Columbus Monthly: Weekend Escapes Special Section (Sept. 2021)

e n k d e A e way W A For the fully vaccinated, this autumn offers travel opportunities a year and a half in the making.

PHOTO: COURTESY BUTLER COUNTY

By Peter Tonguette

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e n k d e A e way W A For the fully vaccinated, this autumn offers travel opportunities a year and a half in the making.

Burwinkel Farms in Butler County

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COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2021

PHOTO: COURTESY BUTLER COUNTY

By Peter Tonguette

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In Central Ohio, Saturdays in the fall tend to be synonymous with activities surrounding a certain football team outfitted in scarlet and gray.

After a year and a half of the pandemic curtailing travel plans, though, many Central Ohioans are itching to get away for a day, a weekend or even a bit longer.

Following are some ideas for top escapes for the casual traveler, including in-state spots that don’t quite feel like Ohio and an out-of-state destination that actually isn’t.

And no worries: Wherever you decide to go during your weekends this fall, you can still catch the score online.

Day trip: Butler County Situated about 100 miles southwest of Franklin County, Butler County is close enough to reach without much effort (or too many fill-ups, should gas prices spike again) but still feels like a world away. From a Donut Trail that invites pastry lovers to sample the confections at 13 mom-and-pop establishments throughout the county to numerous cultural sites and outdoor events, the area offers something to suit every interest.

But about that Donut Trail: A passport— entitling those who have completed the journey to a free T-shirt—and trail map can be downloaded online, and then it’s time to get munching. “These aren’t chains,” says Tracy Kocher, vice president of marketing and communications at the Butler County Visitors Bureau. “These are family-run places that get up in the middle of the night [to bake].”

Happily, the county provides many ways to burn those calories: Trails wind through Bull’s Run Arboretum in Middletown, a site

COLOR

YOU R E SCAPE The vibrant shades of fall explode to life at The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake. Here, you can unwind at our lakeside resort or private cottages.

Your best fall is waiting in Ohio Wine Country.

THELODGEATGENEVA.COM 4888 North Broadway Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH

PHOTO: COURTESY BUTLER COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU

Black Covered Bridge in Butler County

SCAN ME Black Balsam Knob

visitnc.com/outdoor-nc © Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: LNT.org

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that served as a pasture for bulls nearly two centuries ago, and the nearly 400-acre Rentschler Forest Preserve in Fairfield, part of which overlooks the Great Miami River.

In Oxford, equestrians can saddle up with Nation Road Horse Rental. “It’s on a family farm, and they have a whole bunch of different horse trails,” Kocher says. “They match the rider with each horse.” More adventuresome types may be drawn to Butler County for skydiving opportunities: Start Skydiving in Middletown takes adventurers up as high as 14,000 feet above the ground.

The activity is seasonal, but if the weather stays warm and your moxie remains high, it’s worth a try (or a jump). “They do around 7,000 first-time jumpers every year,” Kocher says. “It’s a very busy, well-oiled, professional skydiving outfit.”

Sites of cultural interest include the unique outdoor art site, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, in Hamilton.

The park’s nearly 300 acres are home to numerous sculptures accessible by an “art cart” (actually a golf cart). “It’s particularly lovely in the fall, because the leaves are changing,” Kocher says. The National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in West Chester repurposes a building once used to broadcast Voice of America programming internationally into a museum celebrating VOA programming. Restaurants, including many featuring international cuisine, will keep you satiated throughout the day.

Weekend stay: Geneva-on-the-Lake Located a bit farther afield of Central Ohio, and in an entirely different direction than

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Butler County, is Geneva-on-the-Lake, a Lake Erie-bordering village in Ashtabula County that is about 185 miles northeast of Franklin County.

Populated by about 1,200 residents, what the village lacks in size it makes up for in appealing coastal ambiance and abundance of available outdoor activities. A weekend visit can center on the Lodge at Genevaon-the-Lake, which, with its majestic views of Lake Erie’s southern shore, is not only a charmer in its own right but offers a relaxing starting point from which to explore the rest of the village. The lodge consists of 109 rooms and suites plus 25 cottages nestled near the lake. Though it might sound rustic, all the modern amenities are included, from free high-speed internet access to minifridges and coffee makers.

But who wants to stay indoors? Waterbased activities are a highlight of this scenic spot, including boat, kayak and jet ski rentals and fishing charters to take advantage of Lake Erie’s ample supply of steelhead, walleye and perch.

With so much water nearby, it only stands to reason that Ashtabula County would have a Covered Bridge Festival, right? Taking place Oct. 9–10, the event features live music, a car show and a parade. Of course, visitors can explore the county’s 19 covered bridges on their own, including the Smolen-Gulf Covered Bridge over the Ashtabula River, which, at 613 feet, is the longest in America.

We all need some down time from adventuring and exploring, and Historic Ashtabula Harbor offers the perfect mix of things to

PHOTOS: COURTESY THE LODGE AT GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE

Activities at the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake

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PHOTO: COURTESY GARRETT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

buy and eat, boasting retailers (including the art cooperative Bridge Street Art Works) and numerous restaurants (among them Briquettes Smokehouse, Felix Pizza and Hil-Mak Seafoods Restaurant & Fish Market).

Long getaway: Deep Creek Lake, Maryland If you’re looking for a more far-flung, long weekend travel experience that doesn’t require a plane ticket, try the area surrounding Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, Maryland, about a four-hour drive from the Columbus area.

The area at the northwest edge of the Old Line State boasts plenty to see and do year-round, but during the fall, the 1,800acre Deep Creek Lake State Park provides the perfect setting to take in the changing foliage. Among the most notable features of nearby Swallow Falls State Park in Oakland is the 53-foot waterfall, Muddy Creek Falls, which loses none of its power as the seasons turn.

Just be sure to time your trip accordingly.

“In the fall, the leaves tend to peak a little early here—usually in mid-October—so fall foliage is best seen at the end of September

Deep Creek Lake

to

kentuckyexperiences.com/nkr

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to mid-to-late October, depending on the year,” says Sarah Duck, vice president of tourism and marketing at the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. “We tend to be 10 to 14 degrees cooler here than in the more urban areas.”

Other spots to see include Casselman River Bridge State Park in Grantsville, anchored by a 200-plus-year-old, 80-foot stone arch bridge, and Deep Creek Lavender Farm in Accident, which is sure to be both beautiful and aromatic.

The area offers more than mere scenic beauty, though, including mountain-biking opportunities in Deep Creek Lake State Park, Potomac-Garrett State Forest and New Germany State Park, and ample hiking trails in Deep Creek Lake State Park and Swallow Falls State Park. Annual events include the five-day Autumn Glory Festival, the 54th installment of which will take place Oct. 13–17. “[The festival] includes parades, craft shows, fall foliage driving tours, the MD State Banjo, Fiddle & Mandolin Champions and more,” Duck says.

Vacation rental homes are available from companies such as Stillwater Haven and Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales,

Monroe Run Overlook

and individuals through sites like Airbnb.

A range of hotel options are also available, including The Lodges at Sunset Village in McHenry and Oak-Mar Motel in Oakland, or you could camp at Deep Creek Lake State

Park through Dec. 15. The plethora of dining choices include the recently opened Firewater Kitchen + Bar in Oakland, the Vagabond Taproom in Oakland and the Deer Park Inn in Deer Park.

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PHOTO: COURTESY GARRETT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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