If you’ve been on campus for a while, chances are you’ve gone to Yellow Springs; if not, though, what are you waiting for? This quaint and quirky town has a darling downtown, lots of yummy restaurants and even a state park to boot!
Under 20 minutes from campus, Yellow Springs has a lot to offer for a day away from Witt. US-68 S will take you right into the town’s main street, which is lined with small shops and restaurants.
My favorite place to eat is the Winds Cafe. Although their prices are more than you’ll pay at a chain restaurant, the quality of the food is well worth it for special occasions. They change their menu every two months to incorporate in-season foods and buy from local farmers. “Small plate” appetizers and salads run about six to 12 dollars, with main courses at 20 to 30 dollars. The first time I visited, I fell in love with a dish with baked goat cheese in a marinara-like sauce. Even though it’s not on their rotating menu anymore, I plan to try to recreate it for myself.
After eating, take a walk down the main street of town and pop into some of the shops. From a record store and a glass art gallery to small clothing and jewelry boutiques, Yellow Springs has plenty of shopping options. One of my favorite shops is called Kismet, and they have plenty of cute clothes, shoes and accessories. If you’re into Free People and other boutique brands, you definitely want to check out this store!
Yellow Springs is also home to the Little Art Theatre, which offers showings of some classic films, as well as documentaries and performance pieces, such as screenings of three Shakespearean plays that were originally performed at the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario; select Wittenberg English and theater majors attend the festival annually, but for everyone else, the Little Art is saving you the gas and passport and screens the plays locally.
If shopping or movies aren’t your thing and you’d rather be out and about in a state park, Yellow Springs has you covered there, too; John Bryan State Park is just outside of the downtown and offers many trails to explore. Surrounding the Little Miami River, John Bryan is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. Just remember your sunscreen and bug spray because with warmer weather comes more bugs. John Bryan also meets up with Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, which I previewed earlier in the semester. If you really want to get some exercise or just see the forest, the entire trail loop to Clifton is a few miles each way.
Whether you like nature or shopping, Yellow Springs has it all. It’s a favorite getaway for many Witt students, and if you haven’t been yet, you should go soon. Don’t forget to stop by Young’s Jersey Dairy for an ice cream treat on the way back to campus!
