Greatest issues to see and do in 6 cities

Mohican Covered Bridge — Photo courtesy of Caroline Eubanks

Set amongst the rolling hills between Cleveland and Columbus are charming cities that really feel worlds away from the bustling cities. This space can be the place a lot of Ohio’s Amish group resides and the place stars of the large display have discovered solitude. It’s a spot the place you may disconnect, recognizing horses and buggies and indulging within the farm-crafted cheeses and fudge.

While there are many locations to discover on this space, these seven cities are particularly interesting.

Berlin and Millersburg

Start your go to to Amish Country on the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center, which educates guests in regards to the Amish, Mennonite and Hutterite communities and their beliefs. Exhibits embrace an Amish college, a conventional barn from Pennsylvania and a Cyclorama portray.

To buy Amish-made arts and crafts, Sol’s Palace is a sprawling mall of cubicles promoting quilts, furnishings, candles and pottery. Schrock’s Heritage Ville has Amish-crafted furnishings to deliver house. You can even journey just like the Amish do with a buggy journey with Mel’s Horse Buggy Rides.

Open since 1938, Boyd & Wurthmann is the place the locals eat, with a each day altering menu of dishes like meatloaf and chicken-fried steak with conventional dandelion gravy. Berlin Farmstead is one other favourite and in addition owns a theater that welcomes musicians and different performers.

Millersburg’s Bunker Hill Cheese Chalet is a family-run store open since 1935 that crafts cheese from native Amish farms. The constructing itself is harking back to what you may discover within the household’s native Switzerland.

Glenmont

The Mohicans treehouse — Photo courtesy of Caroline Eubanks

To totally disconnect from the surface world and absorb the pure environment, one of the best place to remain is The Mohicans, a distant luxurious treehouse resort with no cell service or Internet. Kevin and Laura Mooney bought property in 2005 and now have a number of treehouses to remain in.

Two of the treehouses had been constructed for the present “Treehouse Masters” with the help of native Amish carpenters. There are additionally cabins and an Airstream. All include kitchenettes, showers and full-sized beds.

During the hotter months, guests can be a part of one of many canoeing journeys that function on the Black Fork Mohican River. Tree Frog Canopy Zipline Tours is simply down the highway from The Mohicans and provides thrilling rides by way of the timber by zipline.

Loudonville

Downtown Loudonville — Photo courtesy of Caroline Eubanks

The city of Loudonville could also be small in measurement, but it surely’s the gateway to the close by Mohican State Park. The 1,100-acre website is house to gorgeous waterfalls, a historic grist mill, a coated bridge and miles of trails for mountaineering and mountain biking.

During the hotter months, Shipley’s Canoe Livery is a hive of exercise, serving as a canoe clothing store, a tavern and campground. Join a 3- to 7-mile guided journey down the river earlier than sharing a pizza and settling right into a riverfront campsite.

Opened in March 2020, Black Fork Bistro has change into a favourite native restaurant for the menu that features hearty sandwiches and burgers, together with Ohio’s finest craft beer.

Lucas

Malabar Farm State Park — Photo courtesy of Caroline Eubanks

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and conservationist Louis Bromfield bought a 900-acre property in his hometown, including onto the farmhouse and bringing the land again to working order. While residing right here, he was a prolific author, penning dozens of novels and brief tales that had been tailored into screenplays. He grew to become buddies with Humphrey Bogart, internet hosting the actor’s marriage ceremony to Lauren Bacall.

Now working as Malabar Farm State Park, the house is open for excursions, with authentic furnishings from Bromfield and work from Grandma Moses. The park can be house to one of many places on the The Shawshank Trail; the Pugh Cabin was used within the movie’s opening scene. There are additionally beginner-friendly trails starting from lower than a mile to 7 miles.

The Malabar Farm Restaurant is situated in a Nineteenth-century house on the property that Bromfield envisioned as an inn. The menu has favorites like steak, seafood and meatloaf.

Mansfield

Ohio State Reformatory — Photo courtesy of Caroline Eubanks

First opened to inmates in 1896 after a decade of building, the Ohio State Reformatory is a must-see landmark in Mansfield. It was designed by Levi Scofield, a notable architect behind many iconic buildings in Cleveland. Unlike different establishments, the purpose of the reformatory was rehabilitation and eventual launch. The Nineteen Sixties introduced adjustments to the jail system and the constructing fell into disrepair within the following many years.

It lastly closed in 1990 earlier than being remodeled right into a museum. These days, it welcomes 120,000 guests per yr, together with ghost hunters desirous to get a glimpse of the spirits stated to roam the halls. It’s additionally appeared on display in “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Air Force One” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.” There’s additionally a Shawshank Museum with props from the movie.

After roaming the eerie halls, seize a meal and drink at Cypress Hill Winery at Hudson and Essex. The tasting room serves varietals of California-style wines, together with high quality eating dishes like flatbreads and pork tenderloin.

Wooster

Wooster — Photo courtesy of Caroline Eubanks

The tree-lined school city of Wooster is filled with retailers and eating places in Victorian-era buildings. Sure House Coffee Roasting Co. is one of the best place to start out the day, with an Earl Grey latte and a scone, earlier than wandering the streets. Local favourite Broken Rocks Cafe serves artisan bread with recent each day soups, salads, and sandwiches.

The city additionally has an abundance of unbiased companies. Pick up souvenirs at Books In Stock Used & Rare Books and Blackbird Records. At Operation Fandom, guests can relive their childhoods with memorabilia from traditional tv exhibits, films and comedian books. Blue Spruce Boutique has a variety of house decor and presents, together with cookbooks and candles.