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.