Greatest and safest parks to walk (Toledo, Sylvania, Perrysburg) (Riverside: safe area, live)

[PennyLane_UT]

Hello all!

Toledo metro area has many parks, much much more than any other city.

I am looking for very safe ones. I love lakes, rivers, fountains, waterfalls. Just anything water. I like ice skating.

Any ideas?

[ferraris]

Swan Creek is my favorite metro park -- it has a good variety of trail lengths and types. One thing I've noticed about Toledo's parks compared to other areas is that the trails are very well designed, well marked, and easy to follow.

Maumee Bay State Park is good if you want to see the lake or go swimming. The Magee Marsh, Metzger Marsh, and Ottawa wildlife refuges (which are all pretty much the same thing, being right next to each other) are worth a trip if you want something a little more wild, and especially if you are into bird watching.

The new Middlegrounds Park is good if you want to see the river, and there is also an area to launch a kayak or canoe if that interests you.

You might enjoy riverside dining and walking around at the restaurants on the docks in the east side, too.

[ferraris]

One more since you mentioned water: Sidecut Metro Park has some locks preserved from the old canal system and also has river access.

[PennyLane_UT]

ferraris

Thank you!! I googled all these areas (have you seen 3D view option? Amazing!), seems to be a lot of areas to watch birds! I love birds, and again I think it is very Toledo thing to watch birds.

Riverside restaurants, you guessed it, I love riverside restaurants.

[Tobias C]

I often visit Wildwood, Secor, and Oak Openings Metroparks. They are all safe.

Also a big fan of Middlegrounds downtown as well.

Ottawa Park has an ice skating rink right at the corner of Parkside and Bancroft. I wish I could say more about Ottawa Park because it's a big centrally located park but I never go there. There's some rougher areas bordering it to the east but it always looks like lots of people use it.

Maumee Bay State Park is nice for visiting the lakefront. Swimming might be questionable with the water quality there but they have an inland swimming lake if you want an alternative. We like to drive out to Port Clinton / Marblehead to swim at East Harbor State Park as the beach is nice and clean and the water is healthier there.

Pretty much any of the Metroparks are a good bet though. They're all in safe areas. And some of them are quite large with tons of wildlife, like Oak Openings.

[acealive1]

wildwood is safe....but theres alot of blind corners because of overgrown bushes and trees.

[PennyLane_UT]

Tobias C, acealive1

Thank you for the replies! I now read about the water quality in lake Erie and it does seem to be more interesting to swim in some inland lakes. )

[Tobias C]

Actually I just saw a new report saying the bacteria levels in Maumee Bays inland lake are high right now as well. Lame.

[PennyLane_UT]

What about fish then? Do you guys refrain from eating local fish?

[acealive1]

Originally Posted by PennyLane_UT

What about fish then? Do you guys refrain from eating local fish?

toledo didnt take care of its waterways long ago....all that run off from michigan has caused the algal bloom which makes the flint water crisis look like no problem.


the bloom wasnt the first issue, when i moved to ohio years ago, i noticed something funny about the water and immediately stopped drinking it. only bottled water here for me


local fish is something i dont eat either.