I love to take a walk in pretty surroundings after dinner.
I find that many people enjoy this pastime while on vacation, but too few avail themselves of the pleasure in everyday life.
Most nights, it’s just me walking the dogs around our neighborhood after eating an evening meal – but sometimes, if I’m lucky, it’s dinner out with my fam followed by a walk through nice surroundings. My family knows this is a tradition I adore.
For example, I love dining at Easton Town Center, then walking around Easton to people-watch, admire the fountains and landscaping, and maybe even stop for ice cream if we feel so moved.
Hubby and I also like date-night dining in the German Village – at Barcelona or Lindey’s, especially – and then walking to and around lovely Schiller Park.
With friends, I love to do the same after dining in the Short North. We’ll either walk up and down High Street, or even head over to walk around historic Goodale Park.
But as of this summer, I have a new favorite spot for dinner out plus a walk: Dublin’s Bridge Park.
Recently, we enjoyed a terrific meal in Dublin at Cap City Diner, then walked around the bustling development known as Bridge Park.
We made our way over to the new walking bridge, which spans the river separating old historic Dublin from the new mini city known as Bridge Park.
My family declined to walk across the Link pedestrian bridge this time, but that’s okay – I know we’ll do it again sometime soon. We were carrying leftovers so it wasn’t the perfect time for a walk.
Still, I saw enough of the scenic walking bridge to know that I can’t wait to come back and go across it, stopping to take pictures as we go! In the meantime, there’s a cool virtual tour of the Link, as the pedestrian bridge is known.
Where are your favorite places to have a meal out followed by a leisurely walk? I can think of a few other favorites:
- Hubby and I once enjoyed dinner out in old Dublin, then followed a trail down under one of the old bridges there. We had it all to ourselves, and it was both romantic and a little creepy. It definitely made me think of that old Red Hot Chili Peppers song, Under the Bridge (you better believe started singing it to E). That’s where I took the cover image above, too.
- In California, my family has always loved to eat at the Cheesecake Factory in Redondo Beach. My parents’ sailboat used to be kept next door at the marina, so after dinner we’d walk along the dock and watch the fish in the water. My favorite would always be seeing bright orange Garibaldi fish among the other, neutral colored fish. Those Garibaldi really stand out!
- On the cruises we’ve taken with our Cali fam, we always love to walk around the ship after a delicious meal. Walking through the interior of the ship is fun, to see the action in the casino or the people all dressed up in the lobby. But we also like walking along the decks and admiring the ocean views. Walking around the ship is one of my favorite things to do on a cruise.
- Once in a while after dinner at home, we’ll pile into the car and go to the Alum Creek Dam or nearby beaches to watch the sunset. There are so many great places in Lewis Center to watch the sun go down and enjoy the sky painted in many colors. It’s a great way to bring that vacation feeling into your everyday life.
Come to think of it, the Bridge Park pedestrian bridge would be an amazing place to watch a sunset. I am adding that to my family bucket list – I’m going to make it happen one evening soon!
Do you have a favorite place to walk after dinner, or a favorite place to watch sunsets? I’d love to hear in the comments below or over on Facebook.
