3 Day Getaways

Southeast Ohio

The Great Outdoors

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Day One: Get Up-Close and Personal
Located in the Appalachian Mountain foothills, Guernsey County is home to a number of Ohio's hidden treasures. Perhaps one of the most unique is the Wilds, one of the largest and most innovative wildlife conservation centers in the world. Here, rare and endangered species including rhinos, zebras, giraffes, camels, bison and more roam freely in a natural, open-range habitat of nearly 10,000 acres and interact as they would in the wild. While the Wilds is most concerned with research to help re-invigorate some of these animal species' populations in the wild, the Wilds also offers guided "safari tours" from May through October to help educate visitors about the habits and habitats of the animals. Another of Guernsey County's gems is Salt Fork State Park where the scenery opens up to a patchwork of open hills and meadows. Here, visitors can golf at an 18-hole golf course, go fishing or hunting at one of the designated areas or camp at one of 192 electricity-run campsites. Don't Miss: The 2,200-square-foot, sustainable-living house made entirely of tires and trash at Blue Rock Station in Philo; John Glenn's boyhood home in New Concord.

Day Two: Visit the Jewels of Monroe County
Along the Ohio River, the Quilt Barn driving trail in Monroe County offers a unique experience for those who appreciate the simple things in life. The rolling hills and changing colors provide the perfect backdrop for 20 barns decorated with quilt square paintings by Scott Hagan. Some of the quilt paintings tell family stories or show the area's pride in their Appalachian culture. Don't Miss: Neighboring Belmont County's Victorian Mansion Museum; the Ohio Historical Society's Campus Martius Museum in neighboring Washington County.

Day Three: Get Down in the Hills
Talk about scenic beauty! The Hocking Hills region is known for its majestic wonders during the fall foliage season, and there's no better view of the changing colors than seeing them from the Hocking Hills Canopy Tours. Here, you'll glide nearly three-fourths of a mile over the area's treetops while seeing natural caves and waterfalls! Also nearby, the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway encourages visitors to take a ride on the train, the vehicle that helped the area become a major crossroads for travelling and transportation of goods and other products. Close in proximity is Athens County, home to the Athens County Indian Mounds. The mounds are located in an area called The Plains, which were home to the Adena people nearly 3,000 years ago. Though most of the mounds are gone now, settlers to Ohio found at least 30 mounds in the 1800s, providing strong evidence of a culture that once flourished. Don't Miss: Ohio University, the state's first public university, offers a beautiful campus to take in all of fall's colors.