While out walking, we found the neatest studio that's mission is very close to my heart. I LOVE…read moreLOVE LOVE everything these guys stand for and work towards. Passion Works Studio is an inclusive studio where artists with disabilities collaborate with disabled and non-disabled adults to create art. Their belief that art enhances the quality of life and strengthens communities is one I truly believe in and the fact that they work with disabled adults is so close to my heart as my brother is a disabled adult. Whether you live in Athens or not, you have the ability to purchase their official Painted Passion Flower (which is the official flower of Athens). It's made from recycled aluminum printing plates from the local newspaper and the hand-painted by artists of the studio. They are each as unique as the artist and they are truly beautiful. If you're looking for a special holiday gift, check out their website to make a purchase. I know you'll be as blown away as me!

Passion Works Studio is an incredible place where art meets and connects with the local community -…read moreshowcasing the amazing talents of the many artists who create there. Its well worth the visit while in Athens Ohio and or to visit them online throughout the year to purchase gifts or to add pieces to your private collection. INCREDIBLE PLACE - INCREDIBLE ART!!! Also, sponsorships and contributions are always welcome to help with supplies and to advance the many works of art which are inspired there. I just purchased a beautiful VERY LARGE 55 x 77 piece that will fill an entire wall in my studio. Having it shipped to me once the show in March ends -- or if I can work it into my schedule, perhaps driving up and speaking with the artists who created it.

The Athena Cinema is the 100+ year old place for movies in Athens and surrounding area. Now owned…read moreby Ohio University, it operates three screens and focuses on films that go far beyond the box office franchises to a more inclusive and artistic grounding. It features series on sustainability, on Appalachia, on mental health and the annual International Film Festival. It is also where you go to see the animated shorts or international films nominated for an Oscar. They offer the usual suspects of popcorn, soda, and candy but also local beers. It is also a great source of jobs for college students who often seem like they've won the lottery with that extra job to pay the bills. With the shuttering of Athena Grand on East State Street, the more typical multi-screen place for blockbusters, the Athena is carrying a bigger load for those who do not want to head up State Rt 33 to the fun house atmosphere available on the edge of Nelsonville.

This is such an adorable movie theater. I'm grateful for theaters like this. Highly recommend! The…read morepeople that work here are kind and friendly as well. So remember if you're in Athens Ohio and want to go to a movie, go to this theater. Not to be confused with Athena Grand,also in town, a movie theater i most definitely would NOT recommend.

Cute little place with a tiny village and for kids to let their imagination take over. Love all the…read morelittle stations. My son's favorite is the water table, which comes to no surprise. The staff have always been friendly and polite each time we have visited.

This place is so cute! I would say the target age would be ages 6 months to 6 years. We went there…read morewith a class field trip, and my five year old loved it. Also, the staff are so friendly and the place is very clean. There are so many dramatic play options such as a doctor's office, a stage, camping center, store, etc. They have a wonderful water play table and allow kids to really play and use their imagination. Kiddos are even able to build within the water. There is a corn digging center that kids can get in and play. For kids that need that tactile sensory input, this is a hit. There are many stem activities happening around the museum as well. Our kids spent a couple hours at this place and really enjoyed themselves. I'm not sure of prices, as we were with a group, but their website had prices and hours. Hopefully you have as much fun as did!

I found the pictures of the Liquid Light cabin beautiful (looked them up on Airbnb as well as the…read morewebsite). I loved the idea of being able to hike around Hocking Hills without having to get in the car. Plus we wouldn't have to compete for solace in nature as the cabin sits on a good number of acres and is adjacent to the state forest. With it being a holiday weekend this access to hiking was a huge driver in our choosing to rent this cabin. I was sold and we rented the cabin from Marco for Easter weekend this year. Four of us stayed in the cabin and our dog Dudley was in tow as well. This cabin was beyond perfect. Was it the newest and most up to date cabin I have stayed in? No, but that was no bother. Did we have to walk down a relatively steep hill to get to the cabin from the parking area? Sure but that was no bother for us. The hospitality we received from Marco was wonderful. It was beyond welcoming and made us feel at ease. For example, there were bowls out for our dog for food and water. She had even placed out a dog towel- which was perfect as Dudley loved the creek that backed up to the cabin. Don't fret, there were plenty of towels for people too! There were welcome notes on the house doors as we arrived. On the table in the kitchen were these beautiful flowers that had been placed out for our enjoyment. It's like she knew that the weekend was a special one for us. The attention to detail on Marco's part was much appreciated. There were little notes scattered throughout that helped answer questions that you might have. Plenty of potable water provided for us, as the water in the house was cistern supplied. We had a chance to talk to Marco a few times during our visit and she is clearly a compassionate, caring, and thoughtful person. As another review mentioned, the line in the house is part of the main line, so it might ring on occasion. It only rang twice in the couple days and two nights that we were there. It was not a bother to us but rather more comforting as it did mean that we had a way to contact someone if we needed help. Don't expect to get cell service out there. :) Oh yeah, and there's no internet connection but hey, can't we all use a few unplugged days? All in all, we were not disappointed with the cabin nor the beauty we found surrounding it. It's an amazing place to take a break from the world. We will definitely the Liquid Light cabin from Marco again.

I stayed at the studio/suite this past weekend. The host was kind and easy to work with, even…read morethough we arrived ~midnight on Friday night. The suite is all tile floor which was cold but the place was clean. It was a little chilly and we could not figure out how to turn the heat on, but we did not ask. The bathroom was nice. Shower would cycle through hot water and warm water for the showers, which we didn't mind. There is a fridge and a microwave and dishes to use if need be. As the previous review mentioned, there is a shared sliding glass door with the owner's glass art gallery. Her studio was not open to the public or in use at the time of our stay. The phone was also shared and did ring a few times. We did not attempt to use any wifi during our stay. The location has no verizon signal, probably not any cell signal so if you need wifi I'd ask prior to booking. The bed has a topper that I thought was very comfortable, the bed was cute but a little crickety. I did not notice any sulfur smell as the previous review indicated. The place was nothing fancy, but we didn't mind it for the weekend since we spent a lot of time out doing activities. Located close to the region's state parks, down a hilly windy country road. The night sky was amazing. We chose to take one of the host's glass bead making classes. Which we thoroughly enjoyed. She was an awesome teacher/coach. I believe she gave us a discount on the class since we were guests.

Came here on a weekday to celebrate my husband's birthday. The roads were winding on the way so I…read moredid get a little motion sick. Off the main road was a sign that let us know we were in the right place. There was plenty of parking next to their big barn. We were told to check in at the office and then go back to the stables. We were offered helmets if we wanted but it was not a requirement. I opted to wear one while my husband did not. We were part of a group with 4 other people. Our lead was very nice and funny, and she quickly gave instructions. She had us sit on the horses and she adjusted our feet into the stirrups. My horse snacked a lot and it was difficult to move them away from various plants. However, overall all of the horses were well behaved and listened. We did the trail that was 2 hours. I've ridden horses before, but 2 hours was a lot. If you are not experienced or used to sitting in a horse I would suggest the 1 hour trail ride. We saw a cool tunnel but we essentially went through it and then turned around and went back. We had a good time and my husband loved it. I would just be warned on which trail ride you use based on your experience

Great trail ride!! Our guide, Connor was so nice and patient with our group. My horse, Pepper,…read morewas the best mannered horse I have ever rode. I look forward to riding again.

FINALLY! I've known about the Pawpaw Fest for several years, and always managed to miss the…read moreweekend. This year, I made sure to mark it on my calendar and check it out. NOTE: single-day tickets are a bit on the higher side - $20, but a healthy portion of the proceeds goods toward the preservation of pawpaws in Ohio which is always a win-win situation. Tee shirt feen, right here! You bet I picked up a shirt (or two)! Love the cool design logo for this year's festival. Integrated Acres is a huge pawpaw farm in Athens, so I'm glad I went this year, got to taste the fruit - a cross between mango and banana. Got a big 'ol pouch of frozen pawpaw pulp to enjoy through the cold winter months - it's good to dream of tropical climates, folks! Oh, and Snoweville Creamery was at the fest selling their vanilla ice cream with pawpaw pulp on top, and let me tell you, mmmm mmm mmmmmmm!!

Just a small hop and skip from Athens sits Lake Snowden. A small lake, but notoriously known for…read moreone major event that pops up every September, Paw-paw fest! I've been going for years... mostly to stock up on paw-paw fruits. What's a paw-paw? It's Ohio's native fruit. It's actually one of the few fruits that grow in our part of North America. The fruits have particular growing environments that they need to thrive.... particularly, wet, ravine areas with shade, but still some sun. Perfect conditions for those who live in Hocking county & south.... in the north? Not so much, although some have been spotted in Clintonville area. The fruits range per the region they are cultivated, but Ohio's is typically a green avocado shaped fruit, which tastes like a mix between a very rip banana meets mango. They are related to the papaya family.... I believe. So, the festival itself is like something straight from a Mother Earth News magazine. Lots of workshops & presentations on permaculture, horticulture & pawpaws. Pretty informative stuff, if you're looking to learn. Across the grounds is a stage with locals stringing up some music. On one side of the festival you have crafters/artisans selling prints of their pawpaw masterpieces, ceramics, jewelry, glass, lawn ornaments, etc. On another side you have food vendors dishing up just regular food truck fare, and if you're lucky, some of them have paw-paw items to purchase. in between, you have vendors selling Ohio native plants, including paw-paw tree saplings and much more. Note**There are shuttles that run here, as once parking fills up in the main area, you're forced to shuttle. If you drive just a few hundred yards up the road, across from a gas station will be a large lot to park, and shuttle buses stop frequently. Going here is just easy going. Everyone's pretty laid back in true Athens county fashion. It's really easy to just sit back and get absorbed into all of it, and not to mention, Paw-paws are a delicious treat that Ohio gets to experience for a minuscule period of time. Worth a stop for all you hippie-earth-ohio-loving people.

This is a Hocking Hills hidden gem!…read more Butterfly Ridge is a must-see for everyone who loves butterflies, moths, nature and conservation. It's hard to describe Butterfly Ridge precisely, but I would say that it's kind of like a nature preserve that focuses on butterfly preservation, with outdoor activities for families, and a little gift shop/museum. After you check in, you're free to roam around the grounds and explore the 21-acre garden. There's a nature play area for kids, as well as a tree house where you can see the grounds from up high. Guided tours are available with the people who own Butterfly Ridge. They are super knowledgable about butterflies and moths, and love to talk about them. We really learned a lot about butterflies as we walked around the property, and our tour guides pointed out and identified the butterflies that we saw. Butterfly Ridge also offers a unique nighttime experience, The Mothing Zone, where visitors can view hundreds of moths and glow-in-the-dark caterpillars that you can only see at night! This nature preserve is closed during the winter, but if you're in Hocking Hills during the spring, summer and early fall months, this is a must-visit.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff. The Wetlands was my favorite part with unique plants. Saw most…read moreof the butterflies in the common area.

Feeding the animals!…read more Had a fun time at Fox's High Rock Farm petting zoo! There is an entrance fee and you can purchase food in ice cream cones and feed the animals. The goat and alpacas loved the food while the donkeys went wild for the ice cream cones! Once you finish feeding them outside the gates, you can enter the open field and pet and brush the goats, sheep, and hog. There were so many baby goats. I wish we had more sheep to see as well! The horses were also neat to see and they were so gentle and the alpaca were adorable! I'm glad we spontaneously stopped by on our way back from hocking hills!

We came here for the petting zoo. It is $6 each and $5 more if you want to feed the animals. I…read moreopted for the $6 each ticket. We saw tons of goats, highland cows, donkeys and alpacas. Very cute farm, not too big. You can go into the goat area and pet them with brushes.