Location: Akron
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What to do and see in Akron, Ohio (OH): The Best Nature & Parks
Rising from the rolling hills of the Western Reserve along the Ohio & Erie Canal, Akron is a vital heartland city and an ideal meeting point at the center of multiple major transportation routes. Surrounded by lush greenery and adjacent to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Akron is a playground for active travelers. The downtown hosts a vibrant arts scene and world class shopping. Summer brings excitement with the World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational and the All-American Soap Box Derby.
Restaurants in Akron
1. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 807 reviews
Completed in 1915, Stan Hywet Hall was built for the family of F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. It was named Stan Hywet, Old English for stone quarry, after the property’s most prominent natural feature. The 65-room Manor House is one of the finest examples of Tudor Revival architecture in America, and the sixth largest home open to the public. The estate includes historic gardens and grounds and is open for tours, Tuesday-Sunday from April to December. The Gate Lodge at the entrance to the estate has its own historic significance. In 1935, two admitted alcoholics met there and talked long into the night, when the principles that still serve as the cornerstone of Alcoholics Anonymous were identified.
Reviewed By BarbaraJS1942 - Akron, United States
Stan Hywet was the 65-room home of F. A. & Gertrude Seiberling from 1915-1955. The house is magnificent and the grounds are gorgeous with several gardens and both rolling meadows and dense forest areas. Playground areas are included for children. Many public events are held each year including Deck the Hall (Christmas lights & house decorations), Ohio Mart (juried vendors, food, drinks, sweepstakes gifts, and more), Father's Day Car Show, Founders' Day (Alcoholics Anonymous), and more. The estate features a historic 65-room Tudor Revival Manor House, Gothic Revival Conservatory, Gate Lodge (birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous) and approximately 70 acres of artistically landscaped grounds and formal gardens. Both docent-guided and self-guided tours are offered daily in the Manor House and the gardens,.
2. F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 199 reviews
Reviewed By loriar - Harrow, Canada
Beautiful park with well laid out hiking trails. We were very impressed on how clean everything was, both in the Visitor's center and on the trails. Great interactive activities for children and friendly staff on hand to answer questions. We loved that all the trees where identified.
3. Cascade Valley Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By IvanSusanin1613 - Cleveland, United States
This large branch of the Summit County Metroparks system has several different areas and entrances, so these comments are limited to the Chuckery area. Not far from the parking lot and toilets is a large tree famous as a Native American trail marker. Past it and across a small meadow, the trail enters a wooded area and quickly brings one up alongside the Cuyahoga River, frequently passes a boisterous section with roiling rapids coupled with calmer pools near to the shore. The trail can be a bit muddy in spots after a rain, and there were a few mosquitoes, but those were the only drawbacks. The trail was wide enough, and was lightly trafficked. The wooded setting was pleasant and quiet, with no noticeable traffic noise even though the park is on the edge of Akron.
4. Cascade Locks Park Association
5. Springfield Lake Park
6. Akron Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 810 reviews
Reviewed By AnitaS398 - Chesterland, United States
The Akron Zoo started out as a children's zoo years ago...it was a start, not very good, and was closed during the winter months. Then...something changed. A new zoo director came to Akron and the zoo started getting better. Then...a woman zoo director took over and things really got much better and is still getting better yet. This zoo has only just so much space in which to expand, but the way the land has been redone and new exhibits have been added and are still being added as I write this review...it is amazing how a dinky zoo has stepped up to being a top notch zoo with natural habitat exhibits and naturalistic exhibits that are good for the animals and the people on the other side of the enclosures. The only exhibit that is not so good is the bird enclosure for native birds to our region...there are two ways to see this...from the outside which you are looking through mesh or through a walk through platform in the top of the trees....and there are very few birds to see besides one turkey. As for the grizzly bear exhibit, this is wonderful. Giant picture windows get you up close to see the two bears (brother and sister) and the exhibit is rather large with grasses growing wild as they should be. A new exhibit that opened up this summer, 2019, is a large natural (will be much more natural in a year or two when the natural grasses grow) is for African lions. There are two "prides" (not really prides, since one pride is only two lions) that rotate in the exhibit since you can't put two males together who are strangers. The original lions (a bonded pair, male and female) are exhibited one day, then there will be three new lions (a male and two females) exhibited on another day. In the exhibit next to the lion exhibit is a large enclosure that has white storks, Speke's gazelles, and a smaller bird or two. There are goats for the people to feed, there is a wonderful garden with beautiful plants and flowers, there is an aquarium of a sort, a carousel, penguin exhibit, lemur exhibit, snow leopards, etc.... enough animals to see to keep you busy for a few hours. They also have a few eagles, a few owls, a jaguar, a capybara,, bats, snakes, a few Andean condors, etc.... What is being built now is a whole new asian area exhibit that will include tigers, red pandas, and I don't know exactly what else....but it should be interesting and better than what it is replacing. Parking is $3.00, and if you must throw coins into a body of water, you can do so outside of the entrance to the zoo in a naturalistic fountain on the right side of the entry doors. If you are handicapped, you can rent a scooter for a charge. The paths around the zoo are paved and handicapped accessible. As for zoo hours....the zoo is open at 10AM and closes at 5PM in the summer months. The zoo is open in the winter....but you must dress for the weather. I don't know what you would see in the winter, but I will say that this is more of an outdoor zoo, even if there is an indoor place with exhibits and a food concession and eating area. And....right now as construction for the Asian exhibits progress, in order to see the rest of the zoo, there is an uphill climb to get to these exhibits, so wear good walking shoes. Oh, by the way, they do have zoo "shows" in a building behind the zoo garden that are geared to keep children interested.
7. Springfield Bog
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By cnjpage - Akron, United States
We finally visited this Metropark & really enjoyed the walk. It is well maintained & a fairly level trail. We were amazed at how many butterflies & dragonflies were flying around - it was stunning. The wildflowers are lovely too. We are grateful to have this in our community.
8. Portage Lakes State Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 20 reviews
Reviewed By AniBones - Fairlawn, United States
Brought the kids here for a day at the beach. Nice beach. Good shady area. They even had free boat rides available. Good for families.
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