I believe that no matter where you are, you can always learn something new. Our own backyards are the places that we often explore the least. When I went home to the United States over the Christmas holidays, I had the pleasure of spending two days in Butler County Ohio. Where is that? Well it’s the county just above Hamilton County, which is home to my hometown of Cincinnati.
Butler County is made up of several towns including Fairfield, Middletown and Hamilton, amongst others. I had driven through tons of times throughout my life. I had also come up to Jungle Jims before because what good Cincinnatian doesn’t do that? However other than that, I hadn’t really explored Butler County. Little did I know that I was in for a treat.
How to get to Butler County Ohio
As I mentioned above, Butler County is situated just above Cincinnati. If you’re already spending a few days in Cincinnati, you might as well head up North just a bit. Butler County is maybe a 30-minute drive from Cincinnati, making it the perfect day trip. However if you do wish to stay the night, there are some great accommodation options as well.
I would definitely recommend a car to spend two days in Butler County Ohio. While there is some public transportation, it’s just not as common as it is here in Europe (unfortunately).
Day 1 of two days in Butler County Ohio
We started our two days in Butler County at the Liberty Center. The Liberty Center is a big, outdoor shopping center. Places like these are something that I miss when I’m in Europe. You simply park your car and you have dozens of shops and restaurants to explore. You can easily make an entire day of it!
Stop 1: Talbots
Our first stop of the day was Talbots. Talbots always has such quality pieces. While their clothing is a bit more pricey than other shops, you know it will last a while.
We actually returned to Talbots that evening to do a personal styling session. You can read all about that here: A Style Session at Talbots.
I ended up taking home a long, black cardigan and a tassel necklace. They both are things that I can put with practically anything. Furthermore, I had been looking for a good black cardigan.
Next some fine jewelry
If anyone ever needs to know where they can buy me fancy jewelry, it’s Kendra Scott. I absolutely love all of their jewelry. They don’t have any locations in Spain, so I was excited to pop in and take a look around.
Stop 3: Rose and Remington
Next we headed over to Rose and Remington. Before our two days in Butler County Ohio, I wasn’t super familiar with this shop. However it fits my style almost perfectly. There were all sorts of fun dresses. So of course, I tried on at least five.
Both this dress and the orange one were so comfy. I would have bought them if it weren’t for suitcase space and heading back to Spain.
Other shops at the Liberty Center that I enjoy:
- Express
- Forever 21
- H&M
- Francescas
- Lush
- Old Navy
- Ten Thousand Villages
- Victoria’s Secret
- White House Black Market
- Charlotte Russe
Time for lunch!
After all that shopping, we were ready for a bite to eat! Luckily, there are lots of dining options at the Liberty Center. We went to Flipside Burger and enjoyed some amazing burgers.
Flip Side was decently priced. I felt like for a nice, sit-down lunch, it was worth it. We each ordered burgers. Amber got a peanut butter milkshake that I unfortunately couldn’t try due to my severe allergy.
Other Liberty Center dining options:
- Brio Tuscan Grille
- Cantina Laredo
- China Wok
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries
- Northstar Cafe
- Pies and Pints
- QDoba
- The Cheesecake Factory
Meeting a celebrity
As we were walking into Flipside, we met a local celebrity. We met Popcorn the piggy! He’s a pig that’s training to be a therapy animal. I got the chance to hold him!
Spending an afternoon in Hamilton
After we filled up on burgers and fries, we headed over to Hamilton. I must say that I really love the small towns in Butler County. They have this cute, small town charm to them.
First, we had a look around Sara’s House. They have a fun collection of home decor and clothing. I really enjoyed talking with the owner about her experience in Hamilton as I learned she’s originally from Tennessee.
Next, we had a quick stop for some coffee. If you’re looking for a good coffee house in Hamilton, I would definitely recommend True West Coffee. Living in Spain, I find that I miss a good coffee house. Instead of coffee houses, many restaurants just serve coffee. While that’s not bad by any means, I find I miss a place with those coffee house vibes.
After some caffeine, we headed over to Fleurish Home, a shop known for everything to decorate your home. In addition to all the things you need to decorate your home, including a good selection of paint!
We ended our first day in Butler County at Sorella Boutique. The ladies at Talbots recommended that we stop by and we were glad that we did. I wrote a review of the shop, which you can read here: A Pop Into Sorella Boutique.
Day one of two days in Butler County Ohio was amazing.
Day 2: International foods and dresses
We started day two of two days in Butler County Ohio in a place that can overwhelm some: Jungle Jim’s International Market. If you’ve never experienced this place, you definitely need to change that. They have food from all over the world.
We spent some time roaming around and trying out the samples. I of course had to take some photos in front of Spain.
A stop on the donut trail
Did you know about the Donut Trail? Basically, there are 12 different spots in Butler County where you can grab a donut. It just so happens that Jupiter Coffee and Donuts is right across the street from Jungle Jim’s. So we of course had to stop for a donut.
Apparently there’s a passport that you can download from that link above. You get it stamped at each place you go to. Make sure you put #donuttrail on any pictures you post on social media.
Trying on all the dresses
After Jungle Jim’s and donuts, we headed over to Miller St. Boutique. As fas as clothing goes, this was definitely one of my favorite shops. They had so many cute dresses!
I wrote a full post on my experience there which you can read here: A Shoot at Miller St. Boutique.
Becoming Penny Lane
Next, we headed over to Middletown to check out the Gold Beret Vintage Boutique. I wrote a full review about my experience here: Creating Looks at Gold Beret Boutique. I got to dress up like Penny Lane from my favorite movie Almost Famous. So that was a lot of fun!
Seeing all the sculptures
One of the most unique things about Butler County is Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park. Basically, it’s like an outdoor art museum. You can either roam the grounds on foot or you can take one of their golf carts out for a spin! We were given a golf cart and it made exploring so much fun!
You can read my full post here: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, a Quirky Spot.
And last, chocolate!
Our last stop was Karma in the Kitchen, an artisan sweet shop. The woman who owns it is named Karma, which is obviously where the name comes from. I think my friend Amber really enjoyed this spot. I did too, however with a peanut allergy, I’m always a bit apprehensive to try things made in the same space as things with nuts. Karma was very nice and found us some 100% nut-free chocolate ice cream popsicles to try. Yum!
Where to stay in Butler County
Since both Amber and I live in Cincinnati, we didn’t need a place to stay. However if you are looking for accommodation, here are a few options:
- AC Marriott Hotel: this hotel is located within the Liberty Center
- Courtyard by Marriott: Located in downtown Hamilton
- Four Points by Sheraton Cincinnati North
Have you spent two days in Butler County Ohio? What things would you like to do?
I want to give a shout-out to my friend Amber who came along with me and shot these amazing photos. You rock!
This post was written in collaboration with the Butler County Visitors Bureau. We were provided gift cards to Talbots, Rose and Remington and Flipside Burgers. We were also given free entrance and golf cart rental to Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park. All opinions are my own.
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