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.