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* Things To Do:
There are countless fascinating and very affordable destinations nearby, most of which are only 5 to 20 minutes away!
Nearby attractions include:
* Berlin and Sugarcreek and surrounding Amish Country
* T-County (Tuscarawas County) sites like Trumpet in the Land and Warther’s Carvings
* Numerous nature centers, biking and hiking trails
* Antique shops, wineries and cheese houses
* Auctions, historical sites and villages
* Shopping, fabulous restaurants
* Children’s attractions, too!
* Festivals - They're legendary, including the Ohio Swiss Festival and Breitenbach Winery’s annual May Fest and National Dandelion Cook-off (see our Specials)
Links for visitors to everything happening in
Tuscarawas and Holmes Counties:
Tuscarawas County Timeless Adventures (Tuscarawas County Convention and Tourism Bureau)
http://www.ohiotimelessadventures.com/index.php
Ohio Amish Country.com
www.oac.com
Holmes County (Amish Country) Tourism
www.visitamishcountry.com
CLARA’S PICKS
AMISH/SWISS COUNTRY
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL
WINE AND CHEESE
THE ARTS
SHOPPING GALORE
OUTDOOR/SPORTS ADVENTURES
THE MOST AMAZING FOODS ON EARTH
CLARA’S PICKS FOR THE
OUT-OF-THE ORDINARY,
WHIMSICAL, and JUST PLAIN FUN!
Spend a night under the summer stars catching the latest double feature at the Lynn Drive-In Movie Theater, the oldest such open air theater in Ohio. Admission. Strasburg. 20 minutes.
Pull in to Funday’s Rootbeer Stand and just flash your lights for service. A friendly car hop will be happy to take your order and bring you tall, frosted mugs of the best rootbeer anywhere, served on a tray that she’ll hook on to your car window! Other fun foods, too. New Phila. 10 minutes
The Polar Express is a delightful journey into a Christmas Wonderland. Ride with Santa and his elves, and hear the first bell of Christmas yourself. Pajamas are always welcome attire. Favorite of the young and young at heart. Early December. Admission. Dennison. 20 minutes.
Time has stood still at Eihler’s Candy Shop in picturesque downtown Dover. Delicious, hand dipped chocolates here are so good that former President George W. Bush made a stop to purchase a bag full! Sit down on a spinning stool at the counter for a bag of 15 cent popcorn and an old-fashioned phosphate from the original soda fountain in your choice of flavors for 30 cents! Dover. 10 minutes
Tuscora Park –the best bargain around – Ride the exquisitely detailed, antique carousel for just 50 cents, or try our mini-roller coaster, old-time boats and airplanes, flying swings, or Ferris wheel. This is a park as parks should be. Lots of creative play grounds, mini-golf, huge shade trees, and plenty of picnic tables and benches, plus a swimming pool and diving pool, tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields, and even a Bocci court! (Kind of like Italian bowling!) Cotton candy, sno-cones and other favorite concessions are extremely affordable, feeding the ducks or fishing in the pond are free. No admission. New Phila. 10 minutes
Daily Grind Coffee Shop is a local home town favorite, with more coffees, teas, and specialty drinks than you can possibly ever try! Step back in time into the original decor of the nostalgia of the old "Aberth's Bakery", complete with original glass goodie cases, chrome and Formica tables, and an authentic 1950's kitchen setting! Delicious scones, muffins, and salads and sandwiches sure to delight every palate! Owners Tammy and Eric Dietz and their great staff are as wonderful as the food! Delicious bulk coffees, coffee beans, drink syrups, and coffee must-haves available. Fascinating shop to explore. Free-Wi Fi and bottomless cups of the many coffees of the day make the DG the best deal in town! Downtown New Philadelphia. 8 minutes.
Dundee Falls is a hidden treasure, with two sets of spectacular waterfalls and a wooded wonderland for your hiking enjoyment. Off the beaten path, but easily accessible. You’re sure to love actually STANDING under the waterfall for a rush you’ll always remember! Photographer’s dream. Dundee. 20 minutes.
Mt. Hope Auction – It’s only on Wednesdays, but for a cross-cultural experience you won’t forget, come early. Haggle with the flea market vendors, then sign up for a bidding number – you’re going to want one for the eggs/baked goods/produce/plant auction at 10! Bargains galore. Check out the small animal auction in the afternoon, too, and meander through the barns to view everything from donkeys to pigs to cows to sheep and goats and the occasional llama. Catch the Exotic Animal Sale spring and fall – you won’t believe your eyes! Admission for Exotic Sale only, otherwise, free. Mt. Hope. 30-40 minutes – more if you’re behind a horse and buggy!
Fine wine, great food, and live music abound at the Breitenbach Winery May Dandelion Fest, just down the road from Clara’s Cottage. Dandelion laced foods are featured, with, of course, the ever popular Dandelion Wine. Don’t miss the tastings at the Dandelion Cook-Off contest or the sizzling Bar-B-Q. Free. Dover. Five minutes, tops!
Fabulous Fifties Car Fling where the 50’s are alive and well – even the food is at 1950’s prices! Car lovers dream. Great music and entertainment, games, and of course, cars! Sugarcreek. 10 minutes
The Ohio Swiss Festival offers a dazzling array of costumes, music, Swiss cheese, fine local wines, fresh apple fritters, and tantalizing foods, all in the best of old country Switzerland tradition. (Our daughter, Lydia, is the current reigning Ohio Swiss Festival Princess – yeah, we’re proud!) Quaint, “Little Switzerland of Ohio” rolls out the red carpet to their guests for this weekend. The Kiddie Parade of Swiss costumed children and their costumed pets and the famous Saturday Antique Car and Grand Parade are not to be missed! Sugarcreek is fun to visit anytime, year-round. Free. Sugarcreek. 10 minutes.
Our daughter, Lydia, the former Ohio Swiss Festival Princess
The 2010 Swiss Festival will be held September 29 - October 2.
Website: www.villageofsugarcreek.com/ohioswissfest
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AMISH/SWISS COUNTRY (We like to include our Swiss heritage!):
Charming Sugarcreek, the “Little Switzerland of Ohio” offers fascinating shops, excellent restaurants, a country bulk food store where you’ll find Amish Country favorites and a deli and lunch counter, quality furniture stores, and more. Sugarcreek. 10 minutes.
Berlin is a favorite place for visitors who love to return to this tiny town again and again! The shopping here is phenomenal, with new and interesting crafts, gifts, candles, baskets, hand-crafted toys, dolls, garden accessories, and anything else you can imagine tucked around every corner. Best of all, everything’s within walking distance! Berlin. 20 minutes.
Behalt and the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center is a bigger than life, 265’ long cyclorama history of the Anabaptist movement and the stories of the Amish and Mennonite cultures since their beginnings in Switzerland. Tourist favorite. Admission. Amish Country. 35 minutes.
Horses and buggies are everywhere. Plan on allowing extra time for driving! Some locations offer buggy rides and/or guided tours of Amish Country. Viewing is free. Amish Country. 20 minutes.
Roadside stands and small shops peddle their wares of woven baskets, hand-stitched quilts, beautiful flowers, plants, and garden fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables along almost every country road. There’s nothing like a quart of sweet strawberries or a ripe, juicy peach on a warm summer’s day! Everywhere.
Picturesque Amish Farmlands offer glimpses into the past as teams of giant horses pull plows and hay is “shocked” by hand rather than baled by loud farm equipment. School children carry lunch pails to one-room schoolhouses where German/Pennsylvania Dutch is still the most common language spoken. Please refrain from taking any close photos of our Amish friends – their culture forbids it. Everywhere.
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CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL
Alpine Hills Museum and Tourist Information Center is a great first stop at the gateway to Amish Country off Route 39. The museum is fascinating, and the info you get here is priceless! Donation for Museum. Sugarcreek. 6 miles
J.E. Reeves Victorian Home and Carriage House and Museum – Elegant Victorian mansion and carriage house are stunning all year round, but particularly gorgeous during the Christmas Season. Admission. Dover. 10 minutes.
Schoenbrunn Village – Authentically restored village including the first school in Ohio brings the past to life with depictions of Native American and Colonial life. Museum is filled with one-of-a-kind artifacts. Admission. New Phila. 15 minutes.
Warther’s Museum and Gardens – See the breathtaking works of World’s Master Carver Ernest “Mooney” Warther, whose works are world-renowned. Intricate train carvings, including some from ebony and ivory, are the focus here. Lincoln’s Funeral Train is a perennial favorite. Train lovers are in for a double delight. The Button House and Frieda’s thousands of antique buttons arranged in quilt-like patterns is nestled among the beautiful Warther Gardens. Admission, but Gardens and Button House are free. Dover. 10 minutes.
Dreamsville, USA – The Dennison Depot Railroad Museum– Step back in time to the era of trains and fresh-faced G,I’s passing through “Dreamsville” on their way to and from the frontlines of WWII. The Depot was legendary for its gifts of homemade goodies and hot coffee for weary soldiers, as 1.5 million passed through the station. Great dining, too. Admission. Dennison. 20 minutes.
Gnadenhutten is the oldest existing settlement in Ohio, founded in 1772. Shady streets house small town Americana at its finest. Gnadenhutten. 20 minutes.
Historic Roscoe Village tours bring history to life. Visit our blacksmith and other shops for demonstrations of days gone by. Shops and dining are exemplary. Admission. Coshocton. 40 minutes.
Tour Auman’s TV and Radio Museum to see the best of the best of television and its predecessors from the roaring 20’s until 1950. The TV show memorabilia here and the walk down memory lane alone is well worth a visit! Auman himself is a walking encyclopedia of the time! Admission. Dover. 8 minutes.
Zoar Village – The Zoarite Separatists had a good thing going there for awhile. Commumal work, meals, living arrangements, childcare, everything. Then came capitalism, and the Community disbanded. Still, it was great while it lasted, and you can experience it firsthand in the Village. Don’t miss the fresh baked bread, or Christmas in Zoar. Zoar Lantern Tours are very popular! Admission. Zoar. 20 minutes.
Fort Laurens State Memorial was built in 1778, playing a critical role in the Revolutionary War. The Museum and grounds pay tribute. Admission. Bolivar. 20 minutes.
Clark Gable Foundation and Birthplace – Frankly, my dear, you will enjoy the lovingly restored birthplace of this heartbreakingly handsome leading man. Gift shop has “everything Gable!! Admission. Cadiz. 40 minutes.
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WINE AND CHEESE – WE’RE FAMOUS FOR IT!
Ask about Winery Tour availability when you call
The purple towers and glittering gold spires of Breitenbach Wine Cellars will make you think of nothing but grapes! Tour the wine-making process, taste award winning wines, and have a delicious lunch at Café Breitenbach while you’re here. May Fest and National Dandelion Cook-Off first weekend each May. Free. Dover. Close - 5 minutes, tops.
Broadrun Dairy Cheese Factory and Swiss Heritage Winery – The Marriage of Wine and Cheese. Broadrun’s cheeses are legendary. View the cheesemaking process that Hans Schindler perfected, and taste the wines and cheeses that are his legacy. Gift shop is five star! Free. Dover. Close - 5 minutes, tops!
Heini’s Gourmet Market – This contemporary shop in Sugarcreek offers the best of Taste of Ohio in all its forms: cheeses, chocolates, wines, sauces, pasta, baked goods…the list goes on. Browse to your heart’s delight, sample all the cheeses, and stop by the taste kitchen for delicious bites of the very best. While you’re here, enjoy a delicious and unique sandwich in the L&T Bistro. Sugarcreek. 10 minutes.
Heini’s Chalet – Cheese is big here. Really big. Sample the endless line of cheeses – choices! choices! choices! Charming gifts, ice creams, a multi-faceted stop. The history of cheese making in America is expressed through huge, detailed, and hand painted dioramas on the walls. Tours. Soak it in. Bunker Hill. 30 minutes
Perennial Vineyards offers wine tasting in a restored dairy barn from 1854. Navarre. 40 minutes.
Rainbow Hills Vineyards is family owned vineyard. Newcomerstow. 25 minutes.
Ravens Glen Winery Classy atmosphere, great dining with live piano in the background, and wine tastings. West Lafayette. 30 minutes.
Al-Bi Winery is small, but tantalizingly delicious! Friendly owners encourage you to taste before you buy…and you will definitely want to buy! 40 minutes.
Silver Moon Winery features wine by the glass, bottle, or case, and specializes in making your own! Personalized labels for that special occasion are a unique touch. Dover. 5 minutes.
Yaggi’s Cheesehouse - Although they no longer make their own cheeses on-site, Yaggi’s brings together the best of all the local cheese makers in one location, along with famous Trail Bologna and other culinary treats. As you walk down the covered brick pathway into the depths of the natural coolness of the sales room, you’ll feel you’re stepping back to a simpler time when the emphasis was on hearty, healthy local foods from local producers. Sales staff are always smiling! New Phila- close! 8 minutes
Pearl Valley Cheese – Award winning cheeses have consistently come from this family owned cheese house, founded by Swiss immigrant cheese makers. Huge “silos” holding thousands of pounds of farm fresh milk waiting to be made into cheeses are a sight to behold! Pearl. 40 minutes
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THE ARTS
We’re in the artistically rich foothills of Appalachia. And we’ve got the artisans, performers, and music to prove it! Plenty of bluegrass music to go around, and lots of pottery, baskets, wood craftsmanship, painting, sculpture, drawing, and textile arts studios and shops abound. Live indoor and outdoor theater, too. Let us know what you’re looking for, and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction!
A combination of history and live theater at Trumpet in the Land Amphitheater as they present the story of some of the first Ohio settlers. Live horses thundering down the hillside, rings of fire, Native American dancing and gunshots will keep you on the edge of your seats! Other dramas and entertainment on special nights throughout the summer. Admission. New Philadelphia. 15 minutes.
Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County – Five live theater shows per year, including a Christmas show! Broadway musicals, dramas, mysteries and more. $10 for adult tickets. New Phila. 10 minutes. www.thelittletheareonline.org
Tuscarawas County Center for the Arts – Art comes alive at gallery shows throughout the season, many of which are absolutely free! Special speakers and events year round. Donations Accepted. New Phila. 15 minutes.
Wendell August Forge – We weren’t sure whether to include this in shopping, historical places, or here, in the Arts section. Here it is. Intriguing historical forging process results in intricate works of art. True craftsmanship in action. Stunning items in the gift shop. Free. Amish Country. 40 minutes.
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SHOPPING GALORE
The Amish Indoor Flea Market – you’ve got to see it to believe it – countless vendors offering everything – under – the – sun! Parking fee. Berlin. 20 minutes.
Riverfront Antique Mall – the largest Antique Mall in Ohio – if it’s old, it’s here! New Phila. 10 minutes.
Walnut Creek Antiques – chock full of fascinating finds. Looking is free. Walnut Creek. 15 minutes
Sol’s is a mecca for seekers of the unique and/or handcrafted. Berlin. 20 minutes.
The Enchanted Garden offers everything fanciful. Just wandering through is an unforgettable experience. Sugarcreek. 10 minutes.
The Produce Auction is a colorful explosion of flowering plants, fruits, and vegetables. Buy big quantities or small. You won’t find fresher unless you pick it yourself. Mt. Hope. 40 minutes.
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OUTDOOR/SPORTS ADVENTURES
Golf, Golf, Golf – Golfers love it here! Choose your courses from many in the area.
The Norma Johnson Conservation Center offers a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. Regardless of the season, the Center’s gently curving hiking trails are a favorite with locals and visitors alike. Birdwatching, lots of wildlife, picnic shelter. Seasonal special programming offered. Free. Dover. Five minutes.
The Wilderness Center is well-known for its wide variety of programming, including guided hikes, star watches, storytelling, and live music. The Interpretive Building and Astronomy Education Center are always popular stops for all ages. Free. Fees for programs. Wilmot. 40 minutes
Waterworks Skate Park – Skateboard and biking enthusiasts love to hone their skills at this community skate park. BYOB – Bring Your Own Board! Free. New Phila 10 minutes
Holmes County Trail – 12 mile trail from Millersburg to Fredericksburg. Bikers, runners, walkers, roller-bladers and those in wheelchairs can enjoy the one lane of the trail that is paved, while the other lane is suitable for horse drawn vehicles and horseback riding.
Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail offers 60 miles of finished trail so far. Hike your heart out!
Midvale Speedway for those with the need for speed. Summer car races! 25 minutes.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame – If you’re a sports fan, this shrine of the gridiron greats is a gotta-see-it stop on your itinerary. Each July, the streets are packed for the annual Hall of Fame Parade and everyone’s craning their neck to see all the visiting celebrities and inductees. Lodging gets scarce, so book early! Admission. Canton. 35 minutes, depending on traffic.
Baylor Beach Park is a great place for family fun in the sun. Extremely well-maintained and monitored clear small lake with beach, log roll, slides, and more. Concession stand, picnic tables and shelters, and camping. Admission. Beach City. 40 minutes
Tour Amish farms and two different domestic and wild animal drive-it tours-available nearby for the animal lovers in your family. Amish Country. 20 to 40 minutes.
NTR Canoe Livery makes it possible for you to enjoy those lazy, hazy, crazy days of endless summer paddling in a canoe or floating in an inner tube down the Tuscarawas River. Different trips available, camping and fishing, too. Bolivar. 30 minutes
Wolf Timbers Wildlife Sanctuary - May through October, get a rare look at these magnificent creatures of the woodlands – wolves. Limited hours. Baltic area. 25minutes.
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THE MOST AMAZING FOODS ON EARTH
Amish Country cooking choices in the area are too numerous to mention. This hearty cooking style guarantees you’ll go away satisfied and wanting the time-honored recipes! Everywhere. 10 – 45 minutes
A mouth-watering dinner awaits you at Uncle Primo’s - the best Italian food this side of the Atlantic! Even the salad will have you raving. Reservations recommended. New Phila. 10 minutes
Check out Big Jim’s Burgers and More for All-American favorites like heavenly fries loaded with cheese and/or chili (yum!) in a 50’s style atmosphere. Check out the Ice Cream Parlor for mouth-watering goodness! Say hi to Big Jim in person while you’re there- he’s always behind the grill. Generous servings, small prices. New Phila. 10 minutes
Daily Grind Coffee Shop offers a huge array of coffees and teas, gourmet sandwiches, daily specials, and live acoustical music on special weekend nights, all served up in an eclectic, 'loft-feel' atmosphere. Lots of tables, cozy couches, and high speed Internet connections at no cost. Decor also features authentic furnishings and appliances from the 50-s and 60's eras when the old hometown favorite Aberth's Bakery was here and was the hub of the downtown community- fascinating to explore! Say hi to owners Tammy and Eric, who provide old-fashioned service and live above their shop! New Phila. 10 minutes
The Good House in Ragersville offers fine dining in a small town setting. Restaurant and bar. Ragersville. 10 minutes.
Experience culinary heaven at Rebecca’s in Walnut Creek for lunch. Unbelievably delicious. Rebecca is definitely our favorite cook! Satisfaction Guaranteed. (And she sells a cookbook full of her best recipes, too!) Don’t forget the cheesecake! Walnut Creek. 15 minutes.
Have a slice the unbelievable selection of homemade Amish pies at Boyd and Wurthmann’s old-fashioned diner at old-fashioned prices. Berlin. 20 minutes, depending on buggy traffic.
Hot Rod City takes you back to yesteryear with their 1950’s themed décor including a REAL classic car INSIDE the restaurant! A huge collection of memorabilia line the walls of this spacious eatery – you’ll feed your eyes as well as your stomach! Old fashioned phosphates and ice cream sundaes available, too! New Phila. 5 minutes at most!
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