The Miami Valley has hidden gems and well-known places to visit. Top stops will help us meet one of our goals: to help guide you to new sites, big or small, famous or tucked away. We hope you will try 5something new and explore your community like never before.
La Comedia Dinner Theater
Love Broadway and eating? Springboro’s La Comedia Dinner Theater offers the feel of a Broadway production within the Miami Valley. It is starting its 49th season this year! The theater hosts between six and nine productions each year, ranging anywhere from Beauty and The Beast to White Christmas. At other times, they have had options such as Shrek the Musical to Elf and Nunsense.
The performers are awesome to say the least. La Comedia has tiered seating for your viewing pleasure. The environment is friendly and inviting! The food is worth reviewing, as well. They offer dinner buffet style. The sweet potato casserole is more of a desert than a side; it is that good! The service is beyond excellent! La Comedia Dinner Theatre is great for the young and old! It is also an excellent idea for a group outing. Just be sure to call ahead for show information and reservations.
La Comedia Dinner Theater is located at 765 W Central Ave, Springboro, OH 45066, for bookings, call (937) 746-4554.
Sharon Woods
Are you traveling through Sharonville, Ohio, and looking for something to do? Or perhaps, you are looking to spend some time outdoors? Sharon Woods has over 700 acres. It features a visitor center with exhibits, a gift shop, the Adventure Station, and an accessible two-story play area for children ages 2-12.
Sharon Woods offers areas to exercise outdoors with the 2.6-mile paved multi-purpose trail around the beautiful lake, a 1-mile fitness trail, and the 0.7-mile Gorge nature trail.
One can also reserve areas, including the Lakeside Lodge, shelters, and other picnic areas. Reservations would be through Great Parks Catering when available. The park is open daily from dawn until dusk.
Sharon Woods also offers a Boathouse. It is located on the 35-acre Sharon Lake and provides easy access to recreational water adventures and scenic views. One can try stand-up paddleboarding or rent a bike for the day here. Or look to rent a row, pedal, or pontoon boat. You can head over to the boathouse to rent your adventure.
Additionally, within Sharon Woods, there is the Heritage Village Museum. It is a recreated 1899s community featuring historic buildings. Heritage Village Museum is dedicated to the preservation of 19th-century life.
With much to do within Sharon Woods, one may never find a dull moment on their own! There is always an “Upcoming Events,” as well, on the Sharon Woods website. Check it out for seasonal hikes, Backpacking Skills Series, Nature Info and Crafts for your kiddos, information on Animals, and so much more! There is always something to do in Sharon Woods!
Sharon Woods is located at 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville, Ohio, 45241. Boathouse (513) 769-4326
Heritage Village Museum (513) 563-9484
Great Parks (513) 521-7275
Young’s Jersey Dairy
Kicking off the New Year is reason enough to celebrate. However, if you are traveling through Yellow Springs, you might have another celebration in mind. Is Young’s 154th Birthday Celebration on your radar? If not, it should be! Young’s Dairy began in 1869. In 1958, the Young family decided to try to sell their Jersey milk directly to the public. Finally, in 1960 they built their first real dairy story and started dipping their ice cream! They also began adding cheese and other snack foods to their dairy products. You’ll find the store attached to their original big red barn, where they still make their ice cream today.
So, this year they are celebrating their 154th year! The celebration takes place January 13th-16th, 2023. They will be offering specials throughout the farm. There is also a “Udders & Pudders” Specials ($1.54 off miniature golf games and a medium bucket of golf balls.)
Young’s Dairy offers plenty of fun for the whole family. Their website provides a “Cowlendar of Events,” Weekly Deals, Group Picnics at Barnabe’s Walnut Grove, Family Value Wristband Week, Fall Specials, and Winter Special Events.
“Doo Your Moo” is an event coming up in January. So start practicing your MOOs! The best Mooer will get a reward. It could be yummy ice cream.
Young’s Dairy is definitely worth the visit if you’re driving through Yellow Springs or even if you feel like taking a drive. It’s definitely worth it! Check it out!
Lastly, Young’s Jersey Dairy is located at 6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd, Yellow Springs, Ohio, 45387. General Info/ The Dairy Store: (937) 325-0502
Udders & Pudders (937)-325-0502
Fort St Clair
One of my all-time favorite parks is in Eaton, Ohio, Fort St. Clair. There are over 77 acres in this park. Fort St Clair has historical significance. Built during the Northwest Indian War, it served as an essential garrison and supply depot between Fort Washington and Fort Jefferson. Moreover, future President William Henry Harrison (serving in the Army then) helped build the fort.
The “Whispering Oak” has a story to tell. Under the “Whispering Oak” are the graves of the fallen soldiers. So, take 50 paces west towards the graveyard. It was mesmerizing as the old legend has it that when the wind rustles through its leaves, one can hear the story of the events they witnessed. I remember listening to the wind blow through the leaves, imagining their battles. The “Whispering Oak” has been a designated Bicentennial Tree by the National Arborists’ Association and the International Society of Arboriculture since 1976. The great white oak has many stories to share when the wind blows just so.
The park offers plenty of play equipment for children, picnic shelters, grills, tables, and restrooms are available. To reserve the cabins, call the city of Eaton. Fort St. Clair is open April-October during daylight hours. So pack a picnic, bring your family and enjoy the day basking in history and nature.
The park also includes memorials to other war eras, including monuments to the Civil War, WWII, and the Korean War. The home of “Miss Preble” (a name affectionately given to her) is just outside of Fort St. Clair. The M4A3 Sherman tank that Eaton received in 1957 was a gift to honor veterans of WWII and those serving in the Korean War. Additionally, it has become the symbol of Preble County pride and honors all area veterans. The Ohio National Guard took the tank in 2012 upon the Eaton Armory closure and brought it home with the help of the Preble County Heritage.
Lastly, Fort St. Clair is located at 135 Camden Rd, Eaton, Ohio 45320. Visit the City of Eaton’s website for the park schedule.
Daniel’s Peace Memorial Park
Are you visiting Germantown, Ohio, and looking for something to do? Recently, I heard of a small but beautiful park called Daniel’s Peace Memorial Park. “And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.”
Initially, I first heard about this park when I asked this young woman what book she was reading. As I am an avid reader, I notice people’s books. The book she was reading was titled, “Little Boy Lost: A Dose of Reality,” and is about a father’s struggle and journey to help his son battle mental illness and addiction. The father, Scott Weidle, writes the story about his son, Daniel, and the cracks in the system-the injustice, corruption, and discrimination. It is a story of a father’s unconditional love and the honesty of addiction, mental illness, death, and the aftereffects on a family. Also, you can find the book in a small chapel the father built. Additionally, one may purchase the book online, as well.
Daniel’s Peace Memorial Park offers tranquility and opened in April 2016. It provides scenic sites, bits of nature, quiet, and peace. Importantly, the park is a place of reflection. “It was a labor of love from a father to his son.” Dedicated to all who have lost their lives to the disease of addiction, it opened on his son’s first Heavenly Birthday. The solitude and quietness will settle your weary soul as the tall pines welcome you. There are photos, memorabilia, and handwritten notes penned by Daniel as he journaled his battle. Additionally, the park also has natural wildlife areas and a scenic teardrop-shaped pond. There are rest stops along the 2 miles of gentle trails.
Lastly, Daniel’s Peace Memorial Park allows one to take a step away from the hustle and bustle and breathe. Soak up nature, take a break from the day’s pressure and find a place of solitude and peace—where Daniel once would go to find a place of refuge.
Daniel’s Peace Memorial Park is located at 7501 Stiver Rd, Germantown, Ohio, 45327
The Book Little Boy Lost: A Dose Of Reality by Scott Weidle
Author: Leslie McIntosh
