Short answer: there are eight standout breweries, wineries, and chef-driven restaurants within a 40-mile drive of Skyline Retreat. Two sit on the same block in downtown Waverly, about a 10-minute drive from the property. Three more cluster in Chillicothe. The rest are scenic day trips. Below is the map, the order to do them in, and what to order at each stop.
Skyline Retreat is off-grid primitive camping land in Pike County, Ohio, a few minutes from Lake White State Park and about a 90-minute drive south of Columbus on Route 23. You came here to unplug. Cell service is patchy, the stars are absurd, and the loudest sound at 3 a.m. is usually an owl. That is the point.
But on a long weekend, most guests still want one evening out. A real meal, a flight of local beer, maybe a glass of estate Traminette on a wood-fired pizza patio. So we mapped it for you. Eight stops within forty miles of the property. All independent, all local. No chains, no filler.
The map: eight stops, four drive zones
We grouped the stops by distance from Skyline so you can plan around how much driving you want that day.
| Stop | Town | From Skyline | Type | Order this |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Diamond Brewery & Distillery | Waverly | ~10-min drive | Brewery + distillery | Beer flight, then a spirits flight |
| Beast and Bottle | Waverly | ~10-min drive | BBQ restaurant | All-meat sampler, County Line burger |
| Old Capitol Brewing | Chillicothe | ~22 mi | Brewery | Flight built on OCB Light |
| Fifty West Chillicothe | Chillicothe | ~22 mi | Brewery + beer garden | Coast to Coast IPA, smashburger |
| Sixth Sense Brewing | Jackson | ~27 mi | Brewery | Murk Juice, loaded pretzel |
| Austin Mill Brewing | Frankfort | ~25 mi | Destination brewery | E-bike the trail, then a fresh pour |
| Na Zdravie Vineyard & Winery | Kingston | ~30 mi | Estate winery | Traminette flight, wood-fired pizza |
| Brewery 33 | Logan | 35 to 40 mi | Brewery + beer garden | Whatever is freshest, outside |
- Zone 1, a quick drive into Waverly (about 10 minutes): the downtown Waverly pair. Park once and walk between the two.
- Zone 2, Paint Street, Chillicothe (~22 mi): two destination breweries next door to each other, about half an hour up Route 23.
- Zone 3, Jackson (~27 mi): one brewery, one of the best origin stories in Ohio craft beer.
- Zone 4, the long drive day (25 to 30 mi): a rural trailside brewery and a Slovak-heritage estate vineyard. Pair them as one road-trip day.
The eight stops
1. Black Diamond Brewery & Distillery, Waverly
210 N Market Street, Waverly. About a 10-minute drive from Skyline.
The headline detail: this is one of the few places in the region that brews beer and distills spirits under the same roof. A flight here can include both. Black Diamond runs locations in Circleville, Marietta, and Nelsonville too, so the Waverly taproom plugs into a tested, multi-city beer program. It moved into the old Brass Monkey space, so the kitchen, and the chef-driven plates that came with it, carried over. It is the closest real night out to the property, which makes it the easy choice on a first night at Skyline.
Order: a four-pour beer flight, then a spirits flight as a chaser. Stay for dinner.
2. Beast and Bottle, Waverly
106 S Market Street, Waverly. About a 10-minute drive from Skyline.
Pike County's BBQ stop. Pulled pork, brisket, pork belly, mojo skirt steak, an all-meat sampler. The menu reads like a love letter to smoke and salt. The sauce bar alone is worth the visit: Pike County Yella, Alabama White, Apple Chipotle, Beast Sauce, Korean, even Marshmallow. Signature burgers carry names like The Beast, Porky Blue, and County Line. Save room for the corn fritters and banana pudding. It sits on the same block as Black Diamond, so you can park once in Waverly and walk between the two.
Hours: Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Phone: (740) 835-8429
Order: all-meat sampler, split with one other person. County Line burger. Corn fritters.
3. Old Capitol Brewing, Chillicothe
79 N Paint Street, Chillicothe. About 22 miles from Skyline.
The historical hook is real. Old Capitol is the first local brewery to open in Chillicothe in nearly seventy years. Chillicothe was Ohio's first state capital, and the name is a direct nod. Their flagship light, OCB Light, is a clean golden lager. Live music nights, happy hour pricing, evening hours Wednesday through Sunday. It is a 22-mile straight shot up Route 23 from Skyline, so it doubles as your stop on the drive in or out.
Order: a four-pour flight built around OCB Light and whatever rotating IPA they have on.
4. Fifty West Chillicothe, Chillicothe
1 N Paint Street, Chillicothe. About 22 miles from Skyline, literally next door to Old Capitol.
Cincinnati-based Fifty West's southern outpost. Twenty-four drafts, canned cocktails, slushies, hop water, even THC beverages. Outdoor turf beer garden with dog-friendly seating outside. Built for families, with a kids' menu and milkshakes. Because it sits one storefront away from Old Capitol, the Paint Street crawl is a real thing: park once, walk between two breweries, then drive the quiet half hour back to the fire ring at Skyline.
Order: Coast to Coast IPA, the smashburger, and a slushie for the patio.
5. Sixth Sense Brewing, Jackson
275 Portsmouth Street, Jackson. About 27 miles from Skyline.
The best origin story on this list. The building has been, in order: a Pontiac dealership, a garage, the local YMCA, and now a brewery. The decor and menu both nod to that layered history. Ten signature beers on tap, including the well-known Murk Juice IPA. Full kitchen, with shareable appetizers, salads, burgers, and vegetarian options. It is the natural pick on a day you want to point the car east instead of north.
Hours note: closed Wednesdays.
Order: Murk Juice, the loaded pretzel app, and any seasonal sour on tap.
6. Austin Mill Brewing, Frankfort
2564 Austin Road, Frankfort. About 25 miles from Skyline.
This one might be our favorite for Skyline guests. It is a true destination brewery. Rural Ross County, set right beside the Tri-County Triangle Bike Trail, with live music, food trucks, e-bike rentals, and even on-site camping if you want a different kind of night. Open Thursday through Sunday. Closed January and February. The trail-then-pour rhythm mirrors what a day at Skyline already feels like, just with beer at the end.
Order: rent an e-bike for an hour on the trail before you sit down. Then whatever is freshest on tap and a food-truck plate.
7. Na Zdravie Vineyard & Winery, Kingston
13414 Marietta Road, Kingston. About 30 miles from Skyline.
Pronounced Na ZDRAH-vyeh, Slovak for "Cheers." Jack and Cindy Mergo planted ten acres of vines themselves and built the place around their family's Slovak heritage. The Estate Traminette took silver at the 2018 Ohio Wine Competition. Wood-fired pizza, a real tasting room, live music, and an event lawn that hosts weddings. Officially on the Ohio River Valley Wine Trail. It is the best sunset stop on the list, and the drive back to a dark-sky campsite at Skyline is the right way to end that night.
Order: a Traminette flight, a wood-fired pizza, and a slow walk through the vines while the light goes warm.
8. Brewery 33, Logan (Hocking Hills)
Logan, Ohio. About 35 to 40 miles from Skyline.
A family-owned craft brewery in the heart of Hocking Hills with a sprawling outdoor beer garden. Family-friendly and dog-friendly. Pair this stop with a daytime hike at Old Man's Cave or Ash Cave, or skip the crowds and go where the locals actually go, then come back to Skyline for a fire-pit dessert. You get a full Hocking Hills day without ever feeling rushed.
Order: whatever is freshest on tap, ideally outside.
Suggested itineraries
The 2-night Skyline weekend (easy mode)
- Friday: arrive at Skyline, fire ring, stars.
- Saturday lunch: Beast and Bottle (quick drive into Waverly).
- Saturday evening: Black Diamond Brewery (same block, park once and walk between the two).
- Sunday: pack out slowly. Optional stop at Old Capitol on the drive back toward Columbus.
The 3-night pint crawl
- Friday: Skyline arrival.
- Saturday: the Paint Street crawl in Chillicothe, Old Capitol then Fifty West, dinner in between.
- Sunday: day trip to Austin Mill via the bike trail, then Na Zdravie for sunset wine.
The Sip* CBUS date night weekend (featured)
- Friday: drive down from Columbus. Black Diamond flight, beer and spirits side by side.
- Saturday: Hocking Hills hike, then the Brewery 33 patio, then back to Skyline for fire-pit dessert.
- Sunday: brunch in Waverly, slow drive home through the river valley.
Booking your stay
The whole point of this map is that it works because you are not driving back to Columbus or Cincinnati between stops. You are staying about twenty minutes away, on quiet land, with a fire ring and a view of the ridge.
- Booking today: $19 to $24 a night. Reserve Aurora's Grove or Orion's Pointe on HipCamp. HipCamp is the way to book a stay right now.
- Coming soon: a yearly Skyline membership with a lower direct-booking member rate, plus curated Date Night at Skyline packages built with our Sip* CBUS list. Pre-planned weekends that combine a Skyline stay with a hand-picked stop or two from the list above. This is future vision, no promises yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the closest brewery to Skyline Retreat?
Black Diamond Brewery & Distillery in downtown Waverly is about a 10-minute drive from the property. Beast and Bottle is on the same block, so you can park once and walk between the two.
Which stop is best for a date night?
For atmosphere, Na Zdravie Vineyard & Winery in Kingston, with wood-fired pizza, vines, and live music. For a shorter drive, the old Brass Monkey chef-driven menu carries on inside Black Diamond's Waverly location.
Which stop is best for families with kids?
Fifty West Chillicothe has a kids' menu, milkshakes, and an outdoor turf beer garden. Brewery 33 in Logan is family and dog-friendly with a large outdoor area.
Can I do all eight in one weekend?
You can, but you probably should not. Pace it across two weekends, or focus on one drive zone per day. The Paint Street pair (Old Capitol and Fifty West) and the Waverly pair (Black Diamond and Beast and Bottle) are the most efficient duos.
Are any of these closed seasonally?
Yes. Austin Mill Brewing is closed January and February. Most others operate year-round but with reduced winter hours. Always check before you drive.
How far is Skyline Retreat from Columbus?
Roughly seventy miles south, about a ninety-minute drive on Route 23, and one of the prettiest stretches of road in southern Ohio once you clear Circleville. Here is the full drive-time breakdown from Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland.
Skyline Retreat is an off-grid primitive camping property in Pike County, Ohio. Rest. Create. Connect.