Travel like a local.

Podcast, Reedy Press

Viking Festival, Go Kart Racing & 1800s Apothecary in Ashville, Ohio

Best things to in Ashville Ohio - Bob Hines - Commercial Point Karting Classic winner

Commercial Point Karting Classic winner

I’m really excited to interview Bob Hines of Amazing Ashville about Ashville, Ohio. Bob’s tips for the best things to do in Ashville are awesome because he grew up in Ashville, loves the small-town life, and enjoys the weather in all four seasons.

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Best things to in Ashville Ohio - Bob Hines - Stephen and Bob Mabe in the Apothecary Museum

Stephen and Bob Mabe in the 1800s Apothecary Museum

Ashville, Ohio

Ashville is a “village” of just over 4,000 people that is located 22 miles south of Columbus, Ohio. It’s a small town with a ton of character, as you’ll find out during my interview with Bob. Bob says that Ashville has all four seasons and his favorite time to visit is Spring through Fall.

While you’re in town, make sure that you stop by an 1800s Apothecary, Mott’s Military Museum, and Slate Run Living Historical Farm (a working farm from the 1880s) to take a walk back in time.  At the Ohio Small Town Museum, you can see many historical exhibits, including the oldest continuously lit traffic light (Guinness Book record-holder). There are numerous festivals and events throughout the year, such as the annual Viking Festival, Commercial Point Karting Classic, Circleville Pumpkin Show, and the Ashville Food Truck Festival. And don’t miss the Ashville 4th of July Celebration for a true taste of small city Americana with a famous fish fry, entertainment, parade, and fireworks show.

We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out AshvilleOhio.gov, the city’s official website. They are a wealth of information and can share many interesting facts and moments from the city’s history.

If you’d like to learn how to travel for free using airline miles and hotel points, check out my free 7-day email course.

Best things to in Ashville Ohio - Bob Hines - Mott's Military Museum with Charles Mott

Mott’s Military Museum with Charles Mott

Getting around Ashville

The local airport is John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), which is about a 35-minute drive to Ashville.

Bob says that it’s a good idea to rent a car so you can easily explore the city and the surrounding area. Parking is free in all areas, so there’s no problem finding an easy place to park. For the best offers, visit Avis, Budget, or Hertz.

Uber and Lyft are excellent ways to get around.

Best things to in Ashville Ohio - Bob Hines - Food Truck Festival in Downtown Ashville

Food Truck Festival in Downtown Ashville

Places we talked about on the podcast

Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Bob Hines about Ashville, Ohio. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.

  • Red dots = best places to eat in Ashville, Ohio
  • Green dots = best things to do in Ashville, Ohio
  • Yellow dots = best places to stay in Ashville, Ohio

Who is Bob Hines?

Bob Hines is the author of the award-winning book, “Amazing Ashville: The Most Colorful Community in America” by Reedy Press. Dr. Hines is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State University. Before his retirement, he was president of Questline, an energy efficiency marketing company that appeared on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing companies in America for eight straight years.

Best things to in Ashville Ohio - Bob Hines headshot

Here are a few articles that highlight Bob’s book and the area of Ashville:

You can connect with Bob on his website and on Facebook and Instagram. You can buy his book from Reedy Press or your favorite bookstore.

Best things to in Ashville Ohio - Bob Hines - Clearcreek Country Vineyard

Stop by and sample the wines from Clearcreek Country Vineyard

Big thanks to today’s affiliate partner – Acorns

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Best things to in Ashville Ohio - Bob Hines - Ashville Viking Festival

Ashville Viking Festival

Stay tuned for our next episode

Listen to the next episode when Ric Gazarian of GlobalGaz shares the best things to do in Bangkok, Thailand. Ric and I talk about the Sak Yant Festival, visiting the Grand Palace, and watching a Muay Thai fight. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.

What’s your favorite part of Ashville? Send us a Tweet, let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!

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To see which cities we’ve interviewed and scheduled, please visit WeTravelThere.com/map. If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please submit an application at WeTravelThere.com/guest.

Related episodes

To learn more about this region of the U.S., please listen to our other episodes: