Clack of an old wooden coaster echoes through tall shade trees, and the sound alone signals something special. Ohio has a small park that has been around since 1924, and it still feels like a family backyard that just happens to have roller coasters.
Most of the year, the place is rented out for company picnics, weddings, and reunions, so regular folks can only stroll in on a handful of days. Marking the calendar like a birthday and showing up early with a cooler and a grin felt necessary.
What waited was cotton candy, a little train, and a hometown crowd that treated the place like an old friend. Hours slip away without notice.
The pace is slow, the fun is simple, and the history is everywhere. This tiny park might steal your heart too.
A Family Story That Started With Apple Trees
Long before anyone screamed on a coaster here, there were apple trees. Back in 1924, Henry Stricker bought 55 acres in Mt.
Healthy, Ohio, and planted orchards on the land. He also opened it up as a picnic spot for his coworkers at Procter and Gamble.
I love that the park began as a simple place to share a meal under the trees. Over time, those picnics grew into something bigger, with rides added bit by bit.
In 1972, the park moved to its current 25-acre home in Ross, and Henry’s son Ralph became the sole owner.
Ralph poured his life into the grove until he passed away in 2007. Today, his daughter Debbie keeps things running with the help of three long-time employees.
That is a tiny team for a whole amusement park, and you can feel the care in every corner.
Nothing here feels like a big company trying to sell you something. The paint, the rides, and the picnic shelters all carry a sense of pride.
When I sat down at a weathered table, I kept thinking about how many families had eaten lunch in that same shady spot over the decades.
Circle These Four Dates on Your Calendar
Here is the catch that makes Stricker’s Grove feel like a secret club. The park opens to the general public on only four regular days each year.
Miss them, and you wait another twelve months.
The first is July 4th, which is the big summer party. Next comes Family Day on the second Sunday in August.
Labor Day follows, giving you one last summer hurrah, and then Customer Appreciation Day lands on a Sunday in October when the air turns crisp.
Some years, the park also hosts the Hamilton County 4-H Community Fair for four days in mid-July. That gives curious visitors a few more chances to wander the grounds, though the fair has its own feel and focus.
My best advice is simple. Check the official website well ahead of time, since dates and details can shift.
Plan your day around the opening hour, because getting there early means shorter lines and better picnic table choices.
The rest of the year, the park is booked for private events like company outings, school trips, church gatherings, and weddings. So if your workplace ever asks for picnic ideas, you know exactly what to suggest.
The Tornado, A Coaster Built by Hand
My hands were still gripping the lap bar when the train rolled back into the station, and I was laughing like a kid. The Tornado does that to people.
It packs a lot of personality into a modest size.
What makes it truly amazing is who built it. Ralph Stricker constructed this wooden coaster himself, and it opened in 1993.
Think about that for a second. Most coasters come from big design firms with huge crews, but this one came from a family owner who wanted his guests to have a thrill.
The ride rumbles and rattles in that classic wooden way. You hear the creak of the track, feel the little pops of air time, and catch flashes of trees as you whip around turns.
It is not a monster ride, yet it delivers plenty of fun for teens and adults.
Coaster fans travel from far away just to add it to their ride count. If you are one of those people, plan to ride more than once.
I found the back seat gave a wilder kick, while the front offered a great view of each drop coming up.
The Teddy Bear Brings Back a Cincinnati Classic
Did you know one of the coasters here is a rebuilt piece of Cincinnati history? The Teddy Bear first thrilled riders at Coney Island in Cincinnati.
In 1996, Ralph Stricker reconstructed it using the original blueprints.
That detail gave me goosebumps. Older locals who rode the first version as children can now ride it again, sometimes with their grandkids sitting right beside them.
It is a living bridge between generations, and you can see it in the smiles at the exit ramp.
The Teddy Bear is a family-sized wooden coaster, so it works well for kids getting brave for the first time. It still has enough zip to make grown-ups giggle.
I watched a little girl climb off, announce she was not scared at all, and then run right back into line.
If you have young riders, this is a great first coaster to try together. Check height rules at the entrance so nobody gets disappointed.
Many rides here have fairly low height requirements, which makes the whole park friendly for small adventurers.
Snap a photo near the station. Years from now, it might become your own family history.
Spinning, Swinging, and Chugging Around the Grounds
Seventeen rides might not sound like much, but somehow the day still flew by. The lineup is old-school in the best way, with no flashy screens or confusing apps.
You just hop on and go.
The Tilt-A-Whirl spun me silly, and the Scrambler did its best to squish me against my seatmate. Over on the Pirate Ship, kids squealed every time the boat swung high.
The Ferris wheel offers a calmer moment and a lovely look across the treetops.
My favorite slow ride was the train that loops around the property. It gives you a peek at the whole park while your feet get a break.
The Merry Go Round is another sweet stop, and I spotted several toddlers taking what looked like their very first carousel ride.
A smart plan is to hit the bigger rides early before lines grow, then save the gentle ones for after lunch. On public days, you can usually pay per ride or grab an unlimited armband.
If your crew loves riding again and again, the armband tends to make the most sense.
The mature trees also shade many waiting areas, which is a real gift in July heat.
Mini Golf, Skee-Ball, and a Shooting Gallery
Some of my biggest laughs happened off the rides. The mini golf course turned my family into fierce competitors in about three holes.
Nobody admitted to cheating, but there were suspicious ball placements.
Putt-putt here is simple and charming rather than fancy. That is exactly why it works.
You can play a round between coaster rides, cool down for a bit, and let little ones join in without any pressure.
Inside the arcade, I found Skee-Ball lanes clicking and rolling just like the ones I remember from childhood. There is something deeply satisfying about landing that ball in the top ring.
The shooting gallery is a crowd favorite too, with old-fashioned targets that ding and pop when you hit them.
These spots are great for mixed groups. Maybe grandpa skips the Tornado, but he can still beat everyone at Skee-Ball.
Teens who think they are too cool for the carousel often get very serious about the shooting gallery.
Bring a little patience on busy days, since popular games can draw a small crowd. Use the time to people-watch.
Half the fun is cheering on strangers who suddenly become friends over a lucky shot.
Cotton Candy, Picnics, and Fireworks Under the Trees
Sticky fingers were basically my souvenir. Between bites of pink cotton candy and a rainbow sno cone, I gave up on staying tidy.
On certain public days, treats like soft drinks, popcorn, cotton candy, and sno cones are even included.
The food stands serve fair-style favorites, and ice cream cones are a popular way to cool off. Admission on public days is often free, which leaves more room in your budget for snacks and rides.
That makes it an easy outing for families watching their spending.
Picnic tables are everywhere, many under covered shelters or big leafy trees. Packing a lunch fits the history of the place perfectly, since the grove began as a picnic spot nearly a century ago.
Grab a table early and claim your home base.
On July 4th, the celebration often ends with fireworks lighting up the sky over the park. Sitting on a blanket while the booms echo through the trees felt like a postcard from another decade.
Bring bug spray, a light jacket for later in the evening, and plenty of water.
Address: 11490 Hamilton Cleves Rd, Ross, Ohio
