We recently visited for the first time over the Memorial Day weekend and were pleasantly surprised…read more We only hiked the Cascade Trail so that is what my review will be on. The park website and things online are very confusing. One site says, permit not required and another say one isn't. The sign at the park also says permit required, but there is no where to purchase one in person or online. We took the chance and parked without one. I did see a worker driving around and he didn't seem to be checking cars. The map seems okay for general navigating and there is signage around. The trails are marked okay I think. There could be some improvement, but the Cascade Trail is a big loop so it isn't a huge deal. The trail was well maintained. A little overgrown in places, but nothing terrible. It's also really flat except for the end of the trail where you need to walk up a big hill to get back to where we parked. My kids did fine with the trial the whole time though. The bridge is super neat and my kids had fun crossing it. The falls were pretty and a nice treat, but you really have to wander around to find a good view of it. Luckily none of us minded that. The creek is really nice to play and walk in. That was by far my kids favorite part. We also found lots of fossils to explore and look at! It was a little muddy after all the rain we had received, but nothing terrible.

My favorite 'hiking' spot in Butler County…read more My favorite part about this preserve are the trails. There are multiple trails that connect to each other, so if you get bored with hiking your usual trail, it's easy to mix it up a little bit. They are all well kept and maintained. Sometimes there is some litter, but we pick it up. There are two old building foundations on one of the trails and a piece of farm equipment grown into a tree, pretty neat! The park is big, lots of space.

Here there is something for everyone. It is a nostalgic place for me and many others who are from…read moreTroy, Ohio. But for many, this is a new and booming place, but it's not exactly new. This is not just any park...here is a little history: In the early 1940's, several Troy residents began clearing the river and the banks of rubbish in hopes of using the area for water activates. They even cleared away the remains of an old wooden damn located just north of the Adams St. Bridge. Then, Edward Alvah (E. A.) and William Hobart took an interest in the park and provided the heavy equipment needed to assist in the process of clearing. That's right...E.A and William Hobart of the Hobart Brothers Corporation. The Hobart Corporation used to be based in Troy, Ohio. Yes, that's right...the ones that created and made Kitchenaid for the home and for commercial use...and they are still made today (just not here). Let us not forget the welders, generators and industrial equipment as well to name a few. They weren't always made in a foreign country. Indeed, Hobart was alive and well in Troy, Ohio and the surrounding area once upon a time. The Corporation put quite the thumbprint on Troy, this is one of them. The leaders of the Hobart Brothers Corporation wanted to provide a location for not only boating enthusiasts, but also for their employees to enjoy the Great Miami River and all activities related to water. So, they constructed a marina, a boathouse, and a launch area with a lighthouse all from the profits of the company. At one time there was a baseball diamond located here and playground equipment as well. The place boomed with boating activities, festivals and company picnics for many years. My grandparents and parents used to speak of the fun times here. In the 1960's, E.A. Hobart gave the boathouse and property to the city of Troy as a gift. Troy accepted and decided it had great recreational potential. It has been utilized in many ways over the years. It has even seen days of non-use and dilapidation as well sadly. Some of my fondest memories growing up were playing out on the island after crossing a bridge...and we always fed the ducks. I used to love to ride my bike down that steep hill coming in and lift my legs & feet off the peddles. We used to rent canoes and paddle boats below...sweet memories. But what was once old, is new again. It brings me tears of joy to see this place come alive again and alive it is indeed. This place not only has its own website now, but it has a Facebook page too! There is a fairly new restaurant in the building called "Smith's Boathouse". The Smith family has a history of their own. I went to school with one of the brothers and was able to enjoy the family restaurant in Maui (Yummy). It is a great addition to the Park. And if you get a chance, please check it out. But not only that, there is now an area for concerts in addition to the typical walks, playing, biking, picnicking or just hanging out and enjoying the view. There is quite the venue these days at Treasure Island. It makes me smile that it is alive again. Although people call it "new", please don't forget the history, how it started, why it's here and how it has evolved. When in Troy...stop down...a water activity may interest you, a stroll, a bike ride...or maybe just the view. These are only a few things you can do there...there is something for everyone...to include finding that special spot for peace and quiet. http://www.troyohio.gov/587/Treasure-Island-Park https://www.facebook.com/pages/Treasure-Island-Park/142286295802726

It's been a WHILE since I was here, but it's a WONDERFUL place, from the spacious yet cozy lodge,…read morethe beautiful lake and marina, the pools (both indoor and outdoor, though I'm not sure if they're only for lodge guests...) hiking trails and SO much more!! Ohio has some of the BEST state park facilities, and this GEM is no exception!! A bit out of the way, but that's part of its charm!! Check it out!!!

With a nature center, 2 dog parks, 2 fossil parks, a lodge, and cabins, hiking trails and a lake,…read moreHueston Woods is a great place to enjoy a day, a weekend or a week. We rented two couples cabins that were pet friendly and had a wonderful time. The cabins were clean, the kitchen was tiny but functional, s'more's happened as did laughter. Great place to vacation.

Very lucky to have this great park so close to us in Harrison. Great wooded trails to hike (three…read morego out from the Timberlakes shelter parking area, plus Tallgrass prairie trails) and nice paved road paths to walk or bike too (7.8 mile outer loop, 1,8 mile inner loop and harbor area path) and nice lake to fish or kayak on (with a great launch rails set up) .

Very nice park. COVID has NOTHING to do with going to the park, restrooms or playgrounds Fear…read moreoperation to make people get the bioweapon Vaxx, don't do it. Enjoy the outdoors, leave fake flu off the website.

Took a day trip to Dayton and landed at Wegerzyn Gardens. What a lovely place! With free parking…read moreand entry, it's a gorgeous place to visit. Would definitely go again!

Such a gem in the middle of the city! Wegerzyn is my…read morefavorite park in Dayton because it has a little bit of everything. Beautifully manicured gardens, a nice, peaceful nature path, a boardwalk through a swamp forest, and a fantastic children's area!

Great park that is part of the Hamilton County Parks system and requires the affiliated parking…read morepass. It appears that the former golf course may no longer be available. There are several trails, playgrounds, some historic buildings, picnic areas, and extremely clean and well maintained restrooms. We opted for the Miami Fort trail, which offers fascinating signage about the earthworks and mounds that can be seen along parts of the trail, and about the Hopewell and Adena people who constructed them. If you take a close look at the map at the trailhead, it shows you where to look for the fort walls (to your right as you enter the fort, and there is very clear signage on the trail that indicates when you are entering and leaving the fort). We found that helpful for initially orientating ourselves, plus watching for additional signage along the way. The trail is 1.4 miles long, and you can loop all the way around the interior edge of the fort, if desired, or you can go out to the Ohio River Valley Overlook (or do both). We opted to do an out-and-back to the overlook because the other section of the loop seemed a bit overgrown. It's a very pretty forested area, and the overlook is excellent - you can see both Indiana and Kentucky from that point. There's a nice bench to sit and relax. It was definitely a popular spot as we saw several other groups moving along the trail and stopping at the lookout point. Signage at the lookout indicates that the last native group to use the area were the Shawnee, which is how the park's name was chosen. We really enjoyed the historical information and experience the lovely nature on the trail, plus the stunning view!

This was a great place for a family hike in Cincinnati. Great scenery and view of the Ohio River.read more

Fairytale-like house [Cincinnati OH]…read more We couldn't just drive-by this whimsical house without stopping and doing a double take... and staring. This is the Mushroom House in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Cincinnati. The amount of detail is really breathtaking: circular steel steps, deck rails of wood shingles, stained glass windows, tiled ceilings... of course, I had to snap some pics. How often do we come to Cin City. The original owner/builder by the name of Terry Brown has passed away in 2008. The house is currently not on the market and occupied as a private residence as of 2021. Here are the deets in Zillow: 1 beds, 1 baths, 1,260 sq-ft. If you are curious about the inside of the home you can click on this link and watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pVUFwH9Q6fk Review #3885

If you're passing through Cincinnati you have to stop by the Mushroom House. This is the most…read moreunique real house I have ever seen. It is a relatively young house, when it comes to house age. It was started to get built by architect Terry Brown in 1992 and completed in 2006. Terry Brown him self resided in it until his passing in 2008. This house looks like a mushroom from a certain angle, and like an owl from another. It is a fairytale house in the real world. There's so much fine detail, there's no wonder it had taken this genius man 14 years to complete this artistic masterpiece of a home. The spiral orange stair case was chained off not allowing access to the public. There was a car parked in the driveway as well as a surveillance camera. They also had a "no trespassing" sign. The land around, although very minimal is very well groomed and well kept. Something tells me there are people who currently reside here. I don't know how I would feel about living in a home that gets so much attention and that is always being photographed. The Mushroom House is a must see in Cincinnati. Use your fairytale imagination to guide you inside. Happy travels!

Let's start off with the only thing that took me as interesting. They charge $10 for parking. It's…read morea non profit so I guess this is to help in taking care of the the facilities and help pay the staff. I'd never been here but the lovely Mrs went to camp here with her 8th grade class back in the 80's. I'd never been so was kind of curious about it as I was under the impression that it's just a park where kids could learn about nature and all its magic. What I found out is that it is an incredible wandering path. Lots of things to see like waterfalls, rock formations and even a path where you get from one side to the other by stepping from stone to stone. Lots of folks, lots of pets, big and small. The education center had a park employee out there with a bigger falcon, then a smaller falcon and then the gorgeous barn owl. The folks inside the education center were incredibly helpful and knew a ton about the inhabitants of the 'enclosures'. My favorite was the teeny tiny Megatron who's the smallest and cutest owl I've ever seen. Park isn't marked very well. They suggest you download the digital map from the QR code as you walk toward the very nice restroom facility. This is very nice but... the signs(pieces of paper with numbers written on them) with the corresponding numbers from the map are either missing, blurred due to water or faded from the sun. I'm hoping one of the Boy Scouts we saw while here takes it upon themselves to start their petition to create more permanent signs for their 'Eagle' comprehensive service project. There were so many times we were like...where are we. Plenty of trash to pick up so if you're like me, bring a small grocery bag and leave it better than you came. Thank you to the nice couple with the long haired dachshund who climbed the rocky pylon to help me get the cup that had been left there. It makes me happy that there are people still out there willing to help me with such simple but worthwhile side projects.

My first visit was when I was in 5th grade at Broadmoor Elementary School in Trotwood, Ohio. The…read moreschool had an arrangement with Glen Helen that allowed us a week-long (I think!) residential visit during which we stayed in dorms and were assigned counselors whom I suppose were Antioch students. I remember being dazzled by the waterfalls and entranced by the pine forest. I'm now 70 years old and live in Colorado, but make a point to revisit this majestic place whenever I return to visit family in the Dayton area.

It's so beautiful here…read more You have places you can sit and just talk, you can walk a trail that splits off in different ways but still leads you to the front. And the scenery is beautiful

It's a beautiful park. Bigger than ever expected. Nice walking trail and excellent for children to…read moreplay.

The riverfront was very peaceful. The park was clean. I couldnt find how to access the ferry.read more

Smale Riverfront Park connects downtown Cincinnati to the Ohio River and the existing riverfront…read moreparks. A wonderful location to view the bustling activity along The Ohio River Trail, and a place to gather and celebrate as a community. The park boasts multiple water play features, giant swings, an interactive foot piano, an imaginative play area for kids, expansive pollinator gardens, and Carol Ann's Carousel. Several historical monuments can be found like the Black Brigade Monument and the recently dedicated Marian Spencer Statue. I was on a roadtrip and my family dropped me off in downtown Cincinnati and I gravitated to Smale Riverfront Park because I wanted a place to explore nature and see river views. I explored the scenic walkways along the Ohio, flower gardens, fountains, public art, picnic spots, and plenty of space to just chill. One of my favorite features were the riverfront swings, big, bench-style swings tucked along the water that are perfect for kicking back and enjoying the view. They're surprisingly comfortable and such a great spot to unwind and reconnect with your inner child. The park has amazing views of the Roebling Suspension Bridge and Ohio River are worth the visit on their own, the paths are wide and great for families, and there's lots to explore without feeling overcrowded. There are splash zones for kids, places to sit and picnic, and tons of photo ops.