College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 1 day, 2 campuses

Bowling Green State and the University of Toledo in 1 Day: A Northwest Ohio College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo in one day from a Perrysburg base: BGSU's admissions presentation and student-led tour in the morning, UToledo's tour and admission presentation in the afternoon. Official visit sign-ups, where to park, three hotels from budget to upscale, drive times and seasonal weather, every fact sourced.

The tan brick and stone facade of University Hall at Bowling Green State University, seen across a green lawn framed by bare spring trees
University Hall at BGSU (Apr 2020). Photo: Mbrickn · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH) · The University of Toledo (Toledo, OH)
Days
1 weekday: BGSU in the morning, UToledo in the afternoon. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Detroit Metro (DTW), about 1 hour 17 minutes from our Perrysburg pick with no traffic.
Best base
Hilton Garden Inn Toledo Perrysburg, about 20 minutes by car from BGSU and 24 minutes from UToledo's Main Campus.
Car or transit
Rent a car: BGSU to UToledo is about 40 minutes and 28 miles with no traffic.
Registration
Both schools take visit sign-ups online. At both, your license plate is your parking permit, so have it handy.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare two public universities in northwest Ohio about 28 miles apart: Bowling Green State University, with more than 200 undergraduate majors and programs, and the University of Toledo, a public research university with more than 400 student organizations.

Perrysburg sits between the two campuses, so one hotel night is enough: BGSU in the morning, UToledo in the afternoon, and DTW is about 64 minutes from UToledo when you're done.

Why this order

  • Morning: BGSU's general admissions visit pairs a 30-minute admissions presentation with a 90-minute student-led campus tour that stops at the rec center, the student union, a traditional residence hall, outdoor spaces and academic spaces.
  • Afternoon: UToledo's campus visit lets you build your own day: an in-person campus tour, an admission presentation covering admission, academics, financial aid and student life, and an optional academic appointment with your intended program.
Your license plate is your permit at both schools
  • BGSU: weekday parking requires payment or a permit, paid through the PayByPhone or AMP app or at kiosks in lots N, 7, 6 and X. BGSU's visitor page reserves Lot 7A for Admissions guests until 4 p.m.; Lot 7 is the Bowen-Thompson Student Union lot. Don't back in if your car has no front plate.
  • UToledo: buy hourly parking through the ParkMobile app or website (or at the kiosk in areas 11, 12 and 13), or a “C” daily pass through the Parking Portal, which needs an account. Park so your plate faces the drive lane.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • BGSU visits aren't offered on Nov. 11, Nov. 25–29 or Dec. 19–Jan. 3, or on any Sunday. Spring 2027 visit dates (January through April) will be posted in early December.
  • BGSU tours run rain or shine. If the university closes for bad weather, visits will likely be cancelled, and BGSU will email and text registered guests, so check the Bowling Green forecast in winter.

2. The suggested 1-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Add a cushion for rush-hour traffic between Perrysburg and Toledo.

Arrival evening: fly into Detroit and drive to Perrysburg

  1. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) → Hilton Garden Inn Toledo Perrysburg (6165 Levis Commons Blvd.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 17 min, 60 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Rent a car at DTW
  • UToledo describes Toledo as a city near the western shore of Lake Erie, known for the Mud Hens baseball team, the Toledo Museum of Art and its family-owned restaurants, microbreweries and farm-to-table spots.

Day 1: Bowling Green State in the morning, University of Toledo in the afternoon

  1. Hilton Garden Inn Toledo Perrysburg → BGSU, Bowen-Thompson Student Union (Lot 7) area

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~20 min, 13.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required

  2. BGSU → UToledo Main Campus (2801 W. Bancroft St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~40 min, 28.1 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required

  3. UToledo Main Campus → Detroit Metro (DTW)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 4 min, 49.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  • BGSU's tour route is about 2.5 miles, and there are no golf-cart tours. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes and bring a refillable water bottle.
  • Book a UToledo afternoon slot that leaves room for BGSU's two-hour visit, lunch and the 40-minute drive north. UToledo's sign-up portal walks you through choosing your experiences first, then a date.

3. Campus by campus

The tan brick and stone facade of University Hall at Bowling Green State University, seen across a green lawn framed by bare spring trees
University Hall at BGSU (Apr 2020). Photo: Mbrickn · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH)

Where visits start
  • Book the general admissions visit, offered most weekdays and select Saturdays: a 30-minute admissions presentation followed by a 90-minute student-led tour. Meetings with academic areas are optional and need their own registration.
  • Personalized visits need at least two weeks' notice and aren't offered on Saturdays. To cancel, use the link in your confirmation email; groups should email groupvisit@bgsu.edu.
Visitor parking
  • Payment or a permit is required Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Your plate is your permit: pay with the PayByPhone or AMP app or at a kiosk (exact amount) in lots N, 7, 6 or X, or buy a day pass from Parking Services in the College Park Office building.
  • From 7:30 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Monday, parking is free everywhere except Lot 7 at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union.
Getting there
  • Plan on a car: BGSU is about 20 minutes from our Perrysburg pick and about 40 minutes from UToledo's Main Campus.
What to know
  • University Hall, in the photo at the top of this guide, is home to the Office of Admissions (Room 200). BGSU's two campuses total 1,132 acres and 107 buildings.
  • Ask your student to watch for the student union, the rec center and a traditional residence hall on the tour; all three are regular stops.
Contact
BGSU Office of Admissions, 200 University Hall, Bowling Green, OH 43403; 419-372-2478, choosebgsu@bgsu.edu. Financial aid questions: 419-372-2651, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: BGSU: Campus Visit (Know Before You Go) · BGSU: Visit BGSU · BGSU: Visitor Parking

The Gothic-style stone University Hall at the University of Toledo with its central clock tower, seen from a curving campus walkway on a summer day
University Hall at UToledo (Jul 2022). Photo: MrJacon000 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

The University of Toledo (Toledo, OH)

Where visits start
  • Campus visits are offered weekdays and some weekends. Pick the experiences you want (admission presentation, campus tour, academic appointment, and extra presentations such as the Honors College or pre-health), then choose a date.
  • Want more? UToledo's Toledo for a Tuesday program lets students stay overnight in a residence hall, join student-life activities and take a guided tour.
Visitor parking
  • Register your car before you park: hourly parking through ParkMobile (no account required), or at the kiosk in areas 11, 12 and 13, or a “C” daily pass through the Parking Portal. “C” passes park in white-lined spaces in the areas marked on ParkUToledo's map, and day passes expire at 11:59 p.m.
Getting there
  • Main Campus is at 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606, about 10 minutes from downtown Toledo by car. UToledo notes downtown is a short bus ride away on the regional transit system.
What to know
  • The UToledo photo in this guide shows University Hall and its clock tower. UToledo has served northwest Ohio since 1872 and fields 16 NCAA Division I Rockets teams.
  • A 6-mile bike and walking path runs from Main Campus to Wildwood Metropark and Sylvania, if your student wants to see how far the trails go.
Contact
UToledo Office of Undergraduate Admission, 419.530.8888; visit questions to visit@utoledo.edu. Main Campus: 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606-3390.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: UToledo: Campus Visits · UToledo: Directions · ParkUToledo: Visitor Parking

4. Where to stay: Perrysburg, about 20 minutes from BGSU and 24 from UToledo

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Hilton Garden Inn Toledo Perrysburg

6165 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg, OH

Why here

  • It's about 20 minutes by car from BGSU, 24 minutes from UToledo's Main Campus and about 1 hour 17 minutes from DTW, so one night here covers the whole trip.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Red Roof Inn Perrysburg

3555 Hanley Rd., Perrysburg, OH

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's on the east side of Perrysburg, about 30 minutes by car from BGSU and 31 minutes from UToledo.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel

444 N. Summit St., Toledo, OH

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's on the hotel list linked from UToledo's visit page, about 10 minutes by car from Main Campus, 30 minutes from BGSU and about an hour from DTW. Choose it if you'd like an evening in downtown Toledo.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Stay in Perrysburg for the shortest drives to both campuses, or downtown Toledo if UToledo is your student's main interest; either way, BGSU is 20 to 30 minutes away by car.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

Downtown Bowling Green

BGSU points visitors to downtown BG's Mexican restaurants, Mediterranean street food, burger joints, sushi spots and pizza shops, along Main Street's historic district.

Toledo

UToledo highlights Toledo's decades-old family-owned restaurants alongside newer farm-to-table restaurants and microbreweries.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

City Park

520 Conneaut Ave., Bowling Green, OH

About 4 minutes by car from BGSU's student union, with a playground, skatepark and a public pool with slides and a lazy river in season.

Official page →

With siblings

Wood County Courthouse

1 Courthouse Square, Bowling Green, OH

Look up at the 195-foot clock tower: peregrine falcons have nested at the top for more than 15 years, and BGSU runs a live Falcon Cam each spring.

Official page →

With siblings

A Falcons or Rockets game

Bowling Green or Toledo, OH

Check the BGSU Falcons and Toledo Rockets athletics calendars for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • BGSU: pay by app or kiosk on weekdays, with Lot 7A reserved for Admissions guests until 4 p.m. UToledo: ParkMobile hourly parking or a “C” daily pass. Your license plate is your permit at both.
  • Perrysburg to BGSU is about 14 miles and 20 minutes, and to UToledo about 15 miles and 24 minutes, with no traffic.

Flying in and out

  • DTW is about 1 hour 17 minutes from Perrysburg and about 64 minutes from UToledo, so a late flight home after the UToledo visit can work.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Toledo Express Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 62°F highs and 40°F lows, with about 3.5 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 87°F/64°F, with about 3.3 inches of rain, so pack water for BGSU's 2.5-mile tour.
  • Fall: October averages about 65°F/44°F, with about 2.6 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 35°F/20°F, with about 12 inches of snow, the snowiest month of the year.

Parent checklist

  • Register for BGSU's morning visit and a UToledo afternoon visit online, leaving time for the 40-minute drive between them.
  • Book one night in Perrysburg, plus a rental car from DTW.
  • Have your license plate number ready for BGSU's parking app and UToledo's ParkMobile or daily pass.
  • Pack comfortable shoes, weather-ready layers and a refillable water bottle for BGSU's rain-or-shine tour.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

2 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Bowling Green State University and The University of Toledo): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Bowling Green State University
  5. Bowling Green State University Athletics (official site)
  6. Bowling Green State University Athletics: Athletics Compliance
  7. Bowling Green State University Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. Bowling Green State University Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: University of Toledo
  10. The University of Toledo Athletics (official site)
  11. The University of Toledo Athletics: Compliance
  12. The University of Toledo Athletics: Staff Directory
  13. The University of Toledo Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

Plan this trip

Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.

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Sources

All checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. Bowling Green State University Admissions: Campus Visit (Know Before You Go)
  2. Bowling Green State University: General Admissions Visit (official sign-up)
  3. Bowling Green State University Admissions: Visit BGSU
  4. Bowling Green State University Parking Services: Visitor Parking
  5. Bowling Green State University Admissions: Contact Us
  6. Bowling Green State University: About BGSU
  7. Bowling Green State University: Things To Do in Bowling Green
  8. The University of Toledo Admission: Campus Visits
  9. The University of Toledo: Plan Your Visit (official sign-up)
  10. The University of Toledo: Directions
  11. ParkUToledo: Visitor Parking
  12. The University of Toledo: About UToledo
  13. The University of Toledo: About Toledo
  14. The University of Toledo: Hotels (the visit page's Where to Stay list)
  15. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  16. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  17. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Toledo Express Airport (USW00094830)
  18. Expedia listing: Hilton Garden Inn Toledo Perrysburg (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Toledo-Hotels-Hilton-Garden-Inn-Toledo-Perrysburg.h1927062.Hotel-Information)
  19. Expedia listing: Red Roof Inn Perrysburg (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Toledo-Hotels-Red-Roof-Inn-Perrysburg.h34846697.Hotel-Information)
  20. Expedia listing: Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Toledo-Hotels-Renaissance-Toledo-Downtown-Hotel.h82746.Hotel-Information)
  21. Hilton: Hilton Garden Inn Toledo Perrysburg (address) (not linked: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/tolpbgi-hilton-garden-inn-toledo-perrysburg/)
  22. Red Roof: Red Roof Inn Perrysburg (address) (not linked: https://www.redroof.com/property/oh/perrysburg/rri1084)
  23. Marriott: Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel (address) (not linked: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/tolgp-renaissance-toledo-downtown-hotel/overview/)
  24. Bowling Green Falcons Athletics: Calendar
  25. Toledo Rockets Athletics: Calendar