Romantic Getaway at Murphin Ridge Inn

It’s hard to believe, but Dave and I have been married 19 years! And to celebrate our anniversary, we spent a fabulous weekend romantic getaway at the unforgettable Murphin Ridge Inn in West Union, Ohio.  If you are looking for a destination near Cincinnati for a trip with your honey, this is the place.

Murphin Ridge Inn – Perfect Location for a Romantic Getaway

About an hour away from Cincinnati, getting to Murphin Ridge Inn was an easy drive on a brisk Friday evening. Driving through the rural Amish countryside, we felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. Murphin Ridge Inn is a world away from the typical bustle of the city, and we were looking forward to being able to get away from it all. The sun had just set when we pulled in to the gorgeous 142 acre grounds. Welcomed warmly at the front desk when we arrived, we were able to get advice on how best to spend our visit, including a trail map and suggestions for local attractions. The main building was built in 1826 and was named one of National Geographic’s 50 Great Inns and I couldn’t wait to look around. Once we checked in and had our keys, we walked the short trail to the cozy cabin we had chosen for the weekend followed by one of the friendly resident cats.

Woodland Cabins at Murphin Ridge Inn

The Woodland Cabins at Murphin Ridge Inn in are nestled in the woods at the back of the property. With both king and queen bed cabins available, each cabin is unique and all are perfectly cozy and comfortable with plenty of special touches to make a stay at the Inn memorable. We chose the queen sized 3 Sisters Cabin and we absolutely loved the David T. Smith original furniture, comfortable front porch, whirpool tub, and three sided fireplace. We also loved the delicious fresh baked sugar cookies, chilled bottles of water and filled ice bucket waiting for us on the wet bar! It’s the little touches that make a stay at Murphin Ridge Inn so special and owners Paula and Jerry Schutt definitely excel in these little touches such as a selection of bath bubbles to use in the whirpool tub, fluffy robes, scented candles, a stocked book case and game shelf, and cocktail and wine glasses to use during a visit. 

I woke up with the sun the next morning and snuck out quietly to explore the grounds while Dave slept. So peaceful, the only sounds I heard were birds chirping as I walked around. I was greeted by our adopted for the weekend kitty along with other resident cats and a sweet old dog. The grounds are beautiful and I spent an hour or so looking around and hiking a short trail through the woods.

Don’t Miss the Murphin Ridge Inn Breakfast

Included with our stay at Murphin Ridge Inn, delicious homemade breakfast is served in the dining room each morning and it was amazing! Everything is made in house and it was scrumptious. We started breakfast both mornings with coffee and juice along with creamy yogurt served with granola. This was followed the first morning by a slice of crisp flaky apple tart served with fresh fruit and then quiche alongside sausage smoked in the pit outside. Our second morning, we had small slices of cinnamon toast with fruit followed by warm cherry topped pancakes and bacon. SO Delicious! Not only is the food wonderful, the friendly service can’t be beat. Murphin Ridge is a family business, and the Schutts along with their children go out of their way to make guests feel welcome and enjoy their visit.

Dave and I spent the day hiking the trails, walking to Miller’s Amish Market which you can read about here, and relaxing. We had reserved a box lunch when checking in the night before and it was wonderful. Honestly, the huge sandwich served on think slices of fresh Amish bread along with soda, chips, a hard boiled egg, grapes and homemade cookies was hearty enough to share. With nothing on our to-do list and no electronic distractions, it was heavenly to have so much free time to spend with each other! If you are feeling stir crazy, there are plenty of local attractions to keep you busy. We visited on the drive home, but you could also make a short trip to Serpent Mound during a visit to Murphin Ridge Inn. 

Dinner at Murphin Ridge Inn

Murphin Ridge Inn also operates a restaurant on site that serves dinner each night from 5:30-8 PM.  It was fairly busy during our visit, and reservations on recommended. While the seasonal menu is smallish, everything we tried was wonderful. What’s not made in house is sourced from local Amish businesses. I enjoyed the  warm sourdough bread that started our meal followed by the best tomato soup I’ve ever had. Since Fried Chicken is basically my favorite food on earth, I ordered that and it was awesome. Served with fresh green beans and a sweet carrot souffle, it was the perfect meal to end a full day of hiking and exploring Adams County. Dave also enjoyed his salad and chose broiled scallops which he devoured. We could only manage a bite or two of the carrot cake we shared, but it was also delicious. Wine, beer and cocktails are available, except on Sundays and we appreciated the local beer selection. 

Our visit to Murphin Ridge Inn was so much fun and we hated to leave after only two nights. In fact, we are already planning a future visit. While we loved staying in the Woodland Cabins, the Guest House was beautiful as well. With a large porch overlooking the grounds and a comfortable gathering room, it would be fun to stay there with a large group or on a family reunion. The Woodland Cabins are for adults only, but children are welcomed in the Guest House. If you want to stay connected to the outside world, the Guest House has WiFi access and a large TV in the group area. It would also be nice to visit during warmer weather when the pool and tennis courts were open although we did see a few people playing shuffleboard. A large fire pit is lit nightly, and in warmer months this would be an ideal place to sit for a while and relax. I was told that fall is an amazing time to visit, but if you are thinking that sounds good- book now. Rooms and cabins are booked solid early for this popular time.

We loved our visit to Murphin Ridge Inn. It was the perfect location for a romantic getaway and we can’t wait to go back and enjoy the quiet and solitude we found there.

Have you been to Murphin Ridge Inn? I’d love to hear about your visit! Happy Travels!