An Ohio Day Trip! West Liberty Travel Guide

When people say "there is nothing to do in Ohio," I am immediately annoyed. That translates to "I have not attempted to explore Ohio."  With it being officially spring, I started posting some of my favorite places in Ohio on instagram using '#101CoolPlacesAndThingsInOhio'. Follow me @krisofohio for those posts. I have been seeing a lot of Ohio tourism posts on my social media feeds lately. It is exciting that people are interested in traveling in their own back yards. Ohio is beautiful and if you live here, it is a good thing to know what it has to offer. A post about Ohio Castles that I saw last week gave me the idea for this post. It is a 2012 'Flash Back Road Trip' for me but it will be a great place for those who want to explore lesser known Ohio.

A DAY IN WEST LIBERTY

If you are wanting to explore Ohio, West Liberty is a great place to start. It is rich with interesting historical places. I have been a couple times in the last three years and I think I have created a great itinerary that would satisfy the history buffs, castle lovers, foodies and avid road trippers. There is really something everyone can appreciate.  It can all be done in a day depending on your starting point, how early you start and how committed you are to doing it. It is kind of a long day, but so worth it.

Tips before you start: Pack breakfast for the road or pick something up on the way.

 Stop 1: Ohio Caverns

2210 East State Route 245 West Liberty, Ohio 43357 

937.465.4017

Ohio Caverns taken by Kristin R 2012

9:30am-10:45am

 The Ohio Caverns open to the public at 9AM. So if you get there sometime within that first hour, you will have a great start on your day. You will need time to figure out what kind of tour you want to take. I really enjoyed the 'Natural Wonder Tour'. It is a guided 1 mile tour 100 feet underground, so sneakers are very necessary. I would also suggest a hoodie or some kind of rain jacket to protect yourself from dripping water. It is 54 degrees inside and with the moisture in the air it seems a little cooler. The caves house crystals as old as 250,000 years, so no touching is permitted. Touching the crystals leaves them discolored from the natural oils that we carry on our skin. The tour will take about an hour.

April 1 - October 31 (Summer Hours): 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
November 1 - March 31 (Winter Hours): 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

2015 Rates range from $12-$29 for adults 
 $9-$15 for children ages 5-12 

The Ohio Cavern's Entrance taken by Kristin R

Stop 2: Piatt Castles 
Mac-O-Chee
2319 State Route 287. West Liberty, OH 43357
937-465-2821 

Tips before you start: If you plan to see both castles; buy the combination castle ticket which allows you to visit both castles at a bundled discounted price.

Piatt Castles/ Mac-O-Chee Castle taken by Kristin R 2012

11:15-12:45

I suggest seeing Mac-O-Chee first because it is the oldest castle of the two. Seeing the castles in order gives you the Piatt's story in chronological order. The tour is self guided, so you have to read the information that is present and look at the photos. There are a couple of rooms where there are interactive activities. This takes some time depending on how fast or how much you chose to read.

Mac-O-Chee Piatt Castles Library taken by Kristin R 2012

Stop 3:Piatt Castles
Mac-O-Cheek 
   10051 Township Road 47, West Liberty, OH 43357

Piatt Castles Mac-O-Cheek Castle photo courtesy of yurko.net/blog

 1:00-1:45

 Mac-O-Cheek takes less time to walk through. The castle is smaller and less of the property is open to the public for touring. The inside seems more modern in comparison to Mac-O-Chee. The family lived in the castle as late as the 80's. The library is absolutely beautiful. It is my favorite area of the home. Don't forget to check out the small gift shop at the entrance. 

Library at Mac-O-Cheek Piatt Castles taken by Kristin R 2012

 

April 18 - May 24:  Weekends, 11am - 4pm

May 25 - September 7:  Daily, 11am - 5pm

September 12 - October 25:  Weekends, 11am - 4pm

Single Castle:

    Adult:  $15

    Youth (age 5-15):  $9

    Senior (age 65+) / AAA:  $13

Both Castles (Combination Ticket):

    Adult:  $25

    Youth (age 5-15):  $15

    Senior (age 65+) / AAA:  $20

 Stop 4:Liberty Gathering Place
111 N. Detroit St., West Liberty, OH

photo courtesy of Liberty Gathering Place Facebook page

 2:00-3:00

Enjoy a late lunch at Liberty Gathering Place. It is a country style restaurant with a menu covered with comfort foods like smoked pork chops, a pork tenderloin sandwich, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cream pies. You know it's good when the locals are regulars. Those who love prime rib are in for a real treat. I have had a lot of prime rib and this place is in my top three in taste. I also fell in love with the beets at their salad bar. The staff is friendly and the food is delicious.  There is something on the menu for everyone. 

Prime Rib at Liberty Gathering Place taken by Kristin R 2014

Hours: Monday-Friday 5:30 am to 7:30pm
Saturday 6:00am to 7:30pm
Sunday 8:00am to 2:30pm 


Stop 5: Marie's Candies, The Depot
 311 Zanesfield Rd. (also US St. Rt. 68)
West Liberty, Ohio 43357

 

photo courtesy of flicker.com

3:15-3:45

The last stop is a sweet one, literally. If you saved room for dessert, make sure to sample some of Marie's chocolates. Every time I have been there, they have had someone circulating samples through the store. You can also request samples of candy that you are interested in before you make a purchase. For most items there is a selection of dark, milk or white chocolate if you have a particular preference. My favorite treat from Marie's is the dark chocolate covered potato chips. Once you start tasting, you will not leave empty handed.


Hours: 8am-6pm Monday-Saturday

West Liberty is absolutely one of my favorite places in Ohio. Though you can see most of it in a day, the gems of this city make quite the impression. If you are traveling Ohio, make sure you add West Liberty to your to do list.

Until next time,
Be blessed! Be free!
Be Adventurous!
Kris,

The Cure To Boredom Spring/Summer 2015

Adventure To Do List Spring/Summer 2015

It is the first day of  spring! It's time for a new adventure list for Spring/Summer. I must admit, I didn't do so well  on my fall/winter list. Of ten items on my list I only managed to check off two things. I was disappointed in myself but I realized it was much harder to get out in the cold weather. I will do better on this list and I will return to update my last two lists. I have every intention of crossing each of those items off. For those new to my blog; I decided to do a seasonal adventure list for every six months. The list is my cure to boredom. The list is compiled of things I want to experience this season and as I cross something off  I will share it with you. I will share information about the experience, my photos and my revelations as I did last Spring/Summer season. Unfortunately, I decided to skip doing an update for the last list since I did so poorly. However, I highlighted the things I did not complete in red and updated the items I was able to complete on the original post. I am feeling very positive about this new list though.  Here is my adventure list for Spring/Summer 2015. 

I took this photo during my visit to Longaberger Homestead last Summer.  The restaurants at the location are in 'Eating Your Way Across Ohio'.

My 'Adventure To Do List' is in no particular order. 

1.  Visit Canton, Ohio (completed 7/20/16)

2.  Go Camping

3.  Visit a new winery or brewery each month 

4.  Take a food tour out of town (completed 9/26/15)

5.  Learn to make sushi

6.  Take a ride on the Valley Gem Sternwheeler in Marietta 

( left over from last spring/summer list)

7.  Taste Durian ( left over from last spring/summer list)

8.  Check out five new restaurants from 'Eating Your Way Across Ohio'

9.  Take a short creative class.

10. Take a scenic train ride (left over from my fall/winter list)

I can not wait to dive into this list. Last year I completed  seven of the ten items from my Spring/Summer list. Two of the three items I failed to complete have been added to this new list. I have some making up to do after my fall/winter season's two of ten. I hope you will join me in this. It isn't just a check list, it is an opportunity to learn things about yourself. Doing these lists have helped me expand my horizons, face my fears and improve my patience. Most of all I am really enjoying my life.  Stay tuned for my updates. I hope you will also share your lists with me. We can cheer each other on. Think about it, what do you want to accomplish this season? What are things you have always wanted to do, big or small? Start your list!

Until next time,

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous!

Kris, 

Collage Wall Project

These days everyone is a photographer. With a camera attached to most phones and everyone competing for the non-existent best instagram account contest, so many of us take many photos daily. I hate to admit it but I am kind of one of those amateur photographers who thinks I am really doing something. I am proud of some of my photos, so proud that before I even had a good camera phone, using an average little red camera I decided I wanted to do a collage wall in my home of photos I have taken over the last few years. The idea began after I met my beau, who exposed me to so much in Ohio including two of my favorite places: the Lake Erie area and Ohio Amish Country. I'd lived in Ohio for many years and I hate to admit that I was so unfamiliar with my home state.  That was a little over three years ago and I realized I have not collected the amount of photos I want for my display. I am consciously thinking about it now, so I thought I would share the few photos that started my concept. This will be an on going post until I finish my wall. I must also shout out my beau, whose birthday is today. He has inspired me so much and I share these photos with him because he was there when I captured each one. Happy Birthday Leo!

2011 My first sight before my first visit to Put in Bay

2011 Fog over swamp land my first time in Amish Country

2013 My sister's 30th birthday trip Lake Erie area. The view from the house we rented in Port Clinton.

Until Next Time,

Be blessed! Be free! Be Adventurous!

Kris,

Frostine The Snow Woman

 It has already been a long winter and I have yet to come close to completing my 'Winter To do List'. Completing the list has been harder than I expected but I managed to check one thing off over the weekend. I built my first snow woman. I have been trying all winter but Sunday I was determined. I got bundled up, went outside and stayed outside until the job was done. It is a funny thing being an adult that has never built a snowman. I felt like a kid playing in the snow but the artist and fashionista in me wanted to create something beautiful and stylish. Since I knew I would be making a snow woman I put away items I wanted to use to style her. In a bag I had several hats I was no long able to wear due to my natural hair, a pair of broken sunglasses from this past summer, a few other odds and ends and some wax lips. I grabbed a baby carrot from my snack pack and cut some buttons off of an old ruined leather jacket. This is what I came up with.  Meet Frostine the snow woman!

 

 

I am not a fan of winter but I had a great time playing in the snow. Sometimes we have to make an effort to make things we would not normally appreciate into something worth experiencing. I am really proud of my first snow woman. She is stopping traffic on my street and she has been a hit on social media. It was fun creating her. I look forward to creating more snow figures in the future.

Until next time,

Be blessed, Be free, Be adventurous!

Kris,