Ohio Love Staff Picks: June 2025

You love Ohio. We love Ohio. 

Each month, the Ohio Magazine editorial team shares what we adore about the Buckeye State right now. From the beauty of northwest Ohio’s parks and a trendy speakeasy to a farm brewery and a great place for kids to play, we hope you find something to love in our June 2025 picks. 

Tell us about your Ohio Loves by tagging us in your social media posts or by sending us a note.

Tales From the Trails

As I alluded to in my Ohio Love last month, my work travels took me to the Toledo area, where I set out to conquer two hiking trails for write-ups in our Outdoor Issue.

Growing up, my parents and I would spend a couple weeks of summer driving across the American West and camping in National Parks, hiking dozens of miles to see their natural wonders. So naturally, when I knew I would be heading out on a hiking-based adventure, I called my dad to join me.

Since I was tasked with hiking two trails while we were in the area, we planned to start with the longer Ferns and Lakes Trail at Oak Openings Preserve Metropark and finish with the shorter Northwest Territory Trail at the nearby Fallen Timbers Battlefield. While both were enjoyable (especially the latter due to its historical significance), I was unexpectedly impressed by what I saw on the Ferns and Lakes Trail.

We visited in mid-April, which I would recommend to those seeking cooler yet pleasant temperatures, and saw lush wetland foliage — like skunk cabbage and ferns — and newly awakened aquatic wildlife — like frogs and turtles. (We spotted a huge snapping turtle breaching the surface of a shallow creek during our trip.)

Walking along the 2.8-mile loop, we traversed the marshy wetland, an expansive oak forest and sandy prairie dunes. Being immersed in so many different environments truly made me feel transported, and I was shocked that an area like this existed just an hour’s drive from where I live.

With summer almost in full swing, I’m eager to hit the trails a few more times before the chillier weather takes hold again. My experience on the Ferns and Lakes Trail has definitely inspired me to return to Oak Openings and to check out some other area metro parks in different parts of the state that I haven’t before. 

For more information about Oak Openings and Toledo’s metroparks, visit metroparkstoledo.com.

Ballpark Bites

Although my husband Nick and I live closer to Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Guardians, we took a trip last June to the Great American Ballpark to watch the Cincinnati Reds. It was my first time at the stadium, and the Reds were playing the Chicago Cubs: Nick’s favorite team due to his many aunts, uncles and cousins who live in the Windy City. We spent the morning before the game in Cincinnati’s Oakley and Clifton neighborhoods, grabbing breakfast at Sleepy Bee Cafe and taking film photos of the original Skyline Chili’s vintage signage.

The Reds, originally known as the Cincinnati Red Stockings, acted as the first openly professional baseball club, forming their team in 1869 — although the Great American Ball Park didn’t make its debut until 2003, when the Queen City hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates to a crowd of over 42,000 fans.

Even with only 22 years under its belt, the stadium, which sits along the banks of the Ohio River, has a vintage vibe to it, especially due to the Union Terminal-inspired mosaics by artist Mark Riedy, depicting two World Championship teams: the 1869 Red Stockings and the 1975 “Big Red Machine.”

I could hardly wait to get in line to try the Glier’s Goetta Sliders, which were a new menu item in 2024. This year, they’ve raised the bar with Reuben Sliders, made up of Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and, of course, a goetta patty (Cincinnati’s signature breakfast meat created with pork, beef, steel-cut oats, onions and spices).

Other options for 2025 include the Redlegs BBQ Walking Taco, a collaboration between Grippo’s and Montgomery Inn, and the Wings & Rings Traditional Chicken Wings, served with garlic medium or honey barbecue sauce. Whether you’re a die-hard baseball fan or just a casual spectator looking to grab some local grub, I would highly recommend getting tickets to a game this summer.

For more information, visit mlb.com/reds.

Sip, Sealed, Delivered

When I was a kid, I always had a certain fascination for the post office. I loved going in there and “helping” mail things by sticking on stamps and opening the little blue door to send the letters or bills on their grand adventure. As an adult, well, the fascination has worn off.

But my obsession returned a few weeks back when a friend of mine from high school invited me out to dinner. We ate at High Bank Distillery’s new Westerville location and enjoyed cocktails, pizza and catching up.

As most occasions catching up with old friends go, dinner is hardly long enough for conversation, so she suggests we move downstairs. I was, of course, intrigued because she had already told me about PO Box 21, but now, I was elated to see if for myself.

Outside the building and down a set of stairs, you’ll find the entrance to a “post office.” Office supplies line the wall of a red, white and blue room, and a host sits behind the counter next to a big red button. After giving it a push, the wall in front of us pops open, leading us into the speakeasy.

Inside, we are guided to a black leather banquette and handed a small “newspaper” headlined, “Westerville: The War Machine of Prohibition.” The paper is our drink menu, but the description on the front tells of 1909, when prohibition was in action and the Anti-Saloon League of America had moved its headquarters to the city of Westerville.

Though the info on the front is appealing, the drinks are what I was here for. Some offerings change, but others are postal themed and offer what seemed to be very elevated offerings. The Postcard For My Love (which my friend ordered) incorporates tequila and dark chocolate flavors, but other choices include Handle With Care, A Cordial Invitation and other tongue-and-cheek titles. Though I ordered a simple IPA, the experience was no less fantastic, and I can’t wait to bring visitors to this secret slice of the city. 

For more information, visit pobox21.com/home.

Dirty Hands, Happy Kids 

When the gloom of winter starts to disappear from northeast Ohio, there is nothing my family yearns for more than being outside. And nothing beats a trip to Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland.

We love this park in all seasons, but what makes it exceptionally special in warmer weather is the Nature Play area, a place where kids can explore nature and their imaginations. Walking into Nature Play is whimsical from the start, with hanging vines of flowers creating an arched entryway. The first stop once inside is the large sand pit, equipped with a spigot and water table. Buckets, shovels and construction vehicle toys peek out of the sand, enticing kids to build dams, moats and rivers and see where the water will pool.

Bordering the sand pit are wooden balance beams connected by logs. It brings you to a quaint little bridge over the smallest creek. Bird feeders hang above, and just beyond is a garden area surrounding a tiny house. Kids can tend to the raised garden beds and sit down for some imaginary tea with little metal cups and saucers.

In every corner of the play area are log posts and A-frames for climbing, tunnels crisscrossing under a large hill and wooded trails and places to get lost in play. In the center of all of this is a large pond, where kids can hunt for frogs, hop along the rocks or — much to the dismay of another mom on our last visit — jump in with all their clothes on.

There is so much whimsy hidden through this place, and my kids, aged 1, 2 and freshly 5, each find something to explore based on their interests. It’s so special to us that we’ve had birthday parties centered around Nature Play, and I’m sure there are more to come in our future.

For more information, visit lakemetroparks.com

Farm Breweries

The first time I made the drive to Wooly Pig Farm Brewery, I knew it was located on a working farm, but what I didn’t expect is how the place would draw me back on a regular basis. I was living about 30 minutes away at the time, and season after season, I’d make the drive south on Interstate 77 to get my hands on the traditional German beers Wooly Pig makes.

One of the great things about Wooly Pig Farm Brewery is that you must make the trek to try the beer. It isn’t on tap at bars, and it isn’t sold in stores. (You can, however, buy four-packs to take home with you.) You might think that’s a challenge, but that’s exactly what makes this place special. It’s an experience, and one that proves to be well worth the effort to get there as soon as you take that first sip of its Schwarzbier of Rustic Helles.

The beer is reason enough to cruise out to rural Coshocton County (Fresno, Ohio, to be exact), but the charming taproom, covered outdoor seating area, beer coops (check those out), open-air outdoor seating, weathered red barn and, of course, the wooly pigs make the place a one-of-a-kind destination.

The farm sells meat from the pigs it raises and uses spent grains from the beers crafted on the premises to feed them. You can even shop for available meat cuts online and then pick them up in person while stopping by to grab a beer.

Know that unless a food truck is scheduled to visit, the brewery does not serve food, but historic Roscoe Village is right down the road, where you can stop by The Warehouse Restaurant, where you must order the onion rings (trust us on this).  

For more information about Wooly Pig Farm Brewery, visit woolypigfarmbrewery.com.

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