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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Bucyrus & Crawford County, Ohio
See lavender near Bucyrus in June and July, hike the big trees of Sears Woods next door, and tour President Harding's Marion home 35 minutes south.
4 places · updated October 17, 2026
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Updated October 17
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Crawford County is flat, open farm country in north-central Ohio, and Bucyrus, the county seat, sits where the Sandusky River starts its 130-mile run north to Sandusky Bay. The town calls itself the Bratwurst Capital of America and throws a free three-day festival downtown every August. Small park district preserves follow the river, and Marion, Upper Sandusky and Mansfield are each within about 40 minutes.
Abundantly Blessed Farm, a small woman-owned farm on Mt. Zion Road just southwest of town, grows more than 500 culinary and hybrid lavender plants, including Munstead and Phenomenal. It has run a self-serve farm stand in summer where visitors can pick a bouquet, and it sells handmade lavender goods such as balms and linen spray; check its website for current stand days before you go. Sears Woods State Nature Preserve is on the same road, so a lavender stop and a woodland walk fit easily into one morning.
The lavender farms
- Abundantly Blessed FarmLavender farm · Bucyrus
June and July
Self-serve farm stand and bouquet picking in summer; no posted hours; photography sessions and events by arrangement.
Best time to visit
Lavender at Abundantly Blessed Farm peaks in June and July, and the owners have pruned in June for a smaller second flush in August. June also brings The Pickwick Place's Strawberry Jamboree, followed by its Sunflower Festival in August and fall activity weekends that ran through November 1 in 2026, with u-pick apples in autumn. The Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival fills Sandusky Avenue on August 13–15, 2026, with three parades, contests and free admission. Spring is the time for wildflowers and calling frogs at Sears Woods and Heckert Nature Preserve, and fall color along the Sandusky River bluffs. Indian Mill in Upper Sandusky is open only from the first weekend of May through October, while the Harding sites in Marion stay open all year with shorter winter days.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Sears Woods State Nature Preserve🌲 Preserve · Bucyrus · about 2 mi, 7 min drive
A 137-acre woods on Mt. Zion Road with very large old trees, bluffs above the Sandusky River and a red-blazed 1-mile loop. Spring wildflowers and songbird migration are the highlights; it joined the Old-Growth Forest Network in 2025.
Sunrise to sunset daily; no pets
free
- Heckert Nature Preserve🌲 Preserve · Bucyrus · about 6 mi, 12 min drive
A 43-acre preserve on State Route 19 between Bucyrus and Galion, with a 1-mile trail along the rim of a wooded bottom. A vernal pool fills with frog calls and salamanders in late winter and early spring, and the old field by the parking lot draws butterflies in summer.
Sunrise to sunset daily
free
- Lowe-Volk Park🏞️ Park · Crestline · about 13 mi, 20 min drive
The park district's 38-acre hub near Leesville, with a nature center, nature playscape, about 2 miles of trails and an accessible boardwalk to an overlook where the Sandusky River begins.
Sunrise to sunset daily
free
- Warren G. Harding Presidential Sites🏛️ Historic site · Marion · about 25 mi, 35 min drive
The restored home where Harding ran his 1920 front porch campaign, a new presidential library and museum, and the Harding Memorial tomb about 1.5 miles away. House tours start on the hour and take 45 minutes to an hour; allow about 2 hours in all.
March–November: Wednesday–Saturday 9–5, Sunday noon–5; December–February: Thursday–Sunday; Memorial open daylight hours
Adults $16, seniors and veterans $15, ages 6–17 $8, 5 and under free
- Indian Mill🏛️ Historic site · Upper Sandusky · about 18 mi, 30 min drive
An 1861 water-powered mill on the Sandusky River, near the site of mills built in 1820 for the Wyandotte people, now billed as the nation's first museum of milling. Guided tours take about an hour.
First weekend of May through October, Thursday–Sunday 1–4:30
Adults $5, ages 4–12 $2, 3 and under free
- Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area🌲 Preserve · Harpster · about 22 mi, 35 min drive
A 9,054-acre state wildlife area of open grassland and wetland about 3 miles southwest of Harpster, in Wyandot and Marion counties. It is wide-open country for wildlife watching by car, and it is also hunted in season.
free
- Ohio State Reformatory🏛️ Historic site · Mansfield · about 27 mi, 35 min drive
A 250,000-square-foot former prison known as the filming site of The Shawshank Redemption, with self-guided tours of the cell blocks and offices. From August 31 to mid-November the route changes for a haunted house, and some areas close.
Daily 10–4; closed major holidays and December 23–January 1
Paid admission (tickets through their website)
- Richland Carrousel Park🌉 Landmark · Mansfield · about 27 mi, 35 min drive
A downtown Mansfield carousel with 52 wooden animals hand-carved and painted in the city; it opened in 1991 as the first new hand-carved carousel in the U.S. since the 1930s. A quick, cheap stop with kids after the Reformatory.
Friday–Sunday 11–5, Thursday 11–3; closed Monday (seasonal changes)
$2 per ride
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- The Pickwick PlaceU-pick farm · Bucyrus
Breakfast and lunch in the café, an Ohio-made market, u-pick flowers in summer and apples in fall, plus June and August festivals.
- The Pelican Coffee HouseCafé or coffee shop · Bucyrus
Espresso, tea and pastries on South Sandusky Avenue, open from 6:30 a.m. on weekdays; closed Sundays.
- Crossroads Candles Factory StoreGift shop · Bucyrus
A Bucyrus candle maker with a factory store of scented candles, home decor and gourmet foods.
- Old 30 BBQRestaurant · Bucyrus
A local barbecue spot for dinner back in town after a day trip to Marion or Mansfield.
- The Amish VaultGeneral store · Bucyrus
A Bucyrus shop for Amish-made and regional goods to take home.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMThe Pelican Coffee House
Coffee and a pastry downtown. About 30 minutes.
- 10:40 AMSears Woods State Nature Preserve · about 7 min drive
Walk the 1-mile loop past big trees and river bluffs. About 45 minutes; leave dogs at home.
- 11:35 AMAbundantly Blessed Farm · about 3 min drive
In June or July, look over the lavender and pick a bouquet if the self-serve stand is open; confirm open days on their website first. About 30–45 minutes.
- 12:30 PMThe Pickwick Place · about 10 min drive
Lunch in the café (closed Tuesdays), then browse the market or pick flowers. About 1.5 hours.
- 2:40 PMWarren G. Harding Presidential Sites · about 35 min drive
Join the 3 p.m. house tour, then see the library and museum. About 2 hours; open Wednesday–Sunday.
- 5:00 PMHarding Memorial · about 5 min drive
Visit the Hardings' memorial and final resting place. About 20 minutes.
- 6:00 PMOld 30 BBQ · about 35 min drive
Barbecue dinner back in Bucyrus; check current hours before you go.
Tips
- Abundantly Blessed Farm is small and its stand days vary, so check their website or social pages the week you plan to visit.
- Pets are not allowed at Sears Woods or Daughmer Savannah; elsewhere in the Crawford Park District, dogs must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet.
- Plan around closed days: the Harding sites are closed Monday and Tuesday, The Pelican is closed Sundays, and The Pickwick Place's café kitchen is closed Tuesdays.
- During the Bratwurst Festival (August 13–15, 2026), downtown Bucyrus streets fill with parades and booths, so allow extra time and park a few blocks away.
- Park district grounds and preserves open at sunrise and close at sunset, so plan walks for daylight.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When does lavender bloom near Bucyrus?
Abundantly Blessed Farm's lavender peaks in June and July, with a smaller second bloom in August after a June pruning.
When is the Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival?
August 13–15, 2026, along Sandusky Avenue downtown. Admission is free.
How far is the Harding Home from Bucyrus?
About 25 miles, or roughly 35 minutes south to Marion. Tours run on the hour Wednesday through Sunday, and adult admission was $16.
Are there hiking trails near Bucyrus?
Yes. Sears Woods has a 1-mile loop above the Sandusky River, Heckert Nature Preserve has a 1-mile trail, and Lowe-Volk Park has about 2 miles plus an accessible boardwalk.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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