A Christmas Story House, 3159 W 11th St, (216) 298-4919; Thu-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm; $7.50, seniors $6.50, children (ages 6-12) $5.50, children 6 & under free. Visit the Tremont neighborhood house made famous in the classic holiday movie A Christmas Story, restored to look as it did in the film.
www.achristmasstoryhouse.com.
Akron Zoo, 500 Edgewood Ave, Akron, (330) 375-2550; Daily 10 am-5pm thru Oct. 31 (summer hours); $10, seniors $7.50, children (ages 2-14) $6, children under 2 free, parking $2. The Akron Zoo is home to more than 700 animals, including two new African lions named Tamarr and Shani, Sumatran tigers and red pandas.
www.akronzoo.org.
www.achristmasstoryhouse.com.
Akron Zoo, 500 Edgewood Ave, Akron, (330) 375-2550; Daily 10 am-5pm thru Oct. 31 (summer hours); $10, seniors $7.50, children (ages 2-14) $6, children under 2 free, parking $2. The Akron Zoo is home to more than 700 animals, including two new African lions named Tamarr and Shani, Sumatran tigers and red pandas.
www.akronzoo.org.
Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, North Main and East Lorain streets, Oberlin, (440) 775-8665; Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm. One of the finest college or university collections in the United States, comprising more than 12,000 works from various cultures throughout the history of the world.
www.oberlin.edu/amam.
The Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, (216) 521-2540; $28, seniors (ages 65 and older) $25, students (ages 22 and younger with ID) $17. Beck Center is the largest cultural arts center serving both Lorain and Cuyahoga counties. This summer, Beck Center presents My Favorite Year (thru 6/8) and Altar Boyz (7/18-8/17).
www.oberlin.edu/amam.
The Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, (216) 521-2540; $28, seniors (ages 65 and older) $25, students (ages 22 and younger with ID) $17. Beck Center is the largest cultural arts center serving both Lorain and Cuyahoga counties. This summer, Beck Center presents My Favorite Year (thru 6/8) and Altar Boyz (7/18-8/17).
www.beckcenter.org.
Castaway Bay, 2001 Cleveland Road, Sandusky, (419) 627-2500; Daily 9am-10pm. Call for room rates. You don’t have to visit the Caribbean to experience the tropics. Paradise Plunge is just one of four water slides housed in this resort and indoor water park owned by Cedar Point.
www.castawaybay.com
Cedar Point, One Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky, (419) 627-2350. Open daily thru Labor Day and weekends 9/3-11/1, park hours vary; regular admission (ages 3 and older, 48 inches and taller) $43.99, Junior (ages 3 and older, under 48 inches tall) $19.99, Military (valid military ID required) $32, ages 2 and under free. Visit Web site for park hours or information about Cedar Point’s Lighthouse Point luxury camping complex and Soak City water park.
www.cedarpoint.com.
Children’s Museum of Cleveland, 10730 Euclid Ave, (216) 791-5437; Daily 10am-4:45pm; $7, children (ages 1-12) $7, children 11 months and under free. The museum provides opportunities for children under age 10 to discover the world and learn through play with hands-on, interactive exhibits.
www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org
Castaway Bay, 2001 Cleveland Road, Sandusky, (419) 627-2500; Daily 9am-10pm. Call for room rates. You don’t have to visit the Caribbean to experience the tropics. Paradise Plunge is just one of four water slides housed in this resort and indoor water park owned by Cedar Point.
www.castawaybay.com
Cedar Point, One Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky, (419) 627-2350. Open daily thru Labor Day and weekends 9/3-11/1, park hours vary; regular admission (ages 3 and older, 48 inches and taller) $43.99, Junior (ages 3 and older, under 48 inches tall) $19.99, Military (valid military ID required) $32, ages 2 and under free. Visit Web site for park hours or information about Cedar Point’s Lighthouse Point luxury camping complex and Soak City water park.
www.cedarpoint.com.
Children’s Museum of Cleveland, 10730 Euclid Ave, (216) 791-5437; Daily 10am-4:45pm; $7, children (ages 1-12) $7, children 11 months and under free. The museum provides opportunities for children under age 10 to discover the world and learn through play with hands-on, interactive exhibits.
www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org
Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd, University Circle, (216) 721-1600; Daily 10am-5pm; $7.50, children (ages 3-12) $3, children under 3 free. Ten acres of award-winning gardens, plus the dazzling Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse, which houses replicas of the spiny desert of Madagascar and the cloud forest of Costa Rica.
www.cbgarden.org
Cleveland Metroparks, (216) 635-3200. Comprising more than 19,000 acres of land in 16 reservations, connecting parkways and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the expansive Cleveland Metroparks is a great place to escape for an afternoon. Enjoy picnic areas and all-purpose fields, hiking trails, wildlife management areas, stables and seven outdoor education facilities. Visit the Web site for information about other summer events and educational programs.
Cleveland Metroparks, (216) 635-3200. Comprising more than 19,000 acres of land in 16 reservations, connecting parkways and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the expansive Cleveland Metroparks is a great place to escape for an afternoon. Enjoy picnic areas and all-purpose fields, hiking trails, wildlife management areas, stables and seven outdoor education facilities. Visit the Web site for information about other summer events and educational programs.
Cleveland Metroparks Golf, (440) 232-7247. Play a round or two at one of seven Cleveland Metroparks courses. Three are located in the Rocky River Reservation (Big Met, Little Met and Mastick Woods) and one each at the Newbury Heights (Washington Golf Learning Center), North Chagrin (Manakiki), Bedford (Shawnee Hills) and Brecksville (Sleepy Hollow) reservations.
www.clemetparks.com
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the RainForest, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, (216) 661-6500; Daily 10am-5pm with extended summer weekend hours Memorial Day thru Labor Day until 7pm; Zoo and RainForest: $10, children (ages 2-11) $7, children under 2 free; Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township residents free (zoo only) on Mondays (unless a major holiday). The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo features 3,000 animals on more than 168 rolling, wooded acres. This summer, see exotic animals in Frogs, Hogs & Dogs and get a feel for some of the deep’s misunderstood inhabits at TOUCH! Amazing Rays & Sharks. Both special exhibits run thru 9/28.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the RainForest, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, (216) 661-6500; Daily 10am-5pm with extended summer weekend hours Memorial Day thru Labor Day until 7pm; Zoo and RainForest: $10, children (ages 2-11) $7, children under 2 free; Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township residents free (zoo only) on Mondays (unless a major holiday). The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo features 3,000 animals on more than 168 rolling, wooded acres. This summer, see exotic animals in Frogs, Hogs & Dogs and get a feel for some of the deep’s misunderstood inhabits at TOUCH! Amazing Rays & Sharks. Both special exhibits run thru 9/28.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, University Circle, (216) 231-4600; Mon-Sat 10am-5 pm, Wed 10am-10pm, Sun noon-5pm (closed Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day); $9, children (ages 7-18) $7, college students and seniors with ID $7, children (ages 3-6) $6, children 2 and under free. Ohio’s largest and oldest museum dedicated to natural history includes more than 4 million specimens in the fields of anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, botany, geology, paleontology, zoology and wildlife biology.
www.cmnh.org
www.cmnh.org
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, (216) 524-1497. The CVNP spans 33,000 acres stretching 22 miles between Cleveland and Akron and includes the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and the Ohio and Erie Towpath Trail. Hike, bike, picnic or fish, but don’t forget to check the park’s calendar for concerts, art exhibits and ranger-guided programs.
www.nps.gov/cuva
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, (330) 657-2000. Call or visit the Web site for a full list of destinations and fares. Enjoy round-trip rides to Hale Farm and Village, Quaker Square and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The CVSR boards in Peninsula, Independence and Akron.
www.cvsr.com
Edgewater State Park, 7600 W Memorial Shoreway on Lake Erie, (216) 881-8141; Daily 6am-11pm. A 900-foot-wide beach, a picnic pavilion and a playground to keep the kids entertained.
Euclid Beach/Villa Angela State Park, 16975 Wildwood Drive on Lake Erie, (216) 881-8141; Daily 6am-11pm. Walk the beach or enjoy the picnic area, pavilion, observation pier or boardwalk.
Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom, 1100 Squires Road, Aurora, (330) 562-8303; Open daily thru 8/24 and Labor Day weekend, park hours vary; regular admission (ages 3 and older, 48 inches and taller) $25.99; ages 3 and older, under 48 inches tall $11.99; seniors $11.99; guests 2 and under free. Check out Thunder Falls, Ohio’s tallest waterslide complex. It will test your bravery at 10 stories high and speeds of 27 mph.
www.wildwaterfun.com
Goodtime I, Sandusky, (419) 625-9692 or 1-800-446-3140. Call for times and ticket prices. Tour Kelleys Island and Put-in-Bay on a nine-hour round-trip voyage. Call or visit Web site about Friday-night party cruises and group rates.
www.goodtimeboat.com
Goodtime III, 825 E Ninth St Pier, (216) 861-5110. Summer season begins in mid-June and runs through Labor Day weekend (limited schedule through the end of September); $15, seniors $14, children $9. Two-hour narrated tour of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River. Lunch cruise available with reservations.
www.goodtimeiii.com
Great Lakes Science Center, 601 Erieside Ave, North Coast Harbor, (216) 694-2000; Daily 10am-5pm; call for ticket prices. Enjoy more than 400 hands-on exhibits and daily demonstrations that will engage and amaze you. Pilot a blimp around the exhibit area. As you operate the controls, learn about the technology, history and future of this unique vehicle. Call or visit the Web site for an OMNIMAX schedule or for more information.
www.greatscience.com.
Great Wolf Lodge, 4600 Milan Road, Sandusky, 1-800-641-WOLF. Call for hours and room rates. Features 271 family-size suites and a 42,000-square-foot indoor entertainment area that includes an indoor water park.
www.greatwolf.com
Hale Farm & Village, 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath, 1-800-589-9703. Wed-Sat 11am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm (thru 10/30); $10, seniors $10, children (ages 3-12) $5, children under 3 free. Visit this outdoor history museum as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Learn about the lifestyles, beliefs, popular culture and craftsmanship of the mid-19th century through re-enactments.
www.wrhs.org/halefarm
www.wrhs.org/halefarm
Headlands Beach State Park, 9601 Headlands Road, Mentor, (216) 881-8141; Opens daily at 7am, closes half an hour after sunset. Known for its mile-long natural sand beach, the largest in the state.
Hilarities Fourth Street Theatre, Pickwick & Frolic, 2035 E Fourth St, (216) 241-7425. Call or visit the Web site for show schedule and ticket information. The Hilarities comedy club presents the best in live national stand-up comedy in its tiered, 400-seat showroom, including unique mezzanine and balcony seating.
www.pickwickandfrolic.com
Holden Arboretum, 9500 Sperry Road, Kirtland, (440) 946-4400; Daily 9am-5pm; $6, seniors $5 (free on Tuesdays), children (ages 6-12) $3, children 5 and under free. More than 4,000 acres of preserved woodlands, gardens, horticultural collections, ponds and walking trails comprise one of the largest arboretums in the country. Visit the Web site for more information and a full schedule of summer events.
www.holdenarb.org
Huntington Beach, Cleveland Metroparks Huntington Reservation on Lake Erie, Lake Road and Porter Creek Drive, Bay Village, (216) 351-6300; Daily 11am- 9pm. One of the most popular West Side beaches, this is one of the Cleveland Metroparks’ oldest reservations, offering places to picnic above the beach and great fishing from the Lake Erie break wall.
Kent State University Museum, Rockwell Hall, Kent State University, Kent, (330) 672-3450; Closed Mon & Tue, Wed 10am-4:45pm, Thu 10am-8:45pm, Fri & Sat 10am-4:45pm, Sun noon-4:45pm; $5, seniors $4, children (ages 7-18) $3. Eight galleries feature fashion and decorative arts by many of the world’s best artists.
www.kent.edu/museum
Kalahari Waterpark Resort, 7000 Kalahari Drive, Sandusky, 1-877-525-2427. Call for hours and room rates. Featuring 884 guest rooms, Kalahari is America’s largest indoor water park, with a convention center, fitness centers, full-service spa and eight on-site dining options.
www.kalahariresort.com
Lake Farmpark, 8800 Chardon Road, Kirtland, (440) 256-2122 or 1-800-366-3276; Daily 9am-5pm; $6 adults, seniors (ages 60 and older) $5, children (ages 2-11) $4, children under 2 free. This 235-acre working farm park, with 50 breeds of livestock, offers fun for the whole family. Milk a cow, take a wagon ride, see baby chicks, admire handmade quilts and enjoy the gift shop and cafe. Educational and kids programs are available.
www.lakemetroparks.com
www.lakemetroparks.com
Lake Metroparks, (440) 358-7275. Enjoy a national award-winning park system in Lake County, featuring Lake Farmpark, Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park, Chapin Forest Reservation and Penitentiary Glen Reservation, a nature education center.
www.lakemetroparks.com
Lake View Cemetery, 12316 Euclid Ave, University Circle, (216) 421-2665; Daily 7:30am-5:30pm. Founded in 1869, Lake View Cemetery was modeled after the garden cemeteries of Victorian England and France.
www.lakeviewcemetery.com
Lorain County Metro Parks, 1-800-526-7275. From biking to birding, the 8,000 acres in 22 parks that comprise this park system offer activities for nature lovers of all ages.
www.loraincountymetroparks.com
Mohican Canoe Livery, 3045 state Route 3 South, Loudonville, 1-800-662-2663. Open April thru October, weekdays 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 8am-6pm. Ohio’s first canoe livery operating on the Mohican River offers canoes, kayaks, rafts and tubes on trips ranging from two hours to two days. Located within walking distance of the Mohican Campground and Cabins, Adventure Golf and Go-Karts.
www.mohicancanoe.com
www.mohicancanoe.com
Metro Parks Serving Summit County, (330) 867-5511. More than 9,000 acres spanning 13 developed parks, six conservation areas and more than 120 miles of trails. Check out the Indian Signal Tree at Cascade Valley Metro Park or see the deepest lock on the Ohio & Erie Canal at Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park.
www.summitmetroparks.org
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland, 8501 Carnegie Ave, (216) 421-8671; Tue-Sun 11am-6pm; $4, students and seniors with valid ID $3, children under 12 free, free admission on Fridays. Located on the second floor of the Cleveland Play House, MOCA continues to bring the most innovative art from around the world to Cleveland.
www.mocacleveland.org
National Inventors Hall of Fame, 221 S Broadway, Akron, 1-800-968-4332; Wed-Sat 10am-4:30pm; $8.75, seniors and college students with valid ID and children (ages 3-17) $7.75,, ages 2 and under free. This museum features interactive exhibits detailing the patent process and an inventor’s workshop.
www.invent.org
Nautica Queen, 1153 Main Ave, the Flats, (216) 696-8888. This luxury cruise/dining ship offers lunch and dinner excursions April thru New Year’s Eve. Two elegant heated and air-conditioned decks are available. Spacious observation decks also allow passengers to catch a little sunshine or experience a special night under the stars.
www.nauticaqueen.com.
www.nauticaqueen.com.
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 2121 George Halas Drive NW, Canton, (330) 456-8207; Memorial Day thru Labor Day 9am-8pm; $18, seniors (age 62 and older) $15, children (ages 6 to 14) $12, children ages 5 and under free. Take a walk through NFL history.
www.profootballhof.com
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, One Key Plaza, 1100 Rock & Roll Blvd, (216) 781-7625; Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri 10am-5:30pm, Sat & Wed 10am-9pm; $22,Greater Cleveland residents (with proper ID) $18, seniors (ages 65 and older) $17, children (ages 9-12) $13, ages 8 and under free. This summer, the Rock Hall’s featured exhibits include Take Me Out: Baseball Rocks!
www.rockhall.com.
Rockefeller Park Greenhouse, 750 E 88th St, (216) 664-3103; Daily 10am-4pm. This indoor garden features tropical plants and seasonal flower exhibits. Attractions include a tropical house, an orchid house, a fern house, a cacti house, a water garden and four displays that change with the seasons.
www.rockefellergreenhouse.org
Shaker Historical Society & Museum, 16740 South Park Blvd, Shaker Heights, (216) 921-1201; Tue-Fri & Sun 2-5pm; $2, children (ages 6-18) $1, children under 6 free. Located in a local mansion, the museum exhibits a large collection of Shaker objects. Many are from North Union, a Shaker colony founded in 1822 and located in what is now Shaker Heights.
Something Dada, The Tower Press Building, 1900 Superior Ave, (216) 696-4242; Fri & Sat 8pm; $10. An improvisational comedy troupe that provides a show based solely on audience suggestions.
www.somethingdada.com
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N Portage Path, Akron, (330) 836-5533; Call or visit the Web site for hours and pricing information. . Tour this historic Akron estate featuring a 65-room Tudor Revival mansion on 70 acres of artfully landscaped gardens and grounds. The former home of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. co-founder F.A. Seiberling and his family, the museum offers guided tours, special events and educational programs.
www.stanhywet.org
Trolley Tours of Cleveland, Powerhouse, 2000 Sycamore St., West Bank of the Flats, (216) 771-4484 or 1-800-848-0173;June 1-Sept 30: Mon-Sat 9:30am (two-hour tour), 12:30 (one-hour tour) and 2pm (two-hour tour); Fri 5pm (one-hour tour Memorial Day thru Labor Day only) & 6 pm; Sat 6pm (one-hour tour); Sun 1 (two-hour tour) and 3:30pm (one-hour tour); two-hour tour: $17, seniors $16, children (ages 5-17) $12; one-hour tour: $11, seniors $10, children (ages 17 and under) $8. Children ages 5 and under not permitted on two-hour tour. Narrated city sightseeing tours depart from the Powerhouse at Nautica. Reservations are required, and custom tours are available.
www.lollytrolley.com
USS Cod, North Marginal Road and East Ninth Street, (216) 566-8770; Open May thru Sept 10am-5pm daily; $6, seniors and college students $5, students (K-12) $3, children (6 and under) and military personnel in uniform are free. This submarine sank more than a dozen Japanese ships during seven war patrols throughout World War II and was awarded seven battle stars.
www.usscod.org
The Western Reserve Historical Society, 10825 East Blvd, University Circle, (216) 721-5722; Tue-Sat 10am-5pm; $8.50, seniors $7.50, children and teens(17 and under) $5, children 2 and under free. The museum offers special exhibits that examine Northeast Ohio’s history. The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum houses antique, vintage and classic automobiles, as well as trucks, motorcycles and rare aircrafts. Guided tours through the Hay-McKinney Mansion are also offered. Visit Web site for complete list of events and exhibits.
www.wrhs.org
