Youngstown

Located in the Buckeye State of Ohio, on the Mahoning River, the cultural city of Youngstown is well known for its museums, art centers, arenas and theatres. Visitors to the city will find a naturally beautiful city with some classic turn of the century architecture throughout and a range of exciting places to visit. The city gets its name from John Young, a settler from New York who surveyed the region in February 1797 and subsequently purchased the land from the United States government in August 1802. The city was chartered in 1867 and has since become the county seat of the Mahoning County. Youngstown was conventionally known as the centre of the steel industry and its industrial expansion altered the map of Mahoning Valley but when the steel industry fell to decline in the 1700's, the city had to redefine itself and did so by turning itself into a habitat for arts and culture which shows in the fact that the city boasts an array of cultural, musical, recreational and natural attractions. If you're a fan of theatre and drama, your destination would be the Powers Auditorium. The Powers Auditorium is the cultural center of the city and serves as the main music hall for the area as well as being home to the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra.

The auditorium also includes the Ford Recital Hall which was built in 2006 and is the venue for most concerts and plays including upcoming ones like the Moscow Ballet in December. You could also enjoy a show at the Youngstown Playhouse, a theatre that has been with the city for 80 years. The newest addition to Youngstown is the 5,700 seat, multi-purpose, Covelli Centre that was built in 2005. Formerly known as the 'Chevrolet Center', the Covelli is home to the arena football team Mahoning Valley Thunder and to the ''Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League. It is also the venue for a number of varying events including concerts, shows on ice, and other forms of entertainment. Some upcoming shows at the center include Disney On Ice: Hundred Years of Magic, Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus and concerts by country music superstar Kenny Rogers and famous pop singer and American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson. Due to its location downtown, the visitor benefits from the vibrant and high class variety of bars, restaurants and pubs in the downtown area and free parking while watching shows at the venue.

The Butler Institute of American Arts was the first ever museum in the country committed to American art and is located adjacent from the McDonough Museum of Art, which is a must visit for fans of contemporary art or anyone interested in American art and its significance. Just a stone's throw away is the Arms Family Museum of Local History, a museum that is built in a 1905 arts & craft style mansion and mounts rotating exhibits on local history topics. While you're there, you could walk down the road to the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, a museum that focuses on the city's history with the steel industry. If you feel like just relaxing and taking in the serene atmosphere of Youngstown, located on a five mile long area of landscaped woodland, Mill Creek Park is the oldest park district in Ohio. Encompassing around 2,600 acres, 20 miles of drives and 15 miles of foot trails, the major draws of this park include, the rock formations of Bear's Den, the restored 19th century Lanterman's Mill, scores of nature trails, the Fellows Riverside Gardens and Nature Center, two 18 hole Donald Ross golf courses and the Cinderella iron link bridge. For its vast variety of attractions and features which also include playgrounds, athletic fields and picnic areas, Mill Creek Park was inducted onto the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. In recent years, Youngstown has developed into a focal center for arts and culture and offers the best of both worlds, you get amazing museums, groovy musical concerts and the best in theatre along with peaceful parks and natural wonders. If you're looking for a tranquil vacation that also offers you the chance to catch up with the latest music artists, the best in sports and an educational journey through history, buy your Youngstown tickets as soon as you can to give yourself a chance to embark on a trip of a lifetime.