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: