4 Iconic Places in Ohio That Look Way Cooler on Instagram

Have you ever made a trip to see a spot based on images you saw on social media or a website, only to be disappointed when you arrived? I know I have. Some places, when you visit them in reality, just don't live up to the online hype that surrounds them. Here are four examples of overhyped places in Ohio where the reality doesn't live up to the online images.

1. Longaberger Basket Building - Newark

The former headquarters of the Longaberger Basket Company, in Newark, Ohio, is, without a doubt, a striking piece of architecture. Still, it's been abandoned since the company filed for bankruptcy in 2016. Announced plans to develop the building never materialized, and it's fallen into disrepair. So, while you can frame a shot of the basket-shaped structure to look awesome on your Insta feed, visiting it in person is, frankly, depressing. If you look too closely, you'll definitely notice the decay; you can't go inside, and you can't even get too close. What was once a symbol of a thriving company didn't even last 20 years before it was abandoned and left to become little more than a sad roadside attraction.

2. Old Man's Cave - Logan

When you see online photos of Old Man's Cave at Hocking Hills State Park near Logan, Ohio—especially professional photos—you seldom see people in the frame (unless, of course, they're influencers, in which case, they're the only people in the shot). Reality is often much different. Old Man's Cave is one of the most popular sites at one of Ohio's most popular state parks. At peak times, the narrow boardwalk to the cave gets so backed up with people that it feels more like a conveyor belt than a footpath, and you'll rarely have the cave to yourself. Photographers often plan to arrive first thing in the morning to have a shot at capturing a photo of the cave without the teeming crowds. Unless you do the same, your experience visiting Old Man's Cave will be much different from the online photos you see.

3. 'Cornhenge' - Dublin

Field of Corn (with Osage Orange Trees) is a public art installation in Dublin, Ohio. The piece comprises 109 ears of white concrete corn arrayed on a lawn. Commonly referred to as "Cornhenge," the installation is a popular, often-photographed attraction in the Buckeye State. Online images often frame the sculpture as standing against a bucolic, or even rural, background. The truth is that it's located within a corporate office park, surrounded by generic office buildings at a busy corner intersection with a roundabout. While the installation is definitely quirky, it's hardly remote or mysterious—and any such vibe cultivated by online images quickly disappears when you find yourself on the lawn of a boring business park surrounded by the hum of traffic.

4. Brandywine Falls - Northfield

There is no arguing that Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a beautiful waterfall—it is. In online photos, however, it's often depicted as a remote waterfall tucked into the deep woods. The reality is much different. The waterfall is incredibly accessible, reachable by a short stroll along an almost always crowded boardwalk from a sizable parking lot in one of the state's largest metropolitan areas. In other words, you are unlikely to have the waterfall to yourself—even in the winter. Moreover, the serene setting you see in photos belies the fact that the waterfall practically lies beneath an Interstate 271 overpass. The soothing sound of the waterfall often has to compete with the roar of big rigs screaming by at 70 m.p.h. just a few hundred yards away—not exactly the ASMR experience you might have hoped for. So, yes, visit, but know what to expect.

That's true for all of these places, in fact. It's not that you shouldn't visit them; rather, you just should be wary of using online images to set your expectations. Go with an open mind, and enjoy these places on your own terms. Can you think of any other overhyped destinations in Ohio that don't always live up to their apparent online reputation? We'd love to hear your suggestions over on our Nomination page.

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