Magazine Award Puts Toledo Area in National Spotlight
Glass City Riverwalk is a recipient of Midwest Living's 2025 Best of the Midwest Travel Awards, bringing national attention to the project, Metroparks Toledo and northwest Ohio.
Selected by the magazine's editors, the annual list recognizes 25 of the "most buzzy and significant openings and revamps of the past year, in the categories of dining, accommodations, outdoor recreation, arts and culture, and family," according to a notice sent to Metroparks.
The awards will be featured in the Spring 2025 issue of the print magazine, and were released today on midwestliving.com. Midwest Living says it reaches an audience of more than 3 million readers and online followers.
Glass City Metropark fully opened in June 2023 and has since seen more than 1 million visitors. The park is approximately 25 percent of the total Glass City Riverwalk, a 10-year project begun in 2020 that will eventually stretch from the Anthony Wayne Bridge to the Glass City Skyway on both sides of the Maumee River in downtown and East Toledo. Portions of the project currently under construction are expected to open in spring 2026, when Riverwalk will be 50 percent completed. Work on the remainder of the riverfront, in the Vistula neighborhood, is expected to begin next year.
"From the start of this historic riverfront transformation, we said that one of the benefits for northwest Ohio would be to a heightened awareness of our region," said Dave Zenk, executive director of Metroparks Toledo. "This recognition by a well-known publication is one example of many stories about Riverwalk that have appeared in media across the country. This kind of attention helps tell our story of Toledo as a place to live, work and play - and we have a great story to tell."
Glass City has received numerous top honors from the National Recreation and Park Association, Ohio Parks and Recreation Association and several other professional organizations.
"The recognition of Glass City Riverwalk by Midwest Living underscores the incredible transformation taking place along Toledo’s riverfront," said Lance Woodworth, president & CEO of Destination Toledo. "This kind of national attention not only highlights our world-class outdoor recreation but also positions Toledo as a must-visit destination in the Midwest. With every accolade, we strengthen our ability to attract visitors, support local businesses, and enhance our community’s quality of life."