If you’ve been following my blog, you’ve probably learned that I love to travel and I love eating delicious food. However, it’s not very easy to travel when you live in middle-of-nowhere, Ohio, and work full-time with a limited number of vacation days.
It is because of this that I have taken it upon myself to really get down and do all the dirty work for us Ohioans. I’m on a mission to find the very best weekend getaway destinations. I’m seeking out places that have a 5 hour or less drive time from Cincinnati.
To be honest, I’m really not even strict with the 5 hour rule, so if you have a suggestion that’s a little further, please feel free to send it my way.
The first place we decided to visit was Gervasi Vineyard. It was Cameron and I’s very first overnight stay away from the kids, and it was very much needed. We had a great time and would definitely go again. Here are some of the highlights.
Disclosure: Gervasi Vineyard was kind enough to offer us a complimentary stay. As always, all opinions are my own.
As stated on their website, “Gervasi Vineyard is a premier destination winery resort located in Canton, Ohio that provides guests with fine Italian dining, indoor and outdoor wedding venues, conference center, beautiful grounds, full-service hotel suites and so much more.”
I agree with everything in that statement, but I would definitely add the word “luxury” somewhere in there. It is luxurious. Until we visited Gervasi, I had never stayed in a hotel with a fireplace or a towel warmer.
Don’t even get me started on the towel warmer. In fact, don’t even get me started on the bathroom at all. There was a TV in the bathroom and whatever type of water filter they’re using in the showers, made me feel like my entire body was made of silk.
Our bed was gigantic and comfortable, and if that wasn’t enough, we could see the pond from it. We also had our very own covered patio, which gave us an even better view of the pond and courtyard.
We stayed at The Casa, which opened on May 1st, 2019. It’s their luxury boutique hotel with over 24 individual suites. All of which have king beds, fireplaces, heated floors, covered patios and more. Since the rooms are so amazing, it can be tempting to just stay inside them all day long. There is a lot to do at Gervasi Vineyard, though.
The Still House
As soon as we checked in, we headed to The Still House for a wine tasting. The Still House is described as a cafe by day and a cocktail lounge by night. It was there where I discovered that my favorite wine at Gervasi Vineyard is Dolce Sera, a late harvest Riesling.
Cameron and I played some tic tac toe, and he had an Espresso Martini. After that, we did some exploring.
The Grounds
I could tell you how beautiful everything was, but these pictures do a better job of that. I’ve also included photos of The Villas. I would love to stay at them, too, because I’m sure they’re just as luxurious as The Casa.
The Marketplace
You can buy their wines at The Marketplace and we did! They also have tons of other items, such as jewelry, candles, wine stoppers, and all things wine-related. We visited in the middle of October, and as you can see, they decorate very well for fall. I wish they would decorate my yard.
The Crush House
We had dinner at The Crush House. I’m sure we got a lot more food than we needed, but it was fantastic.
Just look at these provolone carrozas. Yes, they were as good as they look.
Cameron and I both had the New York Strip Steak. It was served with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and rosemary butter. To be honest, I’m more of a filet mignon kind of person, but their New York strip was good. Cameron really loved it.
I really loved the mashed potatoes.
After stuffing ourselves full of food and wine, we retired back to our room at The Casa and watched Netflix. With a 3 year old and 1 year old, watching Netflix is something we never really get to do, so that was a nice treat.
In the morning, an Italian continental breakfast was delivered straight to our room. We got to have breakfast in bed!
We really loved Gervasi Vineyard and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to getaway and relax for a day or two. Everything is so picturesque and beautiful that it really doesn’t even feel like you’re in Ohio.
If you have any suggestions for some other Ohio weekend getaways, please reach out and let me know!
