ASHLAND — No human has been able to complete the Great Ashland Sugar Crawl in one day. Maybe this is your summer to be forever etched in the urban legends of northern Ohio?
Eight establishments providing pure cardiac arrest, guaranteed to forever change how your mouth feels about food.
The first stop is at a new proprietor in town, Whit’s Frozen Custard, which opens at 11a.m. Located at 1220 Claremont, in the old bank building, the custard is made fresh daily, and there are weekly flavors if you want to break away from classic vanilla.
What exactly is custard?
Custard is concocted with eggs, along with the cream and sugar. It tends to be thicker than ice cream and not kept as cold, so you’d be best to consume it quickly.
Pick your cone style, pile on the toppings and then start driving downtown. Everyone is familiar with Dairy Queen, 230 E. Main St., and although it’s a franchise, it’s hard to find a better “blizzard.” In the ‘80s, Nerds blizzards were all the rage, but much like Bit-O-Honey, Charleston Chew and Sugar Daddy, Nerds were replaced by more popular delicacies like Reese’s, M&Ms and Butterfinger.
Order it to go so you can eat outside at Bicentennial Park next door, which was created in 2016, the 201st anniversary of the founding of Uniontown, Ashland’s original name.
Stop three is Eva’s Treats, which opens at 2:30 p.m., and for us old timers, occupies the building of Jim’s Shoe Repair at 601 Claremont. Frozen yogurt is the specialty at Eva’s, but you can also order sorbet along with vegan and sugar-free options.
Fill a cup full of your favorite flavor, then cruise around the sweet shop, adding every topping you can think of. For those with lactose concerns, frozen yogurt may work better for you, and depending on the flavor, there can be probiotics inside.
The fourth location is about washing down all you’ve devoured so far with a root beer float. And were not talking about any old root beer, but the classic and delicious homemade recipe you can only find at the Ashland – Wooster Drive In, 1134 E. Main St. Park your car, roll the windows down and feel like your in the ‘50s with the carside service.
Head to Mexico for the fifth spot on the crawl, and consume some fried ice cream at Fiesta Charra, that’s right next-door to A&W. The owner, Jose, has become a U.S. citizen, but is still very much in love with Chivas, the soccer team from Guadalajara, Mexico.
If you see him, tell him I said Chivas stinks, but just wait till after your food comes. (I like the rival team, America, and we always banter back and forth.)
Summertime and pie are American staples, and the best pie in Ohio is from stop six, the Lyn-Way Restaurant, 1320 Cleveland Ave. If you don’t know about their banana cream pie or peanut butter pie, then what’s the point of your existence?
Kahn Grove park is beside the Lyn-Way and you can enjoy your slice there.
For those looking for classic hard serve ice cream, you have two options for stop seven, in Pete’s Treats, 1504 Cottage St., or the Red Barn at Brookside Park, 428 Parkside Dr. Anyone who grew up swimming at the public pool at Brookside has gotten candy or ice cream from the Red Barn, remembering the sunburns, Sour Patch Kids for a penny each, sticky suits, lots of yelling, a lack of parental supervision and all the childhood innocence one could handle.
The crawl concludes with coffee and sweets, and again, you have many choices for the eighth and final destination.
Downtown Perk, 145 W. Main, calls itself a “dessert oasis” and puts a focus on conversation, as illustrated by their “no Wi-Fi” rule.
There’s also Vines Bakery, 530 College Ave., so you can scarf down some fresh scones, macarons, cookies or maybe even some cake. Vines is new to Ashland and they are ready to pour you a cup of coffee and provide a relaxing place to loosen your belt while your arteries clog up from the greatest sugar crawl in American history.
