About the only thing I can recall and recommend from Ohio is trail bologna from Trail, OH, and Coblentz Chocolate near, if memory serves, Berlin, OH.
Travel: Frontier Airlines (but I am driven by the MasterCard miles and flexibility to points West through Denver...meaning, I basically can fly to my brother's place in Boise or to California for free. So clearly this would not be a good fit for Ohioans.) But the seating is comfortable and the service excellent. Also have to put in a plug for Midwest Express. Any travel involving Wisconsin makes this regional carrier a must. Better seating than Frontier and warm chocolate chip cookies on every flight.
Food. There is only one Italian restaurant East of the Mississippi. I mean, worth going out of your way. Little Italy's in Inverness, FL. Inverness is 40 miles SW of Ocala (~20 miles South on I-75, then ~20 miles West on Route 44). Run by two Sicilian brothers and a spouse, they run a deli by day, then on Fri and Sat night they have one seating only at about 7 pm. Reservations only, $40/plate, no kids, take a camera. They sing and ham it up all night long. Dress casual. 8-course meal. An experience above and beyond the gourmet selections. No menu...they clear guests for medical/allergic limitations, then the food starts coming. All night long. Take your own wheel barrow...you'll need it to get out the door.
