Recent Visit (Cleveland, Mentor, Kent: schools, college, rooftop)

[theurbanfiles]

Checked out quite a few things that are either new, or I hadn't gotten a chance on a previous visit (not to mention an Ohio State game and an Indians game!)

-Downtown Kent: While I had done some reading about it, I hadn't actually seen all that they had done there, and it is pretty great. I don't remember the riverfront park or if it was there it wasn't as well manicured, and I'm also thinking that it's possible that at least some of the new bike/hike trails extending out from the city weren't their either. I don't want to say that it's something like Burlington, VT or Ann Arbor, MI, because it's not. But, it is night and day better from what it was a few years ago, it is cool how there is a little esplanade for students to cross into campus from downtown and back, and there is hardly a chain restaurant to be seen now on the main drag. I still think it'd be cool for something like a big box grocery store or perhaps another, more college-y version of the Corner Alley to be moved somewhere in there, but the bottomline is that the Downtown and surrounds is now a pretty cool place to spend an evening, and Kent students are far less likely now to have to leave town to see a show or concert, get something good to eat, or find a place to get out into nature or exercise.

-Chair Factory Falls: While it has sorta been open and there for a long time, no one really thought of it being a regular thing to head to until a new .3 mile trail was built off the already existing Greenway Corridor a few years ago. The gorge/waterfall is kinda enclosed by higher areas on all sides which makes it one of the more pretty places in NEOH IMO.

-Federal Reserve Bank and Money Museum: This place is great for the city to have, though hours are somewhat limited. The architecture in their is gorgeous, and everything about it is extremely interactive and child friendly. The fact that there haven't been many field trips taken there by area schools over the years is unfortunate, as one could easily spend two hours there or more.

-Rocky River Nature Center: While the sandstone cliff and view down over the river from the top, as well as the Native American barricades there are pretty phenomenal, I was even more amazed by the nature center, which essentially serves as a museum for nature. Perhaps I just haven't explored around enough, but I do believe the Rocky River one is the largest of the Metroparks visitor centers, and a great resource to have.

-Scranton Flats/Lake Link Trail: While now it is only about a mile (give or take) walk, the potential present with this is undeniable. Even now, it is transformative for the city, and the number of people out jogging/hiking was surprisingly high. My visit also coincided with the peak migration season of the monarch butterflies, and so there were at least 3-5 on every single flower along the path, which was impressive to see.

-Greenhouse Tavern: Great rooftop patio, and some of the best wings I will ever have.

-Mentor Marsh: I know this is a National Natural Landmark, but even among parkgoers in the area, I'd guess this one gets overlooked between the beaches, hills, gorges and forests in the area, which is pretty unfortunate, because the walk and sights seen are pretty darn unique along the boardwalk.

-Holden Arboretum: Holden of course has always been great, but this time I went to check out the Kalberer Tower and the Canopy Walk. I thought that the Canopy Walk was pretty good, though it might've appealed to some more than others. Worth doing once though. The Emergent Tower on the other hand might now be the most spectacular spot in Northern Ohio. Almost nowhere have I been that had a higher percentage of tree cover, to where literally the only building I could actually see was the plume of the Power Plant, and the Holden Visitors Center. To the North, I couldn't see trees the whole way of course, because there was Lake Erie clear and blue that way also. This point also, more than just about any other in the area gives a pretty good view of NEOH topography (whereas the Ledges and Chapin seem to look out onto lower elevations), this spot on the other hand had higher rolling hills visible in every direction. I can't even begin to imagine how impressive this spot is going to look in about a month.

Western Reserve Historical Society: One of the largest "city specific" historical societies there is, at least the largest that I've been to (Pittsburgh is the only city I saw that had a larger exhibit space), and the mansions, archives, and vehicle collection is impressive. However, the one thing I saw was that the museum itself wasn't super interactive and engaging compared to some other, smaller ones. Tremendous amount of potential, but even having a small space to watch a video or something while there would be nice. Absolutely worth visiting if you haven't yet been though.

Trinity Cathedral: One of the prettiest cathedrals/churches I've seen in America, not sure there's much more to it than that though I believe a sign there said they were having concerts.

Overall I had a fantastic trip yet again! I'm hoping to be up again next April-May, and when here plan to check out

1. Public Square (redone hopefully by then)
2. Lakefront/Area around Voinovich Park (if anything will be there)
3. nuCLEus (if anything else will be done for it)
4. Geauga Observatory Park
5. Some of the west side towns (Vermillion, Oberlin, Milan, Medina, etc.)
6. At least a portion of the Buckeye Trail/Bedford Reservation area
7. Any other museums/historic sites/new projects that happen to be completed by this time next year

[WRnative]

1991, thanks for the great info.

Next time you're in Kent, perhaps check out the May 4 Visitors Center and Walking Tour.

Beckwith Orchard in Brady Lake also is a great cider stop.

Beckwith Orchards - Home

[theurbanfiles]

Glad that you enjoyed it, and thanks for those tips, they sound like great places.

I really can't say enough about the Cleveland Area's Natural Beauty and access to nature. I mean, I think three National Scenic Byways (Lake Erie, Cuyohoga Valley and Amish Country) say a lot, but it really is a unique presence of nature within close range of a major metro area. Even Atlanta, which seems to have a claim as the highest percentage of trees, doesn't seem to have the same kind of trees that are present in Cleveland, that just have something, well, lush, about them. I've thought about attempting to come up with a "7 Natural Wonders of the Cleveland Area" list, but I think it would be too difficult since something like that is somewhat subjective apart from perhaps mentioning length or height by comparison of the different waterfalls, gorges, marshes, forests, hills, rock formations, etc. plus how far out "the area" extends.