“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more.”
-John Burroughs
Ashland, Nebraska was created as our 3rd stop because it offered a decently priced campground (simple, but quiet) and a cute downtown area to explore with lots of wineries scattering the surrounding area.
One thing we did not plan out on this trip was the day-to-day activities at each stop. We love waking up with no schedule really other than to peruse a local shop, restaurant, or activity where we are stationed for that time frame. Although all the campsites have been booked for months, the activities are left up to how we feel each morning as we start our day. We enjoyed leisurely exploring the adorable town of Ashland in mid-June. 🙂 Here were our favorite things to do and sites to see:
1) Cellar 426 – A Vineyard and A View
We were super excited to be able to try some vineyards/wineries here in Ashland because South Carolina (and NC) weather and soil conditions just seem to be TOO wet to allow many wineries to be successful. We took the motorcycle about 1 mile down the road at opening time on a weekday. Walking the grounds, we got to take in the beauty of the actual vines before heading in to do a tasting. A tasting is $7 for five 1 oz. pours, but the pours were generous if you know what I mean. lol As we sipped, we got to view their process down below the tasting room through a viewing window and headed to their porch area. The view was so gorgeous, I could imagine if you placed this vineyard in SC just how many weddings would be booked there. It was breathtaking! We got to meet some local retired Nebraskans and even chat with the manager there who was friends with the local couple and had lived in SC for a short time. This winery was 10/10 for the view + the wide variety of wines offered.
2) Downtown Ashland
We visited Downtown Ashland almost daily because it was right around the corner (literally) from our campground in town.
There are some super cute shops and even a gallery that showcases the works of Gene Roncka. His initial style reminded me a little of impressionism, with landscapes and houses, etc. featured in his paintings, but upon speaking to the gallery host, we found out he was actually a very well-rounded artist who could work in a lot of styles. I was super drawn to a painting he did while in Bali for a competition of some sort. Find the artwork below that does not seem to go with the others 😉 – I purchased a print of this to be sent to our UPS box back home I liked it so much!
The gallery splits into a “Big Game Collection” that was gifted for viewers to see from a local dude who hunted, shot, and killed a lot of rare wildlife in the 60s/70s… even a polar bear. *cue tiny tear in honor of polar bear life
3) Glacial Till – Cidery/Winery
Right in Downtown Ashland, you will find a cidery/winery that is super modern. It felt very upscale for this small town vibe – the building is renovated nicely and is super classy inside. They offer a small menu with daily specials (very fresh and fancy, not bar food), cider and wine (from their local vineyard). The place is huge with a large sitting area with couches and a large rooftop patio I imagine gets pretty busy at nights or weekends, but we got to enjoy the calm and quiet of a weekday visit. The wine, location, and vibe gives this place a 10/10. I actually liked this wine even better than the previous winery we visited earlier in our stay here, but both were very good. The ciders were also well done, and we fell in love with the lavender honey cider that they had at the time for the season! YUM.
4) Wildlife Safari
I know – sounds skeptical since the South in general has some sketchy privately owned parks and safaris… but this one was connected to the zoo in Omaha and the animals looked and acted very well cared for. So, we went for it.
This Wildlife Safari park was just 10 minutes down the road from where we stayed, and actually turned out to be a really cool place! For the season, they even had animatronic dinosaurs littered throughout the park, with educational signs that captioned the type of dinosaur and a little about the lives they lived.
We, however, were there to see the live animals, and got to see quite a few up close that we had not seen before! This park is VERY kid friendly. There is also a wildlife trail – if you do the full loop by the frog “pond” (it was dried up at the time) you can get a full hike in. There is a snack shack, bathrooms, and a place to picnic and pet some farm animals right in the middle of your experience. This park boasted many spots to get out and view wildlife at overlooks, so you won’t be stuck in the car much at all!
Christian had a great time, even though the bear and wolf seemed to be hiding during our stay there. lol
For a small town, Ashland had a LOT to offer visitors! We vote this stop an 8/10 for the variety of unusual but fun activities and the delicious wineries located there.
PS: Find our VLOG post about Nebraska here!