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.
2210 East State Route 245 West Liberty, Ohio 43357
937.465.4017
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
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.
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.
Stop 3:Piatt Castles
Mac-O-Cheek
10051 Township Road 47, West Liberty, OH 43357
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.
Stop 4:Liberty Gathering Place
111 N. Detroit St., West Liberty, OH
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.
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
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,
.jpg) |
| Ohio Caverns taken by Kristin R 2012 |
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
.jpg) |
| 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.
.jpg) |
| 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.
.jpg) |
| 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
.jpg) |
| 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.
.jpg) |
| 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: $20Stop 4:Liberty Gathering Place
111 N. Detroit St., West Liberty, OH
 |
| photo courtesy of Liberty Gathering Place Facebook page |
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.
.jpg) |
| 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,
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