The Donut Trail has become a yearly tradition for Will and Hannah.
Back in 2018, Will and Hannah Griffin embarked on their first trip to Butler County, Ohio, to complete the Donut Trail, coming all the way from Dallas, Texas. Little did they know they would come back the following year to complete the trail for a second time...and then again for a third year while on their honeymoon!
For the Love of Donuts
Will and Hannah first met a few years back through a mutual friend and coworker. The couple worked together for a while, and eventually their mutual friend began inviting them both to social events outside of work, including a weekend trip to Boston.
"We knew from that moment on that we both loved traveling and adventure, and we started dating shortly after that," Will says.
The couple also had another mutual interest... Donuts! Hannah first discovered the Donut Trail in 2018 through social media. Although both of them have a love for donuts, Will says Hannah definitely loves them a little bit more. Since everyone knew Hannah was such an avid lover of donuts, she had multiple friends tag her in posts on the Donut Trail Facebook page. This gave Will the idea to surprise Hannah with a trip to Ohio.
Hannah and Will on their second Donut Trail Trip in 2019.
"I had no idea where we were going when we left Dallas," Hannah says. "He didn't tell me until we got to the hotel so that I would be motivated to wake up early... He regretted it as I was ready to leave by 6:30 AM the next morning!"
Overall, it took the couple about four hours to complete the trail. They met a lot of other Donut Trailers along the way, and they kept running into the same people at the different shops.
"We loved getting to tell people we traveled all the way from Dallas just to eat donuts," Will says. "Little did we know that it would turn into an annual trip to Ohio!"
Top Tips for Planning
The Donut Trail is a fun adventure, but it requires some planning! The trail is ongoing, so you can take as long as you would like to finish, but for those like Will and Hannah who are traveling quite a long way, it's a great idea to use the Donut Trail Map and plan out a route.
Will and Hannah's Donut Trail Map Route from their first trip in 2018.
"We put all the addresses into an online map tool to find the best route from our hotel. Since we’re both engineers, we like efficiency," Will says. "We either print the list ahead of time from the Donut Trail website so we can mark the order we are visiting, or we use a hotel notebook to create a donut shop visiting list."
Will and Hannah's Donut Trail Passport and Donut Shop Visiting List from 2019.
After completing the trail three years in a row, you start to pick up on things! Here are Will and Hannah's top tips and recommendations for completing the Donut Trail...
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Definitely spend time before the trip mapping out an optimal route and pulling the hours of each donut shop to factor in closing times. Some of the shops close early in the afternoon or late morning, so you’ll want to prioritize those first.
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If you’re planning to complete the entire trail in one day, make sure to leave by at least 7 AM to start the day.
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We always print extra passports before we get on the trail (just in case), but all of the shops have them printed for you to use as well. You can print your Passport from the Donut Trail website, or pick one up at your first stop.
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Our first year, we crashed with a sugar high because we decided to get at least two or more donuts from each shop. Rookie mistake... but we repeat it every year anyway!
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Have fun and make sure to admire all the cool “road” signs they have in all the shops!
Will and Hannah at Central Pastry Shop on their trip in 2020.
For additional tips while planning your Donut Trail adventure, check out the Know Before You Go blog, or call the new Donut Trail Concierge Line at (513)860-0917, and a Donut Trail expert will be happy to assist you.
A Few Favorites...
Oftentimes, the most difficult decisions along the Donut Trail are deciding which donuts to get! Of course, everyone has their own favorites...
Hannah: "Glazed donuts and cinnamon glazed twists at Central Pastry Shop; glazed donuts at Jupiter Coffee and Donuts; glazed donuts at Mimi's Lil' Kitchen... I really could name all of them as I love all the donut shops on the trail!"
Will: "I love custard-filled donuts! The chocolate-iced donuts from Stan The Donut Man melt in your mouth, and the lemon meringue from Jupiter Coffee and Donuts was mouth-watering."
"We love this experience every time we go, and everyone is always intrigued by the story of the Donut Trail," she says. "This has turned into an annual tradition for us that we’ll continue for a long time!"
Special thanks to Will and Hannah Griffin for sharing their story & photos with us!