Two white rhinos slowly walk up a hilly slope, stop, eye the safari truck and slowly move toward it. They come to within 20 feet, then turn to graze. What makes this almost unbelievable is that it is happening in central Ohio.

This part of Ohio is home to dozens of underappreciated tourist attractions ‹ the century-old jail featured in "Shawshank Redemption," the spot where Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart were married, and a state park filled with southwest-styled rock formations.

Start discovering these attractions in Columbus. Visit the Old Deaf School Park to see a topiary re-creation of Georges Seurat's famous impressionist work, "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." Are you a Dale Chihuly fan? Columbus' Franklin Park Conservatory has the largest private collection of Chihuly glass.

Once you leave Columbus and travel east toward Newark, there are endless fields of unchanging scenery. Then a seven-story picnic basket complete with handles erupts alongside State Route 16. This strange structure is the world headquarters of the Longaberger Company. The company sells baskets and pottery via Tupperware- like parties.

Another awesome sight is The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio. The former 10,000-acre strip mining area now is a complex of 150 man-made lakes, wetlands, hills and valleys. It is also a refuge for some of the world's most endangered species ‹ white rhinos, Bactrian camel (the two-humped fellows), Banteng (African wild cattle) and wild asses that are native to Iran and Iraq.

"We are not a zoo. We make an attempt at keeping things as natural and hands-off as we can," says guide Diane Carter.

Humans are allowed out of the trucks or buses only at Spillman Lake where giant catfish and trumpeter swans swim close to the boardwalk. Nearby, Mongolian horses swat flies with their tails, then gallop off into the hills. Sable antelope and zebras graze. They stop and stare at the truck then resume their lunch. Along the way, Masai giraffes snack on leaves from baskets that are hoisted on cranes. Central Ohio suddenly feels like the savannahs of southern Africa.

Close to the Wilds, the foothills of the Appalachians start their ascent. Hocking Hills State Park and Old Man's Cave lies within them. The cave resembles Mesa Verde National Park's Ancient Pueblo dwellings that are recessed under massive stone overhangs.

"It reminds me of Superman's childhood cave home," says park guide Shannon George.

Mystery surrounds it. In the early 19th century, a hermit, Richard Roe, lived here. Legend has it that one winter he used the butt of his loaded gun to chop ice and accidentally shot himself in the head. He was buried beneath the cave and is said to still haunt it.

In another part of the Hocking Hills forest, Leland Connor, the elderly guru of the area, guides visitors to Cedar Falls. Huge hemlock trees soar above the sandstone cliffs, steps and bridges on the trek. While descending the gorge to the falls, Connor says that 330 million years ago, this area was part of the Atlantic Ocean. Later, Indians hunted deer and bear here. Disappointingly, this year's drought has turned the cascade into a trickle.

In this Midwestern wilderness, one expects sparse little cabins ‹ not the ones at the Inn at Cedar Falls. They have Jacuzzis, fireplaces plus amenities like robes and lip balm. And the warmth just doesn't come from the fireplaces. Owner Ellen Grinsfelder treats all of her guests like old friends. Husband Terry Lingo prepares amazing gourmet meals and sumptuous desserts like peach cream pie and creme brule. He serves them inside an 1840s log cabin ‹ the inn's dining room.

The food at Etta's Lunchbox in nearby Star, Ohio, doesn't compare, but the atmosphere is something to see. From the outside, Etta's looks like something out of the 1930s or 40s. Inside, Superman, Roy Rogers, Barbie, the Brady Bunch, SpongeBob and every kind of lunchbox imaginable dangle from the ceiling, sit on counters and crowd shelves. Owner and lunchbox maven, LaDora Ousley ‹ Etta was her grandmother ‹ has over 800 of them.

"We can guess your age if you tell us the kind of lunchbox you had," says Ousely.

Ousley also has a collection of Fisher Price toys and six live llamas in a barn behind the restaurant. Her plans include acquiring more animals, working on an MBA and a Ph. D., opening an art studio for llama wool weaving and building a convention center for bikers alongside Etta's. She also serves lunch.

Like Star, Mansfield is another place that would not be on your A-list to visit if you didn't know about it beforehand. This small town is surprising. The town's main intersection has a merry-go-round. Carousel Magic, a workshop that builds and restores carousels, is about a half-block down the street. Owner Ross Clark, a Hemingway look-alike, was an Idaho building contractor before he began his carousel business. He has created figures for Universal and Disney. "This job is a lot better than digging holes," says Clark. "If you can imagine it, we can build it."

A workshop tour demonstrates how a block of wood becomes a beautiful carousal animal or design. Anyone can pick up a chisel and try carving. If carving brings on hunger cravings, try the Sweet Basil chicken salad at Main Streetës Sweet Basil Eatery. Avocado and bleu cheese make it yummy. The bistro also sells upscale cookware and Viking stoves ‹ not exactly a place you'd expect to find in Mansfield. Believe it or not, Mansfield's primo attraction is the Ohio State Reformatory. Built in 1896, this formidable, fortress-like jail filled with towers, dungeons and cellblocks operated until 1990. Today it is a panorama of peeling paint that comes alive when you realize scenes of Air Force One (1997), Tango and Cash (1989), plus Shawshank Redemption (1994) were shot here. The cell, the warden's office and even the carving on the ceiling that said, "Brooks was here. So was Red" are on display. What is most amazing is the tunnel that the main character, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), dug. It is about 2 feet in diameter.

Outside the prison, the E & B Market at 359 West 4th is where Red (Morgan Freeman) bagged groceries in the movie. And remember the road that Red travels when he is looking for Dufresne's treasure? It's supposed to be in New England but it is really Pleasant Valley Road right outside of Mansfield in Lucas.

Driving down Pleasant Valley Road is indeed pleasant, but the real rush comes from looping around the Mid-Ohio Race Sports Car Course at 110 miles an hour. Try if you dare, but when rounding the turns, it feels like your stomach has moved to your mouth. Here's the hitch: An instructor does the driving and this can only happen after taking a pricey, day-long Corporate Driving Experience, Advance High Performance Course or the Lapping Program.

Another Mansfield marvel is that Bogey and Bacall came to this Ohio town to get married. Well, Malabar Farm, the home of their friend, Louis Bromfield, was here. Now it is a state park. Take a tour and learn that though they may have had a sizzling love affair, their wedding night was spent in twin beds. Surprising, just like the rest of the tourist treasures in central Ohio.

IF YOU GO

Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau: (800) 354-2654; www.ExperienceColumbus.com

Hocking Hills Tourism Association: 740) 385-1146; www.1800hocking.com

Inn at Cedar Falls: (800) 653-2557; www.innatcedarfalls.com

Mansfield and Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau: (800) 642-8282; www.mansfieldtourism.com

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - Lexington, Ohio: (419) 884-4000; www.midohio.com

The Wilds: (740) 638-5030; website: www.thewilds.org

A pleasant overnight stop in the Newark area is Cherry Valley Lodge (800) 788-8008; website: www.cherryvalleylodge.com It is built like an octagon to resemble an Indian mound which one existed in the area before it was a cherry orchard.