Short trips, big adventure
4 road trips that offer fun no matter what your interests are
LOVE THE OUTDOORS?
YELLOW SPRINGS
Absorb the laid-back, bohemian attitude of Yellow Springs. This small college town, located just 65 miles from downtown Cincinnati on the Little Miami Scenic Trail, is the place to indulge your inner nature lover.
Within the Glen Helen Nature Preserve, just beyond the heart of town, you'll discover winding trails, families hiking together and people dipping their feet beneath waterfalls.
In addition to the peaceful scenery of the glen, you'll find that the town itself is another type of preserve: a habitat for local hippies.
Smells of heather incense waft from independently owned shops that surround Xenia Avenue, the main shopping district. Within them you can find items including Tibetan jewelry, local pottery, original works of art, hemp sandals, organic cotton thongs and "cruelty-free" yoga pants (made without sweatshop labor).
GET THERE:
• Take I-75 north toward Dayton to I-675 north towarumbus
• Take the Dayton-Yellow Springs Road exit, exit 20
• Turn right on East Dayton-Yellow Springs Road
• Turn right on Ohio 235
• Turn left on West Hyde Road
• Turn left on U.S. 68, which runs through the heart of town
MILES: About 65
MORE INFO: www.greenecountyohio.org or www.yellowspringsohio.org
LOVE ADVENTURE?
CARTER CAVES STATE RESORT
Carter Caves State Resort Park in Olive Hill, Ky., doesn't boast the Bluegrass State's most "mammoth" caves, but with more than 20 caverns and loads of fun-filled activities and picturesque surroundings, it's a top-notch park that makes for a fabulous weekend getaway.
Of the 20 caves in the park, four are available for guided tours: Cascade Cave (noted for its large subterranean waterfall and beautiful formations), Saltpetre Cave (site of mining activity during the War of 1812), Bat Cave (the largest in the park and the winter home to thousands of rare bats) and X Cave (with the largest stalactite in the park).
Tours range from $3-$8 and are free for children 2 and under. All four caves are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Until then, just Cascade Cave and X Cave are open.
Once you've got the hang of it, explore the two other caves open to the public - Laurel and Horn Hollow - on your own.
GET THERE:
• Take I-75 south toward Lexington to I-64 east
• Turn left on Ky. 182 north
• The park is on the left after 2.8 miles; address is 344 Caveland Drive
MILES: 167
MORE INFO: www.parks.ky.gov/resortparks/cc/ or (800) 325-0059
LOVE TO SHOP?
THE PITTSBURGH IKEA
Whenever the subject of furniture comes up, so does Ikea.
The Swedish home store's furniture is extra-stylish and super-cheap, and it's totally worth the trip.
Ikea is so very big, it's hard to wrap your head around it. The store does what it can by leading you on a prescribed path through its departments; arrows on the floor point to the next section.
The path begins at a series of showrooms - sample living rooms, bedrooms, home offices, dining rooms and kitchens furnished solely with Ikea furniture and accents.
After a few examples of, say, living rooms, the path winds through a sea of living-room furniture: first a bevy of couches, then a gaggle of end tables, then a confederacy of bookcases.
Buy too much, even with those easy-to-pack flat boxes? It happens. Have your new furniture shipped home - Ikea offers a range of shipping options.
GET THERE:
Mapquest doesn't know where Ikea is, but Yahoo! Maps does (www.maps.yahoo.com).
• Take I-71 north toward Columbus to I-70 toward Wheeling
• Take I-79 north toward Pittsburgh to U.S. 22 west toward the airport
• U.S. 22 becomes Penn. 60
• Take the Robinson Town Centre Boulevard exit, and turn right onto Park Manor Boulevard
MILES: About 280
MORE INFO: www.ikea.com or (412) 747-0747.
LOVE TO SAVE GAS?
STAY CLOSE TO HOME IN DAYTON
Everyone's been to Dayton, that other city in Southwest Ohio, right?
Actually, no. Hardly anyone ever goes to Dayton. It's so ... close.
But Dayton has a lot to offer the day tripper, such as the Second Street Market and the Dayton Art Institute.
At the Second Street Market, you'll enjoy the wonderful smells of food such as burritos, gyros, gourmet sandwiches and European pastries. Second Street is mainly a farmer's market, with produce, homemade breads and other edibles available for purchase.
The Dayton Art Institute has a diverse permanent collection and world-class special exhibitions (such as Diana: A Celebration through June 11), so don't pass them up.
GET THERE:
DAYTON ART INSTITUTE
• Take I-75 north to Ohio 49 toward Salem Avenue
• Make a slight left onto the ramp toward the Dayton View Bridge
• Stay on Ohio 49 and go onto Maxwell Drive
• Turn right onto West Riverview Avenue
• Make a slight left onto Belmonte Park North
MILES: About 55
MORE INFO: www.daytoncvb.com, www.2ndstreetpublicmarket.com or www.daytonartinstitute.org
Compiled from previous stories in CiN Weekly.
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DAVID SORCHER | CIN WEEKLY
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Yellow Springs |
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The caverns at Cater Caves State Resort. |
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