Posted in Ohio
February 20, 2021
The Ultimate Ohio Hidden Gem Road Trip Will Take You To 9 Incredible Little-Known Spots In The State
Ohio is full of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered.
From ideal family day trip destinations to little-known natural wonders, the following trip leads to 9 of our favorite hidden gems in Ohio. See which ones you’ve visited before and which ones you need to add to your Ohio bucket list:
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
The total trip covers about 280 miles and takes almost 6 hours of drive time total. To view a Google map of the trip in a a separate tab or window, click here.
Most people don’t know there’s an impressive replica of an Old West town tucked away in the hills of southern Ohio. Dogwood Pass in Beaver, Ohio was built to look and feel as authentic as possible, complete with bath houses, saloons and gun fights. Show and event schedules begin in May.
The largest (and most strangely shaped) effigy mound in the world can be found right here in Ohio in Adams County. The 1,348 feet long uniquely shaped mound depicts a snake, with an oval shape at its head. Although no artifacts or written records were found near the mound to determine who built it, a nearby village site shows evidence of occupation by both the Adena and the later Fort Ancient Cultures. The original purpose of the mound remains a mystery, though there is some evidence for astronomical correlations.
April Dray/Only In Your State
If we told you there was a castle in southern Ohio operated by modern day knights, would you believe us? Close to Cincinnati, you can find just that. The Château Laroche, (more commonly known as the Loveland Castle,) is a museum on the banks of the Little Miami River in Loveland, Ohio—and it’s truly charming.
Discover America's largest collection of signs at this Cincinnati museum. It's a hidden gem few people know is hiding in Ohio. The American Sign Museum is truly one of a kind, featuring surprises around every corner.
Year-round, this is a fun day trip destination you can spend hours exploring. Within this outdoor museum, you'll find a wide variety of sculptures standing in meadows, forests and gardens. The park also features an indoor Ancient Sculpture Museum, which displays Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Etruscan sculptures that are thousands of years old.
Most people are surprised to find out that Ohio has a tunnel of trees you can hike through—and it’s simply stunning. Sugarcreek MetroPark in Bellbrook, Ohio features the Osage Orange Tunnel, and it’s a magical place. The tunnel was formed by large arching branches of old Osage orange trees, which were purposefully planted in rows in the late 1800s to serve as a farm fence.
Observe a mixture of history, religion, and depression-era pop culture via this unique garden, built by Harry "Ben" Hartman between 1932 through 1944. It's a backyard folk art display that's downright mesmerizing.
Few people know about the quaint, seven-acre park in Columbus that features one of Ohio’s most unique gardens, where art and plant life blend. Topiary Park is a "landscape of a painting of a landscape," according to the park’s website. Specifically, the topiary garden depicts Georges Seurat’s famous painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grand Jatte"—and it is the only known topiary representation of a painting.
The Ohio Railway Museum is a great day trip destination for train enthusiasts and the whole family to enjoy. It’s a train station, museum and railroad that offers fun, round-trip demonstration rides on some of the streetcars and interurbans.
What do you think? Would you take this road trip? What other hidden gems would you add to this trip? Share your thoughts with us!
Address: 722 Adams Rd, Beaver, OH 45613, USA
Address: Serpent Mound Historical Site, 3850 OH-73, Peebles, OH 45660, USA
Address: Loveland Castle Museum, 12075 Shore Dr, Loveland, OH 45140, USA
Address: American Sign Museum, 1330 Monmouth Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45225, USA
Address: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, 1763 Hamilton Cleves Rd, Hamilton, OH 45013, USA
Address: Sugarcreek MetroPark, 4178 Conference Rd, Bellbrook, OH 45305, USA
Address: Hartman Rock Garden, 1905 Russell Ave, Springfield, OH 45506, USA
Address: 480 E Town St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
Address: The Ohio Railway Museum, 990 Proprietors Rd, Worthington, OH 43085, USA
