I love to travel, but it’s not always possible to travel far – sometimes all you have is an afternoon. That’s why I’ve been trying to find fun places closer to home and Ohio is full of some hidden gems. Chillicothe is definitely one of those hidden gems.
Last week, while my brother was home visiting us, we decided to check one of the places off of my list in Ohio – Chillicothe. Located just over an hour away from Columbus, it made for the perfect daytrip.
We went on a beautiful spring Wednesday. It was a great day to go because everything was open and things were active, but not too busy. We noticed a lot of places said they were closed on Sundays.
We arrived in town late morning, so our first order of business was finding a good place for lunch. We spent the afternoon exploring the town, stopping for coffee and a sweet treat, and admiring the architecture.
Chillicothe is a small, Ohio town with major historical significance. Just over an hour from Columbus, Ohio (Ohio’s current capital), Chillicothe was once the capital of Ohio. It was the first (and then the third) capital of Ohio. The name comes from Shawnee, but the town was also important to the Hopewell tradition. Following the American Revolution, many Europeans settled in the area and it became the first capital of Ohio from 1803-1810. Chillicothe was also an important part of the Underground Railroad during the US Civil War. Current day Chillicothe is also full of things to do.
Here’s my list of 10 Thing to Do when you visit Chillicothe:
1. Eat Lunch at Fire and Stone Pizzeria –
We had done some searching on Yelp before we went and Fire & Stone Pizzeria came up as a good choice. There are lots of places to eat in and around Chillicothe. If you come in from Columbus, chances are you’ll be driving through the upper main street that offers a ton of chain choices – basically anything you could want. We, however, wanted to eat in the downtown area and we wanted a local choice, so we went with Fire & Stone. We were not disappointed! They had a great menu with salad, sandwich, and of course, pizza offerings. They had a salad and pizza combo, which was perfect for lunch and kept us full for the afternoon. Although their menu wasn’t lengthy, it offered plenty of options that would appeal to most and had some unique pizzas as well such as the Forager and the Buzzard’s Roost.
2. The History Store –
Though we had some places that we wanted to check out in Chillicothe, The History Store was one of the unexpected places that we came across while we were there. As I mentioned, Chillicothe played an important part in many times of Ohio’s history, so it only makes sense that a history store would be located there. I’ll admit that I’m not much of a history buff, but even I found the store interesting. They had a great selection of books, games, puzzles, and most importantly, a large variety of scale models. They said that they have one of the largest selections in Ohio, which I can definitely believe.
3. Grab an afternoon treat at Rost Coffee –
I first came across Rost Coffee when they had a coffee cart in Easton Town Center and this space is so much better for them. I think it’s a bit challenging to show off your personality in the middle of Easton. This shop was beautiful and simple with the white walls and wood floors. The coffee was great as well – I had an iced mocha, which was delicious. Their mocha was the perfect mix of sweet and coffee.
4. Pick up some fun, modern gifts at Totem Supply Co –
Totem Supply Co. was actually how I first came across Chillicothe. I don’t remember how I came across them on Instagram, but I had been eyeing them for a couple years on there and knew I wanted to make the trip to check out the shop. They had so many cute household and gift items. I loved this mug, this mug, and this shirt. They have a lot of Ohio pride.
5. Court House –
As I mentioned, Chillicothe was the first capital of Ohio and this court house was amazing. I’ve always been into architecture, but it wasn’t until I went to Europe in college that I became interested in the age of buildings because over there the buildings are so old! The court house was one of my favorite buildings in town – the details of the building are amazing! Can you see how each door has words etched above it like “probate judge” and “sheriff”? It’s all about the details!
6. Walk around Town –
After you’ve checked out some of the suggested places, be sure to give yourself time to just walk around town and admire the buildings. I know I sound like a broken record, but the architecture is amazing. I was stopping every 5 feet to take photos! 🙂
7. Make a stop at the Chillicothe Railroad Museum
The Chillicothe Railroad Museum wasn’t open while we were there, but it looked fun. They had a couple old-time trains next to the park. It looks like they’re only open during the warmer months, so it would make for a great summertime activity – especially if you’re traveling with kids.
8. Enjoy some time at Yoctangee Park
Yoctangee Park looked like a fun community gathering place with a pond, plenty of green space, and lots of sports fields and picnic areas. It’s the perfect place to rest and relax or to play on a warm day in Chillicothe.
9. Grab some snacks at Market No. 9
Market No. 9 is a small, specialty grocery store. We found some old favorites like Shagbark Seed & Mill Tortilla Chips as well as some new favorites like some organic tea from A Pup and a Cup Tea Co. – both are small, Ohio-based companies. As you can see they have a great specialty food selection as well as some home goods.
10. Check out places we missed
There were so many places we wanted to see that we ran out of time to see them all. Carl’s Townhouse was a fun-looking diner in town that we would try on a future visit. The Hopewell Culture National Historic Park looked beautiful in the photos and is even nominated to be a UNESCO world heritage site. Adena Mansion & Gardens wasn’t open in March, but it also sounded interesting with a view that inspired the Great Seal of Ohio.
Have you ever been to Chillicothe? What was your favorite spot there?
