1. True Toledoans Know Supreme Tastiness Is A Packo Hot Dog
If you’ve never been to Toledo, you might only know Tony Packo hot dogs because they were referenced on “M-A-S-H, or (if you’re under 40) not at all. If you’re from Toledo, Tony Packo’s dogs deserve to be in their own food group.
Tony Packo’s original dogs feature mustard, onions, and a trademark sweet chili hot dog sauce, and people around here go crazy for these meaty creations. Can you blame them? They’re completely delish and go for just $3.15 a pop.
2. Toledo Is Evenly Split Between The Buckeyes And Wolverines
The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines are the bitterest of bitter Big Ten football rivals, meeting in a yearly game that’s so famously contentious it’s simply known as “The Game.”
You’d think Toledo locals would side with the in-state Buckeyes, but the split makes more sense when you realize it’s actually just an hour drive to Ann Arbor compared to two-and-a-half-hours to Columbus.
3. Toledo Locals Get Their Forecasts From A Guy With A WWE-Worthy Nickname
“Blizzard” Bill Spencer sounds like the name of someone who would have been pinned by Hulk Hogan circa 1986, but in Toledo, he’s just the friendly local weather man who enjoys talking in the third person, wearing a Boutonniere, and reminding locals that the sky is attacking them.
4. Native Toledoans Grew Up On Zoo Field Trips
In case you didn’t know, Toledo has one heck of a zoo. There’s over 200,000 acres, nearly 5,000 animals, 700 different species. It was recently awarded the title “America’s Best Zoo” by USA Today. It’s a pretty big deal.
If you’re from Toledo, this means that roughly half of your school field trips revolve around going there. But it’s cool because, hey, making new animal buddies is as good a way to spend time as any.
5. Everyone Has A Love-Hate Relationship With Lake Erie
So here’s the thing about being Lake Erie-side: on one hand, the lake is the primary reason Toledo exists where it does, it can be very pretty when given a chance and it allows for easy access to fishing, boating, and lakeside drinking and dining. On the other hand, Toledo made nationwide headlines this August when Erie’s water was deemed too overrun with algae for 400,00 residents to drink.
6. People From Toledo Give Major League Love To A Minor League Team
Considering the Mud Hens’ deep roots in the city, it’s not hard to understand why locals give them so much love. It also doesn’t hurt that their 10,000 plus capacity Fifth Third Field is regularly named the best minor league park in America, and the team is a Triple-A affiliate of the very nearby Detroit Tigers.
7. Toledo Locals Know How To Deal With A Presidential Campaign Onslaught Every Four Years
Ohio, being the swingiest of swing states, has gone to the winner of each of the last five presidential elections by narrow margins. And Toledo is not only one of the state’s largest metro areas, but a nice stand-in for rust belt cities across the country. The rare flood of national politicians to town every four years usually leaves people wondering “Hey, where you guys been for the last four years?”
8. Everybody In Toledo Is Completely And Utterly Over Katie Holmes
No offense, Ms. Holmes, but people from Toledo are kind of sick of hearing about you. It’s nothing personal. It’s just that when your city gave the world feminist icon and activist Gloria Steinem, Apollo 13 hero Gene Kranz, and soul legend Anita Baker, you can’t help but wonder why Joey Potter gets so much attention.
9. Toledoans Know At Least Five People Who Make Jeeps For A Living
Chrysler’s Toledo Complex cranks out Jeep Wranglers and Cherokees and the GM Toledo Transmission Plant produces transmissions for General Motors products. In all, the auto industry employs 12,000 people in the Toledo area. So never tell someone from Toledo that we don’t make quality cars in this country—it’s pretty much their bread and butter.
10. Only Toledoans Know The Strange Joy Of Being Trapped In A Room With Friends And Strangers
If being trapped in a room “Saw”-style doesn’t sound like an awesome way to spend your weekend, you’re probably not from Toledo.
In increasing numbers, one of locals’ favorite things about their city is Trapped Toledo, an inventive, interactive game experience that involves, among other things, getting locked up with a group of friends and strangers to solve puzzles. It’s also a great alternative to standard, HR-led office team building exercises like trust-falling and name-gaming.
Did we miss anything? Tell us what’s unique about Toledo in the comments below! 
