Granville, Ohio
New England charm has always had a special place in my heart. About a half hour from Columbus, OH, and home to Denison University, you will find the charming small town of Granville, Ohio. Considering the early residents of this town were from Granville, Massachusetts, there are hints of New England charm throughout the village. In addition to the charm you will find that the businesses and residents take your safety seriously and go above and beyond to ensure your experience is both enjoyable and within CDC regulations.
Attractions/History
Robbins Hunter Museum
Formally known as the Avery-Downer house, this museum is full of original décor, time period collectibles, historical exhibits and touches from Mr. Robbins Hunter. The gardens surrounding the house are vibrant and purposeful. Robbins Hunter was a key contributor to preserving the historical buildings of Granville, Ohio. He loved Licking Country and was passionate about preserving the history within his town.
Including a round table series discussing the various characteristics and principles of Victoria Woodhull, this exhibit opens your eyes to the political climate during the time of Victoria Woodhull. Although she was the first female to run for President in 1887, politics was only a small part of who Victoria was.
Buxton Inn
Robbins Hunter ensured the survival of this historical inn. Housing guests including Abraham Lincoln and Henry Ford, the Buxton Inn has been part of the community for over 200 years. Serving as a stop for the Underground Railroad and a speakeasy during prohibition, the Buxton Inn has lived many lives. There have been various stories of paranormal encounters including loud piano music playing in the middle of the night. Today, The Buxton Inn operates as a hotel, restaurant, gathering spot and paranormal enthusiast destination.
Underground Railroad
While touring the hotel we learned one of the previous owners, Mrs. Orr, had a unique connection to the hotel. After escaping slavery and settling into areas of Canada, freed people would name their streets, parks and even towns after the places that treated them well on their journey to freedom. Buxton, Canada was named after the underground railroad stop and ironically Mrs. Orr grew up in the very town named after the Inn she and her husband ended up purchasing.
Bryn Du Mansion
For over a century this 52-acre estate has been part of Granville, OH. In 1905 John Sutphin Jones purchased the property and built the Bryn Du Mansion. Making his fortune in the railroad and coal businesses, Mr. Jones is famous for building both the Granville Inn and the Granville Golf Course. Since 2005 the Village of Granville has managed the property as a 501c3. Hosting many weddings, home to an art school and orchestrating their annual national art show, this property serves the community in many ways.
Bryn Du Art Show
Annually the Bryn Du Mansion hosts a national art show. During this event artists from all over come together to compete and display their artwork. During one of these events attendees were asked to help paint the barn quilt square adding a communal meaning to this piece.
Robbins Hunter Museum
Restaurants
Alfies Wholesome Food
Using fresh and wholesome food to create salads, sandwiches and bakery goods, Alfies is a great lunch spot. Highly recommend their “Alex” ( chicken breast, pesto, provolone cheese, tomato, spinach, balsamic glaze, baguette) and “Ace” ( roasted turkey, red wine vinaigrette, cheddar cheese, red onions, sprouts, tomato, baguette). Their bakery items including their popular butterscotch pasty and gluten free vegan brownie are delightful treats worth including in your lunch.
Granville Inn
This beautiful historical inn, established 1924, was created by John Sutphin Jones (owner of Bryn Du Mansion). On the evening of our anniversary we decided to celebrate by dinning at The Granville Inn. We did have to make reservations in advance.
Dinning with Granville Inn
Starting with spirits, my husband got an Oktoberfest Craft Beer and I enjoyed a house made hot toddy titled “Fireside Cocktail.” The fireside cocktail was a warm delightful drink with brandy, apple cider and lemon.
For Dinner we both had decided on their Smoky Mozzarella Ravioli with chicken. Delicious Ohio City Ravioli with charred pepper-tomato sauce and roasted broccoli topped with grilled chicken. Compliments to the chef! Could not have asked for a better anniversary dinner.
For the grand finale we celebrated with a chocolate-pumpkin ala mode. The sweetness of the pumpkin complimenting the savory chocolate topped with the cold creaminess of the vanilla ice cream made for the perfect dessert.
Overall Experience
The employees are incredible. Going above and beyond to ensure our celebration was extra special. The little touches they included in our meal, like a candle on our dessert, is what made this experience stand out.
Day Y Noche
For Lunch we decided to enjoy some Mexican cuisine at this downtown restaurant. In the morning they do serve a wide variety of breakfast items as well.
Dinning with Day Y Noche
Going with a classic chicken quesadilla I was in delight with how light and crispy the shell was and how savory the chicken was. Pairing this with the salsa and sour cream made for a great light and delicious lunch.
Located in the Cherry Valley Hotel, this restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating for dinning. We chose outside to enjoy the gorgeous courtyard in the middle of The Cherry Valley Hotel. The workers were very friendly and accommodating.
Dinning with Craftsman Kitchen & Terrace
Starting with craft beer from the local brewery, Granville Brewing, we paired our drinks with their Craftsman Burgers. Served on a brioche bun with aged cheddar, tomato, lettuce, craftsman sauce and pickle spear; the meat was by far the star of this entrée. Perfectly juicy and not over seasoned, I could have easily enjoyed this burger without anything else. As a side I went with their salad topped with their house made champagne vinaigrette which I highly recommend.
The Dessert Parade
Word got out at our hotel that we were celebrating our anniversary so Chef decided to make our first night at the hotel special by sharing with us their delicious sweet creations.
First was the peach cobbler ala mode that was made with sunflower seeds. The gooiness of the fruit, sweetness of the ice cream and the crumble of the sunflower gave this an organic sweet taste.
Next was their version of a strawberry shortcake, but better. Including strawberries, blue berries and raspberries piled on top of a sponge cake and dressed in house made whipped cream. This treat was light, sweet and savory.
Finally, our personal favorite, their house made edible chocolate chip cookie dough with sweet cream to compliment. We are huge edible cookie dough fans and absolutely loved this creation. Honestly, we probably would have bought a pint of it if we could; it was that good.
Looking for a classic pub experience? Pub on Broadway has both outdoor and indoor seating with ample spacing. Having a wide selection of food we came for some pub classics and a nice cold brew.
River Road Coffeehouse
Located in an adorable house, River Road Coffeehouse is a great place to grab a seasonal coffee, a breakfast sandwich and sit outside while enjoying a nice chat. While indoor seating was not available during our visit they did have each room well decorated to create a sense of coziness.
Whit’s Frozen Custard
I am a sucker for frozen custard and at Whits you can get a classic cone or a loaded concoction with toppings including cookies, candy and nuts. Definitely a great place to snag a cold creamy treat when you are having a sweet tooth.
The Cherry Valley Hotel
Shops
Green Velvet
Whether you are looking for new style, home goods are unique gifts Green Velvet is a must visit. I personally loved the decorative pieces including the gold crown Chandelier upon entry and the hot air balloons floating above the walkway. I ended up buying 2 sweaters from this store and could have easily bought more.
Readers Garden
Cozy and vibrant Readers Garden brings to life some of your favorite authors, books and downtown scenes. Paintings found throughout the space and even a corner designated for the young reader. You are likely to find a book you will love.
Just Write
This is you spot for all things stationary. Located between Alfies Wholesome Food and the Robbins Hunter Museum, Just Write has great gifting items. From cards, to calendars, tumblers and even some Dennison University items you will likely find some must haves.
From the outside this looks like a barn but on the inside it is a decorators dream. This three level shop is full of unique décor items, home goods and beautiful paintings. The best part is the clothing boutique at the top level. Again, I could have easily bought several items. This is definitely a must do while visiting Granville, Ohio.
The Cherry Valley Hotel
Accommodations
Cherry Valley Hotel
There are several accommodations and we decided on the recently renovated Cherry Valley Hotel. The rooms are spacious and come with huge bathtubs! They are also pet friendly! We requested a room that led to the beautiful courtyard located in the center of hotel. Including an onsite restaurant (Craftsman Kitchen), Taproom, grab-and-go, pool, hot tub and fitness room; Cherry Valley Hotel was a great choice for celebrating our anniversary. Upon arrival we were gifted a crudites platter. The staff is incredibly kind and went above and beyond to ensure our experience was special. To get a special 20% discount use code SOCIAL to book your trip. Code is only good until the end of the month of October 2020 but you can use the code for a reservation at a later date.
Granville, Ohio is full of great local eats, adorable boutiques and incredible history. Going the extra measure to ensure your safety and enjoyment, I highly recommend taking a day trip or extended weekend to this beautiful historical town. Plan your trip on the Visit Granville website.
***Disclaimer: This episode of “Small Town Charm” was not sponsored or comped by any of the mentioned businesses or Visit Granville. Opinions are Hayliestory’s and were not affected or influenced by collaboration with Visit Granville. Small Town Charm is produced by HayRobin Media Productions LLS. Please drink responsibly.***