30 Reasons to Love Ohio Right Now

There is so much to love about life in Ohio, so as the calendar changes to the new year we look back at some of the new discoveries we uncovered during the past 12 months as well as some of our collective feel-good moments and attractions on the near horizon that we are excited to see come to fruition.

From director James Gunn bringing camera crews to Cleveland last summer to film his new ”Superman” movie in the city where the hero’s creators envisioned their Man of Steel to Ohio History Connection becoming the leaseholder for the Octagon Earthworks in Newark, this year was filled with moments that reflect the history and culture of the place we call home. 

It also brought a bunch of new travel-worthy experiences that you should make part of your plans as you begin charting out your 2025 road trips. From the new factory tour at Wilson’s Ada, Ohio, plant where every NFL football is made and the unveiling of Cincinnati Zoo’s Elephant Trek to restaurateur Cameron Mitchell’s new steakhouse concept Butcher & Rose and Homestead Furniture’s elegant yurt that allows you to experience the company’s handcrafted artistry in a new way, our list is packed with experiences you’ll want to learn more about.

Cowtherine’s Carousel Opens at Young’s Jersey Dairy 
Known for homemade ice cream and multi-generation experiences ranging from mini golf to hand-feeding goats, Young’s Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs prides itself on family fun. Now the dairy is putting a new spin on that idea with Cowtherine’s Carousel, a year-round, indoor merry-go-round that’s barnyard themed and named after one of Young’s bovine mascots. In addition to a pig, goat, rooster and six Jersey cows, the custom-made carousel features 21 horses whose yummy colors represent ice cream flavors. The cotton candy horse is blue; the mint chocolate chip horse is green with brown dots; and the banana split horse has a saddle that resembles whipped cream with a cherry on top. youngsdairy.com 

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Wilson’s Sporting Goods Unveils its Football Factory Tour: For more than 70 years, a tiny Ohio town has made every NFL football. Now you can experience Wilson Sporting Goods’ new football factory tour.

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Bite This By Annie Brings Heavy Metal Deliciousness to Columbus

In the span of a couple years, Bite This By Annie went from a beloved market pop-up to an established bakery in Columbus’ Clintonville neighborhood. Whereas other bakeries might conjure up images of bright colors and cutesy decor, Bite This is painted black with a 12-foot skeleton guarding the front door. 

“You’re used to seeing bakeries covered in bubble gum pink,” owner Annie Dickson says. “But Bite This is the opposite of that, with spiderwebs in the corner and heavy metal blaring. … I don’t look like Betty Crocker, and I curse like a sailor.”

The bakery’s tagline is “quizzically creative and carefully curated,” which Dickson says means taking classic, warm-your-belly comfort foods and giving them interesting twists. 

“Like your childhood comfort foods if Tim Burton or Willy Wonka made them,” she adds. 

Dickson’s menu is heavy with what she calls “high fat, heavy gluten” goodies, like brownies, cookies, cakes and spicy snack mix called Pub Grub. The menu rotates monthly, but Dickson always recommends her bagel bombs. 

“They’re the number one thing that put us on the map,” she says. “It’s a grown-up, gourmet hot pocket. Everything’s shoved inside a nice homemade bagel.” 

She also suggests her OG brownie: “It is no frills, no fuss — just a rich and fudgy, buttery, made-from-scratch brownie sprinkled with Maldon salt.” 3009 N. High St., Columbus 43202, bitethisbyannie.com

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James Gunn’s New ”Superman” Movie Films in Cleveland and Cincinnati
For a movie called “Superman,” filming in the city where teenagers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster dreamt up the idea of a man of steel who could conquer a tall building in a single leap makes sense. James Gunn’s eagerly anticipated Superman movie filmed in Cleveland during summer 2024, leading the director to pen a gushing letter to locals after work there wrapped. Gunn and his crew then headed to Cincinnati, where the production filmed at the Union Terminal, a former train station turned museum that was the visual inspiration for the headquarters of Superman and his fellow superheroes in the 1970s Hanna-Barbera cartoon series “Super Friends.” “Superman” is set for a July 11, 2025, release.

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White House Fruit Farm is Launching a Tulip Festival in 2025
White House Fruit Farm is justifiably famous in the Youngstown area for offering pick-your-own strawberries, blueberries, flowers and apples every summer and fall. In 2025, it’s debuting yet another homegrown experience — a Tulip Festival — that features 225,000 bulbs blossoming in a 3.5-acre field next to the family-owned farm’s popular market. The ticketed event will not only treat customers to a riot of springtime color but also allow them to pick gorgeous bouquets to take home. The festival is expected to begin in April, but since the exact day depends on the weather, be sure to check White House Fruit Farm’s website and social media accounts for updates. whitehousefruitfarm.com

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Harry and Linda Fath Elephant Trek Opens as Cincinnati Zoo’s Largest-Ever Attraction: The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden unveiled its new, more comfortable home for the eight elephants that reside there in 2024. 

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Maumee Bay State Park Unveils Bird Nest Observation Tower

After tornado winds destroyed part of Maumee Bay State Park’s boardwalk in May 2024, the park rebuilt it better than ever, including the addition of the Bird Nest Observation Tower, with its panoramic views of Lake Erie and the surrounding marshes.

“On a clear day, you can see Toledo Harbor Lighthouse from the observation tower,” says naturalist Devon Donnelly.

The tower also offers the unique opportunity to step inside a human-size eagle’s nest. Park visitors ascend a ramp to the lower deck and then take a spiral staircase to the upper portion, where bird-watchers can take in views of the nearby wetland.

“There, you can see an osprey platform and a bald eagle’s nest,” Donnelly says. 

Repairs also included 2 miles of newly constructed boardwalk. Composite decking replaced decades-old wooden planks, making the boardwalk wider, allowing access for more visitors and increased accessibility for wheelchairs. Wildlife frequently seen from the boardwalk includes birds, muskrats, deer and multiple species of turtles and frogs.

To access the tower and boardwalk, start at Maumee Bay State Park’s newly renovated Trautman Nature Center, which has a lighthouse-themed children’s play area and a native Ohio species animal room. 1400 State Park Rd., Oregon 43616, 419/836-9117, ohiodnr.gov

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Sweeney’s Walnut Street Tavern Opens in Columbus
If you ask around, many folks point to Jim Sweeney as the unofficial mayor of Franklinton, the burgeoning neighborhood just over the river from downtown Columbus. Sweeney spent 14 years as the executive director of the Franklinton Development Association, with a special vision to transform Walnut Street in the arts district into a row of restaurants, bars and music venues. His first step: turning his old home into a new neighborhood dive bar. In summer 2024, he opened Sweeney’s Walnut Street Tavern, a cozy watering hole that serves beer and cocktails, hosts live music and welcomes guests to its front and rear patio spaces. sweeneystavern.com

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Butcher & Rose Reimagines the Steakhouse Experience: Restaurateur Cameron Mitchell’s gorgeous new steakhouse features a dining room filled with works by female artists and beautiful floral touches.

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Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s Coming to Huber Heights
Step aside, Buckeye Chuck! There’s a new oversized rodent in town, and he’s the face of a roadside empire. On Aug. 8, 2024, a groundbreaking along Interstate 70 in Huber Heights marked the start of Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s. What’s the big deal? Guess you haven’t been to Buc-ee’s before. Travelers can browse aisles and aisles of products, from inflatable kayaks and personalized leather hats to portable fire pits and giant car air fresheners shaped like beavers, as well as thousands of snack and drink options, including slow-cooked barbecue brisket sandwiches, fresh-made fudge, savory and sweet kolaches, exotic jerkies and so much more. The new 74,000-square-foot Buc-ee’s will also have 100 fueling positions and 24 EV charging stations, while bringing 200 new full-time jobs to the area. buc-ees.com

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Explorer Rest & Recreation Brings Roadside-Retro Motel in Sandusky
Bright colors, bunk beds and pet-friendly accommodations arrive in the roadside-retro form of Explorer Rest & Recreation. The 1960s-inspired boutique motel in Sandusky is located near the Cedar Point Sports Center and ideal for families with its 25 rooms, some with suites. Local owners Lisa and Justin Brady opened the place in May 2024 after restoring the property with upscale, campy decor and refreshing its outdoor spaces. Their inspiration was to create a national park-like feel after a day at the nearby Cedar Point parks. Exterior entrances provide privacy, and guests can relax by the firepit with local bites from the on-site Berardi’s food truck. 2227 Cleveland Rd. W., Sandusky 44870, 419/718-0324, explorerlodge.com

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First City Records Offers Classic Vinyl Finds in Marietta

A stained-glass sign above the door says Stanley & Grass Co., but 166 Front St.’s current resident is First City Records, a shop run by Aaron Whited, who has been collecting vinyl since he was 16 years old. Whited spent his teenage years scouring secondhand stores for what he calls the “holy grail records,” such as first pressings of Bob Dylan and Miles Davis albums. 

The shop is a passion for Whited, who lives across the Ohio River in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Opened in October 2023 and named for Marietta’s distinction as the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory, the shop marked a fresh business start for Whited, who previously owned Monsters Horde, which sold vinyl and vintage toys. 

Many of the records at First City are ones Whited bought from locals or purchased secondhand, although the shop also stocks new albums as well. That means vinyl collectors old and new are likely to find something to spin on their turntable.  

“We have been extremely lucky to unearth dozens of amazing collections right in our Mid-Ohio Valley,” Whited says. “It’s a great feeling … kind of bringing back to life these collections that used to mean so much to people.” 166 Front St., Marietta 45750, 740/434-5001, firstcityrecordstore.com

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Ohioans Win Big at the 2024 Olympics
From LeBron James’ dramatic George-Washington-crossing-the-Delaware entrance at the front of Team USA or Dover native Hunter Armstrong’s swim to gold in the Men’s 4X100-meter Freestyle Relay, Ohioans won big at the 2024 Olympics. In all, 12 athletes who live at least part-time in the Buckeye State earned at least one medal in Paris. NBA superstar James hit gold with Team USA, while Lee Kiefer of Cleveland earned two golds for individual and team foil fencing, and Rose Lavelle of Cincinnati claimed gold in soccer. Silver-medal winners included Armstrong (4x100-meter Medley Relay Swimming), Katie Moon (Women’s Pole Vault), Annette Echikunwoke (Women’s Hammer Throw), Joe Kovacs (Men’s Shot Put) and Carson Foster (Men’s 4x200-meter Freestyle Relay Swimming). Foster also won a bronze medal (Men’s 400-meter Individual Medley Swimming) as did Max Holt (Men’s Volleyball). Ohio sent six athletes to the Paralympics in Paris, with Grace Norman (gold in Women’s Paratriathlon), Brittni Mason (silver in Women’s 100- and 200-meter Dash) and Blake Haxton (bronze in Men’s 200-meter Canoe Sprint) medaling.

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YYTime Serves Up Chinese Street Food in Cleveland’s AsiaTown

Sheng Long Yu wanted a new space for his Dagu Rice Noodle restaurant and found it in a 10,000-square-foot former tire shop. In March 2024, after nearly two years of work, the building opened as YYTime, a street-food-focused establishment in Cleveland’s AsiaTown neighborhood.

The restaurant’s interior features a modern aesthetic, blonde wood accented by splashes of red and gold. After being seated, diners are treated to a massive menu of Asian cuisine inspired by offerings found at night markets throughout all of China’s major cities.

“YYTime is friendship and getting together,” Yu says. “We want to give a place where [there is] choice. Nowadays, everybody has different taste palates. … Whether it’s adults or kids, somebody going out for a date or a huge group of friends, we want to make sure we have something for everybody.”

Choose from dozens of options, including bubble tea, fried dumplings, bang bang chicken and Dagu Rice Noodle’s signature rice noodle soups. The soup is delivered at 300 degrees in elevated bowls for easy consumption. Just add your toppings and noodles to the broth, stir and enjoy. 

“I am sure that people want to have those experiences outside of watching TikTok or Instagram,” Yu adds. “… Instead of traveling across the world to get to these cities, we’re in your backyard.” 3004 Payne Ave., Cleveland 44114, 216/291-7533, yytimecle.com

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Pfarr Farms Scottish Highlands Welcomes Visitors: Make a Hocking Hills side quest to this farm in Laurelville to visit with its lovable herd of long-haired Scottish Highland cattle.

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Octagon Earthworks in Newark Opens to the Public
On Jan. 1, 2025, the Octagon Earthworks in Newark opens to the public, welcoming visitors to explore the 100-acre site’s mounds built by Native Americans of the Hopewell culture over 2,000 years ago. Ohio History Connection obtained the leasehold for the property, which was previously the home of Moundbuilders Country Club, and plans to remove fairways, greens, tee boxes and sand traps and return the site to a more natural state. Spaces for walking and picnicking will also be included, while respecting the areas where the mounds are located. The former clubhouse will be converted into a visitors center with programming and guided tours that help provide deeper insights into Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, a collection of eight sites that were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. hopewellearthworks.org

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Board and Bevy Brings Tabletop and Board-Game Lounge in Kent
Get your head in the game at Board and Bevy, a tabletop and board-game lounge in downtown Kent. The destination, which opened in spring 2024 and is nestled in a cozy brick building, offers a curated selection of over 300 games, plus specialty cocktails, mead, craft sodas and kombucha in addition to a hearty list of appetizers such as chicken fritters and tortilla chips and dip. Step inside, pick a table, talk with the game master for suggestions and place your food and drink order. A $5 table fee per person covers an evening of unlimited play. 141 E. Summit St., Kent 44240, boardandbevy.com

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Culture Amps up Comfort-Food Classics in Dayton’s Oregon District 

Chef Dane Shipp makes meatloaf interesting. His take on the classic puts pan-seared meatloaf on a bed of Boursin mashed potatoes and green beans and tops it with candied bacon to make the traditionally soft dish a textured delight.  

After 15 years of working in restaurants and weekly downtown pop-up events, Shipp opened Culture in Dayton’s Oregon District. Culture’s menu rotates frequently, changing every three months, but it’s centered on amping up comfort food favorites. 

“We are creative minds,” Shipp says. “We offer food that is just very different than what you see every day.”  

With a menu spanning more than a dozen main items, diners can opt for dishes like house-made wonton nachos served with bulgogi ribeye, gochujang cheese sauce and Asian pear slaw topped with sesame seeds, scallions and sweet chili mayo. 

Another favorite is the birria grilled cheese. Shipp presents the traditional Mexican dish of stewed meat on toasted challah bread with mozzarella cheese, cilantro and onions —  all of it waiting patiently to be dipped into a rich consommé.

“I think most restaurants stick to a profile of food that they make, and we don’t do that,” Shipp says. “We’re not just French. We’re not just American. We’re not just Mexican. We do dishes from all over the world.” 416 E. Fifth St., Dayton 45402, 937/333-2489, instagram.com/culturedyt

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Le Petit Chevalier Unveils Its Winery Cottage: Those looking for a beautiful vineyard escape among rolling hills of rural southeast Ohio will find it in Creola at Le Petit Chevalier’s Winery Cottage.

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Blacklick Woods Metro Park Canopy Walk Opens to Visitors

Less than 3 miles from I-70 is not the place one expects to find tranquility in nature, but a climb up 99 steps at Blacklick Woods Metro Park in Reynoldsburg unlocks an unexpected place of adventure and exploration. 

Established in 1948, Blacklick Woods was the first of the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. In May 2024, the Blacklick Woods Metro Park Canopy Walk opened to visitors. This 654-foot-long boardwalk loop through the treetops has optimal views, as well as rope bridges and a hammock swing. This treetop attraction is also ADA accessible, thanks to an elevator that can lift wheelchairs to the top. 

Visiting birders can get a closer look at the winged creatures that call the 690-acre park home, while a  two-story play fort with a rope tunnel and a firepole provides a place where the little ones will want to stay awhile.  

“It feels like you’re a world away,” says Jess McClintock, park manager for Blacklick Woods. “When you’re caught up in the trees, it really draws your attention away from all the development around [and] gives people a place to escape.” 6975 E. Livingston Ave., Reynoldsburg 43068, 614/861-8759, metroparks.net

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Toledo Pickle Ready for 2025 Opening
Call it the riverside spot that pickleball built. Sure, Toledo Pickle promises to serve as the Glass City’s hub for the nation’s fastest-growing sport, but it’s going to be so much more. Along with indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, Toledo Pickle has an on-site restaurant and a bar serving up local brews and spirits, as well as a rock-climbing wall, cornhole, ping pong, shuffleboard and arcade games. An opening is set for Jan. 22, but the return of warmer weather will showcase the full potential of this destination along Toledo’s Glass City Riverwalk. 1030 Water St., Toledo 43604, toledopickle.com

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Kirkja Born at Toledo Zoo
In February 2024, the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium welcomed a 280-pound bundle of joy. The female African elephant was born to the zoo’s 43-year-old elephant Renee after being conceived via artificial insemination. Following a contest, the baby elephant was named Kirk because the animal was believed to be male. After discovering it was female, Kirk became Kirkja. Those who want to watch Kirkja grow up will have an opportunity to do so. Zoo officials said that female elephants instinctively stay with their herds much longer than male elephants, and she is expected to reside at the zoo for years to come. 

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Homestead Furniture Welcomes Travelers to its Elegant Yurt: This getaway spot in Holmes County provides a new way to experience Homestead Furniture’s legendary craftsmanship.

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The Elk’s Eye Art Market Celebrates Regional Makers in Zanesville
Carol Bridwell has been a weaver since 1984, creating professionally before turning her work toward making gifts and goods for family. Bridwell, along with her daughters Alicia and Stephanie, embraced her love for handmade items by opening The Elk’s Eye Art Market in downtown Zanesville in August 2023. Housed in the former Elks Lodge, the three-story, 1912 building features an art market on the first level that sells creations by local makers from Muskingum, Coshocton and Noble counties. At any given time, there are works by 25 to 30 makers in the space that include pottery, paintings, jewelry, woodworks, duck decoys, woven creations and more. 22 S. Fourth St., Zanesville 43701, facebook.com/elkseyeendeavors

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Caitlin Clark Shines at NCAA Women's Final Four in Cleveland
Caitlin Clark walks out of the tunnel behind the scenes at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, focused, undisturbed, eyes fixed on the task at hand. The Cleveland Magazine Instagram video lasts just 11 seconds, but its popularity shows the heights that women’s college basketball hit in 2024. The University of Iowa’s April appearance at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Cleveland was not just a coronation for Clark, who had become a record-breaking juggernaut during her senior year, but also the women’s college game. Recall who won the men’s NCAA tournament in 2024? Yeah, we don’t know either, but we do remember being glued to the games as Clark and her squad beat the University of Connecticut on April 5, 2024, before falling to the University of South Carolina two days later. 

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You Can Step Back in Time at the Millbury Classic Cars and Trucks Museum: See replicas of iconic vehicles from popular culture and a vast collection of classic cars from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s at this Wood County destination.  

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Riverbend Hotel Opens in Ashtabula

Ashtabula’s historic harbor has become a draw for travelers, yet the city hasn’t seen a new hotel in over 100 years. That changed in summer 2024 as the Riverbend Hotel opened its doors on the west bank of the Ashtabula  River, just across from the city’s famous lift bridge. 

The Riverbend Hotel boasts 43 rooms and suites and an atmosphere that embraces the Lake Erie shore city’s industrial and maritime heritage through its thoughtful stylings.

“We were very purposeful with the design,” says Todd Canter, the hotel’s founder. “From the color of the brick to the arched windows in the lobby to the black steel frames around the windows throughout the hotel, we sought to capture the history and the feel of Historic Ashtabula Harbor.”

Custom carpeting depicts the history of coal transportation in Ashtabula, while each piece of artwork was carefully selected to evoke the city’s past. Even the hotel’s name reflects the curves of the Ashtabula River as it winds toward the lake. The hotel offers a chance to take in this stunning view of the river from the Lift Bar, located on the roof, where guests can enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the morning or unwind with appetizers and cocktails in the evening. 553 Goodwill Dr., Ashtabula 44004, 440/552-8500, theriverbendhotel.com

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Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers Monument Completes Restoration: The National Park Service site in Wilberforce, which shares the story of an inspiring and groundbreaking man, is now open after a two-year restoration.

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Peninsula Coffee House and Market Sets Up Shop Near Cuyahoga Valley National Park 

Deb Anzelc drives from Medina to Stow on her daily commute, passing through the Summit County town of Peninsula on her way to her office. One thing was always clear to her during her winter drives through the tiny village that is surrounded by Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 

“People in Peninsula are hearty people,” Anzelc says. “I would be on my way to work, and it’s freezing cold in the dead of winter. Hikers or runners are meeting in Peninsula and waiting on the side of the street. … I thought, ‘These guys could come into a coffee shop and wait there for their group to show up.’”

She and her husband, Mark, made that thought into a reality in November 2023, when they established Peninsula Coffee House and Market, along with the co-located Peninsula Wine Cellar. The gathering place is situated in a historic building that began as a bank in 1911. The Anzelcs renovated the space with five sections in mind: a barista counter, social room, deck, patio and wine cellar. 

In the room where customers order coffee, espresso drinks, local bakery items and breakfast sandwiches, the couple has also set up a grab-and-go-style market stocked with essentials such as bug spray, sunscreen and rain ponchos for national park visitors. 1653 Main St., Peninsula 44264, 330/242-2661, peninsulacoffeehouse.com

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OneLove Cafe & Bike Shop Blends Coffee Culture and Cycling: Located just off the T.J. Evans Trail, this Granville spot offers Turkish teas and coffees, bike rentals and repair help.

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