Beautiful Places To Explore In Ohio This Fall
Crisp autumn air brings out a sense of adventure as cooler temperatures allow us to enjoy the outdoors more. Fall enthusiasts look no further as we have highlighted a few of our favorite beautiful places to explore in Ohio this fall.
Pumpkin farms, fall foliage, apple orchards, and sunflower fields come to mind when picturing the ideal fall getaway. We have partnered with Ohio. Find It Here. to showcase great fall activities to do in our hometown of Cincinnati and fun fall weekend getaways.
Fall Things To Do In Cincinnati, Ohio
Blooms & Berries Fall on The Farm
A fall tradition for many families is venturing to their favorite pumpkin farm. Each farm often provides its own unique activities alongside a mountain of pumpkins waiting for their time to shine. Fall on the Farm at Blooms and Berries is one of our favorite fall pastimes. Admission includes a Pumpkin Bounce Pad, Hayrides, A Sunflower Field, Petting Zoo, Corn Maze, a mini corn maze (perfect for kids), a Beer Garden, and more! Tickets to Blooms & Berries Fall on Farm can only be purchased online, as attendance is being limited.
Sharon Woods
Take a stroll along Sharon Lake to enjoy the changing foliage. Sharon Woods is one of the Great Parks of Hamilton County, offering a variety of outdoor activities. Enjoy a gorgeous fall day out on the water by renting a paddleboat, kayak, rowboat, or pontoon boat. A 2.6 mile paved multi-purpose trail circles the lake giving visitors a scenic overlook during their peaceful stroll through the park.
Sharon Woods has a variety of playgrounds, picnic areas, and hiking trails. It is easy to spend a whole afternoon exploring.
Sharon Woods is also home to the Historic Southwest Ohio Heritage Museum. The Heritage Museum is a living-history museum depicting life in 19th Century Ohio. The homes and equipment found in the museum have been moved from other locations in the region for preservation.
Weekends in October, the Village transforms into a Haunted Village offering mild scares. This kid-friendly event has let kids explore the Village, meeting ghosts, witches, a fortune teller, a monster, and a cursed archaeologist along the way. Each home is transformed into a spooky activity such as a creepy petting zoo, scary storyteller, or a fun balloon artist.
Shaw Farms
Shaw Farms has been one pumpkin farm every year since I was a little girl. Their iconic cutouts, play areas, teepees, and hayride keeps families returning year after year. Popular storybook characters come to life in pumpkin form, while kids can explore the themed playarea around them.
One of my all-time favorites is the Flintstone house and car. While my daughter has no idea who the Flintstones are, she loves sitting next to Fred, seeing Dino, and going into the cave house. Don’t forget to get your photo with the giant jack-o-lantern. You didn’t visit Shaw’s if you don’t have a picture of you and your family peeking through the jack-o-lantern’s eyes and nose.
Entrance to Shaw’s Pumpkin Time is free, with specific activities having fees, such as the hayride. The hayride is one of the best in Cincinnati. It is an excellent combination of slightly spooky with traditional fall themes.
Sunflower Fields
Sunflower fields are scattered all throughout Ohio. A few of the best spots to get those iconic sunflower photos in Cincinnati are at Nederman Family Farm, Blooms & Berries, and Gorman Heritage Farm.
Gorman Heritage Farm is having its annual Sunflower Festival on October 2nd and 3rd. Additional details and admission costs for the Sunflower Festival can be found over at Gorman Heritage Farms.
Celebrate Fall with these fun Festivals and Events found throughout Ohio.
Enjoy The Sights Of Fall In Dublin, Ohio
Hayden Falls
The beauty of waterfalls seems only to grow when paired with the fiery red, orange, and yellow foliage around them. Dublin, Ohio, is home to scenic Hayden Falls. Nestled between a busy street and a subdivision, Hayden Falls can easily be missed.
Hayden Falls is a 30-ft waterfall that sits in a 2-acre preserve. The waterfall is best viewed after a good rain. There is a small parking lot near the trailhead entrance to the falls. Venture down the stairs and follow the boardwalk to the waterfalls. The stairs and boardwalk tend to get slippery or icy so take caution.
Zip Zone Adventure Park
Soar through the treetops this fall by taking on an adventure at the Zip Zone Outdoor Adventures. Zip Zone offers Adventure Park with five different courses of varying difficulty. Each course having at least one zip line to enjoy. The elements can be tricky, from crawling through barrels several feet in the air to balancing on wooden beams.
Younger kids don’t have to sit out. Kids age 4-7 can enjoy the parks Kid’s Park with two kid-friendly courses. The park is only a few feet off the ground, allowing parents to walk next to their children. The Kid’s Park features all the fun of the adult park, such as tightrope walks, balance beam, and even a zip line!
Zip Line Tours are also available to book, giving guests the ultimate zipline experience. They even offer night-flight tours for those brave enough to go zipping in the dark!
Art In Public Places
The cooler weather is a beautiful time to explore all the spectacular art found throughout Dublin, Ohio. A collection of large and small artworks can often be seen in public areas such as parks and common areas. Dublin is home to a beautiful park system containing playgrounds, walking trails, and picnic areas.
One notable piece of art is the Field of Corn with Osage Orange Trees. It is hard not to stop for a field of concrete corn! Other popular pieces are Leatherlips, Daily Chores, Out of Bounds, and the Watch House. Take the self-guided tour by utilizing the Dublin Arts Council Mobile Tour.
Cherry Hawk Farms
Apple picking season is underway at Cherry Hawk Farms. A quick twenty-minute drive from the Columbus Zoo will have you filling your basket with all the tender, tasty apples you can pick.
Cherry Hawk Farms has all the favorites such as Gala, Red Delicious, Fuji, and more. Be sure to check the picking schedule to see what is available before arrival.
In early September, the sunflowers fields are in full bloom. Visiting the sunflowers is included with your apple picking purchase, and you get one stem to take home. Additional stems are available for sale.
Discover These Fun Fall Things To Do In Mansfield, Ohio
Embrace fall with a retreat to Mansfield, Ohio. Stay overnight in a treehouse, hop on a tractor ride, or take a haunted prison tour if you are brave. Prime leaf-peeping can be found at Mohican State Park, while breath-taking views await you on the top of Mt. Jeez. Here are a few of our favorite fall things to do in Mansfield, Ohio.
Malabar Farm State Park
Malabar Farm is the famous 900-acre farm of the author, Louis Bromfield. The farm is now a historic site offering guests the opportunity to go on a scenic wagon ride throughout the property.
Wagon rides are roughly an hour an half, taking place Fridays and Saturdays. It is the ideal way to spend a fall afternoon.
After your ride, visit with farmyard friends in the barn, then browse the gift shop in the visitors center. The gift shop is full of locally made goodies, including farm-fresh products.
Bromfield’s home was the spot where Humphery Bogart and Lauren Bacall were wed. Guided tours of Bromfield’s home are available on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased at the gift shop.
Malabar Farm made headlines again as a filming site for the famous movie Shawshank Redemption. Visitors can follow the Shawshank Trail to all the filming spots found with Richland County.
Mount Jeez
After you visit the Malabar Farm venture, a few minutes down the road to the Mt. Jeez overlook. Mt. Jeez is the highest hill in Ohio and is a park of Malabar Farm State Park. Once you reach the top, the overlook gives one of the best views in the entire state.
The views are the best during autumn as the tree line is ablaze in color. From the Mohican State Park hills to Pleasant Hill Reservoir, Mt. Jeez gives stunning views where one can see seven Ohio counties.
Tip: The road leading up to the top of Mt. Jeez has large potholes that are in need of repair. Proceed up with caution.
Ohio State Reformatory
A notable destination in Mansfield is the Ohio State Reformatory. Known as the key filming spot for Shawshank Redemption, the old prison has been a hot spot for tourists and ghost hunters alike.
Discover the haunting tales of inmates at the Ohio State Reformatory. The guides will tell stories of hauntings and terror as they take guests through the prison in the dark during a Ghost Walk.
For those looking to visit during daylight hours, the prison offers various guided tours and a self-guided experience. The Reformatory is also home to a variety of events throughout the year, including the Inkcarceration, Escape from Blood Prison and the Shawshank Hustle.
Mohican Treehouse
One of the best splurges to indulge in while in Ohio this fall is overnighting in a treehouse. The Mohicans offer a variety of treehouse and cabin lodging options near Mohican State Park. These treehouses make the ideal remote getaway that lets guests reconnect with nature.
The Mohicans have been featured on the popular Discovery TV series, ‘Treehouse Masters’, with its famous Little Red Treehouse designed by Pete Nelson. There are eight treehouses that guests have the opportunity to stay at, along with a unique Airstream Treehouse.
We stayed at the Tin Shed during our visit, which has a fun extension bridge to cross. Our dinner recommendation is to bring a charcuterie board to nibble on while enjoying a bottle of wine on the balcony. The balcony wraps around the entire treehouse, giving way to gorgeous treetop views.
Take The Scenic Route Around Dayton
Cox Arboretum
Dayton is home to the scenic five rivers Metropark system that has over 18 parks to explore. One of our favorites is the Cox Arboretum. While the park is home to various hiking trails, pollinator gardens, and a hardwood forest, it is the Tree Tower that takes center stage.
The Tree Tower takes guests up 81-steps for a sweeping panoramic view of the Miami Valley. Take in the beauty of the arboretum from 65 ft above while capturing the changing of the season.
Another highlight of the Cox Arboretum is the fun Bell Children’s Maze. This maze consists of 1,175 boxwoods for children and adults alike to navigate until they find the center!
Young’s Jersey Dairy
A visit to Young’s Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs, Ohio, has been a longtime fall tradition in our household. From picking your pumpkin off the vine to indulging in a scoop of pumpkin ice cream, Young’s Jersey Dairy has it all.
The new Dairy Store is now open! The Dairy Store is where you can get a scoop of their famous homemade ice cream, order a delicious lunch (we recommend trying the cheese curds), and take home a few bakery treats.
During Fall Farm Pumpkin Festival, the fall festivities begin mid-September and runs through the end of October. Take a hayride to the pumpkin patch, play a game of mini-golf, or find your way out of the corn maze.
The best value is purchasing a Family Fun Pass. The Family Fun Pass lets guests choose between 3-5 activities such as a bucket of golf balls for the driving range, admission into the Cowvin’s Kiddie Corral, a Haunted Wagon Tour, food options, and more.
Clifton Gorge
One of the most majestic hikes in Ohio is the Clifton Gorge Nature Preserve. Located just three miles east of Yellow Springs, Clifton Gorge features 268 acres of spectacular dolomite and limestone gorges. The rushing waters of the Little Miami River flow through narrow channels and cliff overhangs.
The overall hike was moderate, with plenty of wooden walkways and overlooks. Keep in mind that the gorge has very steep drop-offs so staying on the designated path is imperative. I would not recommend this hike for young children unless they can be strapped to you via a harness.
The ideal time to visit is in autumn, as the leaves set the gorge ablaze in radiant colors.
Pro Tip: Take a picture of the trail map before venturing onto the trail. That way, you will still be able to pull it up if no cell phone service is available.
Visit Cuyahoga National Park
Take in the beauty of Brandywine Falls, hop aboard the Cuyahoga Scenic Railroad, and hike to one of the many scenic valley overlooks at Cuyahoga National Park.
Cuyahoga National Park offers guests endless amounts of entertainment. Get outdoors by hitting the bike trail, renting a kayak, or exploring over 125 miles of hiking trails. Tackle the Virginia Kendall Ledges, explore Buttermilk Falls or the famous Bridal Veil Falls.
Kid’s have the opportunity to participate in Junior Ranger activities during their visit and become Junior Rangers.
Are you looking for more great places to discover in Ohio this fall? The Hiking Trails in Hocking Hills are breathtaking this time of year!
Beautiful Places To Explore In Ohio This Fall
