An Interview with the kasper Family of Lazy River
“The property, which has grown to 92 acres, now consists of 15 cabins, the largest of which can sleep up to 18; more than 200 campsites — primitive, water/electric and full hook-up, including 60 equipped with cable television; two heated pools and a spray ground; a fitness room; two playgrounds; game room; gift shop; dog park and hiking trail, among various other highlights the Kaspers have added through the years.”
“I think with any business and especially with family businesses, there's always challenges in finding your path and finding your way. But what's happened with us, I believe, and it's because of this business — we are a tight knit family. We've shared so many of these experiences together that I think it's made us closer,” Mark says. “Everybody's still invested, even the ones who don't work here on a day to day basis. They're our sounding board. They give us ideas on things we can do that people might like, and we just all really invested in it.”
Lazy River Campground
Experience Licking County like a local would…
Imagine you’ve been entrusted with planning a weekend that promises something for everyone — parents and kids. Young and…er, less young. The Outdoorsy One. The Foodie. The Brewologist. The Muscle Car Fanatic. It’s a tall order. How do you possibly choose? Answer: You don’t.
This eclectic roundup of family fun in Licking County is sure to have highlights for everyone, so buckle up (literally) and enjoy the ride.
While we’re not really sure if breakfast is, indeed, the most important meal of the day, here’s a fact you can count on: If you want a solid foundation for a day of exploration, Station is a worthy starting point.
Picturesquely situated in a 19th-century former train depot on South Main Street just off the bike path, Station promises a scenic and wholesome start to your day. Fans of traditional breakfasts will enjoy the fresh selection of baked goods, including croissants, biscuits and bread courtesy of the Granville Bread Co., or for the more adventurous, generously stacked breakfast sandwiches like The Biscuit, outfitted with an egg, fried chicken, spicy maple butter and pickled onion. On the lighter side, overnight oats and a simple biscuit with butter and preserves grace the menu, alongside a manageable selection of freshly brewed coffee.
The Station also serves as a great lunch stop-off for two-, four- and any-number-of-wheeled travelers from the bike path and beyond. Tuck into a savory harissa braised beef sandwich or harness the power of greens in the smashed cucumber salad; for a snack or to go, Granville Bread Co. items, including soft pretzels and “E’ryday Rolls” are sure to fill in the hollow spots.
Breakfast? Check. Coffee? Double check. Ready, set, go!
You don’t need to be a child to appreciate the magic tucked into every bend of the Licking Park District’s Fairy Garden Trail, which each year emerges with new, tiny details to spark the imagination.
Winding through a forested slope on the northern edge of Infirmary Mound Park, the trail — set up in the spring and summer months each year, but at other times designated as the Wildflower Trail — features more than 40 tiny dwellings and shops, each with its own set of “ahh”-inducing features. Here, a spherical nest dangling from a branch, its interior delicately carpeted with moss and accented with a jauntily placed feather; there, a fairy “cafe” complete with tiny wooden tables and thimble-sized mugs.
Whatever your age, don’t dismiss this fascinating journey as childish until you’ve had a chance to experience it yourself — the attention to tiny details is enough to inspire even the most grown-up of adults.
“We have drawn visitors from around the state and sometimes even from other states — sometimes people specifically come for it,” says Anne Balogh, program coordinator for the Licking Parks District.
She says of the thousands of pieces of fairy mail received each year, some is from adults expressing how the whimsical displays have brightened their days.
“Most people have really positive responses,” she says.
Thankfully, in Licking County, the wonder and imagination of nature isn’t limited to tiny fairy houses — a few steps along one of the scenic trails at the Denison Biological Reserve confirms that magic is abundant in The Great Outdoors across the county.
Surpass your quota of daily steps as you soak in the peaceful surroundings while admiring some of the area’s exquisite native plant and tree species. Situated on 350 acres just beyond the campus of Denison University, the Bio Reserve boasts a variety of terrain and scenery that make it a beloved stomping grounds for everyone from families with young children to ultramarathon trainees. Established in 1966 by the Denison Board of Trustees with an aim to enhance the students’ up-close educational experiences in biology and environmental sciences, one of the reserve’s goals is to maximize the number of representative habitats and species the area can support.
Once you’ve had your fill of the natural world, grab your best pair of noise-canceling headphones (or don’t) and head down the Historic National Road to National Trail Raceway, where on any given weekend, hundreds of engines from across the country could be revving to compete for your affections.
A popular destination for drag racing enthusiasts across the country, the National Hot Rod Association-sanctioned raceway proudly occupies its position on U.S. 40 and keeps folks coming back with a regular lineup of events at its ¼-mile drag strip. The facility hosts events from April through October, highlights of which include: The Hillbilly Nationals Demolition Drag Race, Import Face-Off, Night of Thunder, NHRA JEGS SPEEDWeek, Mopar Nationals, JEGS Summer Fling and the Halloween Hootout.
A day at the races might leave you feeling parched, but back in Granville, Three Tigers Brewing Co. is waiting to cater to your every sudsy whim.
Thanks to six years of steady business despite a global pandemic, Three Tigers and its accompanying Mai Chau Kitchen celebrated a move into a roomier facility on April 1, 2022. The 6,000-square-foot former firehouse in the heart of downtown Granville now provides ample space for brewing, cooking and dining, an expansion that has broadened the business’s horizons in every way possible.
The restaurant and brewery are co-owned by Scott Wilkins, Lonnie Hill and Rick Moller, who together have dreamt up a two-fold delight for the senses that includes bright Vietnamese street food-inspired Mai Chau staples alongside original Three Tigers brews — the Bengal Ambush ginger passionfruit blonde, for example, or the Firehouse Amber ale, among others.
Regardless, whether you’re sharing an order of chimichurri wings, chomping down on fried cheese curds or slurping up a fresh batch of pho, Three Tigers promises to be the perfect place to take a load off with your motley crew and reflect on a day as varied as each party’s interests.
Hey — we’ll raise a glass to that.
