Admission to A Christmas Story House & Museum in Cleveland: $15/adult, $14/senior, and $11/children age 3-12. Group discounts are available. The price of admission includes a guided tour of the house and yard and admittance into the museum.
- When: Open 7 days a week from 10am – 5pm except for major holidays
- Where: (Map It) 3159 W. 11th Street, Cleveland, OH 44109. Admission tickets to A Christmas Story House can be purchased at the giftshop (3166 W. 11th Street) located directly across the street from the house.
- Phone: 216-298-4919
- Web: click here
A Christmas Story House & Museum in Cleveland, Ohio: The house used in the popular holiday classic “A Christmas Story” has been restored to its original 1983 movie appearance. Purchased and renovated by Brian Jones, a true fan of the movie who sells leg lamps for a living, the house takes visitors on a nostalgic journey to the sights and scenes where Ralphie Parker dreams of nothing but receiving a genuine Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle for Christmas. In addition to A Christmas Story House, visitors can explore the museum where items from the movie are on display, more than 100 behind-the-scenes photos are featured and movie-related memorabilia can be purchased.
Visit Ohio Amish Country to see a “living and working history museum.” Welcome to the Amish heartland – Ohio! It is a great day trip to see and learn about the Amish way of life in splendid quality and simplicity. Let’s start with links to Ohio locations with significant Amish life bustling within.
- Holmes County: Home to the largest Amish population on the planet. Visit their Web site at
http://visitamishcountry.com/ You may also call 330-674-3975 or 866-OHIO-866.
- Wayne County: Visit http://www.wccvb.com/ or call 800-362-6474.
- Amish Heartland Tours – click here
- Article with photos and video clips – Amish-made, The Miller’s Family Story – click here.
Tour the Appalachian Discovery & Birding Trail in Adams County, Ohio.
- Open daily year-round
- Location: (Map It) Adams County in Southwest Ohio
- Phone: 937-544-2880
- Web: click here
The Appalachian Discovery & Birding Trail: Welcome to Southern Ohio’s driving trail featuring wildlife in flight and historical sites across the rural countryside at the Edge of Appalachia. The forested landscape stretches some 200 miles. The trail is intended to be a weekend excursion for visitors to see the region’s most productive birding hotspots, nestle up at quality lodges or cabins, and eat at a number of great dining facilities, and do some sightseeing at the unique historical attractions dotting the countryside. This year-round tour features the springtime migration, breeding season, autumn’s rich palette of colors and winter’s white ground coat making it a snap to see eagles, hawks and ducks. During summertime, Adams County has its specialties for birding such as blue grosbeak, chuck-will’s-widow, and prairie, yellow-throated and worm-eating warblers. The trip is perfect for those looking to spend a couple of days in the slow-lane of life and take in the natural splendor that is increasingly hard to find.
The Back Roads & Beaches Geo Trail is free.
- When: always open
- Location: (Map It) Throughout Lorain County, Ohio
- Phone: 440-984-5282
- Web: click here
Nestled between the majestic beaches of Lake Erie, and a vast amount of Ohio’s agricultural heartland, Lorain County offers amazing adventures including the latest global craze – geocaching. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt in which the participants use GPS-enabled devices and online clues to search for hidden containers, or geocaches. The caches come in a variety of sizes and are hidden in unique and interesting public places. The Back Roads and Beaches Geo Trail is a series of 15 caches along with a premier cycling and multi-sport route. Anyone can participate; individuals, families, cyclists, and groups. Participants completing the trail passport form with all 15 caches logged will receive a special trackable commemorative coin. Coins are limited to the first 250 (one per household).
Driving tour of rural Barn Quilts in Adams County.
- Open daily
- Location: (Map It) Adams County in Southwest Ohio
- Phone: 937-544-5639
- Web: click here
Barn Quilt Tour of Adams County, Ohio: In Adams County, 20th Century ‘Mail Pouch’ ads adorning Ohio barns are being snuffed out by a 21st Century phenomenon – Barn Quilt Squares. The painted Barn Quilt Squares began when Donna Sue Groves wanted to create something to honor her mother’s passion, quilting and did so with a large painting on the side of their barn. This sparked a movement that has swept Adams County. Adding to the serenity and charm of a lazy rural drive amidst the foothills of Appalachia, the “clothesline” of quilts highlights the adventure with its colorful display of unique artistry dotting the countryside.
Driving tours of Miami County, Ohio Barn Quilts.
- When: Free driving tour anytime
- Location: (Map It) Begin at 405 SW Public Square, Suite 272 in Troy, Ohio
- Phone: 800-348-8993
- Web: click here
Excerpt from a past edition of OhioTraveler
Miami County, Ohio Barn Quilts: A trip to Miami County, Ohio will bring visitors an opportunity to journey back in time with a new trend for the heritage travelers – the Barn Quilt Tour, a program of the Miami County Visitors & Convention Bureau.
A colorful array of traditional quilt patterns, hand-painted on barns, decorate the scenic countryside. These true folk art renditions celebrate the historic, rural, and agricultural experience while connecting the lovely historic downtown communities with the beautiful landscapes of Miami County. As visitors travel from town to farm, they won’t have to travel far to see over 67 barns adorned with unique patterns. Leaving the fast lane behind, this unusual driving tour takes the traveler off the beaten path and away from the major highways where they can enjoy a peaceful, leisurely drive on country roads that criss-cross all parts of Miami County.
Sprinkled throughout the county, most of the patterns are 8 X 8 foot squares and can be viewed up close by driving into the farm lanes or driveways, where some of the owners may even personally welcome their visitors. As an added bonus, many of the farms have a wide assortment of horses, cows, goats, sheep, llamas, donkeys, roosters, and more – all waiting to greet you in their own special way.
The concept of the barn quilts had its origin in 2001 in Adams County, Ohio. It was the inspiration of one woman who wanted to honor her mother’s enthusiasm for the craft of quilting and to highlight the shared cultural heritage of the Appalachian region. It quickly spread to other counties in Ohio and other states as well, creating a rich network of quilt barns, while also creating a boost for rural tourism.
The Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau offers a map brochure for this tour which is self-guided, available year-round, and free to the public. There is no set trail and visitors can create their own trail, striking out in any direction to see all 67 barn quilts, or just select a few. No two are alike. Besides the beauty of the barn quilts, the tour provides a connection to the region’s rural heritage and the still very important role of the barns today, helping to preserve a piece of American heritage. It also recognizes the traditional art of quilting, which in recent years has made a huge comeback. The patterns themselves pay tribute to crafts, nature, occupations, politics, events, various states, and almost anything that inspires a connection with community and family. The barns and quilt patterns seem to be a natural partnership, linked in the rural fabric of American history.
Plan your travels to allow time to visit other sites. Along the way, scenic parks and preserves such as Brukner Nature Center, Charleston Falls Preserve, Historic Eldean Bridge, Piqua Historical Area/Canal Boat Ride, and the Stillwater Prairie Reserve will beckon you to stop and explore or share a picnic lunch in a lovely natural setting where wildlife, wildflowers, covered bridges, glistening streams, and waterfalls will welcome everyone. It’s a perfect way to experience the outdoors and see things you don’t normally find in the city. Visitors are encouraged to make it a 2-day, overnight tour. Visits to historic communities could include Piqua, Tipp City, Troy, Covington and others, each featuring their own quaint downtowns that are blessed with unique shopping, exhibits, local artisans, dining experiences, country stores, farmer’s markets, friendly folks everywhere, as well as historical and heritage attractions, and quality accommodations.
Day trips are also a perfect way to visit local county attractions, like the barn quilt trail, without the investment of a lot of time and money, and not too far from your own backyard. Remember the “Sunday Drive” – that grand tradition where families and friends piled in the car and took off on excursions to no place in particular? The Barn Quilt Tour is tailor-made for this type of activity. We suggest you “take the road less traveled, and journey back in time” in Miami County, Ohio. And, don’t forget to bring a camera!
Group tours are welcome, and the best viewing would be spring through fall. For more information on the Miami County Barn Quilt Tour and other attractions in Miami County, call 800-348-8993.
Tours of Bear’s Mill, an authentic and historic stone grinding flour mill in Greenville.
Admission is free and guided tours available for a fee during business hours. Tour arrangements can be made for a fee during non-business hours, too.
- When: Thursday – Saturday from 11am – 5pm, Sunday from 1-5pm, and Tue/Wed 10am – 4pm.
- Location: (Map It) 6450 Arcanum-Bear’s Mill Road in Greenville, Ohio
- Phone:937-548-5112
- Web: https://www.bearsmill.org/
Bear’s Mill Tours in Greenville: The historic mill was built in 1849, Bear’s Mill is an authentic example of a stone-grinding flour mill of its time. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, it is still in use today to grind cornmeal, whole wheat flour, rye flour, and pancake mixes. The mill and the buhrstones are powered by water. Visitors are welcome to take a free self-guided tour of the 4 story structure and to take a walk in the scenic woods surrounding the mill. On the first floor is the Mill Store where the mill flours, as well as other gourmet sundries and giftware, are available for purchase. The mill offers a line of gift boxes and custom baskets. A special feature of the store is handmade stoneware and raku pottery by the Bear’s Mill potters.
Tours of Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works, LTD. in Bucyrus, Ohio.
- Open daily (call Bucyrus Tourism & Visitors Bureau to schedule a tour)
- Location: (Map It) 119 S. Walnut St. in Bucyrus, Ohio
- Phone: 419-562-6891
- Web: click here
Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works tours: This is the last of the old copper shops in America that still makes its original products by hand. The tour of the craftsmen at work is fascinating, but the building is a visual treat from nook to cranny as it is more than 130 years old and has a character unique unto itself. The walls, furniture, floors, furnaces, and workbenches all show more than a century of service. The place can easily double as a copper kettle museum of historic proportions. Venture into this old-world of American manufacturing and hear the harmony of tapping, pounding, and other clamoring noises ringing from room to room. The tour begins the same place as the copper – by the double doors. The copper is worked into kettles, ladles, skillets, and other custom forms as it progresses through the shop’s five rooms. Each craftsman takes his time to hammer out perfection, often striking up a conversation as they work. Bucyrus Copper Kettle, LTD to no surprise, gets orders from around the world.
The Historic Clifton Mill is open daily.
- Location: (Map It) 75 Water St., in Clifton, Ohio
- Phone: 937-767-5501
- Web: click here
Historic Clifton Mill was originally built over two hundred years ago in 1802. It is still one of the largest water-powered gristmills still around in the U.S. Visitors can tour the mill, walk the covered bridge, dine in the wonderful restaurant, and shop at the store. On the tour, learn how it operated and what took place on each floor. In addition, a scenic hike is accessible nearby and provides panoramic views of the Little Miami River, and overlooks the gorge.
Tours of Cooper’s Cider Mill factory are Monday – Friday from 9am – 11:30am and 1pm – 2:30pm. The store is open daily.
Cooper’s Cider Mill factory tours: Hop over to Cooper’s Cider Mill and see apples and berries go from the vine to spread. Cooper’s apple butter and jellies are sold far and wide. But David Cooper isn’t lying when he says, “It’s just like grandma used to make,” because it is. David learned to make apple butter at his grandma’s farm. Later, he bought a stirring pot and began making his own. Demand grew and a business was formed to handle the requests. For years the mixing was done by hand – David’s father-in-law’s hands – out in the yard. Today, the Cooper’s offer a complete behind-the-scenes tour of the entire production process and visitors get to witness the freshness, quality and care that go into every jar. Afterward, David’s wife Miriam has plenty of tasting stations set up for sampling throughout the country store next to the production plant. Inside, a new generation of Cooper’s is introducing another treat – fudge. Cooper’s son started experimenting with making fudge for the fair and now has his own fudge station inside the family store.
This covered bridge is in Adams County, Ohio
on the way to the Wheat Ridge Amish Country stores
Ah, covered bridges in Ohio. Now that’s a road trip worth taking. There is just something about a covered bridge that attracts us. It may be the untold history hinted at by its weathered look or the distinct architectural craftsmanship that sets one apart. My goodness, there’s even been a feature film about covered bridges. Okay, maybe Bridges of Madison County wasn’t exactly about the covered bridges. In any case, Ohio has many covered bridges – most of these old and historical, but new ones, too. There are various resources to learn the history of these bridges and where to find them. It makes for a great driving tour.
For more Ohio covered bridges’ information, trails, events, locations, and photos, visit…
Ohio’s Covered Bridge Community
The Covered Bridges of Ashtabula County
Fairfield County Covered Bridge Trail
Preble County has Eight Covered Bridges
Covered Bridge Festival
The Complete List of Ohio’s Covered Bridges
Discover the Hartville Antique and Thrift Trail with a new map and online shopping guide.
The Hartville Antique and Thrift Trail will take shoppers on a self-guided tour to 16 businesses that offer antiques and vintage, resale clothing and home decor, upcycled handmade items, and a wide range of collectibles and flea market finds.
Hartville is a unique destination for those who enjoy antiquing and thrifting.
“Each year at the Hartville Marketplace and Flea Market, we see close to a million guests looking for a large variety of items. Some are looking for fresh produce, some are looking for antiques and collectibles, and others are just looking for that unique find,” said general manager Seth Coblentz. “Antiquers have always called us a treasure hunter’s paradise because you really never know what you will find out here and the stories behind the treasures that are found.”
Trail locations are situated along the two-mile stretch of the West Maple Street corridor from Hartville MarketPlace & Flea Market to Historic Downtown Hartville. The close proximity of the shops and walkability of many locations in the historic downtown makes a visit to Hartville an ideal spot while gas prices are high. Planning an excursion and using the map to plot a route helps minimize mileage and save a little money while still enjoying a shopping adventure.
Thrifting and antiquing have long been associated with the Hartville area. A growing trend combines that pastime with traveling and collecting items while visiting different towns. The new trail guide emerged from an increase in the number of requests to the Chamber for a list of antique and resale shops in the area.
“Thrifting has continually grown. Some people make a business of thrifting, finding a great deal, and reselling,” said Hartville Thrift Shoppe General Manager Phil Stauffer. “There’s a trend among the younger generation to thrift shop for affordable, interesting, and vintage fashion, and practically speaking, parents use it as an affordable way to augment their need to clothe a growing family.”
The Chamber encourages people to visit multiple shops and locations on the Antique and Thrift Trail.
“There are shops on the list that are one to two years old, many that have been staples in the community for 10, 20, or 30 years, and the flea market has been in town since 1939,” said Discover Hartville tourism coordinator Megan Wise. “Hartville has become the perfect place to spend a day or two scouring the trail for those one-of-a-kind finds.”
The Hartville Antique and Thrift Trail map and guide were created by the tourism division of the Lake Township Chamber of Commerce. For more information, click here.
Tours of Harveysburg Free Black School are by appointment only.
- Location: (Map It) 23 North St. in Harveysburg, Ohio
- Phone: 513-897-6195
The Harveysburg Free Black School tours: Welcome to the very first free school in Ohio for African-American children. The town was a once renowned stop along the Underground Railroad. The one-room schoolhouse was founded in the 1830s by the Quakers and was recently restored to reflect its former self as a nineteenth-century classroom. In addition to providing education to young freed slaves, the school also taught Native-American children in the area.
The Irish Fairy Door Trail in Dublin, Ohio is free.
- When: Available year-round during participating businesses hours (generally, 10am – 6pm).
- Location: (Map It) Downtown Dublin, Ohio- Pick up a passport at the Dublin Visitor & Information Center at 9 South High Street.
- Phone: 614-792-7666
- Web: Click here
Dublin, Ohio is home to the nation’s first Irish Fairy Door Trail, a one-of-a-kind activity for fairy fanatics of all ages. Search the shops of Downtown Dublin for tiny green fairy doors sent from Dublin, Ireland. Find the name of each resident fairy and return your passport to redeem a free Irish Fairy Doors of Dublin t-shirt. Start the hunt today!
Tours of the Lafferty Funeral Collection & Museum are Saturday 9am – 2pm or by appointment.
- Location: (Map It) 205 S. Cherry St. in West Union, Ohio
- Phone: 937-544-2121
- Web: click here
Lafferty Funeral Collection & Museum tours: See antique hearses and other funeral service vehicles spanning the horse-drawn era from 1848 to motorization. The Lafferty family funeral business preserved their own carriages and vehicles through the years and acquired more to build onto this one-of-a-kind collection.
Tours at Mosser Glass are Monday – Friday 8:00am – 9:45am and 11:00am – 2:00pm (Tours are not available the first two full weeks of July or the last two weeks of December).
- Location: (Map It) 9279 Cadiz Road in Cambridge, Ohio
- Phone: 740-439-1827
- Web: click here
The Mosser Glass tours: Visit “the little red house” and learn about the glass-making business while touring the facilities at Mosser Glass. The tour begins where glass-making does – with sand. And then goes on to include other steps in the process such as heating the ingredients at 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The finished products include just about anything from water pitchers to ashtrays.
For tours at Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, call for hours.
- Location: (Map It) 1680 Madison Avenue in Wooster, Ohio
- Phone: 330-263-3700
- Web: click here
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster: What a beautiful place to relax and take in the surroundings – at the 85-acre Secrest Arboretum. Continue onto the greenhouse conservatory and complete a very fulfilling guided tour with a visit to the historical museum on site. The purpose of the OARDC is to research food, agriculture, family, and environment and help produce safe and healthy food and agricultural products.
Ohio Stretch is in its New Glory Days
By Frank Rocco Satullo, your tour guide to fun!
Point that hood ornament toward America’s first road trip. Take a joyride on the original coast to coast byway – the Lincoln Highway!
This “Main Street Across America” as it was known ushered in the freedom of the road era that helped spawn other legendary treks across the United States. But this seminal road was the very first transcontinental automobile route. It connected Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco along with 3,389 miles of drive-over country. Wanderlust carried Ford’s Model T, the Maxwell, Franklin, Hupmobile and Studebaker to distances never before dared.
Until recently, this historic road was forgotten in a flurry of invention that ignited progress, everyone looking forward. Nobody bothered to look in the rearview mirror. And when they did, much of the original road had been buried or rerouted. But across Wayne County, Ohio, it pretty much is as it was. So as the fascinating story of the Lincoln Highway resurfaced in recent years, this sweet spot has steadily gained momentum and leisure traffic once again. The experiential traveler can see, hear, touch, smell and taste the lure of this nostalgic stretch of pavement that leads to the crossroads of Pastime and modern times. …Read More…
Click here to read the rest of the story
Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland’s Public Square offers self-guided tours of the historic site.
- Open: The Public Square doors are open Monday through Friday, 9am – 4am. Enter the church through the 1380 Ontario Street doors.
- Location: (Map It) 91 Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio
- Phone: 216-241-6145
- Web: click here
Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland’s Public Square is over 200 years old. If walls could talk, the sandstone of this Romanesque-style church would have centuries to share. If you like beautiful architecture, take a self-guided tour of this house of worship. It is peculiarly set in a corner of Cleveland’s public square neighboring skyscrapers all around.
Visit Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve.
- Visitor Center Open Wednesday – Friday from 9am – 4pm and weekends 1pm – 5pm. Closed Monday & Tuesday. Trails open dawn to dusk every day.
- Location: (Map It) 2514 Cleveland Road, East in Huron, Ohio – Erie County east of Huron, Ohio on US Rt 6
- Phone: 419-433-4601
- Web: click here
Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve is a thoroughly educational opportunity to learn about precious ecosystems. It’s the smallest reserve in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System and is the only Great Lakes freshwater estuary in the national system. It provides multimedia presentations, hands-on field education, guided tours, and a visitor center featuring exhibits on estuary ecology, wetland research, and watershed stewardship. The Reserve also offers trail access to view a variety of habitats including freshwater marsh, swamp forest, barrier beach, upland forest, estuarine waters, stream, and nearshore Lake Erie.
Tour dates at the Cleveland Playhouse Square District are listed here.
- When: Meet RedCoat volunteer tour guides in the State Theatre lobby on select Saturdays (see website below). Tours start every 15 minutes from 10am – 11:30am and last approximately 90 minutes.
- Location: (Map It) Tours start at the State Theater at 1501 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio
- Phone: 216-771-4444
- Web: click here
Tours of the Cleveland Playhouse Square District: Did you ever think you could actually go to the theater and get backstage passes for free? Or perhaps even be on stage?
Several restored historic theaters make Playhouse Square the largest theater restoration project in the world. Discover how these gems were saved from the wrecking ball and became the largest performing arts center outside of New York City and hosts nearly 1,000,000 guests and 1,000 curtains each year.
No registration is necessary for groups with fewer than ten people. To make a reservation for a group of ten or more, call the phone number above.
If you have trouble finding it, look for the world’s largest chandelier hanging over the street out front.
Tours of Ross County Barn Quilts are available all year.
- Location: (Map It) Ross County Barn Quilt Tour guides can be found at the Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau at 45 E. Main Street in downtown Chillicothe.
- Phone: 740-702-7677
- Web: visitchillicotheohio.com
The Ross County, Ohio Barn Quilt Tours: Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to offer residents and visitors the opportunity to explore Ross County’s beautiful countryside while locating Barn Quilts. This self-guided tour features 65 quilts located throughout many of the communities in Ross County. Some of the sites will be found in Chillicothe, Kingston, Richmond Dale, South Salem, Bainbridge, and Frankfort.
Barn Quilts became popular tours started in Adams County, Ohio. This humble and artistic expression of quilting sparked an interest in neighboring counties and states and has caught on like wildfire across America. Today, 24 states and over 1,800 barn quilts line the countryside. Linked together, they create a “clothesline of quilts” across America that celebrates the art and history of quilting and showcases the uniqueness of each barn or building that they adorn.
The Rothenbühler Cheese Chalet is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9:00am – 5:30pm
- Location: (Map It) 15815 Nauvoo Road in Middlefield, Ohio
- Phone: 1-800-327-9477 for the retail store or 440-632-6000
- Web: click here
Rothenbühler Cheese Chalet is located in the fourth largest Amish community in the country. It has been serving award-winning Swiss cheese for several generations. Visitors will learn what’s involved in the cheese-making process and see cheese carvings, antique cheese production equipment, and more. Don’t forget to sample the cheese before you leave.
Welcome to the Sandusky County Barn Mural Trail!
The Sandusky Country Barn Mural Trail is made up of 7 uniquely designed barns. Each sports an impressive design and is completely free to enjoy while continuing along the trail. The barns themselves house imagery of astronaut Colonel Tom Henricks, Former-President Rutherford B. Hayes, the influential 757 Steam Engine, and more. The first of these barns were painted before 2003 to celebrate Ohio’s bicentennial, and the rest were completed by 2019. From start to finish, the trail takes visitors close to 40 miles and about an hour to complete. Throughout the trail, visitors may find themselves exploring the charming small towns and beautiful landscapes as well.
Tour Severance Hall, home to the Cleveland Orchestra by calling or visiting the web below for tour times.
- Location: (Map It) 11001 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, OH 44106-1796
- Phone: Reservations are requested and can be made by calling the Severance Hall Ticket Office at (216) 231-1111 or (800) 686-1141. Private tours can be arranged for a fee by calling (216) 231-7421. Individual tickets for Cleveland Orchestra concerts are currently available through the Severance Hall Ticket Office at (216) 231-1111 or (800) 686-1141. In addition to the free public tours, Severance Restaurant is also open for pre-concert dining from 12:00-3:00 p.m. on these dates. For restaurant reservations, call (216) 231-7373. The Cleveland Orchestra Store will open at 1:00 p.m. on these dates and will remain open through concert intermission.
- Email: info@clevelandorchestra.com
- Web: click here
Severance Hall tours at the home of the Cleveland Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra has announced the schedule for free public tours of Severance Hall, the Orchestra’s home in University Circle. Each one-hour tour is led by a volunteer tour guide who shares Severance Hall’s history and legends as patrons visit the Concert Hall, Bogomolny-Kozerefski Grand Foyer, Smith Lobby, Organ Loft, Green Room, Ong & Lerner Galleries, and Reinberger Chamber Hall. Patrons will have the opportunity to see the Christoph von Dohnányi stage and the 6,025-pipe Norton Memorial Organ, sit in Box Number One, and, in the Grand Foyer, see the Elsa Vick Shaw murals and the famous brass screw that is embedded in the terrazzo floor.
Tours at American Whistle Corporation cost $6/person.
- Open by appointment
- Location: (Map It) 6540 Huntley Rd. in Columbus, Ohio
- Phone: 800-876-2918 to schedule a tour
- Web: click here
American Whistle Corporation tours in Columbus: Have you ever wondered how the ball gets inside a whistle? Take a personally guided tour of the only whistle factory in the United States where metal whistles are made. For approximately one hour, you will see a thriving, small, American manufacturing plant and be entertained with interesting information about whistles and fascinating machinery – some state of the art, some dating back to the beginning of the company. Best of all – everyone leaves with a shiny new “American Classic” whistle!
The Amish Heartland Tours vary in cost per package.
- When: Open year-round with advanced reservations
- Location: (Map It) 5568 Township Road 381, Millersburg, Ohio – Tours depart from Yoders Amish home, the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center, and Holmes County Flea Market.
- Phone: 330-893-3248
- Web: click here
Amish Heartland Tours in Millersburg: Have you wondered why the Amish still live a life apart from society as we know it? Let expert tour guides explain the culture as it is in Holmes County. The tours could include stops at a candle maker, basket maker, leather works, Amish home chocolate business, or a broom maker. Tours are taken in a comfortable 11 passenger high-top Sprinter sightseeing vehicle. Past tours have included dinner tours; history and heritage tours; artisan cookie tours and bakeries, buggies, brunch, and back roads tours.
Tours at Anthony Thomas Chocolates cost $2 per person age 13+ and $1 for those age 12 and under.
- Open for tours every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am – 3pm
- Location: (Map It) 1777 Arling Gate Lane in Columbus, Ohio
- Phone: 877-226-3921
- Web: click here
Anthony Thomas Chocolates tours in Columbus: Have you ever fantasized about visiting Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Well, in about an hour’s time, you can almost taste it. Visitors can walk along a glass-enclosed suspended catwalk to see candy made at this 152,000 square-foot state-of-the-art candy factory. In one shift, 25,000 pounds of chocolate are produced. Even Augustus Loof would be left satisfied (sorry, no chocolate river here).
Phoenix Bat Company baseball bat-making tours cost $10 and include an engraved mini bat.
- When: Mondays & Fridays 1:30pm (call to confirm)
- Location: (Map It) 7801 Corporate Blvd., Ste. E in Plain City, Ohio
- Phone: 614-873-7776
- Web: click here
Phoenix Bat Company baseball bat-making tours: Come see a wood bat being made on the biggest, baddest, bat-making machine anywhere! Spend an hour and experience a level of bat making like no other: Learn how to make a great bat – from wood to design. Go on the shop floor and see bats made right in front of you. Hear about today’s pros … and get your hands on their bats. Step back 100+ years to bats from baseball’s start. Ohio’s own pro-approved wood bat manufacturer. Just 20 minutes from downtown Columbus and only 5 minutes from the I-270, Rt. 33 West interchange on the NW side of the city.
Tours at BIBLEWALK range from $4-7/person, depending on the tour.
- Open: April – October from 10am – 5pm Tuesday – Saturday. Closes at 4pm November & December. January – March open on Saturdays only from 10am – 4pm.
- Location: (Map It) 500 Tingley Ave. in Mansfield, Ohio 44905
- Phone: 1-800-222-0139
- Web: livingbiblemuseum.org/
BIBLEWALK tours in Mansfield: Ohio’s only life-size wax museum features four tours that become treasured memories of the heart highlighting 70 scenes and over 300 wax figures. Experience the Holy Bible come to life with the Miracles of the Old Testament and Life of Christ, two sixty-minute tours that feature life-sized dioramas of beloved Biblical stories. Two additional thirty-minute tours, Museum of Christian Martyrs and Heart of the Reformation, provide an insight into the hearts of men and women as they willingly gave their lives for the Word of God. Each scene is underscored by original music and narration. BIBLEWALK also features a collection of rare and Braille Bibles, American votive folk-art, Religious wood carvings, a snack bar, and a gift shop. There is also a Christian Dinner Theater.
Free tours of the canal boat located at the historic Isaac Ludwig Mill.
- Open: Memorial Day to Labor Day on Friday through Sunday from noon – 6pm
- Location: (Map It) Isaac Ludwig Mill in Providence Metropark at 13827 S. River Rd. in Grand Rapids, Ohio
- Phone: 419-346-7403 or 419-407-9701
- Web: click here
Get the 1800s canal experience at Providence Metropark. Travel back in time to the days when the smoothest way to go long distances was aboard boats towed by mules along man-made waterways. Board an authentic, but docked, mule-drawn canal boat named The Volunteer and learn what life was like during the canal era. Historical re-enactors spin tales of life in mid-1800s Ohio. Then tour an authentic 1800s saw and gristmill, Isaac Ludwig Mill, where interpreters demonstrate how water power was used to saw wood and grind flour.
Admission to Cave Adventures is approximately $90/person for three hours that won’t be forgotten.
- Open: The tours are available daily all year long. Guests must be 15-years-old or older. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Location: (Map It) 3781 Slate Stone Road in Cable, Ohio
- Phone: 937-772-1260
- Web: click here
Cave Adventures in Central Ohio is home to an extraordinarily breathtaking cave, developed millions of years ago by glaciers. Many have heard whisperings of urban legends about this cave for years. Now, this extraordinary natural phenomenon is open to those willing to get dirty to see it. Come and explore your wild side at this thrill-seeking adventure!
Each guest is fitted with their own helmet, gloves, and a headlamp to light the way to a rare experience—33 feet underground where it is always a comfortable 54 degrees! It is primitive exploration at its best. And it requires crawling, climbing, and walking. There will be water and mud encountered. It’s part of this immersive experience so wear water-resistant clothing. Also, wear hiking boots or mud boots with non-slip soles. Shorts and short-sleeves are a no-no. It is recommended to bring clean clothes to change into after the adventure, and a bag to transport the dirty clothes back home. A changing area is provided. Each tour group will have 2-6 people plus an experienced guide.
Along the journey underground, otherworldly sites feature stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns, flowstones, curtains, and more! The ancient cavern boasts a “red room” that promises to astound visitors.
Admission to the Cincinnati Brewing Heritage Trail tours is approximately $25/person.
- Open year-round
- Location: (Map It) 1939 Race Street in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Phone: 513-604-9812
- Web: click here
Cincinnati Brewing Heritage Trail explores Cincinnati’s brewery history with an underground brewery tour. Cincinnati’s Brewery District is home to one of the largest collections of pre-Prohibition brewery architecture, in the middle of one of the largest historic districts in the country. Beer helped build this city, and the stories of those days still resonate today. Tour the breweries, cellars, and tunnels that were the heart of Cincinnati’s brewing heritage.
Regular admission to the Cincinnati Observatory is $5/person for daytime history tours and $10/adult and $5/child younger than 18 for astronomy evenings.
- Open for daytime tours Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at noon, 1pm, and 2pm. Nighttime programs are held on select dates monthly (see the link below for the current offering).
- Location: (Map It) 3489 Observatory Place in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Phone: 513-321-5186
- Web: www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/
Cincinnati Observatory in Cincinnati: Come see the stars. And I don’t mean Hollywood’s. Hey, you may even make a discovery of a new planet, see a meteor or just star-gaze at the constellations. In any case, Cincinnati Observatory was the first professional observatory in the country. Situated atop the rolling hillsides of Mt.Lookout, the Observatory is home to the world’s oldest telescope still in use nightly by the general public. Two picturesque National Historic Landmark buildings feature one designed in 1873 by Samuel Hannaford, which complements the institution’s park-like setting.
Admission to tour the Columbus Washboard Company is $8/adult, $6/senior, and $5/child
- Open: Call ahead to schedule tours at 11am, 1pm, or 3pm (must have four or more in your group)
- Location: (Map It) 14 Gallagher Avenue in Logan, Ohio
- Phone: 740-380-3828
- Web: click here
Tour the Columbus Washboard Company. It’s the last washboard manufacturer in the country. Housed in a centuries-old brick factory this time capsule is still producing washboards using vintage equipment from the 1800s. Your guide will demonstrate the tools and machines used in the process. The tour is about 35 minutes. In addition, there’s also a museum and gift shop showcasing the processes and products. The washboards are shipped worldwide today.
Sandusky County Historic Jail & Dungeon Tours in Fremont, Ohio.
- When: Usually on a Monday night once per month (most months). See the link below for current offerings.
- Location: (Map It) Sandusky County Historic Jail at 622 Croghan Street, Fremont, Ohio
- Phone: 419-332-4470
- Web: click here
Sandusky County Historic Jail & Dungeon Tours in Fremont, Ohio: The tour features an 1840s Dungeon, an 1890s Jail, and Gallows. The tour lasts about 1 ½ hours and is highlighted by great storytelling explaining the significance the this unusually preserved historic structure. Prisoners saw little daylight. And yes, there have been paranormal encounters in this subterranean exploration. Tours are open to reserved groups of 20 or more. Tours are also offered on special dates throughout the year. See the link above. They sell out fast!
The GoodTime III tours of Cleveland and Lake Erie vary.
- Open: Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day, with limited Public Schedule in May & September, Tues.-Sat.; Noon and 3pm, Sunday; 1:00pm and 3:30pm
- Location: (Map It) 825 East Ninth Street Pier, North Coast Harbor in Cleveland, Ohio
- Phone: 216-242-4213
- Web: https://goodtimeiii.com/
Cleveland Goodtime III: For courtesy, comfort, and just plain fun, you cannot match the experience of a cruise on the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie aboard Cleveland’s largest sight-seeing vessel. The GOODTIME III is the largest quadruple-deck 1,000 passenger luxury ship on the Great Lakes, which offers plenty of room and you are not confined to your seats. This sight-seeing trip is unequaled and perfect for individuals, families, and groups, large and small. You’ll enjoy the fast-changing panorama of Cleveland’s skyline and the exciting Flats area as you listen to Larry Morrow point out the many sights and little-known historical facts about this All-American City. A great way to see Cleveland! This company is proud to be family-owned & operated since 1958.
Admission to Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary is $20 per person. Youths ages 6-17 are $10 each. Kids 5 and younger are free. Groups may include up to six people. Reservations are required.
- Open: Tours are on Fridays & Saturdays starting at 11am, 1:15pm, and 3:30pm, and on , and Sundays at 12:45pm and 3pm. May through October. Tours last about 1 1/2 hours.
- Location: (Map It) 5623 New Milford Rd. in Ravenna, Ohio
- Phone: 330-296-5914
- Web: https://happytrailsfarm.org/
Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary is a sanctuary where horses and farm animals arrive from situations of severe abuse, neglect, or abandonment. It’s a facility where healing takes place. Where miracles happen. Where people connect with animals. And where kindness and compassion are taught. Hear the animals’ stories and learn about their healing process. Learn about Happy Trails Amish retirement program, nursing home visitation program, and community outreach. Meet the animals in person. Get a hands-on tour. Be prepared to give a pig a belly rub. Hug a mini horse. Pet a cockfighting rooster. Meet 1,000 lb. farm pigs. Play with goats. Visit the rescued horses.
Your tour fee directly supports the rescue programs at Happy Trails. It pays for things like grain, hay, straw, veterinary expenses, medications, hoof trimming, shelter repairs, and any other special needs of the animal.
The John & Annie Glenn Heritage Trail
The Astronaut and The Advocate
The Trail: A Tale in Three Towns, Zanesville, New Concord, and Cambridge.
Before he was a 4-term U.S. Senator, orbital astronaut, military test pilot, John G. Glenn Jr. was a small-town plumber’s son who dreamed of flying someday. Before her 73-year marriage to John, moving 24 times and overcoming a disability, Annie Glenn was a small-town dentist’s daughter with a life-impairing stutter and a very special boyfriend.
Follow the John & Annie Glenn Heritage Trail through Zanesville, New Concord, and Cambridge to celebrate the life of John Glenn, their namesake museum, and 33 other locations throughout Guernsey and Muskingum County. Visit each stop along the trail to learn the stories of Ohio’s first world-famous astronaut and the woman he called “the wind beneath my wings.” Trail stops include the original Glenn family home (now the John and Annie Glenn Museum), the National Road “S” Bridge, Harper’s Cabin, Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl, Alan Cottrill’s Sculpture, and the Y-Bridge just to name a few. Learn the history of each location and its importance to John and Annie Glenn.
To request a free copy of the John & Annie Glenn Heritage Trail, please call the Zanesville-Muskingum County Convention and Visitor Bureau at 740-455-8282 or email acook@zmchamber.com.
The Longhorns Head to Tail Tours group rates: 10 – 19 guests are $12/person, 20 – 39 guests are $10/person, 40 or more are $8/person.
- Open: April through October by appointment
- Location: (Map It) 35000 Muskrat Rd. in Barnesville, Ohio
- Phone: 740-758-5050
- Web: www.longhorntours.com/
The Longhorns Head to Tail Tours: This is a real family event. Dickinson Cattle Co.is the largest producer of Texas Longhorn cattle in the nation and the largest producer of all-natural lean beef in Belmont County, Ohio. Located in the beautiful Appalachian foothills, the 5,000-acre, family-owned ranch now opens up pastures previously held private from public view for narrated tours. Longhorns Head to Tail Tours bring you up close to view and hand-feed world-famous Texas Longhorns, African Watusi and Dutch Belted Buelingo Cattle. See modern conservation ecology at work as you ride the ranges. Learn about the nearby birthplace of Hopalong Cassidy, William Shanon, and Hanging Judge Isaac Parker. Famous cowpokes such as Oliver North, Andre the Giant, and George Lucas caught the Longhorn Passion from DCCI so why not you?
Admission to Ohio Caverns is approx. $20/person/tour and about $10/child age 5-12.
- Open for tours daily, year-round from 9am – 5pm May thru September, and 10am – 4pm October thru April.
- Location: (Map It) 2210 East State Route 245 in West Liberty, Ohio
- Phone: 937-465-4017
- Web: www.ohiocaverns.com/
Feature Story
OHIO CAVERNS
America’s Most Colorful Caverns
Ohio Caverns was previously named one of the six best overall caves in America by Parade Magazine and are known as “America’s Most Colorful Caverns.”
Ohio Caverns tours: Visitors are conducted through the Caverns on guided tours at frequent intervals. There is an admission fee for the one-hour, mile-long tour. Ohio Caverns was recently listed in Parade Magazine as one of the top six caves in America! Ohio Caverns is the largest and one of the most beautiful of all Ohio caves. Its exquisite crystal-white stalactite and stalagmite formations are nowhere to be found in greater profusion or artistic settings. The diversity of formations and unexcelled coloring are all the more interesting because the formations are still in the process of development. Still-photography is welcome to capture your memories. No matter how far you travel, you will find your visit to Ohio Caverns provides you with rich memories of its great beauty and educational value.
Admission to the Ohio State Reformatory is approx. $25/person for self-guided tours and $35/person for guided tours.
- Open: Daily tours offered April 1 – September 1 from 11am – 4pm. Limited hours & days from Sept – Apr.
- Location: (Map It) 100 Reformatory Road in Mansfield, Ohio
- Phone: 419-522-2644
- Web: https://www.mrps.org/
- Play Video
Click here to read an in-depth multimedia article about the Ohio State Reformatory (Shawshank Prison), including plenty of photos and videos.
Ohio State Reformatory (OSR) in Mansfield was showcased in the epic movie Shawshank Redemption. The “Shawshank Prison” offers a variety of tours in the intermediate state prison that was known as the Ohio State Reformatory. A Hollywood tour involves many of the most famous sites from the movie including the tunnel Andy Dufresne dug to escape. The historic prison is also said to be haunted, and the museum offers ghost hunts with the help of professional ghost hunters.
Tickets to Perkins Observatory are $10-12/person.
- Open Friday and Saturday nights but call in advance
- Location: (Map It) 3199 Columbus Pike in Delaware, Ohio
- Phone: 740-363-1257
- Web: click here
Perkins Observatory is owned and operated by the Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. It offers astronomy programs for the public most Friday and Saturday nights (with some exceptions) throughout the year. The programs are held rain or shine and have limited ticket availability. The programs usually consist of an astronomy talk and a tour of the observatory. Observing through the 32-inch telescope occurs only if it is clear enough and dark enough to do so.
Walking Tours of Downtown Cleveland
Tickets for Walking Tours of Downtown Cleveland are $24/adult, $15/child under 10 years old.
- Tours are offered year-round. The current schedule is on the website below.
- Tours begin in Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio
- Phone: 216-318-3865
- Web: www.toursofcleveland.com
Tours of Cleveland, LLC offers year-round exciting and educational walking tours of beautiful and historic downtown Cleveland. The Downtown Highlights tour covers Public Square to Playhouse Square and everything in between. Other themed walking tours are available depending on the season. Most walking tours are about two hours. To learn more, see the current schedule and book a tour at www.toursofcleveland.com. Reservations are required.
The first of its kind in Ohio!
It’s time for you to begin the most delicious trail of all time – the Tuscarawas County Pizza Trail! Discover the nooks and crannies of perfectly hand-tossed crust perfection as you visit the eight locally owned pizzerias on this trail. With pies created with you in mind, your taste buds will be delighted by the wide range of distinctive tastes, toppings, and experiences this trail offers to you.
As you follow the pizza trail, you will enjoy the sights along the way. Be certain to enjoy a walk on the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath, take in the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock, stop for a tasting at one of 12 wineries and breweries, enjoy the exhibits in one of the many history museums, and walk where Ohio’s first residents made their homes.
Download the Pizza Trail passport at https://www.traveltusc.com/ and have it validated at each of the eight locations. When your passport is complete, return it to the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau Welcome Center at 124 East High Ave, New Philadelphia, OH 44663, and receive your free t-shirt. You will now have the right to brag that you are an official finisher of Ohio’s First Pizza Trail!
Pizzerias participating in the passport tour include Penso’s Pizza Strasburg; Penso’s Pizza, and Mary Zifer’s Pizza in Dover; Damon’s All American Pizza Pie, and Maggoo’s Pizza, Pasta, & More in New Philadelphia; Park Street Pizza in Sugarcreek; Sublime Smoke in Bolivar; Pangrazio’s Pizza & Spaghetti in Dennison.
Contact the Tuscarawas County and Convention Bureau at 800-527-3387 with any questions about the Pizza Trail. Enjoy every slice!
Behind the scenes tours at Winans Chocolates + Coffees are $5/person for a 30-minute tour (reservations required). Large group or bus tours are $10/person and last about 50 minutes.
- When: Thursdays at 1pm (reservations required) or groups by request.
- Location: (Map It) 310 Spring St. in Piqua, Ohio
- Phone: 937-773-1981
- Web: Click here
Immerse yourself in the world of Winans chocolate on a tour led by Winans experts and experienced chocolatiers. See the factory in action as the candies are made. The tour features one of the oldest operating Hobart Mixers in the world along with stories from the Winans family archives. You may even meet a long-time employee in which one of the candies is named after. At the end of the tour, enjoy a sweet treat fresh off the line.
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