Canton, Ohio is the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and other special attractions like museums, dining, and shopping.
What Were We Doing in Canton, Ohio?
We did not wake up one morning with the urge to travel three hours on a plane to the Akron-Canton Airport to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. In fact, I’m not even an avid football fan. However, since many of my trips involve visiting picturesque Hallmark movie settings, I thought I’d make the sacrifice to expand a 3-day business venture to include two additional days of Canton sightseeing. And you guessed it, a day would include a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. What I’m happy to report is that we also discovered many other Canton attractions, from unique museums and historic sites to a fun chocolate factory tour.
Before I go on and on about the fun experiences in Canton, Ohio, I must tell you a bit about our accommodations at Hyatt Place Canton.
About Hyatt Place Canton Hotel
As I mentioned, our primary goal in Canton was business-related, so the hotel selected for us was the Hyatt Place Canton. It had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. It was clean, nice staff, and on-site dining options including Starbucks coffee. There was an indoor pool, fitness center, business services, and laundry that we didn’t use. But we certainly took advantage of the free breakfast, free WI-FI, free parking, and the meeting facilities. Pets are welcome at this hotel for a one-time fee, but our pets were home.
And speaking of free breakfast, it was so nice to wake up to a free Hyatt breakfast. The Breakfast Bar offered a decent variety of breakfast food choices including scrambled eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, and waffles, fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola. The Market at the hotel was a great place to pick up some pre-packaged grab-and-go snacks and drinks throughout the day and night. In fact, during your stay, you can place orders from the hotel’s gallery menu, 24/7.
The Placery, located at the lobby bar, offered a menu of delicious foods like sandwiches, salads, and burgers, including Starbucks coffee. Of course, when work hours were complete, The Placery was the “place” to enjoy a cocktail or two in the comfortable lounge setting.
Hyatt Place Canton Rooms and Suites
The spacious guest room featured two very plush queen beds in addition to an ideal workspace area, a signature “Cozy Corner” with sleeper sofa, complimentary WI-FI, coffee maker, mini refrigerator, alarm clock radio, a 55″ flat screen television, and an iron/ironing board. Working remotely from the room was productive and if I needed to, I could have remote printed to the hotel’s business services area. The bathroom was stylishly modern with granite countertops, hair dryer, and a few complimentary bath products. The room was comfortable and clean, perfect for our business trip, not fancy, but still a nice place to rest our heads.
Things to Do in Canton, Ohio
Staying at Hyatt Place Canton for a few extra days put us in the perfect location to take advantage of some fun things to do while in Canton, Ohio. Located near the Belden Village Shopping Mall area, the hotel offers easy access to stores, restaurants, entertainment, and nearby attractions like the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Fannie Mae Chocolate Factory, Classic Car Museum, Kent State University, Canton Museum of Art, and other hidden Canton gems.
Let me elaborate on our Canton highlights.
Pro Football Hall of Fame
It was a mere 10-minute drive from the hotel to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not only did we discover our share of fascinating historical facts about football, but the guided tour of so many exhibits made it a much more educational and memorable experience. Seeing the Hall of Fame Gallery in person, the area that houses a bronze bust of each Hall of Famer is beyond description. Another highlight was touring the massive, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Yet, the most impressive part was viewing the public art named “The Eleven,” that pays tribute to the greatest moments in the first century of pro football. These public displays of artwork are featured throughout downtown Canton and you don’t need to be a diehard football fan to appreciate seeing them. I’m so glad we took the refreshing walk to view all 11 pieces of world-class football art celebrating noteworthy moments from the early years of pro football.
National First Ladies Library & Museum
Here is an attraction that I had never heard of but was most impressed with. The National First Ladies Library & Museum educates visitors about the significant role and contributions of our nation’s First Ladies. People get to experience the unique perspective of American history through the eyes of these remarkable wives. This Visitor Center and Museum hosts exhibit galleries, Victorian theater, children’s interactive zone, research library, archival storage and processing rooms, and much more. Plan to spend at least 2 to 3 hours for your visit because it includes a 50-minute tour of the Saxton House. Plus, you’ll want to explore the exhibit galleries located on three floors of the museum. Of course, be sure to stop in at the gift shop.
William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum
When you visit the National First Ladies Library & Museum, you will also tour the Saxton-McKinley house. There are many interactive exhibits to explore at this library and museum. It features a planetarium, hands-on science center, and a life-size replica of a historic town. This Victorian-style house served as the primary residence for the McKinley’s when he was part of the U.S. House of Representatives and he spent some time there during his Presidency.
Fannie May Chocolate Factory
I love chocolate so the Fannie May Chocolate Factory was a highlight for me! This factory is well-known for its gourmet chocolates and classic candy types. We enjoyed the free guided tour, a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes chocolate-making process. The tour was a quick 45 minutes, but perfect. When the tour ended, we shopped in the store that is described as the “largest chocolate retail space in the Midwest.” Then, we created our own customizable chocolate box to take with us, selecting from 50+ chocolates and candies. Handy Tip: Tours are free, but reservations are required.
Other Noteworthy Canton Museums
MAPS Air Museum – If you love flying, this is the museum for you as it’s an internationally known museum of aviation, serving as the center of aviation history for Northeast Ohio. It’s an educational experience with everything about flying. It features historic aircraft engines, aircraft models, and exciting educational displays of acquired artifacts, interactive exhibits, and historical archives. Plan to spend at least two hours exploring this museum.
Canton Museum of Art – Explore one of Ohio’s premier museums of American works of art spanning more than 200 years. The museum’s galleries and collections focus on American art using mediums of watercolor, paper, and ceramics. When you’re done browsing, be sure to shop at the museum’s Artisan Boutique for goods from local vendors.
Canton Classic Car Museum – This museum currently houses 40+ rare and unusual vintage and special interest vehicles. Explore exhibits with thousands of pieces of historical memorabilia displayed throughout the museum. You’ll be amazed at the vintage cars, steam engines, toys, memorabilia, movie posters, historic photography, and other artifacts from automotive history.
Canton Restaurants We Tried
Table Six Kitchen + Bar – Described as their version of a gastropub, pairing innovative culinary techniques with traditional, made-from-scratch comfort food. All I can say is the food is delicious, especially the Baked Goat Cheese and the Street Gyros. Select from 80 different spirits, unique beers, and wines. The casual atmosphere and extra special service is also appreciated after a day of Canton sightseeing.
Burntwood Tavern – Located right in the Belden Village Mall, it’s a rustic, comfortable place to enjoy a delicious meal of contemporary American cuisine, signature cocktails, and craft beer. Known as a popular food chain, this restaurant lives up to the hype, from the chicken wings appetizer and the avocado chicken club meal to the chocolate truffle cake dessert. Just perfect.
Canton, Ohio: A Fun, Fascinating Trip to the Midwest
The Hyatt Place Canton was a nice place to stay. It allowed us to be productive while working and get a great night’s sleep. We appreciated the friendly, helpful hotel team, welcoming atmosphere, clean and comfortable rooms, and convenient location to fun Canton attractions.
We certainly enjoyed our stay in Canton. Both the town and the hotel exceeded our expectations. The trip provided further proof that the Midwest has so much to offer and should be on everyone’s must-visit travel list.