Anyone know the area around Xenia, Ohio???

[BartmanPDX]

In a little less than a month, my wife and I will be spending a couple weeks in Xenia, Ohio getting our daughter paired up and trained with her autism service dog.

The training will eat up most of our days, so there won't be a whole lot of time to poke around the area, but if anyone is from the region around Xenia, I'd really appreciate any tips on local good restaurants or things we should try to see.

Also, what's the weather like in March? We're planning on it being somewhat like it is here in Portland -- in the low 30s and raining. Part of the training will involve the dog tracking our daughter, who will have to hide (with an adult) and the dog will then have to find her, so we'll be stuck outside in the weather while waiting for the dog to find her.

I was hoping to be able to sneak off to some bass stores or something in the region (over two weeks without playing bass? I'm going to be in withdrawal!) , but we're required to stick near the facility in Xenia and I think most of our time will be taken up by the training.

Anyway, any info on the area is greatly appreciated.

Shout out to the Buckeye state!

[PSPookie]

When I read "Xenia, Ohio" all I can think of is that movie Gummo.

[Octoplus]

I used to live in Yellow Springs, OH in my college days, which is about 10 minutes away from Xenia. You'll find some decent eateries in Xenia. Yellow Springs is also a wacky, left-leaning little town with a high quirk-to-quaint ratio and well-worth a visit, if anything, to explore the lovely trails of Glen Helen (DO NOT drink from the Yellow Spring). Yellow Springs has a great old (and some say haunted) tavern, "Ye Old Trailside Tavern" and a decent bistro-style restaurant, The Winds Cafe. The area is quite lovely, but March can be wet and windy here in Ohio. Could be cold and snowy, or could be sunny and 75. In fact, Xenia was nearly completely destroyed by a monster tornado one fateful day in April 1974.

The Air Force Museum in Fairborn is amazing and well worth checking out as well, if you have the time.

Have fun! Yes, it's Ohio, but there are worse places to visit.

[BartmanPDX]

Originally Posted by Octoplus

I used to live in Yellow Springs, OH in my college days, which is about 10 minutes away from Xenia. You'll find some decent eateries in Xenia. Yellow Springs is also a wacky, left-leaning little town with a high quirk-to-quaint ratio and well-worth a visit, if anything, to explore the lovely trails of Glen Helen (DO NOT drink from the Yellow Spring). Yellow Springs has a great old (and some say haunted) tavern, "Ye Old Trailside Tavern" and a decent bistro-style restaurant, The Winds Cafe. The area is quite lovely, but March can be wet and windy here in Ohio. Could be cold and snowy, or could be sunny and 75. In fact, Xenia was nearly completely destroyed by a monster tornado one fateful day in April 1974.

The Air Force Museum in Fairborn is amazing and well worth checking out as well, if you have the time.

Have fun! Yes, it's Ohio, but there are worse places to visit.

LOL. Thanks for the info!

The highlighted part makes me think of Zappa:

"Watch out where the Huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow . . ."

[Phalex]

I'm Xeniaphobic. I wish I could help you........

[BartmanPDX]

No more love from the Ohio crew?

Come on. There have to be some decent places to check out in the region.

[Tim Cole]

Don't know a ton about the area, been through there a few times for work. I will second the air force museum, and the neil armstrong museum isn't too far either. It's ohio man

[McHack]

Well, thing is Xenia's kind of a small town stuck right in between Dayton, Columbus & Cincinnati... but is closest to Dayton. That said, I've only been to Dayton for Marching Band competitions, & the USAF Museum.

Lots of cornfields & at this time of the year, they're just turned over dirt... so you dont even get to look at corn. Just mud. I will say, if your wife likes to shop... you should come to Columbus & go to Easton. Or, if you like Ice Hockey... you could come over & catch a Blue Jackets game.

[Tim Cole]

Also, weather can be anywhere from 70 and sunny, to bunghole deep in snow....all in the same week

[RTO]

same with PSPookie, All I ca think of is gummo. I actually watched that movie for the first time a couple days ago, So funny this thread should pop up.

[Ben Lesser]

?

[CrispyDelicious]

^^^ That's the first thing that came to MY mind.

[BartmanPDX]

Originally Posted by McHack

Well, thing is Xenia's kind of a small town stuck right in between Dayton, Columbus & Cincinnati... but is closest to Dayton. That said, I've only been to Dayton for Marching Band competitions, & the USAF Museum.

Lots of cornfields & at this time of the year, they're just turned over dirt... so you dont even get to look at corn. Just mud. I will say, if your wife likes to shop... you should come to Columbus & go to Easton. Or, if you like Ice Hockey... you could come over & catch a Blue Jackets game.

Thanks for the replies!

I guess it's a good thing that we'll be so busy with the service dog training then.

Mud? We've got a fair bit of that right here in Oregon. In fact, I think it's the state flower or something like that.

So close to Tom Bowlus' basement and yet so far . . .

[tombowlus]

Yeah, I am nearly three hours away from there. However, my good friend (and Bass Gear Magazine's Technical Editor) Tom Lees lives in Dayton, and I do get down there from time to time. When will you be there?

Cincinnati has a lot to do, with some nice museums, a good zoo, some botanical gardens, and a signature chili.

Tom.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by CrispyDelicious

^^^ That's the first thing that came to MY mind.

Me too. I kept envisioning a quaint little town populated entirely by warrior princesses, most of whom were just busy running their daily errands.

[McHack]

Originally Posted by tombowlus

... and a signature chili.

Oh, you're refering to Alpo lopped on top of pasta?

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by McHack

Oh, you're refering to Alpo lopped on top of pasta?

Shhhh! I think they have some kind of trade secret you might be violating!

[capnsandwich]

I know Xenia was torn up by a tornado in the 70's and the entire town was wiped out. Also, there's the USAF Museum in Dayton. That place is great to take the family to. The Blue Jackets games are awesome. I just went to one last Friday and had a blast. Since you're only here in March you will miss baseball season so a Reds game is out of the question.

As far as food goes, you have Dayton, Cincy, and Columbus and they're all full of restaurants so my guess would be to venture into one of those towns and try some places out. I do remember going to a little town called Lebanon, Ohio that's in between Dayton and Cincy and they had an awesome little place that had the best pancakes I've had in a long time. I can't remember what it's called though.

[BassChuck]

Definately go to Yellow Springs. If you love pizza, try "Ha-Ha' Pizza, most amazing place. And then head north on the main drag and stop at Young's Dairy. The only place I know where you can get (and clog yourself up with) milk shakes made with whole unpastorized milk. Nice place.

You can go to Dayton too. Known and the most average town in America. But there is a good jazz club there, "Gilly's".

It's been years since I live in that area... its possible these places are out of business, but worth a try.

[Jumbotron]

Dayton has a great Thai restaurant in the Oregon district that's worth checking out. If you're outdoorsly, there's some nice hiking in Yellow Springs near Antioch, or what used to be Antioch.