Heading north from Cincinnati towards Toledo

Could you help me understand a bit more what you are looking for? The "stay" part of your question threw me off. Just a good place to eat or drink? Bottle shop?

 

http://www.moellerbrewbarn.com/

If you're willing to go a little off I-75, this is a brewery I've heard good things about. Never been but have friends from the area and who live in Columbus (I think distributes there) who all say good things about it

 

Moeller is very close to me and ive been several times. If you're an IPA fan or love to push boundaries this is not your spot (which is OK with me). They usually have about 10 beers on tap, which I would rate anywhere from below average to slightly better than average.

 

Alexandria's in Findlay
Bowling Green Beer Works in Bowling Green - no food though
Stone's Throw in BG
Swig's in Perrysburg (15 miles south of Toledo)
5th St. Pub in PBurg - great stone-fired pizza

Good luck!

 

Your best bet is likely Findlay, which is a little out of my knowledge zone. Between Dayton and Findlay is really no man's land. I could tell you a couple nice meal stops with ok selections, or a couple bottle shops, but no place where you will find a hotel close to a couple nice stops. Lima is really the only decent size city in the area and it is 20 years behind the rest of the US when it comes to beer. Either research Findlay a bit, or just push through to Toledo. It's only 3 hours from Cincy anyway.

 

Couple of hotels right off I-75 in Findlay. Also a decent grocery store for bottles 1/2 mile from same exit. Several other decent bottle shops within 5-10 minutes of same exit.
I live in Findlay, ask me anything.
I'd also add in Bowling Green for food, Reverend's is fantastic. And they're on it with their beer taps too.

 

My knowledge is much more limited to Dayton through Lima, so I'll let others address Findlay through Toledo. I have been through Bowling Green before, which strikes me as a cool college town. Small enough to get around with plenty beer bars and restaurants. My must stop when I am in Toledo is the Andersons for a bottle shop.

 

My friend is driving up from Louisville, is he better off stopping in Findlay rather than cincy, was hoping to find a quick stop off for either some hoppin frog or Jackie o's

 

Probably depends on what he's after. There seems to be lots of Hoppin Frog around, but I couldn't tell you which ones or if they are anything other than the regular releases.
I do know that while Findlay gets the desireable Jackie O's stuff, it usually goes fast, within a day or two.
The Wine Merchant, Wolfie's(Tiffin Ave) and Great Scott(on Broad Ave) are good places to check.

 

The Karoc Marathon in Sydney, Ohio (not quite a mile off I-75, exit 94) may be worth a shot. Stopped a couple times and have been impressed. They had a random bottle of Wicked Weed the last time I was in...