Nostalgic Granville, Ohio, is the perfect small-town getaway
A small-town getaway with history and charm
Granville, Ohio, feels like a little New England village, oozing small-town charm with its tree-lined streets, historic buildings and friendly shops and restaurants. Just 30 minutes east of Columbus, Ohio, it’s a great small-town getaway for couples and families.
Granville is home to Denison University and has the vibe of a vintage college town. It’s also rich in Native American history with ancient burial mounds, including the fascinating Alligator Mound.
Start your small-town getaway with a great inn
It’s rare to find a small-town with a truly wonderful historic inn, but Granville stands out with the Granville Inn. Built in 1924, the Granville Inn was designed in the style of an English country manor house.
Although thoroughly modernized in function, the inn retains its richly carved woodwork and original windows.
Our room at the inn was decorated in soothing grays and blues, not your typical hotel room. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, and the staff was solicitous and friendly. (NOTE: We received no incentives or influence for our trip. We planned and paid for 100% of it.)
Small-town getaway: Where to eat in Granville, Ohio
We had delicious meals during our trip to Granville. The first night, we dined at the Granville Inn Restaurant, where the food and cocktails were excellent. We enjoyed ice cream at Whit’s Frozen Custard, located in a little house less than a block from the inn.
Our meal at Three Tigers Brewing Co. featured an intriguing match-up of Vietnamese, American and global-inspired flavors. I can also recommend The Broadway Pub, and, if you want to drive a few miles, try 1922 On the Square in Newark, less than 15 minutes away.
What to do on your weekend getaway
Things to see and do
- Denison University: Denison is a small liberal arts college founded in 1831. It was one of the first colleges in the “Northwest Territory” in what was still the frontier at the time. The campus is particularly beautiful with a 1916 design by the famed architectural firm of Frederick Law Olmsted Sons.
- Alligator Mound: What is now called the Alligator mound is a huge sculpture in the earth resembling an animal with a long curving tail. It’s 250 feet long, 76 feet wide and about 4 feet wide. Archeologists now believe it is likely the outline of a possum or panther, not an alligator. It was most likely created more than 2,000 years ago by the Hopewell people who built other mounds across Ohio.
- Outdoors: Biking and walking trails run throughout the area, and several golf clubs, including the Denison Golf Club, welcome visitors.
Places to shop
Granville’s Main Street is lined with charming boutiques and gift shops, but the two shops I fell in love with were the Goumas Candyland and the Readers’ Garden Bookstore.
- Goumas Candyland: For one thing, the candy was truly amazing at this historic little candy shop, originally founded in 1911. But even better were the vintage and antique items for sale in the shop, adorable finds at great prices.
- Readers’ Garden Bookstore: My husband and I are total suckers for a great bookstore, and this was a wonderful surprise in such a small town. It was so well curated and displayed, and the selection was fantastic.
For more small-town getaways in Ohio, try one of these charming cities:
