Pickaway County used to be a place for me to drive through. With relatives in Chillicothe, there…read morewas no reason to stop- Grandmother was cooking dinner, let's get there! Even now I drive through fairly often, and I've started stopping. There's plenty to see and do here. The Pumpkin Festival is definitely worth a visit, of course. Logan Elm if you are a history buff (the tree is gone, but there's a state memorial.) There are a couple of museums in Circleville, the historical society and the Ted Lewis museum. Limited hours at both so call ahead. The food scene is okay but not great. Plenty of chains along 23 in Circleville. And one of the few surviving Raxes! There are decent parks, and some oddball sights like the pumpkin water tower in town, a tank flagpole right along 23, an F-105 at the Amvets, an octagon house. Out of town up on a hill is Mount Oval, an unusual historic house (tours occasionally, again check ahead.) South Bloomfield is booming, and has lost its reputation as a speed trap (I'd still slow down a bit.) Ashville has a Viking Festival, well worth a visit. There are a few other small towns like Commercial Point that are at least worth a look. The county has grown and prospered, with many factories and retail businesses. It's close enough to commute to Columbus. No longer just a drive-through stretch for me, it's got a few nice things to see and do... and many places for a pitstop.

A small community with a festival named after the High School football team. The somewhat small…read morevillage park is taken over by all things Viking for a weekend. Lots of craft and souvenir vendors. A few interactive venues and rides. Comedians, performers, historical commentary, and many, many workers and visitor getting their Viking spirit on in period finery. And a number of various food vendors to entice us! It's a free admission, but, they ask for a canned food donation for the food pantry. It's a small town event. Fun, cheerful, small enough to see and participate at most any age without exhaustion.

We stayed here All. Day. That says something…read more It's a small to medium size festival, in a small town. I'd heard of it but never gone. Baby K for some reason liked watching a Viking group do mock fights at the Ohio History Center last year, so we made a point to come. She loved it, I liked it, we met friends and family for part of the time, and ended up being here from 1030am-6pm, and they opened at 10am. Mock fights here, too, and you can (pay to) do it yourself as well, with rubber weapons (at least for kids.) There are jousts, other battles in armor, and more. Wandering reenactors plus guests dressed in period clothes. Vendors of old-style gear and art. Food trucks and a dining hall. Bubbles and crafts and games for kids. Dogs everywhere. Magicians, sword swallowers, troubadours. A full schedule of entertainers on half a dozen stages. Held in a nice park, beside a school that has a decent playground. A little parking onsite, most in the surrounding streets; we found some without much trouble. The dining hall food was cheap and decent. Turkey legs, plus pretty standard fair/fundraiser food. More interesting fare at food trucks, including bbq, bourbon chicken, sandwiches, and more. An ice cream truck doing brisk business. A root beer/ginger ale stand. They ask for canned (or boxed) food donations in lieu of admission, at a tent near the middle. There you can get a map and schedule. Park is pretty open so you can wander in anywhere though. Definitely going next year.

The museum was fun and educational. The scavenger hunt was fun and so many unique things to see.read more

This was a fun little stop as we were on an RV sightseeing trip. As pencil sharpeners are small,…read moreso is this one room museum. It did take a lot of time and effort to put together, so kudos for that. There's some limited parking outside and no cost for the museum, so why not?

So far so good----- parking easy. Tickets for four in the Mustang Club right along the flight path…read more Free water and soft drinks, plenty of food vendors and static displays. Weather just right just chilling waiting for the show to start.

I'm sure I reviewed this before, but I can't find it. The show restarted a few years ago; decades…read moreago there had been shows out here every year or two, and a big one in 2007 for the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends. I'm glad they got it going again. It's not huge, which has its pros and cons. Smaller than Dayton or Cleveland's shows. Much easier to get around, especially for older folks or families with young kids. Parking isn't horrible, though you will walk a fair distance to the gates (sometimes the golf cart folks will give a few people a lift.) Prices are fair if you buy in advance, and pretty ridiculous closer to the show. Buy parking- you have to get it in advance I think, and it too is cheaper the earlier you get it. Bring the usual airshow stuff: sunscreen, a water bottle, hat, a folding chair maybe. You're not allowed to bring in full water bottles (though they weren't picky about it today.) Water stations are just inside the gate, and at the far end of the show near a hangar. Plenty of vendors and display aircraft to wander and see, plenty of overpriced food and drinks. And booths from the military, local museums, and more. A STEM tent for kids. Helicopter rides for sale. Some shade by the entrance and under wings (maybe bring a sun umbrella too.) The show is solid: Blue Angels or Thunderbirds, other well-known national performers. Always dependent on the weather, of course, but they can do a "low show" if there is a moderate cloud later. Oh, maybe bring earplugs for little kids (there is at least one booth selling them.) All in all a fun event, loud fast stuff, friendly people, and neat things to look at. If you love aviation, or history, or festivals, check it out.

I've never been to the Fairfield County Fair, but I've seen the mural! The Fairfield County Fair…read moremural is located on the front of the Zebco Industries headquarters on Columbus Street, just off Main Street in Lancaster. According to a very rudimentary internet search, this mural was created as a collaboration with Zebco Industries, Two Broke Artists, and the City of Lancaster. The mural was also created by 7th and 8th grade students in 2016. That's really cool that Lancaster showcases art from the kids who are living there. This little town really embraces art in all forms, and this is just another example of that. The Fairfield County Fair mural is just one of several pieces of public art located in this area. So if you're looking for a place in Lancaster to see some murals, come here!

You've got to hand it to Pickerington for trying. Apart from the questionable connection between…read morethe city of Pickerington, jazz and ribs (and the blatant rip-off of the bigger Columbus Ribfest), the annual Pickerington Jazz & Blues Ribfest was darn cool. Quaint downtown Pickerington hosted this celebration of smoked meats on August 5. In addition to several food and craft vendors, the fest boasted about half a dozen groups of folks barbecuing up ribs for sale. Surprisingly, the stand run by Open Hands Ministry seemed to be the biggest hit. Live music played on two stages throughout the day, and there was a beer garden. As in years past, the festival was a family affair. There were plenty of diversions for kids. There were animals from the Columbus Zoo and lots of games. Aside from the copious amounts of ribs, the day-long party stayed in pretty familiar small town festival territory. The festival is usually held the first week of August each year. Check it out.

This is actually in Canal Winchester now. From what I heard Pickerington wouldnt approve the Beer…read moreGarden. Honestly, nothing much has changed other than the location. You stand in horribly long lines for mediocre food at best. One thing I noticed is there is no sense of urgency to get you through the line. We stood for at least an hour with only like 15 people ahead of us (I think it was Soul Food) and my husbands pulled chicken sandwhich was all bones, fat and inedible. The only reason why we go is for the jazz that is always very good. My recommendation...eat before, go on a full stomach, and just take chairs to sit and listen to some really good eclectic jazz music.

The "Faces in Our Community" sculpture in downtown Lancaster is a cool little piece of public art…read morethat's located close to Ale House 1890. According to the Fairfield County website, it was created by Fairfield Union Middle School and High School students during a 2021 summer enrichment art class. I love that the town of Lancaster is showcasing contemporary art made by its young residents! The sculpture consists of masks of all colors and designs (even one that is broken in half), next to a sign that reads, "We are all unique and beautiful individually; as a community united we can make a meaningful impact." It's nice to come across public art like this, that is meant to unite and provide beauty to the community!

Upper falls is one of the first thing you see on the Old Man cave trail .. This trail is one of the…read morevery popular trails and should be the first you start at. especially on a weekend and in the fall the parking lot gets full. If you have a truck or all wheel drive you can park on the side of the road or up on hills. you can go down some stairs to get better view and pose for some pics. Hocking hills in gorgeous and cell service is hit or miss. So if you are counting on service to guide your or meet up with friends ... have a back up plan. taking water and snacks .. is a must. we didnt use sunglasses as the walk is shaded by trees.

Nice easy hike to get here, but it's busy. On weekends and warmer months expect there to be a lot…read moreof people/cars. It's a good hike and young kids can do it too.