Photo courtesy of the Troll Hole Museum
Visit the Troll Hole Museum, which boasts more than 20,000 troll items (including a Guinness World Record troll doll collection). Here, you'll learn everything about trolls, from ancient mythology to the modern dolls we're grown to know and love. Look for birds at the 703-acre Quail Hollow Park, located in Hartville. Grab your fishing pole and round up the family for one of the Stark Parks' summertime fishing derbies.
Photo courtesy of Summit Metro Parks
Visit one of the area's nearby Metro Parks, which feature wildlife viewing opportunities, bike paths, wildflowers, soccer fields and hiking trails. Play a round of disc golf at Arboretum Spiker Park or the Roscoe Ewing Park Disc Golf Course. Bike the 85-mile Towpath Trail through Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties (or at least part of it). Take advantage of the snowy weather in winter and go sledding! Here are the top 12 sledding hills in the area.
Photo courtesy of Summit Metro Parks
Get in touch with nature at the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm, which boasts 104 acres of exhibits, live animals, trails and more.
Courtesy of Akron Art Museum. Photography by Joe Levack/Studio Akron.
Check out the galleries at the Akron Art Museum on Thursdays, when admission is completely free! The normal entry fee is $10. Sit in on the free, family-friendly concert series, Serenades in the Park. These shows will be performed all over Stark County by the Canton Symphony Orchestra from June to September. Tour the Canton Arts District, which boasts more than 30 art galleries, studios and specialty shops — plus a wide range of public street artwork and five live music venues! (And don't miss out on First Fridays, monthly celebrations featuring live music, performance and visual art events, delicious bites and more).
Photo courtesy of Bud Graham via Canal Fulton Glassworks
Marvel at the glass blowing demonstrations at Canal Fulton Glassworks, and then peruse the gorgeous work from local artisans. Visit the Canton Museum of Art on Thursdays! On this day of the week, admission is free from 10 am to 8 pm. View a free family-friendly movie at the Canton Palace Theatre on the first Friday of every month. You can find an updated list of events on the Facebook page. Volunteer for an incredible, local charity, or support your favorite theatre! Here are 22 Ohio causes worth supporting.
Photo courtesy of Ohio's Amish Country
Admire the gorgeous scenery on the drive to Amish Country, and take some times to explore the traditional farms and shops. Tell spooky stories and visit these notoriously haunted sites in Ohio. There are 11 Ohio State Parks within a one-hour drive from Akron (including the famed Cuyahoga Valley National Park) and once a year, each of them offers free camping on a designated weekend! Plan ahead to snag a spot, and then check out these other incredible places to go camping in Ohio.Since 1932, Clevelanders have been coming to Geiger's for all of their outdoor apparel needs. Geiger's sells men's and women's clothing as well as footwear, gear for snow sports, cycling, hiking and more, and each store has a unique selection! The brand has now expanded to three locations in the Cleveland area, but continues to stick to its original business mantra — high quality, exceptional service and highly functional apparel. Perhaps that's why the company serves several generations of loyal customers!
Photo courtesy of Cleveland Street Glass
Who knew that something beautiful could come from a car break in? This local jeweler creates gorgeous pieces from auto glass swept right off the streets. Each piece is completely unique, and showcases the natural breaks and flaws in the glass. Automotive glass is a beautiful color all on its own, but when accented by gorgeous silver and gold settings, it takes on a completely new look. See our interview with owner, Deanna Dionne, here.
Photo courtesy of Cuyahoga Collective
To create the best living space, you need to surround yourself with things you love. Cuyahoga Collective embraces this mantra, offering home goods, apparel and artwork inspired by the Lake Erie coast. Many of the products sold in the store are created right here in Ohio, and the company also collaborates with local brands, offering copywriting, interior design, strategic services and more.Soda doesn't have to be packed with artificial flavors and preservatives, but unfortunately, that's what you'll typically find at the grocery store. At Old City Soda, however, they're doing things differently. These handcrafted sodas feature fresh-from-market produce and all-natural ingredients that are pressed by hand, carefully mixed, carbonated and bottled in small batches. Enjoy straight from the bottle, or incorporate into your favorite cocktail.
Photo courtesy of Cleveland Whiskey
Named "Whiskey Distillery Innovator of the Year," Cleveland Whiskey has won a total of 38 medals at competitions around the world. The distillery uses modern technology and transformative woods like sugar maple, apple, black cherry, hickory and more to completely alter the taste of it's barrel-aged bourbons. "No sugar, no syrup, no artificial flavor or color," said CEO Tom Lix. "All of the flavor comes from the wood."
Photo courtesy of Brewnuts
Brewnuts is a collaboration between two Cleveland locals, Shelley and John Pippin, who gave up their full-time jobs to pursue their passion for beer, donuts and their hometown. The shop is a combination of a charming corner bakery and your favorite happy hour spot, offering local craft brews alongside craft-beer-based, small batch donuts. The beer creates a rich flavor and texture in the donut — flavors that are then augmented by fun additions like fruity pebbles, coffee, bacon and more.
Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Brewing Company
Great Lakes Brewing Company beer is now sold in stores and restaurants from coast to coast, but the renowned craft beer brand got its start right here in Cleveland! Irish brothers Patrick and Daniel Conway opened their operation in the historic Ohio City neighborhood in 1986 under tricky circumstances. Cleveland had just shuttered its last production brewery in the early 80s, the neighborhood was still up-and-coming, and the brothers themselves had limited brewing experience, but they turned to experts and passionate people to help make their dream a reality. Now more than two decades later, the Ohio brewery has an impressive stack of awards under its belt, a large fan base, and incredibly flavorful brews worth savoring. Come see what all the fuss is about!
It's no secret that Cleveland is home to an incredible dining scene. It has long been a topic of conversation among publications like the Los Angeles Times and Thrillist, and while local haunts like Sokolowski's University Inn and new hot spots like Lola typically garner all of the attention, we'd like to give some love to the burgers.
In this city, there is no shortage of burger options. You can go simple at an old-school drive-in, or step it up a notch at a locavore eatery with a rooftop view. Either way, the beef is likely sourced from right here in Ohio, and the flavors mix together just right.
Next time you're smacked with a burger craving, check out these 10 incredible joints around town!
Photo courtesy of Burgers 2 Beer
Burgers 2 Beer brings burgers to life with creative ingredients, adventurous recipes and delicious grass-fed beef. There are 26 different burger options on the menu, and each is more clever than the last. For instance, the Luther, one of the restaurant's most popular burgers, is served on a glazed donut and topped with bacon and cheese, and the Like Butta Baby is drizzled with truffle butter and topped with bacon, Cajun brie, crispy fried onion straws and caramelized balsamic onion jam. Are you hungry yet?
Photo courtesy of Swensons
Swensons is actually known as basketball star LeBron James' favorite burger joint in town, and we're not surprised in the least. The old-school drive-in eatery serves a simple menu of burgers, fried dishes, sides and shakes, and although the venue doesn't take itself too seriously, the food is nothing to scoff at! Grab the Galley Boy, which is an award-winning double cheeseburger topped with two special sauces.
Photo courtesy of the Greenhouse Tavern
The Greenhouse Tavern is conveniently located downtown right on the pedestrian strip, and is a fantastic place for an easy dinner or lunch at any time of day. The upscale spot boasts a gorgeous rooftop patio and inventive new American fare. We like to start our meal off with the foie gras and clam appetizer before moving onto the lamb burger, which features a luxe cheese fondue, champagne shallot mignonette and tangy yogurt sauce. Yum.
Photo courtesy of The Rail
This local chain is all about supporting local. Everything from the beer to the burgers is sourced from right here in the state, and the staff celebrates the local community by hosting "beer school" classes in collaboration with local breweries at the restaurant. We're fans of the Local Yokel burger, which features Swiss cheese, local thick-cut bacon, and a fried local egg atop a 100% local beef burger and toasted bun. All menu items can be substituted with a veggie burger or chicken burger for no additional cost!