Photo courtesy of Greene County Ohio Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Mall at Fairfield Commons
Greene County sits just east of Dayton, about an hour away from Columbus’ city center. If you’re in search of exciting new places to drink, dine and shop, you don’t have to travel too far. Between eccentric, creative towns such as Yellow Springs and world-renowned museums like the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Greene County is bound to make a thrilling day – or even weekend – getaway.
Food & Drink
Photo courtesy of Greene County Ohio Convention and Visitors Bureau
Clifton Mill
For a high-end dining experience, The Greene Town Center – think of it as Beavercreek’s Easton Town Center – offers an array of restaurant options and cuisines. You can find traditional Turkish food at Pasha Grill, or authentic British fare at The Pub, which also serves Pimm’s Cups, a British favorite.
The Winds Cafe is a staple in Yellow Springs – a small but progressive town located near Dayton. Its menu changes with the season and offers brunch, lunch, dinner and an extensive cocktail and wine selection. Try roasted trout with crabmeat, butternut squash ravioli with vanilla-infused brown butter or a selection of artisan cheeses.
The Historic Clifton Mill’s country store sells a variety of pancake mixes and flour, and also has a restaurant that serves hot meals as well as baked pies and cookies.
Nature
Glen Helen Nature Preserve and John Bryan State Park, also near the village of Yellow Springs, offer more than 1,000 acres of scenery and miles of hiking trails. Inside John Bryan State Park, you can find an eye-catching limestone gorge, a national natural landmark, which is cut by the Little Miami River. If you want to turn your day trip into an overnight outdoor trip, John Bryan State Park also offers camping.
Glen Helen Nature Preserve also includes outdoor education opportunities, including a naturalist training program and a raptor rehab center.
For canoeing and fishing opportunities, The Narrows Reserve in Xenia, the bicycle capital of the Midwest, sits alongside the Little Miami River and includes more than four miles of hiking trails and bird watching.
Shopping
Photo courtesy of Greene County Ohio Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Greene Town Center
In Greene County, you won’t want for shopping opportunities. Check out Xenia and Yellow Springs for smaller, boutique stores such as antique shops and independent bookstores, including Rusty NChippy’s Vintage Boutique and Dark Star Books & Comics.
The Mall at Fairfield Commons and The Greene Town Center, both located in Beavercreek, offer more than 250 traditional mall shops as well as luxury department stores. If you want a typical indoor mall experience – or it’s cold outside – the Mall at Fairfield Commons is the best option to turn to. But if you prefer an outdoor experience similar to Easton, you might prefer the Greene Town Center. There, you can find a Von Maur, Nordstrom Rack, Kilwins (a fudge and ice cream shop with Michigan roots) and more.
History
Photo courtesy of Greene County Ohio Convention and Visitors Bureau
Indian Mound Reserve
History buffs won’t be disappointed with Greene County. The Historic Clifton Mill was built in 1802 by Owen Davis, a former Revolutionary War soldier. It’s one of the largest water-powered grist mills in the world – there used to be more than 100,000 mills in the U.S., and now there are only about 100 left. During spring and summer, you can tour the mill and discover its inner workings.
You can also see The Clifton Opera House, which was built in 1893 and still hosts year-round entertainment. It was built by Charles Cregar, an architect from Springfield who also constructed numerous churches and Springfield’s municipal building.
If American Indian history interests you, Cedarville’s Indian Mound Reserve is worth a visit. The Pollock Works, a Hopewell structure, and the Williamson Mound, an Adena structure, are both hundreds of years old.
Aviation
Photo courtesy of Greene County Ohio Convention and Visitors Bureau
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Of course, a trip to Greene County would not be complete without diving into its aviation attractions and history. After all, Orville and Wilbur Wright grew up nearby, in the Dayton area, and the area itself is famous for the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and The National Museum of the United States Air Force. In fact, the Wright brothers flew their first plane in 1904 on Huffman Prairie, which is located on the base.
Last year, the museum, which offers free admission, opened up new exhibit and gallery areas, including Presidential, Research & Development, Space and Global Reach. In these new exhibits, guests can board a presidential aircraft and space shuttle, and explore educational opportunities in three STEM Learning Nodes. It is the world’s largest military aviation museum.
Hannah Bealer is an editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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