Summer is here and that means sunny, hot days, sightseeing, shopping, biking, and eating. All the things Pursuit of Delights loves! Are you looking for an affordable, fun, and outdoor adventurous day in Ohio? If the answer was yes, you are in for something amazing. We recommend taking a mini day trip to Yellowsprings, OH. It is a quick and easy travel destination that is within 100 miles of Cincinnati. It’s perfect for all ages and interest, with biking and hiking trails, tons of shops on the strip, and cafes for a fabulous meal. This will still feel like a mini getaway right in your backyard. This will be a day spent exploring and enjoying the outdoors. Most activities are within walking distance from one another while others are a short drive away. There is surely something for everyone. OHHH and did we mention everything can be done even in the middle of a pandemic with all the necessary health precautions in place. Wearing a mask and being 6ft apart does not have to put a wrench in your summer plans. We have partnered with Ohio.Find It Here to bring awareness to a fun unexpected travel destination to visit. Whether you live in Cincinnati, Dayton or making this destination a road trip, we have planned out a fun filled mini day to a place right under your nose.

Tip: If you do want to make this a full day or weekend trip, Mills Park hotel is located at the end of Xenia Ave. They offer nice lodging with a nice restaurant and bakery named Ellie’s located inside. Ellie’s food is amazing, and they offer some amazing pastries. If you’re a nature lover, another lodging option that Yellowsprings is known for is camping. Bring your tent and head to the campgrounds for a night under the stars.

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Let’s Talk Over Lunch!

It is a Friday afternoon and there is no time to loss! Let’s get the weekend started off right. Wake up, get your Friday morning things done, and hit the road to Yellowsprings for an afternoon mini day trip. We want you to be able to enjoy every bit of what Yellowsprings has to offer. Before you get your afternoon started, we highly recommend fueling up with a delicious meal at one of the cafes or restaurants on the strip. Once we arrived, we grabbed a bite to eat at Ye Olde Trail Tavern. They are Ohio’s Oldest Tavern. If you love an outdoor patio, this is the place for you. We grabbed a table on the outdoor patio to enjoy our meal. You can grab a quick and light meal while people watching, soaking up the sun, and talking over lunch. The patio was super spacious, clean, and guest were seated 6 ft. apart. We enjoyed the Bourbon Chicken Salad. It was light, fresh, and came with the most tender pieces of chicken covered in Bourbon glaze. This meal was delicious and the perfect meal to give us fuel for our activities.

Shop Till You Drop!

Now that your belly is happy, your full and have some energy, it is time to shop till you drop! This cute and unique location is made up of a long strip full of shops and restaurants with another street over with more shops. It makes everything so convenient to access. From clothing stores, glass blown art shops, t-shirt shops, to toy stores, there is something that interest everyone in your party. Not interested in buying anything, no problem. It is nice just to walk around and see what all the stores have to offer. The sales associates of the stores that we stopped in were super friendly and welcoming.

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I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Twisted Ice Cream!

It’s now time for what you really came on a getaway for, the good eats! You cannot come to Yellowsprings and not stop by The Corner Cone. This little cute shack is your go-to stop in the area for soft serve ice cream, hot dogs and renting bikes. Located at S Walnut St., which is one street over from Xenia, this cute food shack offers tons of different flavors of soft serve. While flavors are fun sometimes, we like to keep things basic. One of the Tiffs settled for a vanilla and chocolate twist served on a cone. It was so delicious, and the cone added the perfect crunch. This is also the only location that offers bike rentals to take on the biking trails or just to simply ride around in the area.

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Let’s Go For A Ride!

Don’t worry, there is no need to watch your waistline or count calories. Now that you’ve had that ice cream cone, it’s time to work it off! One of the activities Yellowsprings is known for is their hiking and biking trails. While we love to eat, Tiff Squared also loves nature and doing outdoor activities such as bike riding. It’s a great way to exercise, feel good, and enjoy the views along the way. Here at Yellowsprings, there is two scenic trails. If you are feeling adventurous and don’t mind the challenge, take the 10 mil trail. If you want something a little more relaxing but still want the exercise, take the 1 mil trail. You can’t go wrong with either trail, while being out in nature is calming, peaceful and relaxing alone. Don’t have a bike and The Corner Cone renting is closed, no problem. One of the Tiffs didn’t have a bike and it was still a fun time walking. Tiff D. brought her bike from home, while Tiff B. walked along side. We were able to walk, talk, and keep our mask on and enjoy the time outdoors exploring. It was so refreshing to be outdoors enjoying the fresh air. Whether you and your friends are serious cyclist or just a group of people looking for a good time, the bike trails at Yellowsprings are designed to give you a low to medium challenge or just simply enjoy a peaceful ride!

Tip: If biking isn’t your thing or you’re a super trooper and want to bike and hike, they also have Glen Helen which is a hiking trail. When we went Glen Helen was closed, but Clifton Preserve and John Bryan State Park remain open for hiking.

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Let’s Wine Down!

Ok, we know you just burned off some calories but whose complaining about making room for wine?! From here, it’s time to wine down! Oh boy, if you love wine we have the perfect wine shop for you. Stop into The Winds Wine Cellar. It is the cutest little wine shop with tons of varieties of wine to choose from. From red to white or sweet to dry, they have the perfect bottle to wine down your evening. The sales associate working was super sweet and gave a little background of some of their wine offerings. If you liked Yellowsprings while visiting the shops, it’s no problem stay awhile and have the perfect glass of crisp wine.

Tip: If wine isn’t your style, that is a-ok. You could also head to one of Yellowsprings’ distilleries such as Devil Wind Brewing or Flat Rock Spirits/Stillwright’s. Devil Wind is located in downtown Xenia along the Little Miami Scenic Trail and is a brewery and taproom. They produce European ales and lagers, as well as newer American styles of beers. They also have food trucks and live music. If you can’t make it to Devil Wind, head on over to Flat Rock. They are a family-owned craft distillery producing handcrafted Bourbon, Rum and Moonshine. Flat Rock is located in the heart of the Midwest, proudly using Ohio grown corn and wheat in their StillWrights Straight Bourbon Whiskey. With a range of wineries and distilleries, you are sure to find something fitting for everyone in your group.

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Supper Time!

After all the beer or wine, you have drunk, you cannot end your afternoon without a delicious meal. We suggest you dine at Winds Café. This café is cute and funky. Their food is European inspired with an American twist and uses many local ingredients. We love that their menu is seasonal and changes to reflect what is new, fresh and in season. When you walk in, the décor is cute and more modern. As we love patio sitting, we opted to sit outdoors in their cute outdoor area. The outdoor area is the perfect setting for a date night or a night out with the girls. Their food is delicious. They’re known for their Figs, Pigs and Goats appetizer. This dish is figs stuffed with goat cheese all wrapped in bacon. YUMMMMM! This was one of our favorite dishes along with Seared Halibut. The halibut was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Now, you can’t leave without a decadent dessert. Please do not leave without a sweet treat. We shared a huge homemade ice cream sandwich. It was Chocolate Ice Cream sandwiched between two Snickerdoodle cookies rolled in chocolate sprinkles. I promise this was a dessert lover’s dream!

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This is the end of our mini day trip. However, this could be the beginning for you. There is plenty to do and see for every interest such as classes with Bonadies Glass Studio, Clifton Mill, Caesar Creek Vineyards, events and festivals all year long, and much more. If you decide to stop by Yellowsprings, please let us know in the comments below. Be sure to check us out next month as well to see what we have in store as our partnership with Ohio. Find It Here continues. Stay tuned!