Things to Do in Sidney

Originally invented by bored henchmen looking to pass the time at Doctor Berserko’s secret Antarctic lair, hockey has since overtaken polo and unicycle jousting as America's pastime. Hop on the bandwagon with today’s Groupon. For $20 to $35, you get one upper 200-level or one lower 100-level ticket to see the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets take part in one of two slap-shooting matchups: Saturday, March 27, at 7 p.m. vs. the New York Islanders or Tuesday, March 30, at 7 p.m. vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning. Depending on seating, these tickets are usually $44 or $75. The Saturday, March 27, game is also designated as Huntington Hat Night, and fans will receive a free Blue Jackets hat.

The Westcott House Foundation celebrates its charge’s history through continuing preservation efforts, safeguarding the house as both a museum and shrine to Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision for Prairie-style homes. One of 260 of Wright’s remaining houses in the world, the pristinely restored structure entices visitors from far and wide with its architectural allure and unparalleled hide-and-seek spots. The grounds embody Wright’s love of melding a building with its site, boasting a terrace, a pool, and period-inspired gardens. An intricately latticed pergola connects the carriage house to the main building, a rare and interesting gem among Wright’s normally trellis-free Prairie homes.

The telltale sounds of fun fill the air at either Magic Mountain Fun Center location, as friends and families careen around tracks in go-karts, compete on mind-bending mini-golf courses, or do battle in bumper cars. Piping-hot pizzas fuel days of rides and arcade games, and the park's varied birthday packages catapult parties into a fun-filled gamut of feasting, bumper boats, and laser tag. Open late, the parks afford guests the opportunity to while the night away or lure their night terrors in front of a speeding bumper car.

Since 1949, the clatter of balls and pins has rung in the ears of bowlers at Shamrock Lanes. Today, 44 Brunswick synthetic lanes usher balls toward their targets in a sand-colored room punctuated by orange wall panels. Between frames, the full-service bar and grill refuels bowlers with burgers and pizza, or players can hone their hand-eye coordination in the arcade. Winning skee-ball earns ball hurlers prizes, and playing shooting games helps them improve their aim so they can go home and water the garden next door through the white picket fence.

An International League mainstay, the Columbus Clippers have prepped future stars for the big leagues since 1977. The team has claimed nine league championships over the years, most recently in 2011. The Clippers have served as the triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians since 2009, helping players hone the skills that they need to succeed in the majors and impress friends during the piñata portion of birthday parties.

Up to 10,100 Clippers fans pack into Huntington Park, which still gleams with a new-stadium sparkle after sprouting up in 2009. During that inaugural season, the facility was named Ballpark of the Year by multiple sources, including BaseballParks.com and Digitalballparks.com, whose writers referred to the stadium's design as "the most exciting we've seen in two decades."

Every time the Darke County Historical Society unearths a new finding, there’s a good chance that the public’s first look at it will come in the exhibition halls of Greenville’s Garst Museum. More than 300,000 American artifacts fill the museum's six wings, many of which were discovered—or rediscovered, as the case may be—over the course of the society's archeological digs, genealogical research, and historic preservation activities.

Among the century-spanning exhibits, the softer side of sharpshooter Annie Oakley unfolds in the Coppock Wing, and antique cannonballs and Humvees speak of the wartime exploits of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Down on the first floor, a painting of Chief Tarhe, Grand Sachem of the Wyandots, presides over a collection that focuses on America during the 1700s but leaves room for anachronistic elements such as mastodon bones. The newest exhibit, "Diversity in Darke County: The Story of Longtown," celebrates local history with its visual chronicle of a tri-racial settlement in Greenville.

Aside from the main two-story brick Colonial home—which was built as an inn in 1852, according to Touring Ohio—the society and the museum maintain several properties of historic note. A free, self-guided tour of Bear's Mill and its 800-foot water channel can be capped with a cup of gourmet coffee, and the Lowell Thomas house provides insights into the childhood of the broadcaster and adventurer who once famously dined with the Prince of Wales inside an actual whale.