GOhio! Adventures Around Columbus

For this event, we will do the Open-Air Safari at The Wilds, a ten-thousand acre conservation center in Muskingum County. It is the largest such center in North America and one of the largest in the entire world.

During this tour, we'll get up close and personal with wildlife in a customized tour bus built for adventure. Trained safari guides will share facts about rare and endangered animals, like rhinos and giraffe, as they roam, feed, and play.

The date and time of this tour

We will be doing the 12:30 p.m. Open-Air Safari on Saturday, August 29. The tour will last about two and a half hours.

There's a half-hour break mid-tour where we'll have access to restrooms, a water fountain, and snacks at the Carnivore Center's Terrace Grill.

What you need to do to attend

Signing up here on Meetup will not get you into The Wilds for the tour. You must go out to The Wilds' website and buy a ticket.

Please purchase your ticket, then sign up here on Meetup so I know how many to expect.

Attendance cap

There are 30 total slots/tickets available for this tour. (The Open-Air Safaris are the biggest tours The Wilds runs.) As I obviously have already bought one of the tickets, that leaves 29 spaces for everyone else.

If you are interested in this event, I urge you to buy a ticket at The Wilds' website as soon as possible. Since their website is obviously public, nothing prevents other people having nothing to do with GOhio! from buying their own tickets, thereby potentially taking an available slot away from you.

Additional notes on attendance

I have now run several events at The Wilds. While the location of The Wilds and the pricing of the tickets generally leads to small turnouts, the people who have gone have all enjoyed it and were glad they went.

If you've never been to The Wilds and you like zoos or animals at all, you are likely to find any tour at The Wilds to be a rewarding experience.

Tickets and pricing

Tickets for this tour are normally $49. However, if you're a member of The Wilds (I am), then this tour is free. Also, if you're a Columbus Zoo member (but not a member of The Wilds), then tickets for this tour are half-off, or $24.50.

Wilds' memberships pay for themselves if you go to The Wilds at least twice a year, and Columbus Zoo members get a discount on memberships to The Wilds. I will always run at least two events a year at The Wilds.

Tickets for all Wilds' tours must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance of the actual tour. You can't just show up "day of" and buy a ticket.

I've posted a screen shot, below, to help you be sure you're buying a ticket for the correct event.

Parking

The Wilds has two parking areas. The "standard" parking option is a large graveled parking lot at the bottom of the hill just as you enter The Wilds from International Rd.

A shuttle takes you from this lot to the Overlook, gift shop, and check-in buildings at the top of the hill. It's not a long ride; if someone put a gun to your head, you could walk it if you had to. But you'd probably prefer not to.

This standard parking option is normally $9. However, if you are a Wilds' member, standard parking is free.

There is also a small parking lot at the top of the hill next to the aforementioned buildings. This is The Wilds' "premium" parking option, and it is $30 (even for Wilds' members).

I personally usually select premium parking because I like having ready access to my car, but there's really nothing wrong with their standard parking, and I have parked in the standard lot before.

You do, however, need to allow a few minutes for the shuttle to get you to the top of the hill, then a few more minutes to walk to the building where you go to check in. Even if you select premium parking, you still have to walk a couple minutes to get to the check-in window.

Cancellations and refunds

Per The Wilds' Cancellation Policy: In order to be eligible for refund and accrue no rescheduling fees, cancellations must be made at least 14 days in advance of reservation. Cancellations made within 14 days of reservation will not receive a refund.

You may contact The Wilds at (740) 638-5030 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., or you can email them at information@thewilds.org. As long as you're giving them sufficient notice, you won't have any trouble should you need to seek a refund. They're generally nice people to deal with.

Waiver of liability

After you purchase your ticket, you may be asked to fill out a waiver of liability. This is a very short document and should take you no more than two minutes to complete.

Where we'll meet

We will meet at The Wilds, whose actual address is 14000 International Rd, Cumberland, OH 43732.

Please try to at least be in the parking lot absolutely no later than 12:00 p.m. (if not earlier). Assuming you elect for the "standard" parking, while there is a shuttle, it's not instantaneous. There's only one shuttle bus, and you may have to wait a few minutes for it to come back down the hill to pick you up.

Also, regardless of where you elect to park, when you first pull in to The Wilds, they have a small booth where you do a preliminary "parking" check-in. While there's not normally an issue here, I swear it's always the same old guy working in the booth. He's nice, but fairly inefficient even in the best of times, and last year there was a line like I've never seen before. I don't know if someone misplaced his Metamucil, but you probably want to allow a couple minutes to compensate just in case.

Think of this as though you're going to the airport to catch a flight. It helps to be on time.

The Wilds generally asks that people arrive at least thirty minutes before the scheduled start time of their tour. As I mentioned in the Parking section, above, there's an unavoidable time delay to get from the standard parking lot to the check-in window, or even from the premium parking lot to this window.

Please be on time! The tour bus will leave without you if you're late!

GPS / Getting to The Wilds

The Wilds is in a very rural area, but I've never had a problem getting there with my GPS (I have Verizon). I've also uploaded a JPG map, below, of Muskingum County.

Sometimes, though, it's hard to get a signal when you're at The Wilds and getting ready to leave. So you might want to consider downloading an offline map in Google Maps. Your cell phone should pick up a signal, however, within a few minutes after you leave.

The Wilds' Visitor Center does have free Wi-Fi.

Carpooling?

If you want to carpool, I recommend discussing this in the comments, below, to this event. While I don't myself carpool, I will do what I can to help you arrange something if I can.

The weather

Dress for the weather. Wilds' tours typically run rain or shine.

Binoculars?

You don't need binoculars for this tour, but if you have some you like, you might not be sorry if you brought them. I usually bring mine.

After the safari

For those that are interested, we'll stop at Zanesville's highly rated Weasel Boy Brewing Co. The brewery is a half hour from The Wilds, but it should be on the way back to Columbus for most of us. It opens at 4 p.m.

Weasel Boy has an in-house menu of pizzas, salads, and soup as well. The pizza is very good, and the brewery has an outdoor patio with a great view of the Muskingum River.

Weasel Boy's actual address is 126 Muskingum Ave, Zanesville, OH 43701. If you live in the area and can't make The Wilds but want to come out to the brewery, we'd love to see you!

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, originally known as the Cincinnati Zoological Garden, traces its origins to the early 1870s in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1872, a group led by Andrew Erkenbrecher formed the Society for the Acclimatization of Birds to introduce insect-eating birds to combat a caterpillar infestation. By 1873, this effort evolved into the Zoological Society of Cincinnati, with plans to establish a full zoo. The society purchased 65 acres of land in the city for the project. The Zoo officially opened its gates to the public on September 18, 1875, making it the second-oldest zoo in the United States. Its initial collection was modest, featuring animals like monkeys, grizzly bears, a tiger, an alligator, and numerous birds.

In its early decades, the Cincinnati Zoo quickly gained prominence for innovative exhibits and breeding successes. The Elephant House, constructed in 1875, remains the oldest existing zoo building in America and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1889, the Zoo achieved a milestone when the first giraffe born in the Western Hemisphere arrived there. The facility expanded its animal collection through acquisitions and exchanges. It also became known for its beautifully landscaped grounds, reflecting a commitment to botanical displays alongside zoological ones. Visitors arrived via horse-drawn streetcars in the early years.

The Zoo faced challenges during the 20th century, including financial difficulties and the impacts of world events. A significant moment came in 1914 when Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, died at the Cincinnati Zoo, marking the extinction of the species. Under directors like Ed Maruska starting in 1968, the Zoo modernized with new facilities such as the Goetz Animal Health Center. Conservation efforts grew, focusing on endangered species propagation. The Zoo's reputation strengthened through successful breeding programs for rare animals. It also began emphasizing education and research.

In the late 20th century, the Cincinnati Zoo evolved into a leader in wildlife conservation and habitat design. Gorilla World opened in 1978, showcasing improved enclosures for great apes. The institution joined the Association of Zoos and Aquariums as an accredited member in 1978. It expanded its footprint by acquiring additional land and off-site reserves. In 1987, the Zoo officially added "Botanical Garden" to its name to recognize its long-standing emphasis on plants. Notable conservation work included programs for species like the black-footed ferret and California condor.

Today, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden celebrates over 150 years since its 1875 opening, remaining one of the nation's premier zoos. It continues to prioritize animal welfare, sustainability, and global conservation initiatives. The Zoo engages millions of visitors annually with interactive exhibits and educational programs. It has earned acclaim for successes in breeding endangered animals and public outreach. As a historic Cincinnati landmark, it blends tradition with modern science. The Zoo's ongoing evolution reflects its enduring role in wildlife preservation and community enjoyment.

Maps of the Zoo

Here is a low-resolution map of the Zoo. And here is a high-resolution map.

Summary

For this event, we will explore one of the most famous zoos in the United States. Because of its location in the middle of Cincinnati, the Zoo is a little smaller than you realize when you visit it. They do an incredible job utilizing their space.

And in addition to the animals you obviously expect to find at a zoo, the grounds are also quite literally, concurrently, a giant botanical garden. The design and landscaping of the place are quite enough reason all on their own to visit the Zoo.

The Cincinnati Zoo is an amazing facility, and if you've never been there, you really should see it at least once. And, if you have been there before, have you been there since they opened their huge new Elephant Trek habitat? Did you see their famous hippos, Fiona and Fritz? And when's the last time you had Cincinnati-based Graeter's ice cream in Cincinnati?

Tickets and Parking

If you're a member of the Cincinnati Zoo (I'm not), then parking and admission are free. Otherwise, parking is $10.

If you're a member of the Columbus Zoo (I am), then admission is half-off.

I'm told by people at the Cincinnati Zoo that if you buy your tickets online, they're $8-10 cheaper than buying them at the Zoo's gate, though I have never bought them online so I can't confirm. If you want to buy tickets online, here's the link.

The price of admission to the Cincinnati Zoo varies with the time of year, day of the week, and time of the day. Prices are higher at peak times when the Zoo is busier, and prices are lower later in the day when you have less time to visit that day.

When last I visited recently, admission at the gate, with my Columbus Zoo discount, was $17, not including parking.

A final note on parking: The Cincinnati Zoo verifies your parking when you exit the Zoo, not when you enter. You can either:

1. Pay on your way out using a credit card. It's an automated system; there's no toll booth operator, though there is a Help button if you need it.
2. Pay when you buy your ticket. In this case, you'll get a bar or QR code to scan at the gate on your way out.
3. They also have standalone parking kiosks where you can scan a QR code with your phone and pay that way. I imagine when you pay this way, they email you a QR code to scan on your way out, though I've never actually used one of these kiosks.

If you have additional questions, the Zoo can be reached at 513-281-4700.

Restrooms

Obviously, there are restrooms and water fountains sprinkled throughout the Zoo. You won't have trouble finding one when you need it.

There's also one restroom just outside the main gate before you enter the Zoo. By this I mean there's one restroom just outside the main gate. It's one of those "family" restrooms, meaning only one person (or person with a child) can use it at a time.

At 10 a.m., this might not be a problem. But later in the day ... I've seen lines here before. Just saying that if you really need to pee on your way down to Cincinnati, you might want to stop before you get to the Zoo. This rest area is actually really nice, and keep in mind that only Zoo members are allowed to enter the Zoo before 10 a.m.

Food

Obviously, there are places all over the Zoo to get food. You won't starve unless you binge and purge. That said, for "real" food (not just, like, snacks) I would mildly recommend something in the vicinity of Mai Thai's Market.

Mai Thai's Market has Skyline, Graeter's, and Hops beer and food. And right next to the Market are the food trucks for The Coop, Wild Burger, and Taco Caja. Basically, you find your greatest variety of Zoo food here; the only thing you really have to go elsewhere for is (LaRosa's) pizza, soft-serve ice cream, or the popular Base Camp.

Where We'll Meet

We'll meet just outside or just inside the main gate. By "main gate," I mean the actual gate where a nice person actually scans your ticket before letting you into the Zoo. For reference, this gate is next to the ticket windows where walk-ups can actually buy the tickets for the aforementioned nice people to scan.

What We'll Do

The cheetah run is at 10:30 a.m., and I'm going to veer us in that direction early on via the giraffes. There are bleachers here for people to sit and watch, and they actually chain the area off when they start the run so that latecomers can't get a seat (they can watch from the side, but the view this way isn't nearly as good).

After that, we'll freestyle, but ultimately we will range over most, if not all, of the grounds.

Hidden in the Appalachian hills of northern West Virginia, just outside a town called Moundsville, sits an architectural anomaly that feels entirely out of place. It is a structure of marble, gold leaf, and intricate stained glass known as Prabhupada's Palace of Gold. To a first-time visitor, it looks like a piece of royal India was somehow airlifted and dropped into an American coal-mining region.

The story of the Palace is not just a religious history; it is a quintessential "DIY" American immigrant story -- one that began with a modest plan for a simple house and evolved into what The New York Times once called "America's Taj Mahal."

The Visionary and the Volunteers

The story begins in 1966 with A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a 70-year-old monk who arrived in New York City from India with almost no money. He founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement. By the early 1970s, his followers had established a farm community in West Virginia called New Vrindaban, intended to be a spiritual commune focused on "simple living and high thinking."

In 1973, the devotees decided to build a simple, ranch-style home for Prabhupada so he could write his books in the quiet of the countryside. They weren't architects or professional builders; they were mostly young American counter-culture converts -- former hippies and college students -- who learned construction skills on the fly by reading manuals and experimenting.

From House to Palace

As the project progressed, the followers’ devotion transformed the modest plan into something far more ambitious. When Prabhupada passed away in 1977 before the building was finished, the project’s purpose shifted. It was no longer a residence; it became a memorial shrine (a smriti samadhi) dedicated to their founder.

Because they lacked a massive budget, the devotees did almost everything by hand. They taught themselves how to cast gold-veined mirrors, carve intricate wood panels, and work with marble. Over several years, they imported over 50 types of marble and applied more than eight pounds of 22-karat gold leaf to the structure’s domes and accents. The result was a stunning display of "devotional art" -- a fusion of Eastern religious motifs and Western craftsmanship.

Fame and Controversy

When the Palace opened to the public in 1979, it became an overnight sensation. During the 1980s, it was a major tourist destination, drawing nearly 150,000 visitors a year. People traveled from all over the world to see the "miracle in the hills."

However, the late 80s brought a dark chapter. The New Vrindaban community was rocked by leadership scandals, legal battles, and internal strife. For a period, the Palace fell into a state of neglect. The harsh Appalachian winters began to wear down the delicate gold leaf and the intricate stonework. The "Taj Mahal" was at risk of crumbling.

The Modern Renaissance

In the last decade, the Palace of Gold has undergone a massive restoration. The community shifted its focus toward transparency and preservation, reclaiming the site as both a place of pilgrimage and a historic landmark.

Today, the Palace remains an incredible sensory experience. Visitors walk through manicured rose gardens featuring hundreds of varieties and past a large koi pond with fountains. Inside, the floors are polished marble, the ceilings are hand-painted, and the walls are adorned with "Vasari" style murals depicting scenes from ancient Indian texts.

You don't have to be a devotee to appreciate the site. For the secular visitor, the Palace is a testament to human obsession and grit. It represents a moment in American history when a group of young people, driven by a singular idea, built something objectively beautiful in the middle of nowhere using little more than library books and manual labor.

It stands as a strange, shimmering monument to the idea that with enough conviction, the exotic can become local, and a West Virginia ridge can become a gateway to another world.

* * *

Maps of the grounds

In the Photos section, below, you will find a map of New Vrindaban, the unincorporated community in which the Palace, the Temple, and the rest of the associated grounds are located.

You will also find a map of the hiking trails of New Vrindaban, and also a screen shot of some other notes about the area.

Summary

For this event, we will explore the area of New Vrindaban, including the Temple, Goshala (cow sanctuary), the Peacock Walk, the Sri Sri Gaura Nitai (large statues of Krishna and his older brother Balarama), the gift shop, and of course, the Palace of Gold itself (which includes the Rose Garden and the Lotus Pond).

I'm not closed to the idea of also doing an abbreviated hike down the Bhagavad-gita Trail and back (it's a mile each way), and possibly half of the Govardhan Trail to the Palace (which would be about half a mile). It's West Virginia backcountry and completely gorgeous scenery.

The problem is that New Vrindaban itself is big enough and just seeing it will take some time, and I consider it to be the main selling point of this event, not the hiking (though the hiking is just incredible). So we won't plan for this, but we'll leave open the possibility just in case...

At the end of the event, we'll grab dinner at the onsite Govinda's Restaurant before heading back to C-bus.

"Eric, what is 'Krishna' and why should I care?"

Hare Krishna consciousness is basically a monotheistic offshoot of Hinduism. In this philosophy, Lord Krishna is god himself. Balarama is Krishna's older brother, though Balarama is really Krishna (technically, a "plenary expansion") as well. If you read the literature (all of which was written by Prabhupada himself), Krishna kills a lot of demons along with other sorts of humanity-saving and mesmerizing activities, but occasionally Balarama will kill a demon here and there, too.

Really, Prabhupada was writing astrology* with some Exodus and a little Vivid Video thrown in, garnished by a smidge of Jim Jones. The Temple services can be redolent of a Pentecostal church, yet they can also be quiet and serene. But the area of New Vrindaban is so peaceful, beautiful, tranquil, and idyllic, that it really needs to be seen to be appreciated. And sitting in the Temple during quiet times can be incredibly relaxing.

Yes, the whole facility's a couple hours east of Columbus, but if you put aside any sort of concern or interest in the religiosity of the place and see it instead as a marvel of nature and aesthetics, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy seeing it. I also almost got murdered by a peacock here once.

* I'm being a little facetious here, in that he certainly didn't consciously see himself as an astrologer, though he does literally use the word in a couple places in his writing.

Tickets and pricing

The tour of the Palace is $12. They take credit cards. Everything else is free. (I mean, the restaurant and gift shop aren't free, but you take my point.)

Parking is free.

Where we'll meet

If you just type "Prabhupada's Palace of Gold" into Google Maps, you'll actually be going to the wrong the place. Yes, we're doing the Palace, but we're going to walk up there; we're not meeting at the Palace.

We're going to meet at the Welcome Center. If you type "Prabhupada's Palace of Gold" into Google Maps, the route Maps will give you will actually take you by the Welcome Center. So technically, you could navigate this way.

However, I'd recommend either using the map pin I've provided here, or type "Welcome Center, ISKCON New Vrindaban" into Maps.

When you pull in, you'll see three temporary 30-minute parking spots for lodge guests to unload their cars. Just make a right and drive in a half circle to the parking lot on the other side. It's possible you may see some spots along the half-circle as well where you can park, but you'll certainly find spots on the other side; you just have to drive around the half-circle to get to those spots.

Trust me, it's not nearly as complicated as I'm making it sound. No matter where you end up parking, you're not to be that far away from the Welcome Center.

Cell service and GPS

The Welcome Center, Temple, and restaurant (which are all clustered in the same place) all have free Wi-Fi, and it's actually pretty good Wi-Fi (it's a good strong signal; the password is on the door to the Welcome Center). You may not have cell service down here though; this area's at the bottom of a hill.

Up at the Palace, which is at the top of the hill, you may actually get cell service. I have Verizon (and Android), and I actually was getting a couple bars at the top of the hill, but nothing down by the Welcome Center.

New Vrindaban is maybe 25 minutes away from I-470. I was actually getting cell service most of the way until I got almost all the way to New Vrindaban. The first time I went, I hadn't thought to download an offline map in Google Maps, and my GPS got me there fine anyway.

You might want to download an offline map before you go, but I haven't and I actually haven't had any problems. Subject to the caveat about being at the bottom of the hill, I actually think the cell service here is better than at Hocking Hills.

Gas stations

There are no gas stations anywhere near where we'll be. And the route Google Maps will likely take you on may not naturally go by any once you exit I-470 in West Virginia (though oddly, it seems more likely to take you by them on your way back).

I drive a Corolla hatchback with a six-speed manual transmission. I can get to the Palace and back to Columbus without gassing up along the way. The real upshot here is that, if the car you drive likes gas at all or you otherwise have any doubt, fill up in St. Clairsville* or something before you cross over into West Virginia so that you don't have to think about it.

* The Mall Rd exit (# 218) off of I-70 has a zillion gas stations, and it probably represents your last best chance to get gas before you get to the Mountain State.

Restrooms and water fountains

The Temple, restaurant, and Palace all have restrooms. The Temple has a water fountain. So does the Palace, technically, except the Palace water fountain is out of service as of this writing. So unless it's fixed by then, you won't have any water at the top of the hill unless you bring your own.

Caffeine and alcohol

You can't get caffeinated or alcoholic beverages of any kind at the restaurant or in New Vrindaban. I'm not saying you'd get in any trouble if you walked around with a cup of coffee (trust me, no one would say anything to you). But I am saying that, if do decide you want a cup of coffee or a Diet Pepsi, you're not going to be able to get one any place we'll be at.

Shoes

To enter the (holy part of the) Temple, you have to take your shoes off (either socks or bare feet are okay). On the Palace tour, you have to either take your shoes off or wear coverings (that they provide for free) over your shoes.

We'll be doing some walking as well at this event, so be sure the shoes you wear are comfortable. You won't need hiking shoes, but you will need to be prepared to walk a few miles (possibly as many as four or five) as we tour the grounds.

Anyway, you might not need them, but you might want to bring an extra pair of socks just in case. I usually bring an extra pair when I come here.

Govinda's Restaurant

I've posted a picture, below, of Govinda's menu. I had the Indian food once that they served in the Temple, and other than the rice and maybe some cucumber slices, I don't know what any of it was called, but it was all pretty good.

I've also uploaded a picture of the cooler where they keep (most of) the beverages they sell so you can see what the options are. Next to this cooler (unpictured by me) is one of those fruit juice dispensers that you've seen a million times that looks like this. I don't know what flavors they serve, but I'm sure they're fruity and delicious.

Govinda's is a vegetarian restaurant. I'm not even a little bit of a vegetarian, but I've had both the cheese and vegetable pizzas and they were both good. I liked the veggie pizza better, though. The pizzas are 16 inches, which is a typical extra-large at most places. It's a hand-tossed style crust (that happy medium between thin and thick). It's a lot of pizza.

Please note, if you want water at the Restaurant, you'll either have to buy it or have a water bottle you can fill up at the Temple which is literally right next door.

Peroration

As with all the events that I run, I have done the hard work of getting lost many times in my explorations of this area so you don't have to. (I'll have you know I even lowered myself to asking for directions once. It was the most humiliating six seconds of my life, and the shame still haunts me.) Use my selfless hardships to your advantage, and come on out and see what CNN has called one of the "eight religious wonders to see in the United States."

The Palace and the surrounding area are making a comeback (thanks, in no small part, it must be admitted, to the puddle of natural gas they sit on), and, as always, the forward-thinking denizens of GOhio! are here to help you get in on the ground floor and count yourself among the cool kids who got there first. (Remember, even though the first investors in McDonald's can no longer get a good hamburger, they're still quadrillionaires today.)

Come see America's Taj Mahal. It's an experience you'll never forget.

Punderson State Park is a hidden gem of Northeast Ohio located in Geauga County, roughly thirty-five miles east of downtown Cleveland. For those familiar with Central Ohio destinations like Alum Creek State Park or Hocking Hills, this park offers a very different kind of natural beauty shaped by prehistoric glaciers. The centerpiece of the park is Punderson Lake, which is a natural glacial kettle lake rather than a man-made reservoir. It stands as one of the largest and deepest natural lakes in Ohio, plunging to depths of over 50 feet. This unique aquatic environment creates an ideal habitat for golden trout, largemouth bass, and bluegill. Today, it serves as a serene oasis for travelers seeking outdoor recreation outside of the state’s major urban centers.

The park owes its name to Lemuel Punderson, an enterprising land agent who became the area's first permanent pioneer settler. Punderson traveled to the region from Connecticut in 1806, eventually marrying his wife Sybil and establishing a homestead along the water. He built a small dam and operated a successful grist mill and distillery on the property. Known for their warm hospitality, the Pundersons made their lakeside home a bustling gathering place for regional travelers. Following Lemuel's death in 1822, locals officially named the body of water "Punderson's Pond" to honor his memory. Lemuel and Sybil remain a permanent part of the landscape, buried side-by-side at the southern tip of the lake.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the area transitioned from a homestead into a popular resort destination. Private investors recognized the recreational potential of the deep, pristine waters and began constructing summer cottages along the hillsides. In 1887, the Wales Hotel opened on the southern end of the grounds, offering dining, dancing, and fireworks. Later, an industrialist named W.B. Cleveland purchased the surrounding land with the dream of creating a private hunting and fishing club. He consolidated over 500 acres of property, ensuring the pristine forest remained intact rather than subdivided for industrial use.

The most iconic feature of the park, a grand English Tudor-style mansion known as Punderson Manor, began construction in 1929. Detroit millionaire Karl Long bought the land and envisioned a sprawling, luxurious rural retreat. However, Long lost his immense fortune in the Great Depression, leaving the structure an unfinished shell for years. The Cleveland family eventually reclaimed the site and repurposed it as a girls' summer camp called Lakefield Camp during the 1930s. The property changed hands one final time in 1948 when the State of Ohio purchased the acreage. State officials completed the ambitious mansion construction, opening it as a public lodge in 1956.

For state park enthusiasts accustomed to modern cabins, Punderson Manor Lodge offers a historic, resort-style experience. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources oversees the historic 31-room manor house and 26 winterized cottages. Over the decades, the state added a championship 18-hole golf course, a disc golf course, and an outdoor pool. Because the park rests inside Ohio's famous northern snow belt, it remains a bustling destination through the winter months. Visitors travel from all over the state for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and using the lighted sledding hill.

Beyond outdoor sports, the park is famous across Northeast Ohio for its long history of paranormal lore. Both guests and park staff have reported supernatural encounters inside the historic Tudor manor house for decades. These occurrences include disembodied children's laughter, TVs turning on by themselves, and faucets running in empty rooms. Some locals believe the ghost of Lemuel Punderson himself still roams the halls to check on his old property. The park embraces this spooky reputation by hosting popular haunted history tours and weekend mystery events. It stands today as one of the most historically unique destinations in the entire Ohio state park system.

Maps of Punderson and Ohio

1. Here is a map of the entire park. This is the best single map there is of the area.
2. This is a less-detailed map the park. Its advantage over the previous map is that it shows the actual cabins by number, and it also includes a detailed map of the golf course should you be curious about that for the summer months. It's also better at showing you where you can snowmobile or cross-country ski, and it clearly shows where Sled Hill is (next to the Winter Chalet).
3. Here's a low-quality map of just the hiking trails at the park. It's not as good for this as the first map, but it is a little to make out areas for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing than the second map. Sled Hill is probably even easier to find on this map.
4. Here's a detailed map of the cabins at Punderson by cabin number. I'll say more about our specific cabins for this event, below.
5. While there are no guarantees how relevant it will be for this particular event, here is a map of Punderson's frisbee golf course.
6. Finally, here's an Ohio road map as a PDF, and here's the same Ohio road Ohio road map as a JPG.

A Summary of This Event

I have rented three cabins at Punderson for the weekend of Friday, January 15, 2027, through Sunday, January 17, 2027. This will be for three days and two nights at the park.

For reference, Monday, January 18, 2027, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is a federal holiday in the United States. So, for most people, this will be a three-day weekend.

The specific cabins I've rented are 24, 25, and 26. These are the "Cul de Sac" cabins on Map 4 ("map of the cabins"), above. Here are the details about the cabins from Punderson's website.

The Cost of This Event

Your cost for this event will be $156. This covers lodging for both Friday and Saturday nights ($78 for each night).

The Actual Exchange of Money

Once you sign up for this event, I will send you a private DM (direct message) here on Meetup using the Meetup message system. In that message, I will send you my payment information for PayPal and Venmo. You may use either of these to send me your money.

Sorry, I do not have Zelle.

Once I have your money, I will add you to a group email chat, which will also be on the Meetup message system. This group chat will be the primary way that we communicate with each other.

Cancellations / Refunds

I can't guarantee the ability to get anyone's money back to them without notice at least a few weeks out from the actual event. If you find you can't go, please be sure to let me know as soon as possible, but preferably by December.

"So where is everyone going to be sleeping?"

My plan is to have a boys' cabin, a girls' cabin, and then we'll see what the overall attendee distribution looks like when we make decisions about the third cabin. Because all the cabins have separate bedrooms, that gives us some extra options as well. But boys and girls won't be sleeping in the same rooms.

The queen in cabin 25 will be mine. After that, whoever gives me money first will have first choice of where he or she wants to sleep. Then whoever gives me money second will have second choice, etc.

This is still subject, though, to the overarching condition that the sleeping arrangements, again, will be single-sex. But within that constraint, those who pay me first will get dibs on where they want to sleep.

A Soft Itinerary of the Event

We'll go on a hike on Saturday morning, probably around 7 a.m., but please see my notes on "Winter Equipment," below.

Punderson's Sled Hill, next to their Winter Chalet, is mammoth. They have 5 lanes for sledding; you can use their tow ropes to get back to the top, but only if you've rented a snow tube from the Chalet.

We will go sledding on Saturday. I recommend you just rent a tube at the park so you can use the tow ropes, but nothing prevents you from bringing a tube or sled of your own if you want.

I will also bring board games, and both the Chalet and the Manor are supposed to have some games as well. A list of other activities at Punderson, which of course can be engaged in on an ad hoc basis, can also be found here.

Other specific winter activities available at Punderson include cross country ski trails, snowmobile trails, and fat-tire bike trails, though I will not be leading of these. Please also note that none of the equipment for any of these can be rented at the park; Punderson only rents snow tubes.

The Manor, of course, has an indoor pool (the deep end is five feet). They also have one of those really cool doohickeys that spins the water out of your swimwear in like half a second.

Where We'll Meet / Check-In and Check-Out

The cabins' check-in and check-out times are 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., respectively. Punderson is, however, a public Ohio state park, and you can show up whenever you want (and stay as late as you like). The Manor is also always open.

I'll be at the park early on Friday morning and get checked in as soon as they'll let me. I'll have a key card for everyone when you show up. This card is how you will get into the cabin (if, at some point, no one is there to let you in), and it also is how you get into certain areas of the Manor that are available only to guests. Since you will be staying in a cabin, this makes you a guest of the Manor and thus having privileges to get into all of these areas.

I can't say exactly where I'll be in the park when you arrive, but Punderson's not that big and the Manor and cabins aren't that far apart. Don't worry, just show up at the Manor and we'll find each other.

Getting to Punderson

Google Maps will have no trouble at all getting you to the Manor, and you'll have no GPS issues.

That said, I strongly prefer taking I-271 East to U.S. Route 422 East. But in my experience, Google Maps has a fetish about wanting to take me on Harvard Rd (or sometimes State Route 87, one exit north) instead.

You can certainly do this and you'll get there just fine. But if you want to stay on the expressway for as long as possible, ignore Maps and take 422 East. The time is comparable in any case, and you're not going to get lost no matter what you do.

Food

Our cabin will have a full kitchen (and an outdoor grill, though we're unlikely to be using this in January). The Manor also has a restaurant and a pub from which you can get food between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Here are there breakfast and lunch/dinner menus. They also have pizza you can get for takeout.

See also the section, "What I'll Bring," below.

Winter Equipment

As mentioned above, this area of the state can get a lot of snow due to the effects of nearby Lake Erie. In central Ohio, hiking shoes are generally all you ever need. But at Punderson, you might need a good tall hiking boot for the snow if you want to hike; with just shoes, the snow will get into them and melt and then you will have wet feet in (potentially) freezing weather -- not the best combination.

You also may need ice spikes. There are really three types of ice spikes. In a display of my imaginative qualities, I'll call them type 1, type 2, and type 3.

I own and have used types 1 and 2. I prefer type 1, but with wet sticky snow of the kind you are likely to find at Punderson, type 1 spikes are really unusable. The snow will stick and ball up and turn to literal balls of ice stuck to your spikes. You'll have to take the spikes off because you can't just kick the ice off and you'll get tired of stopping every two minutes. If there's no snow or little snow, or if the snow is dry, then type 1 spikes are my favorite and the ones I will always wear. But you can't depend on them at a place like Punderson.

For deep wet snow, you're far better off with type 2 spikes. Though they don't work quite as well on pure ice as type 1, they work well enough and unlike type 1, they're usable in copious amounts of wet snow. I own both of types of spikes, but if you're only buying one type for Punderson, get type 2.

I've never used type 3 spikes, but I suspect they would operate very similarly to type 2 (though I do wonder if they wouldn't potentially freeze between the coils on wet snow).

What I'll Bring

Here are the items I will bring:

• Paper towels
• Paper plates
• Plastic silverware
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic wrap
• Dish liquid
• Dish brush
• Trash bags
• Board games
• Keurig coffeemaker / breakfast blend coffee

Some of these are, of course, items that the lodge often provides. But even for those items, in my experience running our Maumee Bay event, it's actually easier to just have plenty of them at the ready instead of having to run up to the lodge for them. So I'll bring them.

The board games I'll bring because last time I didn't bring Secret Hitler, and I wish I had.

Zoom Call

Just prior to the actual event, we will have a Zoom call. This will be related primarily to us working out the arrangement of all the other items (e.g., food, beverages) that people may wish to bring.

We did not hold a Zoom call prior to Maumee Bay, and as it turned out, we found that having a chat ahead of time would have made it much easier to coordinate who was bringing what.

This call obviously can't be mandatory, and it isn't. And it can't last longer than 40 minutes (unless we schedule a second call, which might or might not be overkill), because I'm a free (not paid) member of Zoom, and I can't run calls that go longer than 40 minutes.

I can't and wouldn't require people to be on this call; some people always have conflicting schedules anyway no matter what you do. But I can say that I will encourage you to make this call if you can.

I'd like to do it the Monday before the event (so, in this case, Monday, January 11) at 6 p.m. EST. But we can also play this by ear a little bit.