Ohio Camping
This visit included a couple of firsts for us: first Ohio camping and first visit to the state. We had three stops in Ohio and all were quite different. Our visit was in mid-July and it was hotter than we would have liked. Our Ohio camping visits began at Heuston Woods State Park.
Hueston Woods
First, we had a one night stopover at Hueston Woods State Park located in College Corner. On the way, we stopped for a late lunch at nearby Patterson’s in Oxford. It was very good, but the highlight for me was the freshly squeezed orange juice. Delicious! There were some leftovers, so we did not have to worry about cooking that night.
Our site, B25, had electricity. It also had some shade and was very near the bathhouse and a laundry room. A water source was nearly, but was not on each site.
We had some downtime, so it was a good opportunity to do laundry. The park has a lake and horseback riding, but we did not utilize them. In fact, we did not even unhook. We just hung out at our site and planned for an early morning departure for the rally at Sugarcreek.
We drove to the Lodge for breakfast before heading out. It was a decent breakfast. Lodge and cabin guests also have access to an indoor and an outdoor pool. I inquired about access for campers and our server informed me that campers can purchase a pass.
After breakfast, we headed east to Sugarcreek. We enjoyed staying at Hueston Woods, but it was a bit too hot. We needed the air conditioner on on all night to be comfortable.
üCamp 18
Our next opportunity for Ohio camping was at a rally near the nüCamp factory in Sugarcreek. Since our T@G Max XL was produced at this factory, we were excited to see it. In fact, the rally was the initial destination for this trip and there is a separate post for it.
Winklepleck Grove in Sugarcreek was the campground for the rally, which is in the heart of Amish country. Our site was right by the road and we saw many Amish carriages go by each day.
The town of Sugarcreek was fun to visit. It boasts the world’s largest cuckoo clock, which took twelve years to build at a cost of $50,000 in 1975. The clock has an elaborate display on the hour with music.
While in Sugarcreek, we also purchased a nice quilt in one of the shops to use for future camping trips.
The Amish countryside was beautiful. We saw many farms and narrow rural roads.
We also took a tour of Yoder’s Amish Farm. The tour included very interesting information about the Amish and their lifestyle. Two homes that depicted their beliefs and customs were included in the tour. A barn and schoolhouse were also on the tour. The tour was reasonably priced and very interesting.
Ohio camping at Winklepleck Grove was the highlight of our entire trip because of the wonderful experience meeting other nüCamp trailer owners and our wonderful interactions with the factory.
Cleveland Camping
Next, we camped for two nights at American Wilderness campground, which is about thirty miles southwest of Cleveland. Our site was very nice and had electricity and water. However, it was raining a good bit of the time. The roads were made of gravel and had some large potholes. The bathhouse and laundry facilities were quite far from our site. Vault toilets were nearer to us, but were not nice, so I made the hike in the rain one night to the bathhouse.
The campground had a swimming area, but it was cold and raining and was not being used while we were there. Our site was nice, except for the long hike to the bathhouse.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
We wanted to see the Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was the main attraction for us. There is ample parking nearby, but they were having a run in the city when we arrived. The city had closed several blocks near the museum. It was very frustrating trying to find parking! We ultimately had to walk about five blocks which was not good for my husband’s bad knee.
Once there, however, we enjoyed the museum.
The museum featured films, personal items, musical instruments, and photos of rock and roll legends.
It took about four hours to see the museum. This is something not to be missed in Cleveland.
Christmas Story House
My favorite Christmas movie is Christmas Story and the house that was used in the movie is an attraction in Cleveland. We took the tour and it was fun.
It was great to see so many details from this sweet movie, which reminds me of the time when I was a child! It is also a relatively inexpensive tour that I recommend if you are a fan. For my husband who is not a fan, it was not so great. However, he was a good sport.
Favorites
Campground: Hueston Woods had the nicest facilities.
Camping experience: üCamp 18 was the most fun we had at an Ohio stop.
Nearby attractions: American Wilderness was best for its close proximity to Cleveland.
Food: Our best meals in Ohio were actually breakfast. The breakfast prepared by nüCamps president and his wife was amazing. Rebekah’s Bistro in Walnut Creek was also very good. For lunch, Patterson’s in Oxford was the best.
Regrets
We were within blocks of Lake Erie in Cleveland, but did not see it. The weater was bad and I wanted to get to The Christmas Story House before it closed. We will have to return to Cleveland because I am sure there is more to see besides Lake Erie.
In conclusion, Ohio camping was a great time for us! Michigan is our next state to visit.
