Things to Do in the Carousel District: Mansfield, Ohio
Richland Carousel Park in Mansfield, Ohio
Richland Carousel Park revolves around the hand-carved carousel. The carousel features vibrant colors, whimsical hand-carved horses, zoo animals and a fantasy creature that’s known as the mythical hippocampus. There are also bench-style seats for anyone who wants to ride the carousel without getting on one of the animals. Take a seat on one of the outer-row animals for a racing effect where you can feel the surge of the carousel animal as it moves on a revolving mechanism. Or, slide to one of the inner rows for a more sedate ride on the stationary animals. A total of 52 animals run the race around the carousel each day, surrounded by twinkling lights and the sound of classic calliope music drifting through the air.
Carousel District in Mansfield Ohio Carousel image courtesy of skeeze at Pixabay
Little Buckeye Children’s Museum
From the Richland Carousel Park, the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is just a short walk, and it’s a good spot to visit if you want to add some more kid-friendly adventure to your outing. It welcomes children from the age of two through ten, but adults get to join the fun and play, too. This kids’ museum has about 40 exhibits and they’re set up to encourage interactive learning. The exhibits are designed to mimic everyday experiences so young children feel at ease and familiar when exploring at the museum.
Kids can play with LEGOS at the Buckeye Children’s Museum image courtesy of Efraimstochter and Pixabay
The Shawshank Trail
Fans of The Shawshank Redemption are sure to love this adventure. Several key parts of the movie were filmed in Mansfield near the Carousel Park as well as in the surrounding rural areas, and Destination Mansfield has developed a self-guided tour for fans to enjoy. A total of sixteen stops in Ohio are included in this tour, with a couple of the stops in the downtown Mansfield area. You’ll need a vehicle to enjoy this experience if you want to visit every stop, or there are occasionally bus tours you can book rather than driving it on your own.
Mansfield Reformatory Shawshank Trail image courtesy of Spriteinthewoods and Pixabay
Shopping in the Carousel District
In addition to the Carousel gift shop, there are several spots worth visiting to get your retail therapy in the Carousel District. Visit Carousel Antiques to browse through the selection of vintage items, or the carousel-themed What Goes ‘Round Thrift Store for some edgy vintage treasures. The area also has a book store, a record shop and an upscale shoe store where you can get your feet properly fitted and try on some stylish footwear. This area is a great destination for gift shopping, with a variety of Amish-made items, hand-crafted gifts, artwork, and clothing. Artisan and health food alternatives are also available in the shops found in the carousel district.Places to Eat in the Carousel District
There are several places to eat within walking distance of the carousel. Enjoy an old-style ice cream parlor experience in a trendy coffee house setting at The Chill. Diagonally across the street to the north-east, you can visit the Coney Island Diner for some of the restaurant’s legendary coneys and an ice-cold soda. Head to Athens Greek Restaurant for a Gyro and some truly excellent baklava. Or, sit and enjoy a steaming cup of java at Relax, It’s Just Coffee.
Walnut Baklava image courtesy of Baklava7_de and Pixabay