one of the top attractions in the state. And it costs absolutely nothing to visit.

The museum, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, is home to more than 350 aerospace vehicles, missiles and other artifacts, from early Wright brothers’ aircraft to 21st century rockets. It’s the world’s largest military aviation museum, but it’s also a museum of American history, with galleries devoted to World War I, the Cold War, presidential aircraft and the space race.

Hitting the sand at Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor, which is the largest Lake Erie beach in Ohio.

Among the most notable exhibits here: the Air Force One where President Lyndon Johnson took the oath of office after John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963, a B-2 stealth bomber and the B-29 Bockscar that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The museum is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Information: www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/

Dayton aviation sites

While you’re in Dayton, check out the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, a collection of sites related to the Wright brothers’ early years of aircraft exploration.

View from the top of Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial on Put-in-Bay.

Among the free places to visit: the Wright Cycle Co., where brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright made bikes and ran a print shop; and Huffman Prairie Flying Field, where the Wrights experimented with their first aircraft.

Eighteenth President Ulysses S. Grant spent his childhood years at this home in Georgetown. He was born and lived his first year in a one-room cottage, steps from the Ohio River in Clermont County.

And don’t miss the home of African-American poet and author Paul Laurence Dunbar, a friend of Orville Wright, also part of the National Park Service site. Information: nps.gov/daav

At Mound City Group in Chillicothe, part of the new Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks World Heritage site in Ohio.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Most national parks have a fee to enter, but not our Cuyahoga Valley, on 33,000 acres between Akron and Cleveland. Favorite summertime activities include hiking the 1.8-mile Ledges trail, biking along any portion of the Towpath Trail and admiring the beauty of Brandywine Falls.

Early morning rays of sun are filtered through the trees towards Ash Cave in Hocking Hills State Park on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.

CVNP is an easy day trip, but can be converted to an overnight, as well, at Valley Overlook, with cabins, platform tents and primitive camping spots to rent. Information: nps.gov/cuva

Northeast Ohio: Hikers investigate a joint between rock formations during a guided hike through the Ledges in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Ohio State Parks

Speaking of parks, we Ohioans often take it for granted, but the majority of states in the U.S. charge residents to use their parks. In Ohio, 76 state parks are free to all who want to hike, mountain bike, bird watch, kayak and more. Among the options:

* Check out the fantastical rock formations at Hocking Hills State Park, the state’s flagship park in Southeast Ohio. Among the favorite trails: Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave and Rock House.

The Wright Cycle Company, located about 1 1/2 miles from the Wright Company Factory, is the centerpiece of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

* Pitch a tent at East Harbor State Park on the Lake Erie shore in Ottawa County, with the state’s largest public campground. It’s one of more than 50 state parks with campgrounds. Overnight rates vary, depending on amenities.

A Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk, a World War II fighter plane, painted as a Flying Tiger at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

* There’s also fishing, swimming, disc golf, archery and other activities available for free or a small fee. For all Ohio park locations and activities: parks.ohiodnr.gov

Ohio’s World Heritage sites

In 2023, a collection of ancient Native American sites in southern Ohio was designated the state’s first World Heritage site by the United Nations. Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks is made up of eight locations in Licking, Ross and Warren counties built between 1,600 and 2,000 years ago. Included in the designation: Fort Ancient in Oregonia, Newark Earthworks in Newark and Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe (which includes five sites).

Though different, the earthworks share similar features — enclosures built in the form of circles, squares and other geometric shapes, some to monumental scale, up to 500 feet long, 180 feet wide and 30 feet high. They were used for ceremonial or social purposes, and include numerous burial sites.

Touring Ohio’s presidential past

Take a tour through Ohio’s presidential past at several homes that were once occupied by the nation’s commanders in chief. There are numerous presidential residences in Ohio that are open to visitors, all for free or a modest fee. Among the options: the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, the William Howard Taft National Historic Site in Cincinnati and the Ulysses S. Grant Boyhood Home and Schoolhouse in Georgetown.

Island fun

Put-in-Bay is Ohio’s summertime playground, surrounded by water. True, it’s not free to get there, but Miller Boat Line offers a pretty economical fare for a full day of island fun ($18 roundtrip, $3 ages 6-11). Consider bringing your bike (an extra $5), then set out to explore.

Among the free island attractions: South Bass Island State Park, with swimming, boating, fishing and picnicking, along with some of the most scenic camping in Ohio; several short hiking trails; and the visitors center at Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial (tours to the top of the 352-foot-tall memorial are $10, free for ages 15 and younger). The Aquatic Visitors Center, a popular free attraction where visitors can learn about Lake Erie and kids can fish for free, has been closed since last year for a renovation, but is expected to reopen in August. Information: visitputinbay.com

Hit the beach

It’s not the ocean, but Lake Erie’s southern shore makes a pretty good substitute – and will cost you lots less to get there. There are several stretches of sand near Cleveland worth a visit – Edgewater, Huntington and Mentor Headlands among them.

But for the most vacation-like beach experience, head 100 miles east to Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania. The park, on a 7-mile long peninsula, has 13 separate beaches, some calm and shallow and good for small kids, others with waves large enough for kite surfers. There are kayak and bike rentals here (or bring your own), food concessions, beach volleyball courts and more. And Pennsylvania state parks, like Ohio’s, are free. Information: dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/PresqueIsleStatePark

Before or after the beach, stop by Waldameer Park, a small amusement park that charges no admission. You can pay to ride a single ride or buy an all-day ride wristband.

Artful museums

You probably know that the Cleveland Museum of Art, one of the nation’s finest, is free. Perhaps you didn’t know that Ohio is home to several other terrific art museums, also free.

Among them: the Toledo Museum of Art, with its elegant Glass Pavilion; the Cincinnati Art Museum; and the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, the country’s first museum dedicated to American art. The Columbus Museum of Art, with $22 admission Tuesday through Saturday, is free on Sundays. Check out them all on an art-filled road trip.

Also free in Columbus:

* In 2023, the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks debuted the state’s first via ferrata course, and it’s free for all. The rock-climbing adventure is built along a former quarry wall, part of Quarry Trails Metro Park in northwest Columbus. The activity is by guided tour only and reservations fill up quickly. See metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/quarry-trails for information.

* Take a tour of the Ohio Statehouse, the Greek Revival beauty that is the centerpiece of state government. Tours are offered daily. Information: ohiostatehouse.org/visit/public-tours

Fun at a festival

Ohio’s festival season is in full swing, with themed events scheduled in every corner of the state. Most festivals are free, though you will have to pay for any food, plus extra rides on the Ferris wheel. Among the upcoming options: Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival, Canton, July 25-Aug. 4; Toledo Jeep Fest, Aug. 1-3; Twins Day Festival, Twinsburg, Aug. 1-3; Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival, Aug. 14-16; D-Day Conneaut, Aug. 14-16; Perch, Peach, Pierogi and Polka Festival, Port Clinton, Aug. 29-31. For more: ohiofestivals.net

Factory tours

Spend an afternoon seeing how something is made – from high-end campers to footballs and chocolate. Airstream offers free tours of its factory in Jackson Center, near Bellefontaine, where the company has been headquartered for more than 70 years (see airstream.com/company/factory-tours/).

Other facilities in Ohio that offer a glimpse into the manufacturing process include the Wilson Football Factory in Ada, the American Whistle Corp. in Columbus and Fannie May/Harry London chocolates in North Canton. Most tours are free or charge a nominal fee.