The beauty and lush hills of the Mohican area surprised and delighted my sister and her family who visited from Houston recently. We were on our way to the Mohican Lodge and Conference Center, which sits in a woodland setting overlooking the peaceful Pleasant Hill Lake.
The lodge overlooks Pleasant Hill Lake.
Once we arrived, the kids headed straight to the outdoor pool, which is a nice size and offers plenty of deck space and lounge chairs. Every once in a while, the kids would run inside the lodge, cross the hall, jump into the indoor pool, hit the sauna and then run outside and jump back into the cool water. Kids!
Our first night we dined at the lodge’s restaurant, which features towering windows that provided a spectacular view of the glowing orange sun setting on the lake. The menu is quite diverse with choices for kids and adults, including seasonal fresh foods from Malabar Farm. I love the lodge’s family atmosphere--after dinner, we played shuffleboard then retired to the lobby where the kids played ping-pong, and the adults relaxed with a friendly game of cards.
On day two, we launched our trusty old speedboat onto Pleasant Hill Lake and the dads and kids spent the day tubing and water skiing. I drove my sister and parents to Malabar Farm Restaurant where we enjoyed the breeze and view on the patio deck, while sipping the tastiest iced tea I’ve ever been served—a recipe that combined tea with cinnamon and other spices.
Historic Malabar Farm Restaurant
For our third day of adventures, we headed into the quaint town of Loudenville. After a stroll through the shops and lunch at the West Main Café, my sister took my folks on a drive to Landoll’s Mohican Castle, just 10 minutes from downtown, and I took the kids to one of the many canoe liveries in the area--Mohican Adventures Canoe and Fun Center (go-karts and miniature golf). You can choose to float down the river on a tube or paddle your way on a kayak, canoe or raft. We were glad it was a weekday because the river wasn’t crowded, offering a relaxing, pristine ride—on about one-half of the river. The other half of the riverbank is occupied by camping tents and trailers—some are permanent fixtures with elaborate decks and gardens. By Friday evening, the place must be jumping and the weekend is more of a party than a relaxing drift down the river!
Landoll's Castle Resort
On our last day, we picnicked by the river in Mohican State Park, and then I grabbed my book and took a stroll on the lodge's wooded path to a serene spot in a gazebo overlooking the lake.
I didn’t want this getaway to end…there’s so much to do here and we didn’t even scratch the surface. We never made it into Mansfield (a 20-minute drive) to the Ohio State Reformatory, Carrousel Park, Kingwood Center, etc. or to Amish Country, which begins near Loudenville. We’ll just have to come back!
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