The Village of Arlington is fighting a battle all in Hancock County are familiar with – the battle of the orange barrels. Although the orange barrels are there for a good reason and the updates are needed and will be worth it, the next four months will be a long one for the residents and business owners of Arlington as Main Street from the Buck Run bridge all through town is closed. If you’re debating whether a trip to Arlington is worth the hassle I’m here to assure you it definitely is!
Dont let this sight turn you away! Arlington has plenty of reasons to brave the orange barrel battle
Doughnuts
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love doughnuts and the Appleseed IGA Bakery Barn doughnuts are special. Personally, I’m partial to the glazed croissants, my sons are both in love with the peanut butter mini long johns, my husband’s obsession with the tiger tails are a real thing, and our office orders so often I have the entire order memorized. Trust me when I say that these doughnuts are worth a little construction inconvenience. But, just to be safe, order a couple extras.
Not sure if a trip to Arlington is worth dealing with construction? Take a look here…
Recommended Detour From Findlay: Heading South on US-68 turn right on CR-24/W. Fellowship Drive. Go .5 miles before turning left on TR-71. Go one mile and turn left onto W. Main Cross St. In .4 miles turn left onto Cumberland St., which will turn on Vail. Go about .5 mile and enjoy your doughnuts!
Pizza
A great place to get a pizza from is Curly’s, located on Main Street. Curly’s makes their delicious pizzas from homemade dough and they also have subs, salads, and fried food on the menu. They have a dining room as well as a drive-thru, making this an easy weeknight dinner option that will please everyone.
Pizza, subs, salads, and fried food can be found at Curlys for dine in or pick up through the drive-thru!
Recommended Detour From Findlay: Heading South on US-68 turn right on CR-24/W. Fellowship Drive. Go .5 miles before turning left on TR-71. Go one mile and turn left onto W. Main Cross St. In .4 miles turn left onto Cumberland St. Turn right at the 1st cross street onto W Liberty St. and Curly’s will be on the right in about 500 feet. Enter the drive-thru from W. Liberty, when exiting it is a right turn only. For dine-in, the door is in the front!
Jac & Do’s is a Hancock County staple, and people familiar with the Arlington location definitely agree. The Arlington Jac & Do’s is more than just a pizza, this location features a full menu and bar, as well as indoor and outdoor seating!
Recommended Detour: If you’re coming from Findlay, none needed! Jac & Do’s in Arlington is located North of construction so you will be unimpeded to get this great pizza
Ice Cream
Everyone (or, at least, anyone I want to know) would deal with more than some construction for ice cream, and in the case of Tailgater’s Creamery they would be rewarded for the persistence. Tailgaters has only been open in Arlington for just over a year, but they’ve made an impression in that short period of time. Tailgaters specializes in homemade ice cream and every lick is delicious. They have traditional cones in addition to sundaes, milkshakes, and even dairy-free ice cream! Tailgaters also has a great food menu so you can have ice cream for dinner with a side of a sandwich. Update: Tailgaters will be closing for the duration of construction and will re-open when it ends. Tailgaters final day will be August 11, 2018.
Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Cinnamon, Mint, Chocolate, and Strawberry – all homemade and all waiting for you to devour
Recommended Detour from Findlay: Go South on US-68 before turning left onto Nicholas St, which will turn into Mill St. Go about .2 miles and turn right onto Park St. Tailgaters will be on the left, enjoy your ice cream!
Wine
Don’t let construction get between you and really, really great wine! Hull’s Trace Wine Cellar is the newest spot in Hancock County to purchase and enjoy high quality wine and it would be worth construction and then some. This boutique style wine shop offers several ways to enjoy their wine – sit down and sip on a glass in their lounge area, savor a flight at the bar, split a bottle with friends, or purchase a few bottles to take home or to your next event!
Hulls Trace Wine Cellar has wine to be enjoyed on-site by the glass, bottle or as a flight or you may purchase a bottle to take home!
Recommended Detour from Findlay: Heading South on US-68 turn right on CR-24/W. Fellowship Drive. Go .5 miles before turning left on TR-71. Go one mile and turn left onto W. Main Cross St. Travel on W. Main Cross St. for .5 mile before continuing on E. Main Cross St. Turn left onto Union street and go 3 blocks. Turn left onto E. Liberty Street, Hull’s Trace and your wine will be on the left!
Village Festival
You may have noticed, my first four reasons to visit Arlington all revolve around food and drink, and my fifth reason has plenty of that too! The Arlington Village Festival will be taking place August 10 – 11 and it is packed full of activities and events for all ages. Friday there will be a parade, car and tractor show, neon pool party for teens; Saturday will have a color run, flag football, a teen cornhole tournament, and kiddie parade. Plus, each day there will be concerts from area favorites like the Eric Sowers Band, Kaitlyn Schmidt and the Move, and Josh Melton, as well as a Kids Fair, Bingo, and more. See the full schedule here!
Enjoy live music by three local favorites – the Eric Sowers Band, Kaitlyn Schmidt and the Move, and Josh Melton
Recommended Detour from Findlay: Travel south on US-68 and turn lefton onto Nicholas St., which will turn into Mill St. This road runs along the park, turn left on onto Park St. to enter Arlington Village Park. Have fun!
BONUS: Arlington Farmers’ Market I couldn’t leave this gem off the list! The Arlington Farmers’ Market takes place every Friday at a new location – the Good Samaritan! This great Farmers’ Market features locally grown flowers and herbs, fruits and vegetables, as well as meat! The Farmers’ Market detour is simple, as is the case in many of the above detours you will turn right onto Fellowship Drive and then turn left onto TR-71. The Good Samaritan is located at the intersection of W. Main Cross St. and the Township Road.
Stop by the Arlington Farmers Market on Fridays to pick up your homemade goods and local produce for the weekend!
I hope you’re able to make it to Arlington to experience all that this village has to offer year-round, but especially during construction season. As you can read above, it will definitely be worth your time!