Conotton Creek Trail is a staple! It's 11.4 miles of a fully paved path that is great for biking,…read morewalking, or running. This is a great trail to view some foliage and wildlife. There are plenty of birds, ducks, geese, and turtles. If you're lucky you may see a fox or even a mink like I did today! You'll also pass through a couple of small towns if you want to make a quick detour or see some interesting architecture. The trail itself if very well kept and clean. The only reason I hesitate to give the trail five stars is its lack of signage and porta-potty cleanliness. If you're from the area it may be difficult to find the trailheads. There are a few porta-potties along the route which is great, but they are pretty old and dingy. All in all, Conotton Creek Trail is a great opportunity within the community to get some fresh air and exercise!

We were in the area to drop off a family member. My husband loves history so he wanted to see the…read morenearby Custer memorial and since we love to walk & hike decided to scope out this trail. We parked in Scio, but it wasn't too clear where we should park as nothing was labeled so we just parked next to a picnic shelter in a gravel lot. We walked the trail for a bit, was very peaceful and pretty. Reminds me of the towpath at home. If I lived nearby I would walk it all the time. We started in a city, so we werent completely immersed in nature, but I am positive that you would be if you went just a little bit further than we did. There are porta potties and picnic tables along the way. I recommend if you are in the area and want to take a stroll or take a jog.

BF and I did research before coming here so we knew what to expect. They give very limited tours…read moreand the areas are not all restored or furnished as such. Knowing this, I took a day off on a Friday to come to their 1pm tour. No one else was there so it ended up being a private tour for my BF and me. Our docent Elaine was a straight G for showing us all the areas (and more!), giving us colorful background, really emphasizing the significance of the place and her passion to maintain and preserve. While it's true that the entire upstairs have been converted to offices, Christmas displays and bridal suites, the first floor, and some extras (library, dinning room, sunroom, German pub room) were all still intact and interesting to tour. The staff was very welcoming and it genuinely was interesting to learn about Alliance, the engineering company and the descendants. The admission cost is $10 per person cash and I thought it was worthwhile for the hour+ tour. The grounds had an echo chamber that greatly amused us! Recommend stopping by here and checking out the cute antique shops in downtown Alliance! I had a wonderful day trip here.

This place really does look cool from the outside, but the self-guided tour of the inside fell…read moreshort. We were there for the holiday weekend tour and it was really crowded with not great crowd-management and not really much information about the home or the family. There was a brief hand-out with some basic information about each room, but really nothing really sparked my attention or jumped out here. I am still not sure what the family did or aware of any specific hidden gems in the mansion or anything significant about the architecture. The most interesting little detail were the trolls and owls carved into the molding upstairs in the library. I don't know, but maybe if we came back on a day that wasn't packed to the brim with people I would have felt more engaged? Or maybe more time to talk to the docents? For ten bucks per adult, I don't really think it was worth it. There were significant repairs needed and the house has not fully been restored. There are far more detailed and interesting tours of historic homes in the northeast Ohio area to visit. Either way, now we can say we've been and my son DID get to visit Santa Claus with virtually zero wait to do so. That's a win.

I'm a little torn on this review to be honest and it's kind of a hard one to write because the…read morePalace of Gold is definitely beautiful, but overall my experience wasn't the greatest. I visited in winter, which meant no flowers were in bloom in the gardens and the outdoor space was pretty gloomy with the exception of a very cool bug that I found on the steps. The seasons definitely change the atmosphere and I imagine that in spring or summer it feels much more vibrant and alive here. The palace itself is lovely with intricate details and ornate interiors and very much what I expected stylistically. However, it wasn't nearly as grand in scale as I had imagined. It was much smaller than I thought it would be. When you step inside the front lobby area, there are gorgeous stained glass windows and beautiful decor and I really enjoyed the light coming through into that space and being able to take photographs in there. The woman inside asked us on a few occasions if we wanted to take the tour and I wasn't sure until we saw the lobby area. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment was for me was finding out -- only after paying -- that photography wasn't actually allowed inside. That was tough and had I known I definitely would have made a different decision. Personally, I would have been just as happy taking photos of the exterior and I would have saved myself a lot of money. The tour is a little costly considering that you're just accessing a very small area and although the information was somewhat interesting, I had already read the majority of it beforehand. After the tour I was excited to head over to where they keep the cows, which are considered sacred here, because I had read that guests are sometimes allowed to help feed them. Unfortunately (again) it's only during a specific time of day and there wasn't anyone around that I could talk to, but I was able to see the cows through the fence and they were absolutely adorable. We were advised during the tour that we were welcome to go to the lunch offering near the housing area and we did try to find what the tour guide had described, but there were no clear signs. When we did eventually locate the area where they were serving some food, it felt very uncomfortable, like we had wandered somewhere we weren't meant to be. We definitely didn't feel like we belonged there and left almost immediately. Overall, the palace itself is really beautiful and historically interesting and although I don't subscribe to the beliefs of the people here, I do respect what it represents to them. Between the cost and the no photo surprise and the general feeling of uncertainty throughout our visit, we just spent much of our time here wandering and feeling uncomfortable. The welcome center wasn't very welcoming, the peacock walk had no peacocks and the chanting and yelling of Krishna devotees can be a frightening experience to those new to it. This is worth seeing once, hopefully in a season where it's full of flowers and sunshine and beauty. I just suggest you manage your expectations and definitely make it clear that you are not there to be converted.

I recently learned that you should always be open minded to the suggestions on the billboards on…read morethe highway. We saw a sign mentioning the Palace of Gold on the way to Pittsburgh so we decided to make a detour and check it out. My first impression was how beautiful it was. Most of the building is indeed gold colored so there was no false advertising there. They also do tours of the palace so you can get an in depth look of the palace. The tour guide did an amazing job. What I really enjoyed was how quiet peaceful it was. There was a lot more to do than look at the temple. You could take a walk, visit the temple for worship and just enjoy the Mountain View. Everything was very relaxing. We loved it visit to the Palace of Gold. Such a hidden gem!

While visiting friends in Ohio we discovered Lanterman's Mill, first built in 1845 and later…read morerestored in 1985. I am a lover of hiking, waterfalls, mills, bridges, gardens, historic places and tranquil spaces. Lanterman's Mill has all of this which makes a visit here nearly perfect. --- If you follow my reviews then you know I have a particular affinity for COVERED BRIDGES. When I discovered this place while doing a Google search of things to see in the area, I did not notice any pictures of a covered bridge. So it was beyond thrilling to walk behind the mill (where it is hidden from street view) and stumble upon it. For me, this was like finding a briefcase of money as I stood in total disbelief for several minutes. Not only was it a delightful surprise, it was beautiful and well maintained to boot, which is not always the case with covered bridges. Built in 1989, the covered bridge is not historic, but was designed in the likeness of other local bridges from the 1800's that farmers used to bring their grain to the mill. There is also a gorgeous arched street bridge that provides an excellent vantage point for photos of the mill & waterfall as well as another decorative suspension bridge just a half mile away. A 2-mile loop hiking trail known as East Gorge Walk and West Gorge Trail allows for wonderful views of the river gorge and leads you to the suspension bridge from the mill. These trails connect with the West Cohasset, East Cohasset, Axtmann and Old Tree Walking Trails and can more that triple your mileage as you explore the northern end of the park. --- OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST along the connecting walking trail are several ponds, small lakes, picnic pavilions, playgrounds and even a public golf course @ Mill Creek Metro Park. There is a Riverside Garden, Quarry Garden, Nature Center, and the ruins of a historic furnace built in the 1820's which produced approximately three to four tons of iron daily. Pioneer Pavilion, built in 1821 as a mill for carding and fulling wool is a rare surviving example of early 19th Century industry. It sits within view of the furnace. Cascade Gorge Natural Pool and an area known as THE FLATS round out some of the beautiful areas of interest near Lanterman's Mill. NOTE: The Flats are a lush grassy area surrounded by a horse fence. If you follow the fence you will notice an enormous tree in its path, which causes the fence to terminate and continue on the other side of the tree. Not sure what kind of tree it is, but it certainly seems to be very, very old based on the thickness of its trunk. It is easily more than 100 years older than any tree in its vicinity. FINAL THOUGHTS The Mill is a testimony to human determination. The current mill is the third incarnation. The first mill was built of logs and operated from 1799 to 1822. In 1823 the original mill was replaced by a second mill which operated until 1843 when a flood washed it away. A grinding stone from this mill can still be seen resting in the creek bed 500 feet downstream of the Falls. Lanterman's Mill ceased operations in 1888. [source: millcreekmetroparks.org] Lanterman's Mill itself is over 5-stories tall and has a very unique feature of having the waterwheel inside the basement of the mill. All the walking trails are free, but entrance inside the working areas of the mill are currently $3 for non-resident adults and $1 for students and seniors (July 2023). A butterfly garden is on site and during our visit we were graced with many birds, a groundhog, chipmunk and the largest most unusual forest mushroom we've ever seen. It is absolutely a stunning place in the summer. I can't even begin to imagine how magical it is in the Fall season as the trees change into their best outfits. Enjoy! BTW I've been trying my hand at TikTok & made a few videos of our visit to this mill if you care to see them: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8dqN8JM/ - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8dVsHeW/ 2023 / 10

What a fun nice stop. It's so beautiful here. I remember we brought kids here when they were little…read moreand it had not been renovated. Now it's all fixed up and worth the tour and walk. Plenty of parking and a short walk to the mill. Then you can take a stroll along the creek and take history tour of the mill. They have a nice gift shop inside too. Take a picnic and enjoy the surrounding beautiful nature.

I love the smell of Krylon in the morning. Tagging is my favorite kind of public art: raw, off the…read morecuff, available to anyone with an idea and a can of spray paint. I don't condone writing on private property, but dang it if I don't love to see it. I am probably in the minority with this one. It might be because of where I spent several of my formative years (in gang territory, surrounded by graffiti). So when I visited Wheeling, I made sure to stop and see Mt. Wood Overlook, because it's a little spot in this small West Virginia city that's covered with tags and writing. This place is a hidden gem, especially if you like quirky public art. The space itself looks like it's the cement foundation of a former building, and taggers have just taken over and written all over it. There are drawings and messages (happy birthday wishes, dates of first kisses, angry statements to exes) scrawled over every inch of this place. From the parking lot, you enter on the top floor, then you can take two flights of stairs down into what looks like a castle full of graffiti. It's seedy and creepy, but it's so cool to see what's going on in the minds and hearts of people who stopped by and left a message. There are some trails near the overlook, and just from the look of them, I would not recommend going down them. The trails are littered with spray paint cans and liquor bottles, and I read that this is also a popular spot for drug use, so who the heck knows what you might come across. Mt. Wood Overlook would make an excellent spot for a photo shoot. It's also located across the street from a cemetery! It's an awesome place to feel life breathing off the walls from fresh art, with the background of death looming in the periphery. Whatta place! You gotta visit if you're in the area.

It was a cool artistic place yet at the same time it was very sketchy. Any time you see graffiti…read morethat's what usually gives people first impressions. But this had graffiti all over, that you can step in it and not worry about paint being on your shoes. They have a small parking lot with maybe a few spaces - but there was one scary-looking dude just sitting and chilling in his car looking at everyone -like he was getting ready to snap. But I let it go. I did not go to the lower levels, as I just stayed at the top. The top is where you get a great view of the city of Wheeling. It's very interesting that the city is separated by a mountain. Bring your cameras, folks!

This place has been here since the whiskey rebellion. It has a deep historic roots involved with…read morethis place. In the 1770s, tracing ownership through the Swart and McDonald families. An ancestor named John Henry built the stone house between 1817 and 1823 on what was then called a plantation. An old will also refers to the dwelling as "the mansion house." They've since put a deck on the back of the place and redid the inside of the house. It's incredible and nicely snuggled inside of Mingo Creek Park and worth a visit.

My son and I visited for a trick or treat event for children. The house is quite lovely and I found…read moremyself wanting to learn more about it, but the trick or treat moves fairly swiftly and there isn't time for history. That said, my son enjoyed it and I did too. His favorite part was visiting the lovely sheep grazing outside. The inside of the house was well decorated and there was a craft outside in the small guest house on the property. We were there early so parking was pretty easy. Volunteers were friendly, although the ticketing/check in process was a little confusing. The door was open, but the guy working seemed unclear on whether they were ready for us to come in or not, and directed us to the craft area before we paid and got our stamps. One day I'll come back when it's less hectic to explore and learn more about this interesting piece of Akron history.

I went after hours, walked around, they had live sheep. but being called "Mutton Hill" I got a…read morelittle chuckle out of that. the land is huge but has divots in the grass so be careful. I loved walking the grounds.

You can learn about West Virginia history at this free museum. Or you can be like my children and…read morejust glance at the exhibits while trying to find buttons to push and things to touch. Your call! If you did go through the museum purposefully, though, you'd find a lot information about how West Virginia, a Unionist state, separated from Virginia, a Confederate state. There are three floors of Civil War memorabilia, West Virginia things and ... honestly, I think I'm like my children, because I didn't read any of the information either. But I know if you want to learn more about West Virginia, this is the place to do it. I mostly just enjoyed walking around, looking at the old furniture, peeking out of the windows and observing all of the nicely preserved historical objects that the museum has so lovingly displayed for everyone to see. This is a beautiful museum, and there's so much to see and learn about that I'm kind of shocked it was free to visit. There was one woman working there when we visited. It's a quiet little museum, so one person working there seemed right. I could tell that she really wanted us to ask questions -- she had a lot of West Virginia knowledge rattling around in her head. Unfortunately for her, my family was only there to push buttons and touch things and gaze out of the windows, so she retreated back to her desk and let us peruse freely. We had a good time at West Virginia Independence Hall, and stayed maybe 30 minutes. But I could see other people staying an hour or more, especially if you are really into history, and you take your time to absorb all of the information that's available.

OMG This museum is FREE!!! It is full of West Virginia…read moreHistory, artifacts and gems. Parking is in the rear and FREE as well. Easy to locate in downtown area of Wheeling across from the B&O Railroad Building which is now part of the community college. For my birthday I wanted to go here so my hubby Tony, daughter Noel and her boyfriend Adam joined me. Outside on the corner is a hugh statue of Governor Pierpont, the first governor of the new State of West Virginia. Some historical markers, a monument to the civil war, and a cannon. Inside there is 3 levels. Top level is the courtroom, were the convention was held to declare, argue and vote on making a new State and breaking away from Virginia. It was here that West Virginia was born. Second levels there are various rooms stuffed full of historical memorable items. First floor there are some civil war informative displays, an old post office and a riverboat display. In the basement, bathrooms and theatre to watch a 18 minute brief film narrates how this all became about. This was originally the Old Custom House.

Not a lot to see, but if you love seeing historical sites like I do, you'll want to stop by. This…read morecute little schoolhouse is just off of Brady's Run in Beaver. The actual museum is only open June-August on Sundays, but it's easy enough to peek into the windows if you're there during the off-season as I was.

Did you know that Robin Thicke had a son? This township is owned by, and named after, Robin's Son…read more Just to the west of Pittsburgh is this lovely little suburb which I visited on many occasions now, and it's nice and secluded and honestly filled with a lot of annoying chains and whatnot - but it's still a great little spot with some hotels and some good food, and you get the idea. There's a location of Burgatory out here, but for the most part most of the great food is found on the other side of Interstate 79. There's a Bob's Big Shot Wings not far from here though, it's amazing - get them Old Bay Wet. But if you want to stay close to the airport then it's one of your best bets.