The Visit Westerville Ohio to Erie Trail Blog Series is presented by RWM Wealth Advisors

Think of the Ohio to Erie Trail as a 326-mile long bicycling superhighway, one that brings visitors to Westerville from near and far.

While some riders are just passing through, Westerville’s location near the midpoint of the OTET makes the city an ideal place to spend a restful night — or perhaps stay longer to more fully experience the local dining, cultural and entertainment treasures. (See “36 Hours in Westerville” for some tips.)

Whether your stay is short or long, Westerville’s three bicyclist-friendly hotels ( https://www.visitwesterville.org/stay/ ) have you covered!

The stylish Renaissance, the trendy Aloft and the budget-friendly Red Roof Inn are easy to reach by bike from the OTET via local trails or low-traffic streets.

The Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel is in the bustling Polaris Parkway corridor in northwestern Westerville. The hotel is just 1.3 miles off the OTET via the Polaris Trail, which roughly parallels the parkway but is separated from it. The eight-story Renaissance opened in 2018 and has 222 guest rooms. The full-service hotel features amenities such as an upscale restaurant and lounge that open to a patio and outdoor fire pits. Other features include room service, indoor pool, fitness center and convenience store. Nearby are dozens of restaurants and retailers. Uptown and other attractions and services are easy to reach via Westerville’s 51-mile system of trails, bike lanes and shared streets.

To learn more about the Renaissance and how to navigate to the hotel from the Ohio to Erie Trail, check out this video

Renaissance Westerville

The popular Aloft Columbus Westerville Hotel also opened in 2018 and is noted for its modern design. Located on the south side of the city, near the State Street/Interstate 270 interchange, Aloft is just 0.7 mile from the OTET where the trail intersects Schrock and Charring Cross roads. By bike, use Brooksedge Boulevard, Green Crest Drive and Heatherdown Drive to access the hotel. The 100 guest rooms at Aloft feature signature beds, walk-in showers and 55-inch LCD TVs. The bar and lounge are a great place to unwind after a long day’s ride, with snacks, beverages, billiards and music. The hotel offers an indoor pool, outdoor patio and 24-hour fitness center. It’s an easy walk from Aloft to the dining and shopping along South State Street.

Aloft Hotel WXYZ Bar

Just a block south of Aloft is the affordable Red Roof Inn, which has a microwave and mini-fridge in every room. The 95 rooms are smoke-free and have expanded cable TV. The hotel was renovated in 2016.

Whether you’re journeying north or south, a layover in Westerville is sure to be a highlight of your Ohio to Erie Trail adventure. Let one of the city’s easy-to-reach hotels welcome you and be your base to explore the places and activities that make Westerville memorable!

By: Jeff Pierron

HELPFUL MAPS

For digital, downloadable maps showing how to navigate the Ohio to Erie Trail through Westerville, go to https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46447954 for northbound and https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46447997 for southbound.

To see how to reach the Renaissance hotel from the OTET, go to https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46967148

To see how to reach the Aloft and Red Roof hotels from the OTET, go to https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46967230

To see how to navigate all of Westerville by bike, go to https://www.visitwesterville.org/play/parks-recreation/bike-trails/  The page has links to:

—  A detailed pdf map that shows the trails, bike lanes, shared lanes, parks and amenities in the city

— The Westerville Parks & Recreation overview of the city’s bikeway system and trail rules

— A digital trail map that lets you zoom and pan to see trails in detail or in an overview