We celebrated Jax’s birthday last month in Springfield, Ohio. Just about an hour and a half North-East from Cincinnati, Springfield is snuggled in between Columbus and Dayton. It’s a quaint little place full of vibrancy.
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If you’re looking for a fun weekend getaway, not far from home, Springfield is it.
Here’s my list of 6 ways to #findyourunwind in the beautiful Springfield!
*bonus-I give you even more fun ideas at the end
1) SPRINGFIELD FARMERS MARKET
I love a good farmers market. The Springfield summer market runs June-September every Saturday morning, 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. You can find it on North Market Street adjacent to the Heritage Center. (It was right across from our hotel!)
They have 35+ vendors with everything from locally grown veggies/produce, baked goods, jewelry, and more. We picked up coffee, tea, muffins, and bracelets! We listened to the live band as the boys danced! It was a great time! The vendors were so nice and welcoming. One of my favorite markets for sure! Their winter market is held indoors at Mother Stewarts Brewing Company every Saturday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, January through March.
2) WESTCOTT HOUSE
85 South Greenmount Avenue
Springfield, Ohio 45505
This is an amazing guided tour of Frank LLoyd Wright’s only Prairie style house in the state of Ohio. This tour was so cool…even with a 5 and 7 year old. I know, it sounds insane. I found my unwind in a tour of a home from 1908 with the opening statement as “don’t touch anything unless given permission”…with a 5 and 7 year old? Yep…we sure did! The kids were absolutely amazing. Sure, there were moments of “is this almost over?” but then they’d see the next room and be amazed. If you enjoy architecture, home design, art…you will love this tour! And because the boys were soo good we let them pick out something in the gift shop. They ended up picking these little cat erasers that were $1.99. Somehow they both rang up at $17. Derrek didn’t realize what he’d just paid until we got out to the car. So we chalked it up as an “oh well!” I did make sure to tell the boys these $17 erasers better last them the rest of their lives!
3) HARTMAN ROCK GARDEN
1905 Russell Ave.
Springfield, OH 45506
Okay, this place is the coolest/weirdest thing ever. Don’t even think about visiting Springfield and missing this beauty! The cliff notes version of the history behind the garden? A man named Ben Hartman moved to Springfield in 1913 where he worked as a molder at the Springfield Machine Tool Company. In 1932 at the age of 48 he was laid off in the midst of the Great Depression. Like any man who sits still for too long, he got an idea. He decided to whip up a cement fishing pond in his backyard…and the rest is history. Okay, it’s not that simple. A lot of people, time, and donations help keep this garden what it is today. Our visit was extremely peaceful and really out of the ordinary. The most rockin’ change of scenery.
4) SEASONS BISTRO
28 South Limestone Street
Springfield, OH 45502
Saturday night after our visit to the Westcott House we celebrated Jax’s birthday dinner at Seasons Bistro. The restaurant was in walking distance from our hotel. We loved the local art for sale hanging in the dining room. It kept the boys entertained and engaged while we waited for our food. Our server was great! There were some menu changes that night and he was knowledgeable and quick to give recommendations and accommodations. Our dinner was beyond words. The boys ate every bite of their cheese burgers. We giggled and talked about our day. Derrek absolutely loved his bibimbap…he called it “the best meal” he’s ever had. I absolutely loved my steak, but I could have had one of his dishes also!
You already know when I read “coffee crusted” steak with “Gorgonzola” cheese sauce…I thought I was being punkd’. Did these people make this meal especially for me!? Funny story about this steak: I couldn’t eat it all. My eyes were bigger than my tummy. I couldn’t leave it though. I took my leftovers to go and came up with a master plan to keep it good until we got home the next night. We walked back to the hotel and I made Derrek look in his truck for a cooler. Jackpot. We filled the cooler with ice from the hotel ice machine. I brought my steak back home…safe and sound!
I ate it for dinner again Sunday night. No shame.
It looks like they also have occasional live jazz, seasonal menus, and catering!
5) YOUNG’S DAIRY
Young’s Jersey Dairy
6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
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We checked out of our hotel and spent the day in the neighboring town of Yellow Springs (home of Dave Chappelle) where we had a BLAST at Young’s Dairy. If I was Dave, Young’s would be my hang. They have it all…all year round! Plan your visit here! Make sure you turn up your computer volume…the website moooos at you. I am already planning another visit in the fall for the pumpkin picking and corn maze. Their list of events is endless!
After two rounds of mini golf and playing around, we had lunch at the Ice Cream Shop and Restaurant. Lunch was amazing! I think ending the birthday weekend at Young’s really was the cherry on top of the frozen custard sundae.
6) Mike & Rosy’s Deli
330 W McCreight Ave.
Springfield, OH 45504-1819
This deli was the perfect spot to have lunch before we checked into our hotel. It reminded me a lot of the deli we have at home, Scherpies Produce & Deli. Trevor tried his first Steward’s orange soda. Jax opted for a plain blueberry bagel, while Trevor kicked it up a notch with the pizza bagel. Derrek and I had the pulled pork with their award winning sauce. It was sooo good!
So now you know: things to do, the best places to eat, sights to see.
What are you waiting for?! Make it an overnight stay!
The Courtyard Marriott is the perfect location!
It is in walking distance or a short drive from everything!
The hotel is so nice and bonus…indoor pool!
The boys loooooved the indoor pool!
Also, make sure to check out the Springfield Guide + Supply Visitor Center for fun Ohio swag and more information.
They were amazing!!
Honorable Mentions
Schuler’s Bakery – We had plans to get doughnuts here in the morning on Sunday. Since we got the muffins at the Farmer’s Market, we had those for breakfast. We heard great things about Schuler’s Bakery and will definitely stop in next time.
Glen Helen Nature Perverse– We had some on and off rain while we were visiting so we didn’t get to visit. When we were at the Farmer’s Market we talked to a wonderful woman from the parks and rec department that spoke highly of the trail!
Tecumseh Sunflower Field– We stopped by here but the sunflowers were no where to be found. It looks like they should be bloomed between September 9-22nd 🙂
Yellow Springs– Spending the day walking around Yellow Springs is on my bucket list for our next visit. They have cute coffee shops, boutiques, comic shops, etc.
I hope this guide helps give you inspiration to #findyourunwind in Springfield, Ohio 🙂
[…] getting ready to head back up to Springfield for another relaxing weekend. Did you check out our blog post from last year? It was a great weekend up North to celebrate Jax’s birthday last summer. This […]