Urbana, OH Travel Guide
Urbana, you’re quite charming.
My pal Abby and I went to the legendary Springfield, OH Flea Market Extravaganza this month. Twice a year, the flea is considered an extravaganza and is much larger than their normal markets. After looking at hotels in the area, we stumbled on this quaint AirBNB in Urbana which is 15ish minutes from the fairgrounds where the fun takes place.
After driving the last hour and a half of our trip through cornfields in the country, we landed in Urbana. While we planned to just stay here in between shopping the flea market, we quickly discovered there was a lot to do in town and ended up spending part of our trip here. It’s conveniently located close to a lot of larger towns: 45 minutes from Columbus (great shopping there), 1.5 from Cincinnati, and 35 minutes from Dayton. If you’re in the area, it’s worth the stop! Here’s where we stayed, what we did, and even what we wore…
WHERE TO STAY
Our AirBNB was the perfect haven for our visit. The sweet hosts Steve and Marilyn rehabbed a historic building into separate rentals. While they have comfortable and modern amenities, they kept nods to Urbana’s connection to antiques throughout. Since we were in town for the flea market, it was extra special to see details like vintage shoe forms on the bookshelves.
The backyard was definitely a star of the show. A beautiful gathering table, peaceful landscaping, and a cozy seating area completed the scene. The entire rental was a welcomed sight after our 4+ hour trip.
WHERE TO EAT/WHAT TO DO
Charm abounds in Urbana. Here are a few things that we did and places we stopped to eat.
Carmazzi’s Candy and General Store: Located right in the town square, this candy store feels like walking back in time in the best way possible. They have been serving up treats to the folks in Urbana since 1893. The building it’s located in has the best historic charm.
Cafe Paradiso: Multiple local folks told us we needed to dine here so we figured we should try it. It was so tasty we went back once more before leaving town. Never did I think that potato chips with Alfredo sauce would be something I was interested in but, WOW. Their menu is full of Italian classics. We had a great spot right by the window and were able to watch the world go by as we shared dinner and a bottle of wine.
Let’s Eat Cake: This adorable cupcake shop was right up the street from our AirBNB. I’m so glad we stopped…it was whimsically perfect inside and the cupcakes were delicious. If cake isn’t your thing, they had other sweets to enjoy as well.
Antiquing: The flea market in Springfield is what brought us to Urbana, but we discovered that antiques play an important role in the town itself as well. One of the days we were there we wandered the streets and shopped the different antique stores in town. It’s very walkable so you can start at one side of the street and catch them all.
WHAT TO WEAR
Wardrobe choices for flea markets could be a post on its own, but overall we keep it pretty casual when we go. Comfort is key so I usually go with some kind of sweatshirt/hoodie or joggers with a t-shirts/coat. No matter what the final outfit is, pockets are key as I usually just take a small card holder so I am not lugging a purse around while shopping. This year, the weather was chilly in the morning, but hot by the afternoon so I went with a sweatshirt dress and field jacket (lots of zipper pockets)!
Most importantly, good shoes are a must. There’s a lot of walking and you don’t want to be slowed down due to sore feet. This time around I wore my favorite slip-on white shoes. They have great support without being clunky and coordinate a bit easier with outfits than sneakers.
If you’re in the area, Urbana is a great stop to soak in a good dose of small town goodness. We would never have guessed that there was so much to enjoy!
Sincerely,
Ashley