Charleston Falls Preserve and Tipp City

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This past weekend, I explored the Charleston Falls Preserve and the charming town of Tipp City. Situated in Miami County, located in the Midwestern part of Ohio about an hour drive from Columbus. Although it was a little chilly, it was the perfect day trip from Columbus!

Charleston Falls Preserve is located just south of Tipp City, Ohio. With over 216 acres, which consists of natural landscapes such as prairies and forests, and over four miles of hiking trails. While the hiking trails provide visitors with a wonderful walk through nature, the highlight of the Preserve is Charleston Falls. Surrounded by layers of rock strata, visitors walk down into a gorge to view the beautiful Charleston Falls. Numerous layers of limestone tower above you with vibrant green moss delicately covering parts of the rock. After stepping down a few stairs, the stunning falls capture your attention. The water from Charleston Falls originates from a natural underground spring a few miles away. After plummeting 37 feet over the rock cliff, the water continues to the Great Miami River (a tributary of the Ohio River). With freezing temperatures the previous week, the waterfall was frozen. The beautifully frozen water, looked more like a stalactite in a cave than a frozen waterfall. The bright white frozen icicles extended down into the pond, and created a stunning reflection on the water below.

The viewing platform allows visitors to get up close to this wonder of nature. With only a few other park visitors, we seemed to have the whole falls to ourselves! It was great listening to the water trickle down to the pond below and hear nothing but nature all around us, sometimes silence is a beautiful thing! After viewing the falls, take the path over to the Charleston Falls Cave. It’s a small cave, but if you are short like me, you will have no problem exploring the cave! Anytime of the year is perfect for viewing this stunning natural landscape in Miami County!

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Tipp City is located in Miami County, north of Dayton. Tipp City was founded in 1840 along the banks of the Miami-Erie Canal. Originally named Tippecanoe, which was derived by the presidential campaign slogan of William Henry Harrison, “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too.” Eventually, citizens added the “city” to the town’s name, and in 1938 the town’s name was legally changed to Tipp City. With buildings originated from the 1830’s (the Tipp Roller Mill was built in 1839 and is still in the original spot!) the historic district delights visitors. The charming historic district houses small, locally owned businesses in beautifully restored buildings. Take a stroll down the main street to find quaint home décor and antique shops, a bookstore, the Tipp City Public Library, clothing boutiques, a toy shop, bakeries, coffee shops, and local restaurants (no chain stores on the main street, I love shopping local!!) Every business we visited, we were greeted with a smile and friendly staff. Miami County Visitors Bureau’s slogan is “Home. Grown. Great”, and the small businesses of Tipp City certainly emulated that slogan! Take an afternoon or evening to visit and shop in the historic district of Tipp City, you won’t be disappointed by the small-town, Americana charm!

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Sweet by Kristy is an adorable sweet shop in the Tipp City historic district. With a candy bar (with lots of nostalgic candies), hand-made cookies, fudge, cupcakes, and even sweet treats for you beloved dog called Pupcakes! I tried the buckeye cupcake, pumpkin roll cupcake, and the s’mores cupcake, they were divine! If you are looking for a sweet treat, visit Sweet by Kristy for delicious homemade treats!

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After snacking on those wonderful cupcakes, we stopped by Grounds for Pleasure Coffee House and Café. This eclectic coffee house was the perfect spot to enjoy a warm cup of coffee and apple cider. With an impressive menu of coffee, house specialties, iced drinks, non-coffee drinks, and food items, this would be my favorite place to have a cup of coffee if I lived near Tipp City!

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Coldwater Café is a small restaurant located in a former bank building in the heart of Tipp City historic district. With a warm and inviting atmosphere, this restaurant has a sophisticated menu for such a small town restaurant. With signature items such as an ostrich filet, Chilean Sea Bass, and roasted duck, and my favorite, the wonderfully prepared beef filet mignon. With delightful menu items, impeccable service (both at the bar and from our waitress, Terri), and the warm ambience, the Coldwater Café is a premier dining experience in a charming small town!

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Tipp City is a charming, historic town in the heart of Miami County. With wonderful natural landscapes, great locally owned small businesses, and an Americana charm, it certainly is Home. Grown. Great! With a welcoming familiarity of a small town, visitors are welcomed to Tipp City by friendly locals and the historic charm of a perfect Ohio city!

Please let me know what your favorite places are in Tipp City for my future visits! Thanks for reading!

Heather

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8 Comments

  1. Lynn Shirk says:

    Thanks, Heather for the great article! You discovered what we all know about our great little town, which was just voted Best Small Town in our area! You should plan a trip to Tipp on Dec. 5th and 6th for more small hometown fun and festivities! On the 5th, the community band will have their Christmas concert at the Lutheran Church and Tipp City Area Arts Council will present awards for the Holiday Short Story contest. The Holiday Home Tour will have their premiere event at Mauk’s followed by the Home Tour the next day. For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasInTheVillage and visit the Arts Council page at https://www.facebook.com/TippCityAreaArtsCouncil or our website listed above.

    Lynn – A “Small Town” girl (born and raised, raised my family, and have taught for 35+ years here in Tipp!)

    1. Lynn,
      Thanks for the kind words and the invitation to the Tipp City Christmas festivities!! Tipp City is an adorable little town, rightfully earning the Best Small Town award! Thanks for reading my blog! Happy Holidays! 🙂
      Heather

  2. MaryBeth Pope says:

    Had to read…it’s where I live! Great article. THANKS!

    1. Marybeth,
      Thanks for reading my blog! Tipp City is a charming town, I loved my visit!!
      Heather

  3. Julie and Bill says:

    Nice parting shot! Silence is, indeed, a beautiful thing. It’s amazing what you can observe and learn from a walk in the woods. Thanks for being our family’s tour guide. We are learning so much about this great continent. Love, Dad and Mom

    1. Thanks, Dad! I definitely get my love of nature from you and Grandpa! Xo! 🙂

  4. Sam & Ethel’s has fantastic pancakes!

    1. Thanks for reading my blog, Meredith! I will definitely try Sam and Ethel’s during my next visit! 🙂

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