A small community in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Sugarcreek is a rare fusion of Swiss and Amish heritage, with about 2,000 people.
People call this area “The Little Switzerland of Ohio.”
Nevertheless, early settlers ventured into the Sugar Creek valley’s natural wilderness years before the railway arrived.
Amish and other German and Swiss families were among the first to settle in the area.
They cleared the densely wooded terrain and built a new home on Sugarcreek’s hills with grit and dedication.
Swiss immigrants, who carried their cheesemaking talents to the United States, established small cheese factories.
Sugarcreek became Ohio’s hub for the production of Swiss cheese.
Today’s local descendants of Swiss immigrants carry on the cheesemaking tradition using milk from nearby dairy farms.
The Swiss culture had inspired Mennonite painter Tom Miller to remodel the façade of his little painting studio.
The locals initially protested, so Miller took the lead by painting the windows of 40 Sugarcreek shops between 1955 and 1992.
The locals’ reluctance to change their shops to Swiss architecture and Swiss paintings gradually faded with increased tourists.
Sugarcreek’s growth was aided by the region’s abundant clay and coal reserves, in addition to Swiss cheese.
In Sugarcreek’s old-world appeal, industrial settings, and Amish farmland, German and Swiss heritage are apparent.
Read on to find out the best things to do in Sugarcreek, Ohio.
Kreuzfeld, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
You won’t want to miss the delightful performance of the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock, which will feature a cheerful four-piece polka band, a dancing couple, and a water wheel, all announced by the Cuckoo bird.
You may pot the clock on the crossroads of Broadstreet and Maine in Sugarcreek, where you may dance to the festive music that plays at the beginning of each hour.
During this time, the figures come alive to provide entertainment for tourists to Sugarcreek, Ohio.
The tallest cuckoo clock in the town is 24 feet tall and mixes in with the surrounding environment.
While in Sugarcreek, take a tour through the Alpine Hills Historical Museum’s three levels of artifacts for a nostalgic experience.
It’s been around since 1976, so you know it’ll be full of historical nuggets and up-close-and-personal encounters you won’t find anywhere else.
Visitors of all ages are welcome, and contributions are always welcome.
In addition, take note that this exciting museum runs entirely on contributions and is staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers.
Museum visitors may find information on nearby Sugarcreek in the museum’s foyer.
Visit the Information Center if you have any inquiries about events, directions, or attractions.
If you have any queries about this charming town, its helpful and friendly staff would be pleased to assist you.
When visiting The Farm at Walnut Creek, make sure to bring the kids so they can get up close and personal with some of the unusual creatures they’ll see there.
Visitors may explore the 2+ mile picturesque farm park on foot (remaining inside only), by car (remaining outside only), or by horse-drawn wagon (with your animal feed bucket) for an additional cost.
Northeast Ohio’s countryside hides a flourishing community that transports us back to a more uncomplicated period when people worked hard, ate excellent food, and manufactured their respective things.
It’s like stepping back in time.
You may plan a day tour or a brief vacation to Ohio’s Amish Country with a guide and enjoy many family-friendly activities.
The Secret Garden is a charming destination for those who enjoy fairy gardens.
As soon as you step through the door, it’s difficult to tear our attention away from all of the fairy products on display, including everything you will need in starting your fairy garden.
This store location is full of brightly colored products that are pleasing to the eyes.
With a front that is related to the Swiss-style, the building’s outside entices you inside.
Many cute and quirky items, like fairies, mushrooms, and other such things, are available for purchase.
Their inventory includes many exquisite quilts, jewelry, gems, salt lamps, and dragons.
Towards the back, you’ll see Christmas decorations.
If you’re going to eat apples in Holmes County, there’s no better way than direct from the orchard.
The Merle Hershberger family’s Hillcrest Orchard in Walnut Creek is a 75-acre orchard with 22 different apple and 12 different peach types.
The owners take good care of trees and pick fruit to be sold at its lovely store, operational seasonally from August till March.
The shop sells apples and regional cheeses and meats, a wide range of fresh fruit, nuts, sweets, freshly squeezed cider, and other delicacies of high quality.
During the fall, you’ll discover a ton of fall decor, free samples of its fresh, delicious apple cider, and a lookout platform with a breathtaking view of Mud Valley, all for a reasonable price.
On display from April to October, David Warther Carvings’ museum features artwork from a fifth-generation Swiss carver. Stop by now to see it.
Over 90 carvings depict the “History of the Ship” from Egypt’s first dynasty to now made from ancient ivory, ebony wood, and abalone pearl in the museum’s five rooms.
David is still on-site every day, adding to the collection of elaborate masterpieces while giving demonstrations of his art to passersby.
To know more about the direction, operating hours, and admission rates, visit its official website.
A Brick Wall Sculpture portraying the heritage of Sugarcreek and the surrounding Amish communities in Ohio stands across the road from the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock.
See what made the cut and what they chiseled away in a flash.
Sugarcreek’s Community Arts Council commissioned this Brick Wall Sculpture, which honors the town’s history and other areas, including Baltic, Dundee, and Ragersville.
Artist Sherry Crilow started carving in 2012, and it took her around two to three weeks to complete one panel. Johnny Mullet, a Cherry Ridge Mason, laid the bricks.
It honors Swiss heritage in various ways, such as education, transportation, and so on.
This Brick Wall consists of 13 bricks.
Seven panels are 5’8′, while six panels measure 5’7′ in size.
The Age of Steam Roundhouse is an excellent learning and hands-on experience center for locomotive enthusiasts because of its full-scale replica of a real operational roundhouse.
A 115-foot turntable and a turntable pit for its 22 antique steam locomotives are part of the roundhouse’s use as a workshop.
Additionally, you may see storage tracks, a coke dock, and a wood water tank in the museum’s collection on one of the museum’s three guided tours.
Reservations should be made in advance, especially if you have young children.
Tickets are limited on-site, so make sure to reserve in advance.
All tour participants, including those in strollers or wheelchairs, are welcome.
Children under the age of three are free, as are active service military personnel.
Sugarcreek’s Swiss Village is a line of streets adorned with Swiss-style buildings and stunning Swiss murals.
Thanks to Tom Miller, a talented local artist who lived in the region, Sugarcreek’s Swiss murals and shops fill the village.
Tom’s travels, which included a trip to Switzerland, inspired his paintings.
The locals pay tribute to his artwork by maintaining them so they and visitors of the village can continue to admire his legacy for a long time to come.
There are a total of six Swiss murals by Miller in Sugarcreek.
While strolling around the streets, take in the beautiful Swiss music floating through the air.
At Ohio Star Theater in Dutch Valley, enjoy a great show on a fun-filled family night out.
If you want to let your spirit soar and your heart sing, this is the perfect spot for you.
The Ohio Star Theater at Sugarcreek’s Dutch Valley campus has a new season’s worth of entertainment options for tourists.
Since its rebirth in 2017, the Ohio Star Theater has grown from a small area within the Carlisle Inn Sugarcreek into a modern movie theater equipped with the latest sound equipment.
Ohio Star Theater, which opened its doors to an eager audience in 2007, has become noted for its clean, family-friendly entertainment alternatives as well as the variety of its compelling plays.
The Ohio Star Theater often fills its 514-seat auditorium with Christian performers, comic performances, and other entertainment.
A bright row of Adirondack chairs will greet you as you arrive at the front of Swiss Country Lawn & Crafts, but once inside, you’ll find much more than just patio furniture.
Among the many items, you’ll discover in a store devoted to the well-appointed house are clocks, home décor, and candles.
This shop stands for its high-quality outdoor furniture, swing sets, and adornment for outdoor living areas.
Outdoor areas are only one of the many services the family-run store offers, in operation since 1989 and provide a wide range of colors and designs to explore.
This enchanted gift store has become a popular stop in Ohio’s Amish Rural because of its array of home décor, country crafts, candles, and rhythm clocks.
Chairs, gliders, and swings manufactured from pressure-treated southern yellow pine are popular among traditionalists.
The multicolored Adirondack Chair complements any yard, deck, patio, or porch in addition to the standard wooden option.
These polyethylene chairs come in a range of colors and won’t crack or mildew. They can also withstand seasonal factors.
Visitors will be perplexed as to how they ever got by without these chic and cozy seats.
Whether it’s a custom-built structure made of kiln-dried and treated timber or maintenance-free vinyl, Swiss Country has you covered.
There are many different outdoor living structures that you may use to create relaxing areas for you and your family to enjoy.
Organic foodies and gardeners should check out the Sweetwater Farm in Sugarcreek, which is a real gem.
This one-of-a-kind family-run enterprise is open to the public from May to November.
You’ll be able to choose your fresh produce from the farm’s garden. In terms of value, it’s hard to beat.
Blueberries and strawberries, two common ingredients in jams made in the area, are also available on this farm.
Locals flock to the farm for the bedding plants, velvety hanging baskets, and premium mulch.
A small sign and inconspicuous stand define this family farm, yet the produce here is amongst the best in the region.
Visitors to Ohio’s Amish Country can stay in railway car rooms at our Sugarcreek, Ohio, inn, located in the center of Sugarcreek.
The front porch of the Inn has rocking seats for guests to relax on.
Sugarcreek’s Main Street is easily accessible from the Sugarcreek Village Inn.
It is open to hosting church groups, girls’ getaway trips, reunions, and special groups.
Please be aware that the village inn does not allow pets.
Meanwhile, there are two original railroad carriages at Victoria Station Inn, each with three guest rooms.
There is a free drink station in the main building of The Inn, so make your way there.
Before venturing out into Amish Country, you may rest on the big front porch.
Winklepleck Grove near Sugarcreek is an excellent place to camp, and it’s close to town.
The campsite is easily accessible from State Route 39 and is direct across the street from the neighboring golf club.
Restrooms, playgrounds, and a water supply are available on site.
You may rent out both the bandstand and pavilion for special occasions.
From May through September, it is available to the public.
You may book reservations to the site and its amenities by contacting (330) 852-4112 during business hours.
A group of farmers, as a co-op, started Broad Run Cheesehouse in 1933.
They hired John “Hans” Schindler as the factory’s head cheesemaker in 1969.
In 1977 Schindler and Nancy, his wife, purchased the plant.
In the same year, a gift store was the first of numerous expansions.
The curtain and lace business opened in 1989, and the Swiss Heritage Winery opened in 2003 to go along with their multi-awarded Swiss Cheese.
Located seven minutes’ drive from Sugarcreek, the winery has earned multiple awards for its 17 different grape and fruit wine varietals, ranging from dry to sweet.
The winery continues to produce award-winning Swiss wines on the premises.
When visiting Sugarcreek, Ohio’s Little Switzerland, there are several reasons to slow down.
Travel around its Swiss Village, see a live play, shop, drink wine, or dine at one of the many distinctive local shops, or relax in your accommodation at one of its charming inns and appreciate the moment at a slower pace.
Discover the world.
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