Discovering the Small Town Charm of Wilmington, Ohio

After the unexpected romantic destination that my husband and I discovered last year, my husband has decided that we’ll no longer stay at normal run-of-the-mill hotels. He wants to stay at something unusual or unique. While perusing the lodging selections in Wilmington, Ohio, I found the General Denver Hotel, named in honor of General James W. Denver, the founder of Denver, Colorado. The four-story Tudor Revival style property was built in 1928 and now provides what I hoped would be the perfect location for those, like my husband and me, who are looking for a reprieve from their busy lifestyle.

The warm welcome my husband and I received upon stepping inside the property set the tone for a relaxed and comfortable getaway. We checked in and were shown to our room on the second floor via the original elevator, which happens to be the oldest operating elevator in the state of Ohio. Our room was charmingly decorated with period antiques while the common area provided snacks and bottled water for guests.

At the suggestion of Kyle, the front desk attendant, we rushed to the Shoppes at the Old Mill before they closed for the day. This 1890’s mill contains an eclectic mix of antiques and collectibles and though we only had an hour to browse, one could easily spend a rainy or cold afternoon exploring booth by booth.

We drove back to the hotel, and parked our truck, preferring to explore on foot. Located in the heart of the historic district, we began to explore Main Street. We walked past the historic Clinton County courthouse, and by the Murphy Theatre where John Ritter and Amy Yasbeck were married in 1999. I’d hoped to take a peek inside the doors, but the theater was closed. I wasn’t too disappointed once I spotted the The Crave Candy & Nut Shop next door. We popped in with the intention of picking up a chocolate surprise or two for our kids, but ended up with a bag for ourselves as well. After all, who can resist chocolate?

Downtown Wilmington had many fun shops to explore and we also passed by several busy restaurants and eateries but opted to head back to the hotel for dinner in the General Denver Pub. It was clear that the Pub is the place to eat on a Sunday night. We were quickly shown to the last empty booth as a line formed at the door.

The locally grown food was delicious, well priced, the service was good and the atmosphere was fun and lively.

Though our room was above the pub and it was a busy night, we weren’t bothered by a lot of noise. The only complaint I would have about our room was that it was a bit warm, with no thermostat to control the temperature. We opted to crack the window and had a wonderful night’s sleep in the King size bed.

Breakfast is included in the price of your room and you can opt to dine in the Pub or have a tray of coffee, juice and selection of breakfast breads delivered to your room. My husband and I enjoyed a large, hot breakfast before heading to nearby Cincinnati.

My husband and I had such an enjoyable time visiting Wilmington, Ohio that I think we’ll return in June with the family in tow for the annual Banana Split Festival. How could I ever pass that up?