Columbus is full of things to do, but if you have an extra day (or two) to spare, you can use it as a home base for the best day trips from Columbus Ohio, including charming small towns, scenic parks, and even big-city adventures. Here are my favorite day trips — all easy to do in a single day and packed with charm, great food, and memorable experiences.
Drive Time: ~1 hour 30 minutes northeast
Sugarcreek is one of the most charming small towns in Ohio and an ideal day trip from Columbus. Known as the “Little Switzerland of Ohio,” it’s full of Amish Country charm, horse-and-buggies on the roads, and plenty to keep you busy for a full day.
Top Things to Do:
See the world’s largest cuckoo clock in downtown Sugarcreek — time your visit for the top of the hour to catch the clock’s little show.
Browse the shops for homemade jams, baked goods, and hand-crafted items.
Take a quick drive to one of the nearby wineries like Breitenbach Wine Cellars or Baltic Mill Winery — even if you don’t drink, the grounds are beautiful and many have great food options.
Where to Eat:
Rebecca’s Bistro for brunch — try the Creamed Eggs on sourdough or the Stuffed French Toast.
Park Street Pizza for lunch — thick, chewy crust, crispy pepperonis, gooey cheese bread, and a fresh berry salad that balances it all out.
Tip: If you love unique stays, consider booking a night at Dwellbox Treebox Stays, which are cozy shipping-container cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows, outdoor tubs, and fireplaces. Learn more in my full guide to Sugarcreek if you want to spend more than a day exploring.
Drive Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes northeast
Kidron is a smaller Amish town but perfect if you want a slower pace and a few quirky stops.
Top Things to Do:
Visit Lehman’s Hardware Store, a massive, fascinating shop selling everything from non-electric appliances to classic kitchen gear and nostalgic toys.
Stop at Heini’s Cheese Chalet to sample dozens of cheeses — you can taste your way through almost their entire selection.
Where to Eat:
Pack snacks from Columbus or grab lunch in nearby Wooster or Sugarcreek before heading back.
Tip: Combine Kidron and Sugarcreek into one full day — they’re close enough to visit together if you start early.
Drive Time: ~1 hour southeast
Hocking Hills is the ultimate escape from the city and a must-do if you love hiking, waterfalls, and dramatic landscapes.
Top Trails:
Old Man’s Cave – Iconic rock formations, bridges, and waterfalls.
Ash Cave – A massive horseshoe-shaped cave with a waterfall.
Cedar Falls – Peaceful hike and a beautiful waterfall.
Where to Eat:
Pack a picnic to enjoy at one of the park’s picnic areas or stop in Logan for a casual lunch or dinner after your hike.
Tip: Go early in the morning to beat the crowds, especially on weekends — the parking lots fill up fast. Wear good hiking shoes and bring water. If you’re staying in the city, check out my list of the top things to do in Columbus before heading out on your day trip.
Drive Time: ~2 hours north
If you want a completely different vibe from Columbus, head to Cleveland for a day.
Top Things to Do:
Explore West Side Market — a historic market with vendors selling everything from fresh produce to international foods.
Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — a must for music lovers.
Walk through Ohio City and check out the breweries and shops.
Where to Eat:
Grab lunch at Great Lakes Brewing Co. or sample pierogi and gyros from the West Side Market vendors.
If you’re hungry on the way back to Columbus, make a pit stop for a massive burger at The Thurman Café.
Tip: If you can swing it, leave Columbus early and stay for sunset by Lake Erie — the view is gorgeous.
One of the best things about Columbus is how easy it is to escape for a day. Whether you want small-town charm, cheese tasting, outdoor adventure, or a big-city experience, you can find it all within a short drive. Pack some snacks, hit the road early, and make a day of it.
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Here’s what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
Café Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davie’s Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (it’s not ketchup, and it’s better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what I’d skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
There’s a version of Gatlinburg that’s all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then there’s the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Here’s everything worth doing downtown, in the order I’d do it: 🏔️
✨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
✨ Walk the strip mid-morning when it’s still manageable
✨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: don’t skip it)
✨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
✨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isn’t your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. It’s more of a “here’s what I’d actually do if I had one solid day” kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. 🔗
If someone told me I’d spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. 😅
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and it’s one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it — longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
✨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
✨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
✨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
✨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. 🔗
I walked into Goo Goo Cluster in downtown Gatlinburg thinking I’d spend five minutes and leave with a small piece of candy. I was wrong on both counts. 😅
You build your own chocolate cluster at a kiosk: caramel, sea salt, pretzels, cocoa pebbles, you name it, and then watch them make it right in front of you. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes and costs $15.
The caveat? This is not a snack. This is a full-size brick of chocolate that I was still eating two days later.
If you’re already walking the Gatlinburg strip, this is an easy yes. Especially if you have absolutely no self-control around caramel. (Asking for a friend.) Full experience breakdown linked in bio. 🔗
Your Knoxville Airport survival guide, from someone who’s flown through TYS 100+ times is now up on my blog🛫
Parking, TSA wait times, where to grab food before your flight, rental cars, all of it, from someone who actually knows this airport. No guessing, no googling at the last minute.
TYS is small, easy to navigate, and honestly one of the less stressful airports I’ve been through. You just need to know a few things going in.
Full guide linked in bio. 🔗
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