If you’re tired of buying gift cards for the holidays but start sweating at the thought of coming up with a more unique idea, you’re in luck. There are dozens of fabulous destinations in Ohio where you can find one-of-a-kind presents for the hard-to-please people on your list. Drive two hours in any direction from Columbus to discover items ranging from Amish quilts and Tiffin glass to Ohio-made sausage and Swedish furniture. Keep an open mind and see what you can find!

North, East Ohio:
Forty-five minutes east of Columbus is Zanesville, a gold mine for Ohio pottery due to rich clay deposits in the soil. Hartstone Pottery Factory Outlet sells pieces that are handcrafted and painted locally. Zanesville Pottery sells glass and pottery from Ohio and imports from all over the world. Colonial Cottage specializes in beautiful Heritage lace curtains and tableware. It also carries Mosser Glass, made in nearby Cambridge, and locally-made Mapletree Baskets.

Dresden is home to Longaberger, known for its handcrafted baskets. Browse the Longaberger patio shops for merchandise, apparel and gourmet food. Explore the 40 individually-owned shops and see the World’s Largest Picnic Basket!

Roscoe Village in Coshocton is a restored 1830s canal town with unique shops and living history tours with costumed interpreters. Set among the historic buildings are specialty shops with crafts such as homemade brooms, candles and woven goods.

Amish country has a plethora of antique and country-style shops. You could spend days exploring towns like Berlin and Millersburg. Highlights include the Helping Hands Quilt Shop in Berlin with hundreds of quilts made by in-house Amish and Mennonite women. At Heini’s Cheese Chalet and Country Mall in Millersburg, you can watch the cheese making process and sample more than 50 cheeses made with 100 percent Amish farm milk. Don’t forget to try the homemade fudge! Located in Berlin, Tis the Season is Ohio’s largest year-round Christmas shop, with three floors of ornaments, lights and more than 200 decorated trees.

Visit the Holmes County Amish Flea Market in Walnut Creek to browse more than 500 vendors (with more than 100,000 square feet of merchandise) under one roof. Lehman’s, in Kidron, caters to the Amish with non-electric appliances. It also sells toys from yesteryear, including handmade Ann and Andy dolls, wooden dollhouses and rocking horses.

In Wooster, you can visit Everything Rubbermaid, which has three floors of Rubbermaid home products, a spacious indoor playground and items from Irwin tools, Sharpie and Little Tikes. Downtown Wooster has many charming antique and collectibles shops including the well-known Cat’s Meow Village.

Nearby Orrville is home to The J.M. Smucker Company Store and Café. The store is packed with exclusive branded merchandise, including organic peanut butter and ice cream toppings. Don’t miss the Gift Basket Design Center, where you can create your own custom gift basket.

The Cleveland area has many choices such as the upscale Eaton Square and Beachwood Place. Larchmere is Cleveland’s art and antique district with delightful galleries and Oriental rug and antique shops.

North, West Ohio:
Just north in Delaware is Garth’s Auctioneers and Appraisers. Art and collectibles can be previewed and purchased via bidding. Garth’s can also help you sell an item or collection, giving you more money for shopping in Ohio! Coming soon are auctions of fine Americana pieces, vintage cars and jewelry.

A visit to the Robert Rothschild Farm in Urbana is a must. It is known for its preserves, mustards, dips, salsas and dressings, all produced locally. Try the gold medal-winning raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip.

Cooper’s Cider Mill in Bucyrus is a fun place to explore for the entire family. View the production of Cooper’s jams, jellies and apple butter. Purchase delicacies along with some fudge in the gift shop.

Toledo has been billed the Glass Capital of the World and you can find savings on glassware at the Libbey Glass Factory Outlet. Hundreds of styles of glassware, dinnerware and seasonal items await you.

Nearby Tiffin is also known for its glass and is home to the Tiffin Glass Museum, which features more than 1,000 pieces of glassware produced at the Tiffin Glass Factory between 1889 and 1980. Also in Tiffin is Crystal Traditions, where you can watch artisans demonstrate glass blowing and engraving or shop at the glass outlet.

Southwest Ohio:
As you head southwest, make a stop off of Interstate 71, about 45 minutes from Columbus, at the Prime Outlets of Jeffersonville for discount-price shopping on brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant and Banana Republic. They also have activities to keep children entertained.

Waynesville has been dubbed the “best town in Ohio to get out and walk,” and the “antique capital of the Midwest.” This quaint small town is brimming with Victorian architecture and Quaker heritage and has more than 70 mom-and-pop shops to discover.

Located in West Chester, the first IKEA in Ohio spans 344,000 square feet. The chic Swedish home retailer has an eclectic mix of furniture and house wares at affordable prices with options ranging from bedroom sets to ice cube trays. Mom and dad can shop the 50 room settings and three complete model homes while the kids have fun in a huge supervised play area. Relax when you are finished with a Swedish meal of meatballs with lingonberries in IKEA’s restaurant.

Jungle Jim’s International Market in Fairfield is a 6-acre “zoo-permarket” under one roof. Try choosing from 10,000 wines, 1,000 beers, 1,600 cheeses and 1,000 kinds of hot sauce! If you need a gift for a “foodie,” Jungle Jim’s is your destination. It’s fun for the kids too, with singing characters, a biopond with live fish and a monorail tram that circles the building.

Southeast Ohio:
Athens is home to Ohio University and collegiate souvenir shops, but it also has several galleries where local artists and students display their talents, and tiny Appalachian-style craft shops. Nelsonville’s Historic Square Arts District boasts art galleries specializing in clay, glass, jewelry, photography and paper.

To appreciate the rolling hills of Southeastern Ohio, visit Rocky Outdoor Gear, a world leader in rugged outdoor apparel and footwear. Whether you’re hunting or hiking, the locally-made Rocky boots and apparel are known for quality and durability.

A trip to the original Bob Evans Farm in Rio Grande is a great idea before the holidays to stock up on homemade country sausage, biscuits and gravy. Visit the homestead museum, restaurant and general store, open through Dec. 23 for procrastinating shoppers.

Colleen D’Angelo is a contributing writer for Luxury Living Magazine.

Gift Guide Bonus:
Sign your loved ones up to drive in style. The Sports Car Club, a Dublin “car share,” brings the mentality of Net Jets to the streets. Founded by John McGinley, a Dublin resident, The Sports Car Club, SCC, has a fleet of four cars, luxury and classic, and a new car will be added with every five new members. It is an exclusive club that allows members to rent the cars they have always wanted to drive. The SCC is the only car club in Ohio. Members pay only for what they use without insurance or maintenance expenses, nor a monthly payment. Instead, members pay an annual fee of $250. This gives someone access if they’re not able to own or maintain such a car.
Members can borrow the club cars for as little as three days or as many as 365 days per year. Also as a member of SCC, members can attend workshops taught by driving professionals to optimize their driving skills. Visit www.JustDriveMe.com or call Alexa McAllister at 614-506-3482 for more information.