WEST CHESTER

Located just 18 miles north of Cincinnati and established in 1823, West Chester Township is Ohio’s largest township, with more than 62,000 residents according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Encompassing nearly 35 square miles, West Chester is also home to several large corporations, a multitude of subdivisions, and plenty of entertainment for its many residents and visitors..

Take local icon The Cone, for example. This ice cream cone-shaped ice cream shop is the ultimate go-to for students, couples, families and seniors alike for a sweet treat. Owned by Keith Wren and his family, The Cone has been a steadfast part of the West Chester community for several generations of residents and visitors. Officially opened in 1995, the ice cream joint is most famous for its signature orange and vanilla swirl soft serve and its orange and vanilla swirl building. Since opening nearly 30 years ago, the Cone has expanded in a variety of ways, including with the addition of a drive-thru in 2007, which came in very handy when the 2020 pandemic struck.

Whether you’re walking up or driving through, The Cone’s huge menu has something for everyone. You could try one of the many Wizzard flavors, from regular options like a Reese’s Pieces or Strawberry Cheesecake, to a specialty Wizzard flavor like the minty Grasshopper or Ohio-vibing Buckeye. (Don’t forget to try the pumpkin varieties in the fall!) Grab a parfait or a shake, or one of the monthly summer options, like peach soft-serve in the midsummer time.

Enjoy your dessert in the air-conditioned game room, or let your kids get out their sugar-high energy on one of the many rides and features in the enclosed outdoor playground. Or simply sit at one of the tables and take in all the good people-watching. It’s not unusual to see students who attend one of the many Lakota Local Schools nearby come in for a treat after practice or rehearsal, or to see multigenerational families spending time together. Whatever you want, it’s safe to say, The Cone almost certainly has it.

If you’re looking for other kinds of sustenance, there is a whole host of restaurants in West Chester for every palate. Swing by the Mellow Mushroom for a specialty pizza and to snap a selfie in the funhouse mirror. Grab a beer at Dogberry Brewing. Brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe or French Toast Haven. Go international with Sene Cafe or Chaykhana N1 Uzbek Cuisine. Sit down to try some authentic Turkish fare at Sultan’s Mediterranean Cuisine, or make a quick pit stop for Middle Eastern food at the nearby Hummus and Pita Grill.

In fact, an expanding cluster of Middle Eastern restaurants and options can be found throughout West Chester, as a large Middle Eastern diaspora is present in the region. If you want to try your hand at making some Middle Eastern favorites at home, stop into Casablanca Mediterranean Food, a specialty market off Tylersville Road with all kinds of hard-to-source ingredients for recreating recipes (including the best and biggest bundles of fresh mint you’ll find in the tristate) or into the self-explanatorily named Halal Market for incredible cuts of meat.

If you want to peruse a high volume of food and entertainment in one place, West Chester has several outdoor shopping areas sprinkled throughout that combine all of these options within one footprint. Try the Voice of America Shopping Center, where you’ll find a trusty Target, one of the first Chipotles in the neighborhood, Aveda Institute, TJ Maxx, PetSmart, among many, many others. You can also stop by the adjacent Voice of America Park, which encompasses 435 acres of land and is the site of the former historic Voice of America Bethany Relay Station, an essential broadcasting facility during World War 2 that was located next to the WLW transmitter tower. The park itself is now home to a variety of publicly-utilized facilities, including the VOA Lake, the Miami University Voice of America Learning Center, the Wiggly Field Dog Park, and the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting.

Or stop by the Streets of West Chester, which is chock full of options: take in a movie at AMC West Chester, pop into Barnes and Noble for a new read, get your swing on at Topgolf West Chester, grab a bite at Bravo! Or Smokey Bones, or take the family gamers into Zero Latency. And if you need home furnishings, less than a mile away is the only IKEA in the tristate region – just one of two in the entire state of Ohio.

Commercially speaking, West Chester is home to several business parks with tenants across all sectors – from manufacturers like Resilience to several freight companies to logistics firms like Dawson Logistics to industrial outfits like KC Robotics to restaurant suppliers like U.S. Foods to aerospace groups like CTL Aerospace and many more. Other major companies located here include West Chester Hospital/UC Health, GE Aerospace and GE Aviation, Totes Isotoner, and more.

Situated in between Dayton and Cincinnati, West Chester is more than just a halfway point for bigger cities: it’s an exciting destination all on its own.