COLUMBUS – All eight Ohio State Park resort lodges are cooking up traditional Thanksgiving feasts this year – complete with turkey and all the trimmings.
Lodge dining rooms can be found at Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County; Hueston Woods State Park in Preble County; Deer Creek State Park in Pickaway County; Maumee Bay State Park in Lucas County; Punderson State Park in Geauga County; Shawnee State Park in Scioto County; Mohican State Park in Ashland County and Burr Oak State Park in Morgan County.
Reservations are required; information is available through the individual park lodges.
In addition, Salt Fork, Hueston Woods, Deer Creek and Burr Oak are offering special overnight packages.
The rundown. There is a range of Thanksgiving ideas to choose from:
* Burr Oak State Park, located near Glouster in southeast Ohio, will serve a Thanksgiving Day buffet from noon to 5 p.m. in the lodge dining room that overlooks the park’s 660-acre lake and surrounding forest. Prices are $12.95 for adults; $6.95 for children under 6.
* Hueston Woods State Park, located about an hour’s drive northwest of Cincinnati, is offering a traditional Thanksgiving Day buffet from noon to 7 p.m. Prices are $17.95 for adults; $9.95 for children age 6-12; $6.95 for children 3-5; children under 2 eat free.
* Salt Fork State Park in eastern Ohio near Cambridge will offer a buffet in the lodge from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 22. Price is $17.95 for adults; $8.95 for children age 6-12; children under 5 eat free.
Salt Fork will again host a holiday craft show with 70 to 100 vendors in the lodge lobby Nov. 23-24.
* Award-winning chef Chad Lavely is preparing a special Thanksgiving Day menu at Deer Creek State Park, located about an hour’s drive southwest of Columbus, near Mount Sterling. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Price is $24.95 for adults; $19.95 for children 12 and over; children under 12 eat free.
* Punderson State Park will host a Thanksgiving Day buffet in the Manor House from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Prices are $22.95 for adults; $20.95 for seniors; $9.95 for children age 4-11; children under 3 eat free.
* Shawnee State Park Lodge will serve a Thanksgiving Day buffet from noon to 4 p.m. Prices are $15.95 for adults; $9.95 for seniors; $5.95 for children 7-12; $3.95 for children 2 and under.
* Mohican State Park Lodge will feature live musical entertainment for its buffet, served from noon to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Prices are $19.95 for adults; $17.95 for seniors; $7.95 for children age 6-12; $5.95 for children 5 and under.
* Maumee Bay State Park Lodge will serve a Thanksgiving Day buffet from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Prices are $21.95 for adults; $16.95 for seniors; $7.95 for children 6-11; $3.95 for children 3-5; children under 3 eat free.
For reservations at Burr Oak, Hueston Woods and Salt Fork state park resorts, call 1-800-AT-A-PARK. Deer Creek State Park’s toll-free resort reservation line is 1-877-678-DEER.
Information on all fall and winter specials at Ohio State Parks is available via the Internet at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us.
