Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Day 1
Brukner Nature Center includes 165 woodland acres with six miles of hiking trails on the property. See live native wildlife exhibits of animals being rehabilitated at the center and learn about these animals from a staff naturalist while inside the interactive environmental education center.
For a flat fee of $45, a staff naturalist can do a 1 hour presentation in the Heidelberg Auditorium where group members can get up close and personal with several “Wildlife Ambassadors.”
For $2.50/person, a staff naturalist will take group members to all areas of the interpretive building, the bird viewing vista, outside to view the wildlife and on a short hike.
Contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993 to schedule your visit.
Brukner Nature Center is open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm and on Sundays 12:30-5pm.
Idle Hour Ranch is the perfect experience for all ages. Here, get up close and personal and interact with over 20o animals. This agricultural/animal sanctuary is dedicated to providing a fun, relaxed atmosphere where guests can be educated about wildlife and agriculture.
Group tours are available by appointment only on weekdays and are $10/person which includes animal feed for your group members. Contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993 to schedule your visit.
IHR’s Mini Farm Market and Agricultural Tourism activities will be open to the public most Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday from 12-6pm, June through October.
Enjoy lunch at Buffalo Jack’s. Built as a tavern in 1886, the restaurant has been open for business since 1983. They specialize in American meals but include North American wild game and exotics for those feeling adventurous. Be sure to snap a picture with the stuffed buffalo out front!
Reservations required. Contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993 for assistance.
End your day on the Great Miami River with Adventures on the Great Miami. Here, your group can kayak, canoe, or float down the river. This trip is for a group of any size and skill level. It’s a great way to relax and enjoy the scene of the beautiful river.
The novice can enjoy a three-mile adventure from base camp to the Taylorsville Dam. This trip will take approximately 1-2 hours and will cost $25/person.
If your group is more experienced in kayaking and canoeing, you can choose the intermediate trip which will start in Tipp City and end at base camp. This is a five-mile adventure that takes approximately 2-3 hours and costs $25/person.
Contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993 to schedule.
Enjoy dinner at one of Miami County’s local restaurants. For more information on restaurants, contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993.
Day 2
Bowman and Landes has been a family-owned turkey farm since 1984. These free range turkeys are raised on a 2,200-acre farm in the open air without antibiotics and are vegetable fed. Your group can see the turkeys and tour the production facility. Afterwards, browse the deli where you’ll find an assortment of meats, cheeses and salads.
Group reservations required. Contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8893 to schedule your visit.
Take a tour throughout the WACO Air Museum, home of the largest producer of aircraft in the world in the 1920s. See for yourself the military aircraft produced from the 1920s through WWII. Your tour will include the museum, WACO Airfield and a modern aircraft hangar.
$7/person. Contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993 to schedule your visit.
At Johnston Farm and Indian Agency, ride on a canal boat replica down the Miami-Erie Canal. Then witness living history as a costumed interpreter takes you throughout the historic Johnston home, concluding the tour at the Historic Indian and Canal Museum where you will see artifacts and learn how Native American and early settlers lived in the area.
Guided tours available. Allow 2-3 hours to enjoy lunch and visit all three sites for $8/person. Contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993 to schedule your visit.
The museum is open April through October.
Add an additional day to this itinerary to enjoy over 30 miles of bike/hiking trails on the Great Miami River Recreational Trail and 15 county parks as well as almost 60 barn quilts. If your group is interested, information can be supplied.
If traveling in the fall, get lost in one of our many corn mazes and enjoy one of our county’s fantastic fall events.
For more information, contact Delaney Fields at dfields@homegrowngreat.com or 1-800-348-8993.