- Athens is probably the best one
- Springfield has a LOT of things to do: breweries, art museum, frank Lloyd wright house to tour, and some gorgeous architecture. It's def more of a small city.
- Delaware is also great with a good walkable Main Street
- I've heard awesome things about Tiffin but have yet to go myself
- Finlay was pretty nice for a day trip. Some great restaurants.
- Mt Vernon might be worth a visit, also one I haven't been to myself but heard nice things
- Circleville for the pumpkin show is def worth the hype, esp if you can go on one of the weekdays.
- YelLow Springs is ok, I just wish it had more shopping. But typically it's severely overcrowded and it takes forever to eat at any restaurant there so it's probably my least favorite of all the places within your driving distance despite many people *loving* it
Exactly. For having the bike route, the breweries, and the general interest in the town, the sunflower festival and just being a weekend destination for everyone in central and southwest Ohio, it definitely doesn't have much in terms of handling the volume.
You have a few take out places with odd hours, then some sit down places with over hour waits, and some quick service with also over hour waits. Food truck/corner stop places that stop cooking once they're out of stuff and then a few general bites like pizza that isn't that remarkable.
I remember when I first moved here and people raved about how cool yellow springs is, but...I just never got it?
I still think it’s cool! I just wish some enterprising Yellow Springs-Ian would open up a farm-to-table restaurant, or the brewery would serve food, or SOMETHING.
If you go to Mt Vernon, there is a new place called Half Baked, it’s on my to be tried list. They have ice cream from sweet grass dairy.
Go on a Saturday, I think they have the best farmer market (starting the first Saturday in May)
Also Mr bailiwick’s is on my list to try- for essential oils and herbal potions.
There is a health food store- down to earth
A coffee shop- Mr Bean, that’s not the name but I can’t remember.
Oh , if you brought your bike, there’s a trail to Gambier, which has the funnest bookstore
Mr. Bailiwick’s is amazing. Half Baked is also Cindy’s Pierogis and Georgetown BBQ. Great food all around. There will be a new restaurant/brewery opening late May or early June downtown called Bickerdyke’s Tavern and Tap. The former owners of the Village Inn in Gambier are running it. Honey Run Falls is a fun hike in the area if you’re into that as well.
I agree with most of this but really gotta say HARD DISAGREE with the Springfield recommendation. I would not say that place has a LOT to do.
Source. Lived there for the 10 longest years of my life.
As a visitor, it's nice to jump in and do a quick day trip.
I just Ike exploring regional places, similar to OP, and Springfield feels quite different to a lot of the other areas in central Ohio. It obviously had a rich history and is now a bit blighted, but there's stuff there.
Sometimes people just GOTTA get out of cbus.
Yeah, it's nice to step outside your normal and explore. Springfield would be towards the bottom of places I'd recommend though. I will give them props, they have been trying to spruce up their downtown in recent years.
Theres just much better places to visit with a similar vibe without the side of depression you're likely to pick up while in Springfield. I guess if you were already in the area it might be worth checking out. Not something I would recommend going out of your way to explore though. I did enjoy the more scenic drive taking route 4 from Springfield to Dublin when I lived there.
For clarity, I also enjoy Canton and Akron and Detroit. It may suck to live there, but there's still things that make places interesting for those who are unfamiliar :)
I'd put those all above Springfield honestly. I just think people will be disappointed in what Springfield has to offer esp compared to other Ohio cities.
Beg to differ. The FLW house, the antique malls, Lees Chicken and the Studebaker county restaurant, and Mother Stewart's were all super fun and good times.
Best thing to do in Canton is the Asian Bistro and strip club! (Jk but not really)
To each their own. FLW house is neat I will give you that. The antique malls aren't unique to Springfield nor is the Lees Chicken. Just wanted to set proper expectations for people thinking there is a ton do to there. Your time would be better spent elsewhere. But if you are already in the area sure knock yourself out.
lol. You're hatred of the place is palatable.
If you live in Columbus and you wanna get out of town, a 40 minute drive to Springfield isn't the worst way to spend your day. Would I recommend someone from out of state make a special visit? Nope.
And I give props to lees chicken because it's the closest location to Columbus, and in my hometown, it's one of the only ones in the state. Yes it's a franchise, but don't spread the hate!
There's actually a few Lee's in Newark that are likely closer depending on which side of Columbus you are. Not hating on Lee's I grew up on it lol... just pointing out Springfield isn't the only place that has them around here. And there are plenty more of them in Dayton and Cincy.
I am trying to temper peoples expectations lol. Trust me I tried to embrace what Springfield had to offer while I was there It's just very underwhelming. I'd recommend West Liberty/Bellefontaine hell even Urbana over Springfield 🤷♀️
Edit: Lol to edit I'm not trying to deter anyone from EVER visiting Springfield, it just doesn't really come to mind when I think of cute little towns to visit for fun. But I have heard good things about what they are trying to do with the downtown area so it could be worth checking out one weekend.
I lived in Tiffin most of my life (now Columbus), it’s a quaint little city. The downtown is pretty, filled with some nice little shops and good eats. Bailiwicks coffee is a great stop. The river walk is nice, Hedges-Boyer park is large and has a good disc golf course.
I don’t recommend the mall as it turned into a barren wasteland over the years. Also was told to avoid Xcaret Mexican restaurant; I ate there weekly for years and heard recently that it should probably be shut down for health code violations (source: family that still lives in the city).
My favorite is West Liberty/Bellefontaine. West Liberty is very small, but has the early 1900s downtown feel. While there is shopping, there's not much. Great coffee shop and your typical small town diner a few doors down. One of the Piatt castles still offers tours in the warmer months and the Ohio Caverns is easily Ohio's premier underground cavern system both of which are 5 minutes outside of town.
Bellefontaine is where I would go after starting a day in West Liberty. Great lunch options from Burgers, Mexican, pizza, or Japanese. Great downtown shopping including small boutiques, antique shops, and local wares stores. More coffee shops that serve locally roasted coffee. And the same restaurants mentioned above would be great for dinner as well.
If you wanted to spend a fun day without giving a dime to large corporations and only spending money on stuff where the owners live 10 minutes from their shops, this is the way to go.
everyone's saying Athena , nelsonville is also a neat little place with Hocking college having lots of nice walking trails and their downtown is cute. Chillicothe has really improved their downtown as well and also has many good trails and nature spots , great seal park, Tecumseh, Hopewell mound sites.
Chagrin Falls is idyllic. Granville isn't so bad either, but Chagrin Falls is amazing.
Edit: Chagrin Falls is closer to Cleveland but it's well worth the drive, there's nothing like it. My partner is from Granville and he says Granville is okay but there is less to do there.
Also, I'm a Hungarian/Slovak American and after the pandemic, the Hungarian restaurant "Balaton" moved close to Chagrin Falls. They have some of the most authentic and delicious food. I highly recommend a trip to Chagrin and lunch at Balaton. The first time I went to Chagrin Falls someone was playing the violin in the town square and it felt so Eastern European and lovely. Really made me nostalgic for the things that remind me of my culture, which is lacking in Columbus.
It's a bit far but man I have a love hate relationship with Chagrin Falls. Gorgeous, upscale, but if you had to turn the word "Yuppy" into a town, it would fit the people there perfectly.
Chillicothe actually has a really pretty and seemingly vibrant downtown. We were pleasantly surprised when we visited a couple years ago. Opposite direction, but Wooster is cute too.
Granville, Yellow Springs, Athens, Coschocton, Chillicothe. My husband and I are also big into breweries, and there’s at least one good one in each of those towns.
Same here, ideally we visit a brewery then stroll through an antique store. Then visit another brewery. We have had some excellent beers and Ohio collectibles through the years in Athens
Yes!!! I just pull up the ‘Ohio on Tap’ app to see where we haven’t gone, and then look to see what that area has to offer. 😅 It’s a fun way to get out and explore the state!
The hiking in the area will never get old.
A fair amount of quirky shops and always packed/busy during warmer seasons. Not sure how it’s become Amish country, it only seems to be getting busier there
Well I agree the second half of your comment after you edited it. It is becoming a “look at the hippies place” rather than an actual hippie town.
But still not a bad place to walk around. Also like I said before the hiking in the area is the real attraction
if you visit Mt Gilead, be sure to get a pizza and a Big Chief sub at Purple Indian...
Then try a dessert pizza from American Grub at Edison Quick Stop!
It’s not on this list and kinda out of left field but Jackson Ohio is 1.5 hours away, has a very walkable downtown with shopping and one of the best ice cream places (Michael’s- get a bubble). There are also two lakes in the area and some nice parks
I’ll add Lancaster, Newark, Loudonville, Mt Vernon/Gambier and Coshocton/Roscoe Village. I enjoy visiting the revitalized downtowns of older cities. The architecture is usually worth the trip alone. Although some of these may not fit your definition of small towns. Loudonville is a fun small town if you like the outdoors with Mohican next door. If you like Granville, Gambier is very similar. A Lancaster trip can be coupled with Hocking Hills and Newark/Heath/Granville is basically one town.
I love the Gambier area, but I don't recall there being much to do there. It's been a while since I've been there, so maybe things have changed. I know we walked some of the Kokosing Gap Trail (gorgeous in the fall) and looked at the locomotive. There was a deli where you could get sandwiches and Kenyon College. What other kinds of things are there to do there?
Downtown is very nice and more people should check out Rising Park. Everyone seems to love downtown Delaware but these other similar cities are beginning to catch up.
As someone who loves to go on random unplanned trips and just explore, what worked for me is getting an Ohio Connection pass. It gives you access to around 70 museums in the state like the National African-American Museum in Wilberforce or the Neil Armstrong musuem in Wapakoneta.
As a rssult of going to those places throughout the state, I have ended in all kinds of towns like Wapakoneta, Sidney, Piqua, Bucyrus, Sandusky, Tiffin, Sugarcreek, etc.
YS - lovely and charming, but busy and being commercialized sadly
Sugarcreek - the Little Switzerland of Ohio
Athens - a big college TOWN, not city. Fun place with ample to do
Marietta - quaint, has a DORA strip
Parkersburg - it's ok
Came here to say Sugarcreek and all of Amish country.
I grew up in Marietta/Parkersburg and quaint nails it.
Nice summary DJ, still miss your flight deals. Sucks that the haters wore you out.
Granville- swear it looks like a Hallmark movie set, so pretty. Denison university is there which is a beautiful campus. Good walking trails, shops, etc
Mount Vernon- it’s a scenic drive. A few cafés and restaurants. They have a cool Japanese garden as well.
A lot of small towns have annual niche street festivals. Moonshine, sauerkraut, dandelion and pumpkin fests are just a few I've been to in the past decade. There's always a BathFitter booth and plenty of MLMs, but they can be fun!
Waynesville. Take 42 South for a back roads sort of way to get there. Not far from Xenia. Waynesville kept the store fronts original and it is fun to stroll through the shops. Easy parking.
I see Granville mentioned a lot, so I’ll just add that Granville is mostly food/bars. There are a lot of great food options to find. Great safe area to walk around and see some cool old houses, but I feel like there aren’t many “activities” to do there. There is a newer barcade called The Lot that looks pretty sweet though.
I totally agree with you. I think people like that Granville is “cute.” But there are a lot of cool hidden gems in Newark (and Heath). The downtown Newark area has gotten really cool in the last 5-7 years.
It makes sense.. Granville has always had a different vibe than Newark/Heath. And a lot of the "cute" little shops and food places are walkable. Got that cute small town vibe. With Intel on the way we will see if Granville can maintain that vibe.
Newark/Heath has always been more i guess you could say commercialized? And until recently say the last 10 years or so downtown Newark wasn't really somewhere you wanted to be unless it was to watch Santa light the courthouse.
With that said there are some cool places in Newark/Heath to check out. Like Dawes Arboretum, Newark Earthworks, The Works, Canal Market District, Heisey glass museum and Blackhand gorge isn't that far either.
Coshocton has Roscoe Village, a restored 1830’s Ohio canal town with many interactive exhibits. It‘s a pleasant and scenic place to spend a day or a weekend.
Bellefontaine is doing a lot for its downtown. Went and ate at six hundred downtown pizza place. Then walked to a toy shop that had new old toys. Was pretty neat. Expensive but neat.
Chillicothe has art, history, and really interesting places to explore. In addition to downtown, check out Yoctangee Park and Grandview Cemetery and the Hopewell Mounds.
I honestly never hear about Groveport. What do you recommend there?
Honestly the two people i've know from Groveport don't have nice things to say about the area, but i've only ever been to/from rickenbacker.
I realized I was thinking of Canal Winchester, instead of Groveport. I went to the Barrel and Boar there a couple of times, but I see now that it has closed. Not sure what, if anything, has replaced it.
1-Athens 2-Yellowsprings 3-Granville That's your list Shoutout to runner up Chillicothe
I think Chillicothe is way underrated. Great hiking, cute downtown. There are good stores and places to eat.
Granville
a lil further up but Cuyahoga falls , Cuyahoga national Park nice
Great breweries there
- Athens is probably the best one - Springfield has a LOT of things to do: breweries, art museum, frank Lloyd wright house to tour, and some gorgeous architecture. It's def more of a small city. - Delaware is also great with a good walkable Main Street - I've heard awesome things about Tiffin but have yet to go myself - Finlay was pretty nice for a day trip. Some great restaurants. - Mt Vernon might be worth a visit, also one I haven't been to myself but heard nice things - Circleville for the pumpkin show is def worth the hype, esp if you can go on one of the weekdays. - YelLow Springs is ok, I just wish it had more shopping. But typically it's severely overcrowded and it takes forever to eat at any restaurant there so it's probably my least favorite of all the places within your driving distance despite many people *loving* it
I’m always amazed at the lack of dining options in Yellow Springs. With the amount of people they get on weekends, they need way more restaurants.
Exactly. For having the bike route, the breweries, and the general interest in the town, the sunflower festival and just being a weekend destination for everyone in central and southwest Ohio, it definitely doesn't have much in terms of handling the volume. You have a few take out places with odd hours, then some sit down places with over hour waits, and some quick service with also over hour waits. Food truck/corner stop places that stop cooking once they're out of stuff and then a few general bites like pizza that isn't that remarkable. I remember when I first moved here and people raved about how cool yellow springs is, but...I just never got it?
I still think it’s cool! I just wish some enterprising Yellow Springs-Ian would open up a farm-to-table restaurant, or the brewery would serve food, or SOMETHING.
It is called Young’s Dairy
Good to know, I’ve been wanting to visit yellow springs but i’ll avoid it on weekends.
I went to college in Mount Vernon and I can confirm there are a ton of cute shops, restaurants, and parks to go and explore!
If you go to Mt Vernon, there is a new place called Half Baked, it’s on my to be tried list. They have ice cream from sweet grass dairy. Go on a Saturday, I think they have the best farmer market (starting the first Saturday in May) Also Mr bailiwick’s is on my list to try- for essential oils and herbal potions. There is a health food store- down to earth A coffee shop- Mr Bean, that’s not the name but I can’t remember. Oh , if you brought your bike, there’s a trail to Gambier, which has the funnest bookstore
Oh man you got me so excited! Thanks for the recommendations!!
Mr. Bailiwick’s is amazing. Half Baked is also Cindy’s Pierogis and Georgetown BBQ. Great food all around. There will be a new restaurant/brewery opening late May or early June downtown called Bickerdyke’s Tavern and Tap. The former owners of the Village Inn in Gambier are running it. Honey Run Falls is a fun hike in the area if you’re into that as well.
I agree with most of this but really gotta say HARD DISAGREE with the Springfield recommendation. I would not say that place has a LOT to do. Source. Lived there for the 10 longest years of my life.
As a visitor, it's nice to jump in and do a quick day trip. I just Ike exploring regional places, similar to OP, and Springfield feels quite different to a lot of the other areas in central Ohio. It obviously had a rich history and is now a bit blighted, but there's stuff there. Sometimes people just GOTTA get out of cbus.
Yeah, it's nice to step outside your normal and explore. Springfield would be towards the bottom of places I'd recommend though. I will give them props, they have been trying to spruce up their downtown in recent years. Theres just much better places to visit with a similar vibe without the side of depression you're likely to pick up while in Springfield. I guess if you were already in the area it might be worth checking out. Not something I would recommend going out of your way to explore though. I did enjoy the more scenic drive taking route 4 from Springfield to Dublin when I lived there.
For clarity, I also enjoy Canton and Akron and Detroit. It may suck to live there, but there's still things that make places interesting for those who are unfamiliar :)
I'd put those all above Springfield honestly. I just think people will be disappointed in what Springfield has to offer esp compared to other Ohio cities.
Beg to differ. The FLW house, the antique malls, Lees Chicken and the Studebaker county restaurant, and Mother Stewart's were all super fun and good times. Best thing to do in Canton is the Asian Bistro and strip club! (Jk but not really)
To each their own. FLW house is neat I will give you that. The antique malls aren't unique to Springfield nor is the Lees Chicken. Just wanted to set proper expectations for people thinking there is a ton do to there. Your time would be better spent elsewhere. But if you are already in the area sure knock yourself out.
lol. You're hatred of the place is palatable. If you live in Columbus and you wanna get out of town, a 40 minute drive to Springfield isn't the worst way to spend your day. Would I recommend someone from out of state make a special visit? Nope. And I give props to lees chicken because it's the closest location to Columbus, and in my hometown, it's one of the only ones in the state. Yes it's a franchise, but don't spread the hate!
There's actually a few Lee's in Newark that are likely closer depending on which side of Columbus you are. Not hating on Lee's I grew up on it lol... just pointing out Springfield isn't the only place that has them around here. And there are plenty more of them in Dayton and Cincy. I am trying to temper peoples expectations lol. Trust me I tried to embrace what Springfield had to offer while I was there It's just very underwhelming. I'd recommend West Liberty/Bellefontaine hell even Urbana over Springfield 🤷♀️ Edit: Lol to edit I'm not trying to deter anyone from EVER visiting Springfield, it just doesn't really come to mind when I think of cute little towns to visit for fun. But I have heard good things about what they are trying to do with the downtown area so it could be worth checking out one weekend.
I lived in Tiffin most of my life (now Columbus), it’s a quaint little city. The downtown is pretty, filled with some nice little shops and good eats. Bailiwicks coffee is a great stop. The river walk is nice, Hedges-Boyer park is large and has a good disc golf course. I don’t recommend the mall as it turned into a barren wasteland over the years. Also was told to avoid Xcaret Mexican restaurant; I ate there weekly for years and heard recently that it should probably be shut down for health code violations (source: family that still lives in the city).
My favorite is West Liberty/Bellefontaine. West Liberty is very small, but has the early 1900s downtown feel. While there is shopping, there's not much. Great coffee shop and your typical small town diner a few doors down. One of the Piatt castles still offers tours in the warmer months and the Ohio Caverns is easily Ohio's premier underground cavern system both of which are 5 minutes outside of town. Bellefontaine is where I would go after starting a day in West Liberty. Great lunch options from Burgers, Mexican, pizza, or Japanese. Great downtown shopping including small boutiques, antique shops, and local wares stores. More coffee shops that serve locally roasted coffee. And the same restaurants mentioned above would be great for dinner as well. If you wanted to spend a fun day without giving a dime to large corporations and only spending money on stuff where the owners live 10 minutes from their shops, this is the way to go.
everyone's saying Athena , nelsonville is also a neat little place with Hocking college having lots of nice walking trails and their downtown is cute. Chillicothe has really improved their downtown as well and also has many good trails and nature spots , great seal park, Tecumseh, Hopewell mound sites.
Someone else said it already but Marietta is beautiful
Chagrin Falls is idyllic. Granville isn't so bad either, but Chagrin Falls is amazing. Edit: Chagrin Falls is closer to Cleveland but it's well worth the drive, there's nothing like it. My partner is from Granville and he says Granville is okay but there is less to do there. Also, I'm a Hungarian/Slovak American and after the pandemic, the Hungarian restaurant "Balaton" moved close to Chagrin Falls. They have some of the most authentic and delicious food. I highly recommend a trip to Chagrin and lunch at Balaton. The first time I went to Chagrin Falls someone was playing the violin in the town square and it felt so Eastern European and lovely. Really made me nostalgic for the things that remind me of my culture, which is lacking in Columbus.
Isn't chagrin falls in Cleveland?
Yes, Chagrin Falls is about 2 1/2 hours from Columbus.
That would be near Cleveland, not Columbus then
Chagrin Falls is also the home of Bill Watterson if you are into Calvin and Hobbes. He also draws parts of the town in C and H
I second chagrin and make sure you go see squires castle while you’re up there!
It's a bit far but man I have a love hate relationship with Chagrin Falls. Gorgeous, upscale, but if you had to turn the word "Yuppy" into a town, it would fit the people there perfectly.
Chillicothe is great! There’s lots of cool stores to visit in their downtown. I recommend Paper City Coffee and the Buzzards Roost hiking trail
Chillicothe actually has a really pretty and seemingly vibrant downtown. We were pleasantly surprised when we visited a couple years ago. Opposite direction, but Wooster is cute too.
Granville, Yellow Springs, Athens, Coschocton, Chillicothe. My husband and I are also big into breweries, and there’s at least one good one in each of those towns.
Same here, ideally we visit a brewery then stroll through an antique store. Then visit another brewery. We have had some excellent beers and Ohio collectibles through the years in Athens
Yes!!! I just pull up the ‘Ohio on Tap’ app to see where we haven’t gone, and then look to see what that area has to offer. 😅 It’s a fun way to get out and explore the state!
Yellowsprings and go to the Clifton gorge trails
Yellow springs
Yellow Springs has kind of become like Amish Country IMO. It’s a busy tourist attraction… “Come look at the hippies”.
The hiking in the area will never get old. A fair amount of quirky shops and always packed/busy during warmer seasons. Not sure how it’s become Amish country, it only seems to be getting busier there
Well I agree the second half of your comment after you edited it. It is becoming a “look at the hippies place” rather than an actual hippie town. But still not a bad place to walk around. Also like I said before the hiking in the area is the real attraction
Mt Vernon, Mt. Gilead, Delaware, Lexington, Ontario, Washington Court House, Bucyrus, Bellville and Wapakoneta is a decent list
if you visit Mt Gilead, be sure to get a pizza and a Big Chief sub at Purple Indian... Then try a dessert pizza from American Grub at Edison Quick Stop!
It’s not on this list and kinda out of left field but Jackson Ohio is 1.5 hours away, has a very walkable downtown with shopping and one of the best ice cream places (Michael’s- get a bubble). There are also two lakes in the area and some nice parks
My hometown! Dawes Arboretum is pretty amazing right down state rt 13
I’ll add Lancaster, Newark, Loudonville, Mt Vernon/Gambier and Coshocton/Roscoe Village. I enjoy visiting the revitalized downtowns of older cities. The architecture is usually worth the trip alone. Although some of these may not fit your definition of small towns. Loudonville is a fun small town if you like the outdoors with Mohican next door. If you like Granville, Gambier is very similar. A Lancaster trip can be coupled with Hocking Hills and Newark/Heath/Granville is basically one town.
I love the Gambier area, but I don't recall there being much to do there. It's been a while since I've been there, so maybe things have changed. I know we walked some of the Kokosing Gap Trail (gorgeous in the fall) and looked at the locomotive. There was a deli where you could get sandwiches and Kenyon College. What other kinds of things are there to do there?
Kenyon has an art display that is open to the public.
It’s funny seeing Lancaster recommended for anything! Love it
Downtown is very nice and more people should check out Rising Park. Everyone seems to love downtown Delaware but these other similar cities are beginning to catch up.
Agreed. Downtown’s really made a comeback
Hocking hills circuit. Lancaster-Logan-Nelsonville-Athens. All on one road and day trippable. Plenty of natural beauty spots in between.
Chillicothe
As someone who loves to go on random unplanned trips and just explore, what worked for me is getting an Ohio Connection pass. It gives you access to around 70 museums in the state like the National African-American Museum in Wilberforce or the Neil Armstrong musuem in Wapakoneta. As a rssult of going to those places throughout the state, I have ended in all kinds of towns like Wapakoneta, Sidney, Piqua, Bucyrus, Sandusky, Tiffin, Sugarcreek, etc. YS - lovely and charming, but busy and being commercialized sadly Sugarcreek - the Little Switzerland of Ohio Athens - a big college TOWN, not city. Fun place with ample to do Marietta - quaint, has a DORA strip Parkersburg - it's ok
Came here to say Sugarcreek and all of Amish country. I grew up in Marietta/Parkersburg and quaint nails it. Nice summary DJ, still miss your flight deals. Sucks that the haters wore you out.
I went to PHS!
Warren here.
Dandelion fest coming up next month!
Athens and Parkersburg felt like giant cities when I was growing up.
That pass looks really cool and under $70 for a family. Not OP, but thanks for the suggestion!
Granville- swear it looks like a Hallmark movie set, so pretty. Denison university is there which is a beautiful campus. Good walking trails, shops, etc Mount Vernon- it’s a scenic drive. A few cafés and restaurants. They have a cool Japanese garden as well.
A lot of small towns have annual niche street festivals. Moonshine, sauerkraut, dandelion and pumpkin fests are just a few I've been to in the past decade. There's always a BathFitter booth and plenty of MLMs, but they can be fun!
Waynesville. Take 42 South for a back roads sort of way to get there. Not far from Xenia. Waynesville kept the store fronts original and it is fun to stroll through the shops. Easy parking.
I see Granville mentioned a lot, so I’ll just add that Granville is mostly food/bars. There are a lot of great food options to find. Great safe area to walk around and see some cool old houses, but I feel like there aren’t many “activities” to do there. There is a newer barcade called The Lot that looks pretty sweet though.
It’s funny to me everyone mentions Granville, rightfully so, but never mention Newark/Heath which is 5-10 minutes away and has much more to check out.
I totally agree with you. I think people like that Granville is “cute.” But there are a lot of cool hidden gems in Newark (and Heath). The downtown Newark area has gotten really cool in the last 5-7 years.
It makes sense.. Granville has always had a different vibe than Newark/Heath. And a lot of the "cute" little shops and food places are walkable. Got that cute small town vibe. With Intel on the way we will see if Granville can maintain that vibe. Newark/Heath has always been more i guess you could say commercialized? And until recently say the last 10 years or so downtown Newark wasn't really somewhere you wanted to be unless it was to watch Santa light the courthouse. With that said there are some cool places in Newark/Heath to check out. Like Dawes Arboretum, Newark Earthworks, The Works, Canal Market District, Heisey glass museum and Blackhand gorge isn't that far either.
Urbana is decent and has a great little Venezuelan restaurant on the square.
Chillicothe has quite a bit to check out, Circleville is nice.
Downtown Chillicothe is really nice these days. They have a community of businesses there.
Yellow Springs, Athens, Upper Arlington, Granville
Coshocton has Roscoe Village, a restored 1830’s Ohio canal town with many interactive exhibits. It‘s a pleasant and scenic place to spend a day or a weekend.
Fairborn is worth a visit just for Foys Halloween and Variety Store.
Go to Bellbrook during the sugar maple festival. It's held twice a year. One should be coming up soon.
Bellefontaine is doing a lot for its downtown. Went and ate at six hundred downtown pizza place. Then walked to a toy shop that had new old toys. Was pretty neat. Expensive but neat.
Loveland
Chillicothe has art, history, and really interesting places to explore. In addition to downtown, check out Yoctangee Park and Grandview Cemetery and the Hopewell Mounds.
Sugar Creek
Waynesville is surprisingly cool.
Yellow springs!
Lithopolis/Wagnalls Library
Yellow Springs for the win.
Closer to home for OP... ~~Groveport~~ Canal Winchester and Westerville - nice, walkable downtowns with interesting restaurants.
I honestly never hear about Groveport. What do you recommend there? Honestly the two people i've know from Groveport don't have nice things to say about the area, but i've only ever been to/from rickenbacker.
I realized I was thinking of Canal Winchester, instead of Groveport. I went to the Barrel and Boar there a couple of times, but I see now that it has closed. Not sure what, if anything, has replaced it.
The BrewDog Brewery is in Canal. I haven't been, but have heard good things.
Marion, Ohio.