Ohio Daytrip- Exploring Ohio & Erie Canal Towns

Ohio Daytrip- Exploring Ohio & Erie Canal Towns
Zoar, Navarre and the Ohio & Erie Canalway
August 7, 2010
Sometimes daytrips just happen. When my idea to spend an afternoon at the Zoar Harvest Festival in Zoar, Ohio combined with Di’s idea to visit the Winery at Perennial Gardens near Navarre a theme emerged. When I first planned this daytrip, I didn’t know I was going to visit several communities that were influenced by the Ohio & Erie Canal. I didn’t expect it to include an assortment of delectable foods. I hadn’t anticipated it being a casual exploration of Ohio history. But that made this summer afternoon in August all the more enjoyable.Thanks to community efforts to maintain the heritage and character of the village, Zoar Ohio looks much like it did nearly 200 years ago when it was founded as a commune by German Separatists fleeing religious persecution. Just 15 miles south of Canton, I’d passed through Zoar many times and always admired the village. I was excited to explore the historic community on foot while browsing the wares for sale at the Zoar Harvest Festival ($7/pp).
Diana and I arrived in the early afternoon and meandered around the quaint village taking in the community buildings, admiring the Communal Gardens, listening to live music near the brew tent and browsing the arts and crafts stands. All of the goods offered for sale were handmade items, quality furniture and unique folk art pieces. Although I left with postcards, a matted print by a local artist and a small carved bird, my best purchases turned out to be food items. First was a German pretzel. After perusing the antique tents,
Di and I shared a bratwurst with sour kraut and mustard while relaxing in the shade. The highlight of the afternoon was sitting at a small table outside the Bakery with Di, enjoying a scrumptious apple fritter. We finished the afternoon strolling around the neighborhood noting the unique features of the homes and B&Bs in the area.
From Zoar we decided to follow a segment of the Ohio & Erie Canalway. The O&E Canalway is a scenic drive that follows the path of the canal from Cleveland to Dover. We drove through beautiful farm land and many small communities. In Bolivar, we stopped by the Fort Laurens Memorial and took a long walk around town. We found a wacky photo opportunity near downtown Navarre. A sunset drive along a scenic byway on a beautiful Saturday evening is hard to beat!

Di and I wound down the day at the Winery at Perennial Vineyards, an Agricultural Winery located amongst the beautiful rolling hills of Ohio Amish Country in between Brewster and Navarre, Ohio. We made our way through the tasting room, dining room and patio to the back pavilion. Di and I enjoyed a bottle of Vidal Blanc ($17) and a tasty white pizza sitting under the stars at a candle-lit picnic table while taking in some live music.
From visiting a community that has been able to maintain its nineteenth century charm to taking a scenic drive following a path of Ohio heritage to spending the evening under the stars with a nice bottle of wine, the day turned out to feature much of what makes the small Ohio communities and countryside a beautiful place to visit for the day, a weekend or indefinitely.

Ohio Day Trip- A Summer Afternoon in Cleveland

Ohio Day Trip
A Summer Afternoon in Cleveland
July 10, 2010
There’s just something about summertime in Cleveland. Lake Erie comes alive with brightly colored sailboats on the water, people strolling its shores and taking in all the north coast has to offer. A celebration of some kind is always brewing in Cleveland.

Neil, Megan and I decided to spend a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon enjoying the Tall Ships Festival and viewing the Bodies Exhibit. We headed up Interstate 77 North to East 9th Street, past Progressive Field and headed toward Browns Stadium. After parking in the municipal parking deck ($10) we walked in the direction of Lake Erie, past the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center and the Steamship William G. Mather on our way to the Port of Cleveland where the fleet of majestic ships lined the shore. The first sight of all the Tall Ships was spectacular. We made our way through the crowds to get closer to each vessel and examined them from the side. Although the admission ($14/pp) included boarding each ship to look around, by the time we arrived there were very long lines. We decided to pass on the interior tours and instead enjoyed mulling about. After looking at each of the ships we made our way downtown to East 4th and Euclid Avenue to meet our friend Carl and take in the Bodies Exhibit. ‘Bodies-The Exhibition’ ($22/pp) presents real human cadavers which have been dissected and displayed to inform and provoke us to learn something about ourselves in the most intimate way. The first exhibits included the muscular and skeletal systems. The heart and vascular system were shown in great detail. An area with signs warning sensitive viewers of its contents presented fetuses in various stages of gestation. A blackened lung demonstrated the effects of cigarette smoking. Placed beside the exhibit was a bin to collect the cigarettes discarded by those that decided to quit the moment they saw that lung. After the exhibit we discussed which displays were most fascinating to us. I was most impressed with the displays of the nervous system, reproductive system and cancerous tumors. The day came to an end with a good chuckle over the group photograph we took as we entered the exhibit. Just 42 hours after Lebron James announced his decision to leave Cleveland, the seemingly skinned basketball player displayed in the photo seemed fitting.  

Hiking Trip- Turkey Run State Park

Hiking Trip and Get Together
Turkey Run State Park
Marshall, Indiana
June 25-27, 2010

I first read of Turkey Run State Park in National Geographic Adventure magazine. Ever since seeing pictures of the rugged and striking surroundings, I’ve wanted to visit. Several friends live within driving distance of the park so we planned a quick trip to meet up and take on the trails.

My middle sister Joanna and I embarked after work on Friday afternoon. We packed up her Jeep Wrangler, removed the windows and hit the highway, taking Interstate 76 West to I-71 South to I-70 West toward Indiana. We had quite a voyage, receiving no less than 4 honks from passing semi-truckers. As 30-something housewives, we felt pretty hot!

We arrived at the Staybridge Suites in Fishers, Indiana around 11:pm and got to bed shortly after. We planned to meet at Turkey Run State Park around 11:am on Saturday morning. When we pulled into the park ($7/out-of-state car), we were surprised by all the activities that are offered. A stately historic inn stood on the same grounds as miles of hiking trails, a huge swimming pool, picnic facilities, horse stables, camping and much more. Kayaking, canoeing and tubing can be enjoyed on the creek that snakes through the area. Our rendezvous spot was the Nature Center where Joanna and I met Liz & Ian from Chicago and Beth & Rob from Indianapolis. From there we jumped right into the hike, agreeing to take on one of the most difficult trails in the park, the 1.7 mile Trail 3 known as the Ladders Trail.

As soon as we crossed the suspension bridge over Sugar Creek, we were greeted by large rock formations. The trail wound along the Creek and then turned into a deep ravine and stream bed. After heavy rains earlier in the week, the stream had plenty of water to wade through or attempt to traverse by bouncing from stone to stone. Sometimes paths were cut along narrow ledges above the stream and other times there was nothing to do but just walk through the moving water. We climbed a series of ladders out of the creek bed and to the top of the ravine, walked up and down several flights of steps and into and out of deep valleys. After completing Trail 3 we decided to do the 1-mile Trail 2. Crossing under cliff edges, it is another of the more adventurous trails offered in Turkey Run. We then followed a portion of Trail 1 past a covered bridge and along Sugar Creek. The excursion was quite an adventure.

After a few hours of strenuous hiking, we were all pretty hungry. We brought our own sandwiches, a side dish to share and had a picnic. We enjoyed a delicious lunch with choices like zucchini orzo salad, beer bread, black-eyed pea salsa, a fruit platter and many other items. We’re all the sort of people who bring way too much to these types of events!

Horseback riding was next on the agenda ($16/pp). Jo was paired Gumbie, the biggest horse of them all and I was assigned Mary, a smaller blond horse that loved to lag behind. The bright side of this predicament was that she occasionally realized how slow she was going and would speed up to a fast trot to catch the rest of the group. It was quite fun!

We were exhausted by the end of the ride and after stopping by the Inn to see the interior and purchase some postcards, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the lap pool and hot tub. That evening we ordered a half cheese/half pepperoni pizza, breadsticks and cinnamon dessert (about $20 + tip) from Wise Guys Pizza and spent the evening playing games and watching movies.


The next morning we packed up the Jeep and hit the road. We had one more stop planned on our way home and were excited to arrive at our destination. After seeing a billboard advertising the attraction, we counted down the miles to our exit. Right off exit 145 and Interstate 70, the huge candle was hard to miss! We had arrived at the Warm Glow Candle Outlet. So much more than a candle shop, this huge 11,000 square foot building houses all sorts of things for the home, from decor to food items. I set out to smell as many varieties of candles as I could and was thrilled when Jo pointed out a section of relishes, sauces and jams. I ended up leaving with 12 candles in flavors like Lemon Verbena, Nutmeg Chutney and Mandarin, an ornament and a jar of Basil Pesto Mustard.

Various reward programs made this trip very budget-friendly! I was thrilled to be able to cash in my very first Hotels.com Welcome Rewards free night. In addition, we purchased gas on the way using $3-off/gallon Fuel Perks from Giant Eagle/GetGo. We packed a cooler full of picnic foods, wine, fruit and water and ordered out only once. A huge buffet breakfast offering numerous hot and cold items was complementary at the hotel. All in all, it was a very economical jaunt.

Romantic Weekend Getaway- Hocking Hills, Ohio

Romantic Weekend Getaway- Hocking Hills State Park
Hocking Hills Region, Ohio
May 13-16, 2010

I enjoy packing as much activity as possible into a vacation. Josh loves vacations that include a whole lot of relaxing. Our conflicting travel styles can sometimes be a problem but we’ve managed to find a balance and choose destinations that can offer a little bit for both of us. The Hocking Hills Region in southeastern Ohio was the perfect spot for a long weekend getaway!

J and I stayed at the Hemlock Log Cabin in Rockbridge, Ohio. I had been there before on a girls’ getaway and love the secluded location and huge hot tub. We packed a cooler full of stuff to grill, snacks, beer, wine, bourbon and fixings to make s’mores. We left after work on Thursday evening, headed down Interstate 77 South to I-70W to OH-37 to US 33 and followed country roads to our cabin. After a long day, I thought we’d fall right to sleep. Instead we spent the evening having drinks, sitting on the huge front porch and relaxing in the hot tub.

The next morning we headed out to do some hiking. Our first stop was the Rock House, the only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park. We hiked down a short trail and were soon at the cave. We climbed in through one of the crevices and began exploring from one end of the cave to the other. The ceilings were high and it was very roomy. Inscriptions of visitors past dating back at least 150 years were carved into the cave walls. The beautiful coloring inside was breathtaking.

On our way to the next natural wonder we stopped at Grandma Faye’s Grocery, located on State Route 664 South. We browsed the general store that has a little bit of everything, purchased a few necessities and then drove on to Ash Cave. From the parking lot, the path to Ash Cave is only about a ¼ mile, paved and wheelchair accessible. The astounding sight at the end of the trail is well worth the small amount of effort it takes to get there. We’d heard that Ash Cave is one of the most spectacular sights in the whole park but we were still amazed by the view. The huge rock shelter rises above a vast, open area into which a waterfall is pouring from above. We hiked along the formation, behind the waterfall, up some steps and around the top to the ridge of the cave. Although Josh is definitely not a hiker, he said these short hikes had some high pay-offs offering stunning views with only a small amount of physical exertion.

From Ash Cave we drove down Route 56 to Etta’s Lunchbox Cafe’, a restaurant and lunch box museum. This quirky destination offers casual menu items, a small store and a collection of more than 800 lunchboxes. We ordered a medium pizza, half cheese/half pepperoni (about $15 with drinks) and explored the museum while we waited, finding our first lunchboxes in the huge collection while the curator recited his own unique commentary on the history of lunch pails. After enjoying a delicious lunch, we followed Route 56 to Route 278 into Nelsonville.

Nelsonville used to thrive on clay, making the distinctive Star Bricks which line its sidewalks today. The old crumbling kilns of Nelsonville Brick still stand near town. Nelsonville now thrives as a local Appalachian arts community. In the heart of the town is the Nelsonville Historic Square Arts District. The square has local galleries, shops and other artistic establishments. We walked around the area, spoke with some of the locals and made a few purchases. I’d love to return to Nelsonville with a better shopping partner!

Next we headed to Logan, Ohio, another Ohio Appalachian community that offers homegrown art. We stopped at the Logan Art Gallery and bought a small clay heart ornament. The Logan Art Gallery happened to be moving across the street to the Emporium so we visited there as well. More a gift shop than a gallery, the Emporium offered a wide-range of items but lacked the homemade quality that we were looking for. I did find a small handmade clay pot and was quite pleased my purchase.

After essentially making a huge circle around the area, Josh and I headed back to the cabin to relax and enjoy the evening. Josh grilled up bratwurst, peppers and onions, built a fire; we roasted marshmallows and enjoyed s'mores. I became transfixed by the flames. Not one to spend too much time just sitting, relaxing by the warm blaze while watching it dance in the darkness was quite marvelous.

The next day we enjoyed what was by far the highlight of our trip- a zip line adventure with Hocking Hills Canopy Tours. We loved every minute of it! I have always been a little scared of heights but as soon as I stepped into the harness, I felt safe and secure. It wasn’t at all scary walking off the platform and zipping along, sailing through the tree tops, over rivers and in between rocky ledges. Our guides Leifken and Jake engaged us in interesting and humorous conversation. The tour, which included a ride on an all-terrain vehicle, 10 zip lines, 5 sky bridges and 1 repel, was worth every penny. After completing the course, Josh declared that he’d like to travel around doing other canopy tours and zip line challenges. We can’t wait to return!

On Leifken’s and another zip liner’s recommendation we decided to try the Millstone BBQ Restaurant, located off Route 664, for lunch. It defiantly lived up to its reputation. Our waitress was spacey but took great care of us. Josh is a huge cornbread fan, I usually don’t like it- we both loved their cornbread. The house salads come with a choice of dressings- regular ranch or spicy chipotle. I ordered the Texas Trio, a combination of three mini sandwiches- a cheeseburger, pulled pork and beef brisket and a side of mac & cheese. Josh chose the Millstone Combo with pulled pork and smoked turkey with sweet potato fries. Our dishes arrived with both sweet and spicy bbq sauces. Before leaving, our waitress brought us a huge basket full of cornbread to take home. Completely stuffed, we’d enjoyed a great meal and the leftovers we took home sure hit the spot later that night!

We spent our last evening at the cabin by the fire, relaxing in the hot tub, playing pool and sitting on the front porch, as we’d done every night before. It was nice to be able to relax after an exciting day. Reflecting on the trip, we both agreed that it would be nice to return with friends to take on a group adventure. We spent one last quiet morning in the cabin, then packed up and drove home on Sunday.

Our weekend trip to Hocking Hills was just what we wanted- a quick get-away that didn’t include a lot of travel time but did include great activities and relaxation. We found everything we were looking for and more.

More Photographs: