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Looking for some adventure during summer sessions? Or better \u2013 looking for some adventures while you finally get a break from classes for a couple months? Look no further. We\u2019re making it easy for you to get in on the community fun, local sites, and summer festivals. Here are 10 fun things to get into in our little corner of Appalachia:<\/p>\n
Every Saturday morning from 9am to 12pm, you can find local produce, meats, meals, flowers, crafts, and much more at the Athens Farmers Market. And during the summer, the Art Guild is there, too! It\u2019s a great way to start the weekend with fun, outdoor, community vibes.<\/p>\n
The Side Bar is a newer spot tucked just off Court Street on East State, and they\u2019ve got some delicious foods and absolutely top-notch cocktails. It\u2019s an inclusive space for all, and there\u2019s almost always local bands and musicians to experience, including free shows.<\/p>\n
The Dairy Barn is a regional art hub with exhibits from talented artists across southern Ohio and Appalachia. It\u2019s also a relic of the Ridges from when it was a psych ward; they had their own dairy cow operation there at one time. Now, it\u2019s a cultural cornerstone in the area \u2013 always good to check their site for upcoming events and shows.<\/p>\n
Experience the rich history of Athens and the surrounding area at one of the local museums. Bonus: you\u2019re supporting local businesses and the preservation of history and culture, plus it\u2019s the summer and no one\u2019s going to make you write a paper about it. Check out:<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a bunch of stuff to do at Stroud\u2019s Run State Park<\/a>. Stroud\u2019s Lake has a beach where people can hang, swim, play beach volleyball \u2013 whatever! You can rent boats at Stroud\u2019s, too, and there are many hiking trails that span from an easy jaunt around the lake to a hilly adventure up on the slopes. It\u2019s right outside of town but you feel in the middle of nowhere; it\u2019s a nice little escape.<\/p>\n People come from all over the country to visit Hocking Hills State Park<\/a>, located just a bit north of Wayne National Forest<\/a>. Like, 230 million years ago, Ohio was part of a shallow inland sea that split North America in two. When the sea finally closed, the Black Hand Sandstone you see all over Hocking Hills was exposed, and all the erosion since that time has resulted in natural beauties like Ash Cave (also an old Native American gathering place), Cantwell Cliffs, Rock House, Old Man\u2019s Cave, and quite a few other cool formations. Whether you love hiking, waterfalls, or are a geology nerd, it\u2019s a fun day trip that\u2019s only a 30-minute drive up the highway.<\/p>\n Opened in 1874, The Ridges was originally the Athens Insane Asylum. It is a Kirkbride plan, which was treatment based on humane care and fostering patient self-efficacy and ability to live in society. It was a self-sufficient campus \u2013 there was a coal plant, crops, The Dairy Barn (callback!).<\/p>\n Part of the Kirkbride method included surrounding patients in nature and beauty, which is why all that land behind the campus is still undeveloped. Walk the Radar Hill Trail; visit the Kennedy Art Museum, take a walk around the old buildings and soak in the history. It\u2019s really cool and occasionally creepy.<\/p>\n We have some really good wineries around here, and they\u2019re less than 10-20 minutes from town. Visit:<\/p>\n Bonus: Wolftree Winery makes some awesome wine and mead, too, but it only requires a trip to pretty much any grocery store in town to experience it. Drink it on the porch and binge some bad TV \u2013 it\u2019s what summer is for!<\/p>\n Athens is full of local restaurants with their own unique take on food \u2013 and it\u2019s all good. Just keeping it to Court Street, there are a few local joints you simply can\u2019t skip:<\/p>\n Pro tip: The more you go hiking the more excuses you can come up with to eat more delicious food. Work smart, not hard.<\/p>\n Something that\u2019s great about Athens in the summer is that, since most of the students are gone, going to the bars becomes more of a community thing. You end up meeting new people and seeing them all the time because there aren\u2019t many people out. It\u2019s quieter and the weather is perfect for patios.<\/p>\n Also, DORA starts in May and goes on all summer, so you can carry drinks around uptown as long as you stay within the boundaries. Just saying.<\/p>\n Stick with this guide and you\u2019ll have a top tier Appalachian summer in the coolest corner of Ohio. By the time the school year comes around, you\u2019ll be refreshed and ready to get back into it. And while it\u2019s not exactly the kind of adventure we\u2019re talking about, you should definitely think about where you\u2019re living Fall Semester. No, seriously \u2013 you should get on that<\/a> before the best student apartments near campus and the bars are snatched up!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
6. Hocking Hills Gorgeous Waterfalls & Unique Geology<\/h2>\n
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7. The Ridges Asylum, Nature Walk, & Kennedy Art Center<\/h2>\n
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8. Wineries!<\/h2>\n
9. ALL the Uptown Foods!<\/h2>\n
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10. The Bars Are Awesome During the Summer<\/h2>\n