Do You Wanna Go Too?

Beaufort, SC, Port Royal, Hunting Island -- all new places for me but will definitely go back if the Lord's willing and the creeks don't rise🙂. We had a wonderful time visiting our niece's new home and spending time with my SIL and BIL. Beaufort had been on my bucket list for a long time since reading Pat Conroy's Prince of Tides in the late '80's. As the second-oldest city in the state, Beaufort is full of history, including antebellum houses, churches, and forts, The marshes and ocean are beautiful and there are loads of excellent restaurants in the area. Port Royal Farmer's Market was a nice surprise (plus put a hole in my wallet & I gained a few pounds). Made some great memories and laughter is always the best medicine. Until next time....

PA Amish country is always a place we love to visit. Awesome food, gorgeous lush green farms, and neat markets to visit. Ken and I went to Lancaster area this week for a short early anniversary trip. We took our bikes with us. Riding the country roads is something we always enjoy doing but riding them on a bike you get a totally different perspective than in a car. You get the up close and personal encounters with the people (had people in their yards or porches come out to talk to you), animals (horses, cows walking to the fence to greet you, rabbits playing in the grass), smells--the good (fresh cut alfalfa, flower gardens) and the not so good (buggy exhaust😅 and dairy farms). We stopped and shopped at the little country stands and ice cream stores along our ride. Lancaster has 29 covered bridges -- we saw 5 by car and 2 we rode to on our bikes. Of course when coming to that area you have to go to the Sight and Sound. "David" is currently in production. I believe my first time in that area was around 2006 or 2007. That time and several times since we have had supper at the home of Ruth Esh, an Amish lady that provides meals in her home. Usually we have a large group with us, but this time it was just the two of us--she had no other guests. I have to admit I ate too too much🤪. It was so good. If you are interested in eating with her, send me a message and I'll send you her contact info. We stayed in an Airbnb in Bird-in-Hand and it was perfect. We were in the countryside but close to all restaurants and stores. Came home with lots of produce, gifts and great memories.We had a great trip. I am so thankful and blessed. Do You Wanna Go Too?

3rd Post of 3 - Utah’s Mighty Five
Hello-- I’m way behind on this 3rd post. But, I've been doing what I love to do -- travel….. So, guess what? There will be more posts coming soon of other exciting places to visit.

Day 5 we explored Bryce Canyon which is 9,100 feet in elevation. I was expecting cooler weather than Arches and Canyonlands, but wasn’t expecting snow. As we were going to dinner that night it started snowing. Next morning when we woke up there was about 2” on the ground. Very pretty.

Bryce Canyon National Park has one main road (18 miles) and is known for its crimson-colored spire-shaped rock formations called hoodoos. Much of the scenery can be seen from the park’s overlooks (a short walk from your car). The most popular overlooks are Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point. We followed the suggestion of many of the reviews I had read to drive through the full length of the park and then stop at the overlooks on the way back. The Bryce Amphitheater is the most famous point of the Canyon. It is called “amphitheater” because of its bowl-shape that is shaped by the drainage of seasonal rains and melting snow. There you are awarded with panoramic views of the hoodoos. Even though you can see much of the gorgeous scenery from the overlooks, you really need to experience the canyon not only from the top, but also at the bottom. There are several hikes you can choose from that lead to the canyon floor. We chose to do the Queen’s Garden trail and Navajo Loop. We began our hike at Sunrise Point where the trail winds down the canyon on the Queen’s Garden trail. Then the trail joins with the Navajo Loop and eventually begins a gradual ascent up the canyon. On the last part of the trail, there are usually two options you can choose to take you up to Sunset Point--Wall Street or Two Bridges. But, Wall Street was closed so we had to take the trail to Two Bridges. There were a series of switchbacks which helped tremendously in gaining considerable elevation over a short distance. These two trails are about 3 miles. You can begin at Sunrise Point or Sunset Point. The National Park Service recommends beginning at Sunrise--going down Queen’s Garden Trail and up the Navajo Loop trail. The reason is the Queen’s Garden Trail gives you a better view of the Bryce Amphitheater. As you walk down the trail, the views will be in front of you.

Day 6 we explored the last of the Mighty Five -- Zion National Park. Zion is in southwest Utah and is known for its steep red cliffs. When we went there was a mandatory shuttle service with advanced timed tickets to access the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. But, I believe as of May 28, 2021, they have discontinued the shuttle ticket service. If you are planning on visiting Zion I would suggest visiting the National Park Service website to see if this is still correct.

Zion is also known for its many hikes. We did the River Walk at the Temple of Sinawava. It is a 2.2 mile paved trail that follows the Virgin River. The other hike we did wasn't as easy. The Upper and Middle Emerald Pools hikes are rated moderate, but I would say it is on the high end of moderate--especially to the upper pools. This is because of having to climb up hills and over rocks. At the top, the pools were just okay. I wish now we had done the Lower Emerald Pools where you walk behind the falls---well, maybe next time.

If you go to Zion you definitely need to eat at Oscar’s Cafe in Springdale. Great food and friendly staff. We had the burritos and they were huge!!! They were definitely sharable. They also have indoor and outdoor seating.

Our “Utah’s Mighty Five” trip was awesome. I hope to be able to return someday. Do You Wanna Go Too?

2nd Post of 3 Utah’s Mighty Five
Day 4: After we left beautiful Moab, on our 2.5 hour trip to Capitol Reef National Park, we stopped at Hollow Mountain Gas Station in Hanksville, UT. This small store is literally carved out of a huge hunk of rock. According to the story, they were blasting away rock so they could build a gas station, and someone decided it would be easier to carve a hole in the rock than to keep blasting. So, that was how it became a store in a rock. You can see the rockface in the hall in the back of the store as you walk toward the restrooms.

Capitol Reef National Park is home to towering sandstone structures and impressive canyons. In many parks you have to get off the road to see the beauty of the area. But, that isn’t the case with Capitol Reef. You can choose to do some short hikes or just drive through in your car and see its beauty. When we first entered the park from the east, we stopped and did the 1.8 RT hike up to Hickman Bridge. This hike is over rocks and has a steep grade. The reward at the end is a 133-foot natural bridge and gorgeous canyon views. After the Hickman Bridge trail and a short drive, we stopped at the Petroglyph Panel--boardwalk right on the side of the road where you can see petroglyphs, which are engraved etchings into rock walls. Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan people lived there between 600-1300 A.D., and their markings tell what appears to be the stories of their lives.

My favorite thing we did in Capitol Reef was the 8-mile paved Capitol Reef Scenic Drive. At the end of the scenic drive, you can (and should) drive out to the end of the unpaved, but well-maintained Capitol Gorge spur. It is 2.2 miles and our 2 WD car had no problem on the dirt road. The gorge ends in a narrow channel carved between sheer cliffs. Then there is an easy and interesting one-mile hike from the trailhead at the end of the Capitol Gorge spur road. The hike takes you to a rock wall called Pioneer Register where you can see the names of miners, settlers and other adventurers who passed through in the late 1800’s. In fact, the Capitol Gorge road was the main transport route through this region from 1884 until Highway 24 was opened in 1962. Pioneers had to remove boulders and other debris after every flash flood for the big wagons or trucks to be able to pass through without any damage.

Capitol Reef is also home to green groves and fruit orchards around the intersection of Highway 24 and the 8-mile scenic drive. Just after the turn of the century, the Mormon community of Fruita settled in the shaded canyon formed by the Fremont River. Though most of Fruita’s residents gradually moved away after Capitol Reef’s establishment as a national park, the fields and orchards (and an abundance of wildlife) remain for your enjoyment. We were there too early in the season, but they say you can look for U-Pick signs where visitors may even pick small quantities of fruit in season: cherries in June, apricots in July, pears in August, and apples in September. The money, collected on an honor system, goes to maintain the orchards. While in the Fruita area, you can check out the historic Fruita Schoolhouse, old Blacksmith Shop, and the Gifford Homestead.

After we left the park we enjoyed dinner at the Rim Rock Inn and Restaurant in Torrey, Utah. The food and service was great and the views of the mountains and red rocks were a plus. After dinner we headed toward Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon is about 110 miles from Torrey, Utah and around a 2 hours and 20 minutes drive along Scenic Byway 12. You can get between Torrey and Bryce Canyon a little faster if you go through Koosharem and Widtsoe, but it's nowhere near as beautiful of a drive! Just make sure you have enough daylight to do the drive. It is too beautiful to miss by driving at night. The drive will take you past a few areas of the Dixie National Forest. The forest includes peaks, plateaus, lakes and valleys. We saw lots of elk and mule deer. Between the communities of Boulder and Escalante, is a beautiful stretch of road called the Hogback. The road here runs along the top of a steep ridge, with a drop of hundreds of feet on both sides of the road. It felt like you were on top of the world. Such beautiful countryside!!! There are so many other places to explore along Highway 12, but we just didn’t have time to do it all. I suppose I will have to come back one day. Do You Wanna Go Too??

Okay, be ready for picture overload. We just returned from a seven-day trip exploring Utah's "Mighty Five" National Parks. Pictures do not do it justice. There is no way you can capture the full beauty of these parks with your camera. You just need to go there and capture it all with your own eyes and mind. In this post I'm going to share with you our experiences in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. In the next two posts, I’ll share information on Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion. Even though all five parks are in Utah, each one has its own particular look, character, and ambiance.

Flying into Salt Lake City and out of Las Vegas (or vice versa) allows you to cover the five parks with the least amount of driving. We chose the Salt Lake City - Las Vegas route. On Day 1, we rented our car in Salt Lake City and drove the approximately four hours to the town of Moab. This is where we stayed for the next three nights. Moab is only 5 miles from Arches and 30 miles from Canyonlands--a perfect location to stay while you explore these two parks. There you will find plenty of shops, hotels and restaurants. We stayed at the LaQuinta Inn and Suites on the south side of town. The rooms were clean, quiet, and comfortable. A few of our favorite restaurants were the Moab Diner (yummy banana splits), Canyon Steak and Waffle House (delicious breakfast) and the Quesadilla Mobilla Food Truck (huge portions and so good!!).

Day 2 we went to Arches National Park which is known for its remarkable natural red sandstone arches (actually over 2,000 of them), along with pinnacles, cliffs, and balanced rocks. You need to get there early because sometimes when the parking lots fill to capacity, they temporarily delay additional park entries. You may encounter a closed gate and have to come back several hours later. There is much to see and do in Arches. You can drive through stopping at the various viewpoints. Some require a short hike on a well maintained path to get an up close look at the arches and red rocks. Balanced Rock is a 0.3 mi RT loop trail around the base of a fragile, picturesque 128 foot rock formation. Windows and Turret Arch is a 1 mile loop and is an easy and relaxed walk. Nearby Double Arch is one of the tallest arches and is a 0.5 mi RT relatively flat, sandy trail that leads to the base of two giant arch spans which are joined at one end. You can climb on the rocks under the arch. At Devils Garden (located at the end of the park road) is a 2 miles RT hike on a relatively flat, gravel-surfaced trail that leads to Landscape Arch - a spectacular ribbon of rock, whose span is more than a football field in length.

If it is anyway possible, you really need to do the hike to see Delicate Arch--a 52-foot tall freestanding natural arch! It is a moderately challenging hike (3 miles RT) on slickrock with some exposure to heights. The first half-mile is a wide, well-defined trail that climbs gradually and levels out toward the rock face. Just before you get to Delicate Arch, the trail goes along a rock ledge for about 200 yards. The arch is depicted on Utah’s license plates and the Olympic torch relay for the 2002 Winter Olympics passed through the arch. Even though the hike was somewhat challenging, it was probably my favorite hike and arch.

Moab is known for its wide array of 4x4 and backcountry trails. People from all over the world come to Moab to tackle the challenges of off-road trails. Even if you are not an experienced off-road driver, there are plenty of easy, beginner trails for you to explore. All you need is a 4x4 vehicle with a high clearance. There are plenty of places in Moab to rent jeeps and off-highway vehicles. But, you need to note that the use of off-highway vehicles (ATVs, OHV, UTVs, etc) are not allowed in the national parks. I had seen pictures of the famous Shafer switchbacks on the Shafer Canyon Road in Canyonlands National Park and knew that is something I really wanted to experience. But, since we were new to off-roading (zero experience), we didn’t know exactly where to begin and what to expect. On Day 3, we rented a jeep from Jenn’s Jeep Rentals and could not have asked for better service. They were so helpful in suggesting “easy” routes to explore and provided us with a guide book with specific directions and sites along the way. Following Jenn’s suggestions we followed Potash Road to Shafer Canyon Road driving the legendary Shafer Canyon switchbacks, On this trail we saw Dead Horse Point (Dead Horse State Park) from a different perspective, and got spectacular up-close views of the Colorado River. The jeep ride allowed us to explore Canyonlands National Park’s back country dirt roads. Canyonlands is Utah’s largest park and is known for its dramatic desert landscape carved by the Colorado River.

After that thrilling ride, we then took the Gemini Bridges trail back to Moab. Gemini Bridges are a pair of majestic side by side stone arches that you can actually walk all over the tops of them. The off-road jeep ride was one of the highlights of the entire trip. I want to go back and do more off-road trails (easy ones of course!!). Do You Wanna Go Too?

This most likely would be one of those “if you are in the area” stops unless you are a big fan of the duo famous for their slapstick comedy during the late 1920’s to the mid-1940’s. The comedy duo is Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and the stop is the Laurel & Hardy Museum located in the Harlem Museum and Welcome Center in Harlem, Georgia (off of I-20 between Thomson and Augusta). Harlem not only is the location of Harlem High School (where Ken, my husband graduated from), but is also the birthplace of Oliver Hardy (the portly half of the famous duo). The museum is free and even though it is small, contains quite a number of Laurel & Hardy artifacts and memorabilia. Housed in the former Columbia Theatre there is a room to watch any of the 106 movies they made together. The museum is also dedicated to the history of Harlem - Columbia County’s first city. Harlem actually got its name after a visitor from Harlem, New York visited and compared the feel of the city to Harlem, New York. The visit occurred in 1870 the same year it was incorporated. If visiting Harlem and you get a little hungry, go to the Acorn Restaurant where they serve up homemade dishes from an extensive menu. The restaurant is also part of Columbia County’s only Bed & Breakfast - The Red Oak Manor. So, if you are in the area and have a little time, go to the museum --- that is what we did. So, Do You Wanna Go Too?

&hardy

We are blessed to live only a short drive to the North Georgia Mountains. No matter the season, you will enjoy the spectacular long-range views of the Appalachian mountains, farms and valleys. However, during the winter you get a chance to experience the fresh crisp air and maybe even a bit of snow. We just returned from a short trip to the mountains. We had a gift certificate for a two-night stay at Unicoi State Park in Helen, GA that was going to expire at the end of December. Because of COVID and family illnesses, we had rescheduled our stay two times, so thankfully we were able to go before the end of the year. There is so much to do and see in the North Georgia Mountains especially being able to enjoy the beauty of nature all around you without worrying about being in a crowd of people. With our mask on, hands washed, and avoiding crowds, here are just a few of our favorite places we were able to visit on this trip.

Unicoi State Park surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest is one of our favorite parks in Georgia. Accommodations include lodge rooms, cabins or campsites. There are numerous hiking trails you can take to the alpine village of Helen, to Anna Ruby Falls or around Unicoi Lake. The town of Helen offers many attractions, but we enjoy eating at Bodensee for authentic German food prepared by Master Chef Aurel Prodan and his wife Doina. Another favorite in Helen is visiting Betty’s Country Store. The store began in 1973 as a small mom and pop grocery and is a store filled with items from the past as well as the present. There is a bakery with delicious cakes and cookies and a meat department where you can get steaks cut the way you like. We grabbed a deli sandwich to go. At the meat counter, fill out one of their forms and they make a sandwich from scratch. It was delicious!!

Right outside of Helen, you do not want to miss stopping in at the Nora Mill Granary (established in 1876} and Store - an operational gristmill that sits right on the Chattahoochee river. Stock up on grits, cornmeal, pancakes, flour, biscuit mix, and pioneer’s porridge along with jellies and condiments.

I’ve been to Helen, GA hundreds of times, but this was my first time stopping at the Hardman Farm State Historical Site. The house was built in 1879 and sits at the west end of the Nacoochee Valley. There have been three owners and the last one was Dr. Lamartine Hardman, Georgia’s governor from 1927-1931. The Nacoochee Mound which sits across the road from the Hardman Farm is an Native American burial site believed to have been placed there long before the Cherokee Tribe inhabited the area. The Hardman Farm and Nacoochee Mound are probably the most well-known sites around Helen.

Just 2 ½ miles north of Helen is the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway which offers majestic views of the North Georgia mountains. There are several scenic overlooks you can stop at or if you want to take in a hike stop at Dukes Creeks Falls (2 miles RT) or Raven Cliff Falls (5 miles RT). Our destination for this drive was to go to Alexander’s Store “Everything Under the Sun”. You name it, they’ve got it. First opened in 1953, the 50,000 square feet of retail space sits in the middle of nowhere (or it seems). If trying to find it on your GPS, you will need to put Blairsville as the town.

On scenic highway 197 between Clarkesville, GA and Moccasin Creek State Park is another great stop located in an old mill on the banks of the Soque River -- Mark of the Potter. Here you will find pottery produced by local artists. Be sure to step outside to feed the huge trout that live in the stream.

I’m not sure just how many covered bridges are still in existence in Georgia, but one that you can definitely see is Stovall Mill Covered Bridge located on highway 255 (Sautee Nacoochee, GA). Built in 1895 it is 36.8 feet long and spans Chickamauga Creek. The bridge appeared in the 1950’s movie “I’d Climb the Highest Mountain”.

Our last stop before heading home was the Old Sautee Store (Sautee Nacoochee, GA) which was built in 1873 and was a real general store supplying food, seed, or farm equipment to the local residents. It also served as a post office until 1962. Upon stepping on the porch of this historical landmark, you feel as if you are stepping back to yesteryear and pure Americana. The front of the store is a replica of the 1800’s store and in the back is a gift shop of toys, clothing and candy you can purchase by the pound. You don’t want to miss stopping at this historical country store and exploring all the artifacts on display.

Well… this is just a few of the interesting and fun attractions in the North Georgia Mountains. There are many more we didn’t visit on this short trip. I pray you have a very Happy New Year and that you and your family will stay safe and healthy. Hopefully, one day soon the pandemic will be over and we will be able to travel again like we did before. I’m ready to go again…. Do You Wanna Go Too?

Do You Wanna Go Too? “Go West, Young Man” or “Young Lady” or even the “Not So Young Man and Lady”. Whoever you are, you have to do this at least once. When I was a young girl, we would take a road trip “out west” almost every summer. I have a treasure of good memories of us piling into either the car or truck for the long trip. Once, all of us rode in Daddy’s pick-up truck that had a camper shell on the back. Daddy, my brother-in-law, and my Mama rode up front. My two older sisters and three of us kids rode in the back. Yep, this is before all the “safety” regulations -- we had no seatbelts in the front or back. One time, we actually drove from Georgia all the way to California! Since there were quite a few of us traveling together and to save money we would eat many of our meals at roadside parks. Mornings we would cook eggs, bacon, sausage, and sometimes grits on an old Coleman camp stove that we had packed. Then it would be sandwiches for lunch and a simple inexpensive place for supper. I wish I had written down all the places we visited and mapped all the roads we traveled. As an adult, I’ve been “out west” several times. The last time we made the road trip was the summer of 2019. We went to so many places that it is too much to cover in one post. So, for the next several posts, I'm going to share with you some of the places we visited during our last trip.

Today, I want to tell you about Devils Tower National Monument in northeastern Wyoming. Devil’s Tower is an impressive solitary, stump-like granite tower rising 1,267 feet high and is about 1,000 feet in diameter at the bottom and 275 feet at the top. There is a self-guided and easy through the forest hike around the base of the tower. Many people (including my 73 year old brother and 14 year old nephew) braved the climb over huge boulders to part way up the tower. Devils Tower is a rock climber’s paradise. We saw several at various heights -- some going up and some coming down. It is also a sacred place to the Native Americans. Each June the tower is closed to rock climbers because Native American ceremonies are often held during and around the summer solstice. I don’t know how many times I’ve been “out west”, but this was the first time I’ve visited Devils Tower National Monument. I’m so glad we did. Do You Wanna Go Too?

Do You Wanna Go Too? I do! I do! I wanna go to Little St. Simons Island again!! Where is Little St. Simons Island you may ask? It is a private 11,000 acre barrier island along the Atlantic coast (between Savannah, GA and Jacksonville, FL) with 7 miles of beaches, a lodge and six cottages that can house only 32 guests at one time. It is accessible only by ferry departing from the north end of St. Simons Island at the Hampton River Marina. We had been wanting to go for a long time and because of COVID we canceled our anniversary trip to the Turks and Caicos and decided to go to Little St. Simons. The island is not for everybody, but if you enjoy getting outside for sea turtle sightings, hiking, kayaking, biking, fishing, bird watching, swimming or sitting by the pool or having 7 miles of beach pretty much to yourself - then this is where you will want to go. You can do as little or as much as you like. This all-inclusive experience includes all of this plus twice daily naturalist-led activities. They have trucks decked out with benches to take you on a history tour of the island or just to the beach if that is what you want to do. At the beach there is a pavilion with everything you need--towels, beach chairs, umbrellas, sunscreen, water, beach toys -- even a cart for hauling things along the boardwalk to the beach. Be sure to listen for the dinner bell letting you know when breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. The chefs do an outstanding job serving delicious meals from locally sourced foods and fresh vegetables from the garden on the property. We stayed in a room in the River Lodge that overlooks Mosquito Creek. The lodge featured a large common area, four guest rooms, a screened porch and a large deck overlooking the creek. The common area had a refrigerator stocked with sodas and a washer and dryer. There is no TV and the Wi-Fi is reliable. An unexpected highlight of our visit was the interaction with the other guests. We met some newlyweds from Maine, family from Nashville and from South Carolina, a couple from Connecticut, and two other Georgia couples. We shared stories, took each other’s pictures at sunset or us with our fish, talked about recent travels and good books to read. We had a fantastic, educational, adventurous and enjoyable experience. Thanks to the Little St. Simon's Island staff we left with some wonderful memories and we can’t wait to go back again. Do You Wanna Go Too?

For your information if planning on traveling from one state to another: This page tracks executive orders that governors and state agencies have issued restricting interstate travel or placing requirements on interstate travelers in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This page also includes recommendations or advisories issued by governors or state agencies related to interstate travel.

https://ballotpedia.org/Travel_restrictions_issued_by_states_in_response_to_the_coronavirus_(COVID-19)_pandemic,_2020?fbclid=IwAR0R7x2hEdL2SLmGDIg617FSQ_8dXR-gpk1jMdowPkdmvU9tHYm2CJdQpDU

Travel restrictions issued by states in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020 - Ballotpedia Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics

Do You Wanna Go Too? I love visiting Ohio Amish Country. There are some places I would go again and again and this is one of them. As a matter of fact I just returned home from our 5th visit to that area and I hope I’ll be able to go back again one day. Ohio Amish Country is in the rolling hills of east central Ohio in Holmes, Wayne, Coshocton, Tuscarawas, and Stark Counties. I love riding the back-roads and taking in the beautiful countryside and Amish homes and barns. I don’t hesitate following a dirt road down a driveway with a hand-painted sign for baskets, fruit, vegetables, crafts or whatever. The people are kind and friendly. This area of Ohio is known for its furniture, Swiss cheese and homemade Trail Bologna. You definitely will not go hungry when visiting -- there are so many restaurants offering Amish style food of fried chicken, noodles, fresh bread, peanut butter mixed with marshmallow cream, homemade pickles, pastries and of course their homemade pies. On one visit we stayed at the Barn Inn B&B in Millersburg. The owners were raised Amish and at breakfast each morning they would tell us about the Amish culture and give us suggestions on places to visit--especially Amish owned businesses. We stayed at a motel in Millersburg once and in hotels in the town of Berlin three times. Berlin has lots of little shops and music on the square each weekend. Other towns to visit are Charm, Baltic, Sugarcreek, Farmerstown, Mount Hope, and Walnut Creek. Just a few of my favorite restaurants are Boyd and Wurthermann and Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen. I would suggest visiting the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center Behalt on your first day. The Behalt is a 10 foot by 265 foot circular mural that illustrates the history of the Amish and Mennonites from their origins to the present day. Some of my favorite shops are: Heini’s Cheese, Guggisberg Cheese, Miller’s Bakery (get the donuts), Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery, Coblentz Leather, and Ashery Country Store. Stores close around 5:00 p.m. and are closed on Sunday. Also, Amish businesses are closed on most holidays, Good Friday and Ascension Day. If you are visiting on a Sunday, check out the Historic Roscoe Village in Coshocton and Warther Knives in Dover. Roscoe Village is a restored Ohio and Erie Canal town and you can even take a horse drawn canal boat ride. At Warther Knives, be sure to visit the museum that tells the story of Ernest “Mooney” Warther and his hobby of carving and making knives. He carved the history of the steam engine by using a knife with interchangeable blades. The detail of each of his carvings is simply amazing. So, as you can see there are tons of things to do and see in Ohio Amish Country. If I want to get away from the hustle and bustle of “life” and just be able to relax, this is the place to go. What about you? Do You Wanna Go Too?