Hiking in Hocking Hills

 Above: Ash Cave at Hocking Hills State Park. Photo by OHventures.

Hocking Hills State Park (office)
19852 State Route 664 S

Logan, Ohio 43138

Hiking is the most primitive of all adventures. It plucks you from the everyday hustle and bustle of city and suburban life. The sea of concrete, the skyscraper jungle and the sounds of honking horns are replaced with flowing rivers, forests of greenery and the sounds of birds and other animals in nature. It's a breath of fresh air - both literally and figuratively - to get out and hike. And while there are many different types of hikes with different levels of difficulty and different scenery, the crown jewel of hiking in Ohio belongs to Hocking Hills State Park located  in the Southeastern Ohio city of Logan in Hocking County.

Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace

Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace
248 South 4th Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 824-4673

I love novelty restaurants, and Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace is the epitome of novelty. It's not a tacky kind of novelty, but a breath of fresh air to the downtown Columbus scene. It's located on 4th Avenue, where most other storefronts are vacant or dingy. Dirty Frank's boasts a bright yellow awning that begs you to come inside. It gives the area hope for a new vibrant nightlife (hey, it is open until 2AM, after all).

Skydiving Photo Blog

Who: Yourself (but best with a friend by your side)
What: Skydiving
Where: List of Ohio Spots to Skydive
When: Anytime there's a clear, sunny day!
Why: It's the holy grail of any OHventurer.
How: Lots of courage, thought and consideration

Skydive Your Fears Away

When I was a little kid, I was extremely afraid of heights. Extremely. Deathly. I can remember being on top of the CN Tower in Toronto with my family and being afraid even at the fact that my brothers were too close to the edge. I remember being at an amusement park refusing to get on board any sort of roller coaster. Yet, somehow, my arm was twisted enough to get me on the park's Ferris Wheel where there were undoubtedly white knuckles the entire way around. I don't know what it was that filled me with so much fear when it came to heights. Perhaps it was simply being lifted high in the air, and therefore being lifted away from security and the comfort of being on safe, solid ground.

Welcome To OHventures!

Welcome to OHventures!

So you think Ohio is boring, do you? Think again!

When you think of an adventurous lifestyle, states like Colorado or California may initially pop into your head. But why not Ohio?! There is much more to our state than just football and amusement parks, and my goal is to delve deep and fill you in on all of the hidden (and not so hidden) gems that lay within the Buckeye state.

Other travel sites out there are either geared toward kid- and family-friendly outings, or trips to Amish country that will undoubtedly make you yawn. I refuse to settle with that, which is why I decided to create OHventures.

OHventures (a portmonteau of "Ohio" and "adventures" of course) will reveal the true thrills you can experience everywhere from Cincinnati to Marietta, Cleveland to Sandusky. No area of the state will be left behind. Following this blog will ensure that you are NEVER bored. That's my guarantee.

I am not an expert in the tourism industry. I am a young professional who has a thirst for everything fun and exciting. OHventures is my hobby, and is an outlet to express my passion for travel within the state.

The site will feature posts from me (as well as my friends and contacts) that will generally fit into one or more of the following categories:

1. Outdoor Adventures
2. Active Lifestyle
3. Artistic Expressions
4. Dining Discoveries
5. Extreme Thrills
6. Seasonal Delights

Hiking, biking, canoeing, skiing, canoeing, rock climbing, and yes, even SKYDIVING are just some of many, many items you can scratch off of your Buckeye Bucket List!

And forget about McDonald's, Olive Garden and Dairy Queen. You deserve better. Ohio has amazing restaurants in every nook and cranny. How about Tony Packo's in Toledo, Vegiterranean in Akron, or The Youngstown Crab Company? OHventures will show you where the good eats are. Because, after all, our lives revolve around food!

We will touch on wineries, museums (those worthwhile of course), bars, parks, and oddities that you owe it to yourself to visit. Think places like The Candle Lab in Columbus, the famed Reformatory in Mansfield, and Ozone Zipline Adventures in Lebanon.

I'll also be offering my own personal travelogue entries, random thoughts, and fun and games to the site.

Throw your preconceived notions about Ohio out the window! Get out of your comfort zone and buck up for the time of your life.

Where will YOUR next OHventure take you?