This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Even though it’s a small town in a rural area, there are many things to do in Coshocton Ohio. The city of Coshocton and the surrounding county occupies 564 square miles of beautiful Appalachian foothill country. The area was once a thriving canal town, then grew in importance as a manufacturing center and today has evolved into an outdoor and tourist destination. What it lacks in size and big city amenities, it makes up for in small town hospitality and charm.
If you’re visiting from the north, the first thing you will notice is the gradually changing countryside. Coshocton lies in the Tuscarawas river valley and the trip on US 36 offers beautiful views of the Appalachian foot hills and glimpses os the river. If you take “old 16,” you’ll get even better views of the countryside as you traverse the curves and hills from West Lafayette to the city of Coshocton.
Coshocton is in east-central Ohio, about 2 hours south of Cleveland, 75 miles east of Columbus and 2 hours west of Pittsburgh.
Roscoe Village
Roscoe is a restored Canal era town just outside of the city of Coshocton. The Ohio and Erie Canal went through Roscoe and made it a bustling port through much of the 1800’s. As trains replaced the canals, Roscoe started to decline in importance and size. A flood in 1913 destroyed the canal and the rest of the town slowly deteriorated over the next several decades.
In 1961, local entrepreneurs Edward and Francis Montgomery purchased a building in the village and began restorations. They had a vision to restsore all of Roscoe to the way it looked in its heydey of the mid 19th century.
Today, it is a living museum that pays tribute to the canal days, complete with a restored canal and a replica of the first boat that arrived at the port of Roscoe, the Monticello.
Things to do in Roscoe
- Experience life in the mid 19th Century. Roscoe offers “living history tours” where costumed historians explain life in the 1840’s. You can visit the tollhouse, the “village smithy,” an 1800’s doctor’s office, the doctor’s home and kitchen pantry, a canal boat exhibit, the Roscoe school and the Craftsman’s house, Canal Boat Exhibit, the Craftsman’s House and the Roscoe School.
- Tour the museum. The Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum showcases the history of Roscoe, the surrounding areas, as well as Native American history and Ohio history.
- Visit the shops. Several unique shops line the main street in Roscoe including a candy shop, a dog bakery and a jeweler.
- Ride the Canal Boat. A replica of the first boat to go through the Roscoe Canal, the Monticello, takes riders through the canal on a boat drawn by horses and with a captain telling stories.
- Eat at an old canal lock and cargo warehouse. The Warehouse restaurant and PR Nye’s Lock 27 are located in a former canal era building and the site of lock 27 on the canal.
- Tour the Gardens. There are gardens and flower beds scattered throughout Roscoe. Some have historical significance, like the flower beds have historical significance like the Weaver’s garden, whichi is filled with plants used for dyeing cloth.
3 Rivers Wine Trail
Some of the most popular attractions in Coshocton are its wineries. There are 6 wineries on the Three Rivers wine trail and a brewery.
From west to east, the first winery is Stone Crest in Frazeysburg. Named for the rocky soil and hilltop location, Stone Crest has been growing grapes since 2005. They have an indoor tasting room, as well as beautifully landscaped grounds and a patio for enjoying wine. They have food trucks on select days.
Indian Bear Winery is technically not in Coshocton County but it’s just outside in Walhounding. The winery opened in 2016 and features a full service restaurant. It’s part of Indian Bear Lodge, located on 200 acres of beautiful countryside. For lodge guests, there is a lake for swimming, canoeing and paddle boats.
Raven’s Glen Restaurant, Winery and Event Center– After Rainbow Hills, Raven’s Glen is the next oldest winery in the area. It features a large, upscale restaurant and winery, and has beautiful views of the river.
Wooly Pig Farm Brewery– Just outside of West Lafayette is the only brewery in the area. It opened a few years ago in the middle of a farm. There are actual pigs with curly hair on the property. You can have a pint of true German heritage beer and visit the pigs at the same time.
Rainbow Hills– The first winery in the area opened in 1988. Rainbow Hills features 16 different varieties of wine. The winery has a large koi pond and fountain, beautiful landscaping, deck seating in the woods, as well as a large fireplace in the tasting room. There is also a bed and breakfast with 4 rooms. They serve pizza, sandwiches, salads and cheese trays every day they are open and on Friday and Saturday nights in the summer, feature special grill-your-own- barbecue dinners.
Yellow Butterfly– Not too far away is Yellow Butterfly Winery. Housed in a bright yellow barn, this winery also has lots of outdoor seating areas and decks and is home to a herd of alpacas.
Baltic Mill Winery- Baltic Mill Winery is on the northernmost edge of the county and is the last winery on the Three Rivers Wine Trail. The winery and tasting room are located in a 100 year old former flour mill on Main Street in Baltic. Baltic is on the edge of Amish Country so you’re likely to see Amish buggies roll by as you sip wine on the front porch.
Three Rivers Motorcycle Trail
This 22 mile trail was developed specifically for motorcycle riders and offers scenic views and points of interest throughout the county. There are no gravel roads on the trail either, it’s designed to be biker friendly. The trail gives riders glimpses of the Helmick Covered Bridge, Gospel Hill Lighthouse and the Old Stone Fort.
Quilt Barn Trails
The Coshocton County Heritage Quilt Barn Trails are 3 separate routes through the county with 20 barns painted with quilt squares. The barns each have a different family’s quilt pattern painted on them. Each pattern is unique to the family who created it and tells a story of the family’s history. You can listen to recorded stories about each square from a family member here.
Clary Gardens
Clary Gardens is botanical garden located just outside of Roscoe. Enjoy the rose garden, woodland trails, ponds, outdoor amphitheater and more. Admission is free for self guided tours.
Downtown Coshocton
The county courthouse and court square might be the prettiest spot in town. The courthouse, built in 1873, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is constructed of brick and stone. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and include war memorials, a coal miners memorial and a Gazebo where many town events take place.
Carnegie Library- Coshocton is home to the 1000th library commissioned by Andrew Carnegie in 1890. The library was operational through the 1970’s but now sits vacant across the street from the court square.
Also downtown is the newly constructed Art Park. The park is an outdoor gathering space and art exhibit operated by the Pomerene Center for the Arts. The Pomerene Center is a few blocks away in a historic, Greek revival mansion. Both locations host musical performances, art shows and learning opportunities for kids and adults.
You might also like this post about growing up in Coshocton
The Unusual Junction
The Unusual Junction is a few miles east of West Lafayette on Ohio 36. A reconstructed 1890’s train depot houses a restaurant, deli and specialty shop. Outside, there are several historic railroad cars.
The Lava Rock Grill restaurant is decorated with television memorabilia and also has the original sign from “The Price is Right.” Next door to the train depot is Universe Bridal at The Unusual Junction. This prom, pageant and wedding dress store has thousands of gowns, the largest selection of dresses in Ohio.
Fairs and Festivals
Apple Butter Stirring Festival- A popular fall festival in Roscoe Village that celebrates harvest season. Volunteers in period dress make apple butter in copper kettles over an open fire, the way it would have been done in Canal times. The festival features food and craft vendors, entertainment, special lantern tours of Roscoe and the last opportunity to ride the Monticello 3 until spring.
Candelighting Ceremonies– On Saturdays in December, visitors can watch the 30 foot Christmas tree light up, while singing Silent night and lighting candles. The village will be decked out with traditional decorations, Christmas carolers fill the streets and there are special tours of the village where you will learn how Christmas was celebrated in the 19th century.
Sunflower Festival- The Sunflower Festival is only a few years old but is incredibly popular. Usually the 2nd or 3rd week in August, the Sunflower Festival takes place in a field of thousands of different varieties of sunflowers. The ticket price includes 1 sunflower you can cut yourself. There are wagon rides, food trucks, a wine and beer garden and entertainment.
The Hot Air Balloon Festival is usually the first or second weekend in June. It features hot air balloon launches, fire works, kiddie rides, games, food vendors and entertainment.
The Coshocton County Fair takes place the first weekend in October and is one of the last fairs on Ohio. There is horse racing, truck and tractor pulls, livestock exhibits and elaborate pumpkin and apple displays.
Hunting and Fishing
Coshocton regularly yields the largest deer and wild turkey harvests in Ohio. With its large amount of rural land and abundant farm land, the deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit and grouse populations flourish.
Coshocton also has the largest public hunting and fishing areas in the state. The Woodbury Wildlife Area is 19000 acres. Other public hunting areas are the AEP Conesville Coal Lands, the Mohawk Dry Reservoir and the Simco Wildlife Area.
Restaurants
In addition to the usual fast food restaurants and a plethora of pizza places, Coshocton has several great places to eat.
The Railroad Restaurant and Saloon on Main Street serves steaks and fresh seafood. It’s probably the most upscale restaurant in town and is open Weds through Sat.
The restaurant at Raven’s Glen winery is another upscale choice for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is currently open Thursday through Sunday.
For more casual dining options, Coshocton County has several choices.
The recently opened Main Street Station is open Monday through Saturday. They feature sandwiches, salads and dinner entrees.
Sorrell’s on the Square is located across from the courthouse and is open daily at 11:00. They serve typical pub fare.
Adam’s Runway Grill at the Richard Downing Airport is open Friday evenings and Saturdays and Sundays in the summer. Enjoy casual fare while watching planes takeoff and land and enjoying beautiful sunsets.
The Ridgewood General Store is open 7 days a week and features breakfast sandwiches, freshly made donuts and pastries, sandwiches and salads.
For a complete list dining options in Coshocton, go to www.visitcoshocton.com
Where to Stay
The Coshocton Village Inn and Suites is conveniently located on the edge of Coshocton, near Roscoe. This is a mid-priced hotel with an indoor pool, fitness center and complimentary breakfast.
There are 3 value hotels off US 16 just outside of town- Super 8, Country Squire Inn and Suites and the Roscoe Motor Inn.
If a cabin is more your style, The Roscoe Hillside Cabins offer a rustic decor with modern amenities like central air conditioning and hot tubs.
Coshocton Crest Lodge is a 7000 square foot, 5 bedroom home on a hilltop with beautiful views. The lodge has a gourmet kitchen, a theater room and 5 star amenities and sleeps 16.
There are 2 bed and breakfast options- the Inn at Rainbow Hills and Medberry Manor in Roscoe.
With all it has to offer, you can see why Coshocton was named one of the best small town getaway locations in the Midwest. The list of things to do in Coshocton Ohio seems to grow all the times. There’s a little something for everyone, from hunting to wine tasting and lots of fun in between.