Lima brings together a variety of discoveries: a 19th-century Victorian house, a collection of fossils and gemstones, and activities around the Ottawa River and the lake in Schoonover Park. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether cultural history and collections or trails and activities by the water should take center stage.
Cultural History and Collections
MacDonell House is a Victorian house dating from 1893. It can only be visited as part of a guided tour. This makes the visit a set part of your itinerary, so you should plan for a tour.
The Allen County Museum has a collection of fossils and gemstones. The museum also houses the Children’s Discovery Center, which offers hands-on activities for children. These include a general store, a one-room schoolhouse, a Native American wigwam, and a large model train display. The collection and hands-on offerings have different focuses: here, natural specimens take center stage; there, engaging activities for children.
The John H. Keller Railroad Archives offer another look at regional history. The archives include thousands of photographs, architectural drawings, and documents from Lima Locomotive Works. Anyone interested in railroad history will find not only images but also technical drawings and records here—different types of sources on a shared topic.
The Lake, Trails, and Outdoor Observation
Schoonover Park includes a 25-acre lake and has hiking trails, including paved walking paths. The park also offers kayak rentals. If kayaking is part of your plans, check before your visit whether rentals are currently available. The options at this location differ: you can explore the park on its trails or take in the lake by kayak.
For views of the night sky, the Lima Astronomical Society opens Schoonover Observatory to the public at least twice a month during the summer months, weather permitting. The schedule therefore depends on both the season and the weather. Confirm the observing schedule before visiting.
For a longer route, the 13.27-mile hiking and biking trail runs along the Ottawa River. It passes through the City of Lima and connects Heritage Park in Shawnee Township with Ottawa Metro Park in Bath Township. Unlike the trails in Schoonover Park, this trail is described as a longer connection, with a specified length and two endpoints. It can therefore be a focus of its own when planning to walk or cycle.
More to Discover
The Children’s Garden features more than 30 themed miniature gardens and child-inspired artworks. This adds garden design to the range of offerings, alongside museum collections, architecture, and activities by the water. The different themes give you several ways to choose what to see in Lima based on your travel group’s interests, without limiting every experience to a single type of outing.
When looking for hotels in Lima, you can decide on your focus in advance: will your trip center mainly on architecture, collections, and railroad history, or are you more interested in trails, cycling, and activities by the water? Seasonal stargazing may also play a role in your plans. Specific conditions—such as the guided tour at MacDonell House, current kayak rental availability, and weather-dependent observing dates—can help you plan each activity accordingly.
For the broader travel overview: Allen.
