My family recently returned from a trip to Cleveland, Ohio. My son wanted to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park and earn his Junior Ranger badge. Although we didn’t know much about the region, we were delighted to learn about the vast array of National Park Service and other treasured sites!
If you’re planning a trip to Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland, watch our video and read on for suggestions on how EVERYONE can fall in love with summer in Ohio!
Good morning, Cleveland!
Our Itinerary for Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland
We scheduled four nights and four days in Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland. Having not spent much time in the area we had a limited priority list:
- Visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park,
- Take the boys to the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
- Take Mom on a fishing trip, and…
- Spend a day at Cedar Point Theme Park in Sandusky.
The forecast indicated that storms would burden our entire visit to Cleveland, so I also found a few indoor alternatives should any planned activities be rained out. My top choices were Play Cleveland and Top Golf.
Day #1
We arrived at a calm and quiet Cleveland airport and took a friendly shuttle service to collect our rental car. After finding and checking into our hotel, we headed out to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
If the rain had held off a bit longer, the boys would have played on the outdoor field after touring the museum-like building.
A stone’s throw from the Hall of Fame, we found Don Shula’s American Kitchen and enjoyed a nice dinner. We did not have to wait for a table or make a reservation, a rare experience these days!
Day #2
After eating breakfast at the hotel, we headed out to the Canal Visitor Center and collected Junior Ranger books. There were period-dressed storytellers that hosted numerous talks and experiences near the building’s entrance. We learned about the lock system and how people once used them for travel and transporting goods.
The ranger at this visitor center was friendly and even remembered us when he spotted us the next day in a different portion of the park!
The hands-on exhibits made the Canal Visitor Center a stand-out educational facility, and I highly recommend you and the family spend some serious time there!
We left Cuyahoga Valley just in time to pop into Walgreens for some snacks to take on our fishing trip. We had reserved a half-day fishing trip with Midtown Charters, and it was to start at 3pm. The two guides were friendly and patient. We (the boys and Mom) caught at least a dozen walleye trout, none of which were we prepared to cook in our hotel room! The guides ate well that evening!
I will add that the water on Lake Erie can be rough. I suggest motion sickness medication for those with weak stomachs…and I suggest staying off the water for those with REALLY weak stomachs. Yes, I know. I should have learned the last few times I have travelled by boat to National Parks!
(Dry Tortugas and Channel Islands, I’m lookin’ at YOU!)
We picked up some pizzas for dinners and headed back to the hotel to recover rest.
Day #3
This was IT! This was the big day of working through Junior Ranger books and exploring the BEST of Cuyahoga National Park! We headed south to the Boston Mill Visitor Center.
We saw the train station and the new, almost-open pedestrian bridge. We snapped some photos with the official park sign and eagerly set out to be wowed.
The first challenge my little junior rangers tackled was the scavenger hunt.
After earning their badges, we proceeded down to the Beaver Pond. We did NOT see any beavers at the pond, but we DID see a rogue beaver when we got lost and went down the wrong road! The trail to the Beaver Pond is the towpath that runs the length of the park. It borders the canals and makes for a great, easy walk or bike ride!
Finally, we were ready to find Brandywine Falls, the crown jewel of Cuyahoga Valley National Park!
After a long day of learning, we headed out to Top Golf for some food and some sport. My objective was to keep these kiddos ACTIVE! And it was a great success. Top Golf for the WIN!
Day #4
Teens and preteens sure have an affinity for theme parks, don’t they? My son was thrilled for some thrill rides, and Cedar Point offered just the right challenges! We spent our final day celebrating ranger badges by riding and screaming and riding again…
Where to stay when visiting Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland
Being a Marriott Rewards member, I tend to look into those properties when book four or fewing nights of accommodations. As it turned out, we found that the SpringHill Suites Cleveland Independence was a great location and fit for us!
The rate was under $200 per night and included daily breakfast. The hotel had an indoor pool (that I absolutely do NOT suggest you use…) There is also a field owned by Kent State that is across from the hotel. The boys MAY have popped over there to toss a football or run off energy during our visit.
The room had two queen beds, a sofa bed, and a trundle bed. This worked very well for four people that needed separate beds!
There was a walk-in closet that we used as a changing room, as necessary. Restaurants and Top Golf were in close proximity. Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Canal Visitor Center was five minutes down the road. We felt safe and comfortable, and I would stay there again!
More Local Sites to Enjoy near Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland!
Although we were able to enjoy all of our top priority attractions on this trip, there were numerous local and semi-local attractions that we simply did not have time for. Those included:
- The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,
- National First Ladies Library,
- Niagara Falls (3 hours away,)
- And numerous other, local museums!
Be sure to check the hours and days-of-the-week that your preferred attractions are open. Mondays and Tuesdays can be quiet in Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland, and many sites are closed. Make your priority list BEFORE you set your trip dates!
Conclusion: CLEVELAND ROCKS!
While Cuyahoga Valley National Park offers experiences very different from our other parks, it is full of can’t miss recreational opportunities. We have outlined some of the park highlights HERE.
During our July trip, the daily temperature highs were around eighty degrees, a lovely, thirty-degree drop from the temperatures back home in Texas! We didn’t experience many insects or traffic either.
We are so glad that spent several, summer days enjoying Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland. It may not be top of mind for great places to visit, but with the crowds and the heat stiffling most of the country, Cleveland remains hidden gem that offers some of the best theme parks, outdoor adventures, and cultural deep-dives that the United States has to offer.
Thank you, Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland!
