The Celina Lake Festival is one of the city's biggest annual events, celebrating its history on Grand Lake. The festival draws one of the world's largest gatherings of Amphicars. The Amphicar Model 770 is an amphibious car from the 1960s. Celina also hosts the Freedom Days Picnic and the Mercer County Fair.
James Watson Riley established Celina in 1834, naming the new settlement after Salina, New York. Celina grew slowly at first, with a population of only 1,346 people in 1880, but the population nearly doubled in the next decade, reaching 2,684 after oil and natural gas deposits were discovered in the 1880s. The city quickly added five churches, three newspaper offices, and two banks, as well as manufacturing companies that primarily provided products or services to farmers in the area. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to be strong in Celina and Mercer County.
What are the best times to visit Celina, OH?
Celina is in the humid continental climate zone, with four distinct seasons. Summers are typically hot, humid, and wet, while winters are cold with a moderate level of snowfall. The best times to visit Celina is between May and September, when average high temperatures range from the upper 60s to the low 80s. Hotel rates are highest in these months, but you may get a slight price break if you travel in May or September. The moderate weather is ideal for the busy summer of outdoor activities.
Rates are lower yet in spring and fall, when average highs range from the low 40s to the upper 60s, but you'll find the lowest hotel rates of the year in winter. Daytime winter temperatures are in the 30s and low 40s, with nighttime lows dropping into the 20s.
Below is a chart of the current pricing seasonality of hotels and motels in Celina, OH:
Celina, OH: Prices by Star Rating Class
Below are 3 charts illustrating avg. price trends by star rating class in Celina, OH. Browse these line graphs to evaluate the least expensive time to book a room in Celina for your upcoming travels.
What are the luxury hotels in Celina, OH?
If you prefer a luxury hotel option, you can find one right in the small town of Celina. The beautiful West Bank Inn overlooks Grand Lake St. Marys and offers gorgeous sunrise views for early risers. Recently remodeled rooms feature 50-inch flat-screen televisions, refrigerators, coffee makers, and free Wi-Fi. Some rooms have sleeper sofas, and each room comes with a two-person whirlpool tub. The hotel offers docking facilities for guests who bring their boats. The party patio is ideal for lounging and visiting with other guests, and you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool.
Boat and pontoon rentals are available at a nearby marina. A restaurant is on-site, and you'll be a couple of blocks away from a bar, a dog park, and a walking trail, and within a mile of shops and a grocery store.
What are the affordable hotels in Celina, OH?
3 Star Average Prices: £93.06
Americas Best Value Inn Celina is a popular budget-friendly hotel that's a three-minute drive from Mercelina Park and a 10-minute drive from Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. Your room will be equipped with a refrigerator, a flat-screen television, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel serves a complimentary continental breakfast each morning. A business center and computer station are on-site, and coffee and tea are available in a common area.
Also popular is the Americas Best Value Inn & Suites St. Marys in the city of St. Marys. Rooms feature kitchenettes with microwaves and refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. You can also upgrade to a suite for additional space and amenities without an outlandish price tag. Get rejuvenated in the outdoor pool, work out in the health club, have a delicious meal in the restaurant, and cap off the night with a drink in the bar. The hotel also offers a business center. A free continental breakfast is served daily.
2 Star Average Prices: £79.28
What are the discount hotels near Celina, OH?
Best Western Celina provides senior, AAA, and government/military discounts. Rooms come with refrigerators, microwaves, 32-inch flat-screen televisions, free newspapers, and complimentary Wi-Fi. The indoor pool offers opportunities for recreation and relaxation, and the fitness center helps you stick with your exercise routine. If you're in Celina on business or need to get work done even though you're on vacation, you'll appreciate being able to head to the 24-hour business center. The hotel's free breakfast will start your mornings out right.
Members of the military, government employees, and senior citizens can enjoy discounts at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Wapakoneta. The Wapakoneta hotel is 20 miles from Celina and within a five-minute drive of the Armstrong Air and Space Museum, the Auglaize Antique Mall, and Wapakoneta WaterPark. Rooms provide refrigerators, LCD televisions, free weekday newspapers, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
You can enjoy the convenience of an indoor pool any time of the year, get a workout at the 24-hour fitness center, or get some work done in the 24-hour business center. The hotel also provides a picnic area, a convenience store, coffee and tea in common areas, and free breakfast.
What are the top hotels near Celina, OH?
Quality Inn, located in the heart of St. Marys, is five minutes from Grand Lake St. Marys State Park by car. Rooms are equipped with refrigerators, microwaves, flat-screen televisions, coffee and tea makers, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel also provides a picnic area, a computer station, and free newspapers in the lobby.
Rooms at the Best Western Wapakoneta Inn come with refrigerators, LCD televisions, free Wi-Fi, and MP3 docking stations so you can listen to your own music library. Enjoy a good workout in the fitness room, followed by a refreshing dip in the indoor pool. You can also take advantage of free use of a nearby fitness center. After a long day, you can relax by the fireplace in the lobby. The hotel also provides a 24-hour business center, wired internet access, and a free buffet breakfast.
What are the best things to do in Celina, OH?
Grand Lake St. Marys State Park is on the opposite end of the lake from Celina, near the town of St. Marys. It's an artificial lake that was constructed in 1845 as a feeder reservoir for the Miami-Erie Canal. It was recognized as the largest artificial reservoir in the world until the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead were constructed. Grand Lake St. Marys has long been popular for boating, camping, and fishing.
The lake, along with a number of other Ohio lakes, has since 2010 been plagued by toxic blue-green algae blooms said to be caused by runoff from farm fields and land situated near waterways. As of summer 2019, beaches are officially closed, and signs warn people not to enter the water, but numerous people are still swimming, some of them rinsing off afterward. Boating is still just as popular.
Grand Lake St. Marys is known for two lighthouses along the shore, the Northwood Lighthouse on the north side of the lake, and the Rotary Lighthouse on the west side in Celina. Visitors can enter the Rotary Lighthouse and enjoy beautiful views, but the Northwood Lighthouse can only be viewed from the lake, as access goes through private property.
Birding is also popular, with many birds using the lake as a resting place and a nesting area. You can see Canada geese, ducks, swans, egrets, grebes, loons, herons, ospreys, and cormorants. Bald eagles have begun a welcome return after a long absence. You can also see white-tailed deer, beavers, coyotes, raccoons, squirrels, fox, and mink.
Visitors with dogs can take them to two off-leash, fenced-in dog parks on the lake. Fur-Ever Friends Dog Park is in St. Marys and includes a separate area for small dogs. The Celina Rotary Dog Park is at the Rotary Lighthouse in Celina.
The Celina Lakes Festival is held in July each year and is the city's largest event. The festival features downtown sidewalk sales, a craft show, concessions, pony rides, and more, and one of the early events is the Miss Lake Festival Scholarship Pageant. Also featured are midway rides, a car show, demonstrations of amphibious and military vehicles, the annual car show, and evening entertainment.
The exhibits at the Mercer County Historical Museum in Celina covers the history of 200 years of life in the Mercer County area. The museum also holds genealogical resources and many books focusing on local and area history. Open houses are held at various times during the year and feature special exhibits.
The museum structure is also known as the Riley Home. Capt. James Riley, the first Riley to arrive in the area, was the father of James Watson Riley, who platted and named Celina in 1834. James Watson Riley's son Calvin built the Riley Home in 1896, and family members occupied the house until 1974. The Mercer County Historical Society obtained the house in 1975. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Celina, Ohio, offers plenty of outdoor activities, historical and cultural charm, and beautiful surroundings with stunning lake views. You'll be just down the road from Grand Lake St. Marys State Park and the nearby city of St. Mary's.
FAQs about hotels in Celina