Patterson Farms

Fall in Ohio is one of the best times of the year--and a place to take it all in is Patterson Farms.

We loaded up for a tractor ride out to the field where they had acres of corn mazes, pumpkin patches, play houses, hay to play on, slides, and numerous other FUN things.

We passed the apple orchards...(they offer pick your own apples and Strawberries!)

and ended up at the tepee/canoe sandbox.

And slowly made our way through the MANY play structures...

seriously, this place was AMAZING!! This will be our go to place for the rest of the time we are here...it was truly magical.

Back hidden in the woods was a big wooden fort and a 50 foot slide!
(and hundreds of thousands of leaves)

We munched some freshly picked apples....

And tested out tractors...

And found our way through a corn maze...

Was the perfect way to spend a fall day!

Because this is a seasonal thing to do, the info changes year to year. You can find more about their family fun fest here!

Amish Country - Hershberger Farm

HERSHBERGER FARM in Amish Country.

With small children, we were looking for a one stop shop in Amish Country, where we could experience some of everything without paying an arm and a leg. :) I feel like we definitely found that here!

The farm has a good size free petting zoo, with the option to ride ponies ($3.00 per person) and take a ride in an Amish buggy ($5.00). Also at this location was a cute little store, with loads of handmade goods and toys, and another store with bakery items, fruits, and veggies. There were lots of things to sample (which were ALL delicious) and the prices were REALLY reasonable for food items. We brought back a HUGE cantaloupe that was DELICIOUS!

There is also a place to buy lunch--they sell sandwiches, burgers, fries, etc. Some of everything. We felt that food was kind of pricey, but it was also served in good size portions. Our 3 small kids split one burger and fries and were full. (I want to say it was like $5 for a burger and fries, no drink included).

Fresh kettle corn was being made the whole time we were there, and they had yummy samples of that--(definitely pick up a bag! IT WAS SOOO GOOD!)

All in all we thought it was a great place to go to see the sights. If you have more time or aren't with kiddos, there are lots of shops and great places to stop along the way (and in Berlin, a short distance away).

How do I get there?

Address:

5452 State Route 557

Millersburg, Ohio 44654

330-674-6096

Visit Them:

Summer Monday - Saturday 8-5 Winter (Jan - March) Tues - Sat 8 - 5

---See a list of all their food item pricing here

---View their ad here

Squire's Castle

SQUIRE'S CASTLE: Part of Cleveland metroparks

COST: FREE

Hours: normal park hours--I can't find the times online but it seems like it's open until 10 p.m.

How do I get there?
Click here for a map of the North Chagrin Reservation
It's just south of Chardon Rd--and if you can't find it at first, follow the signs. They will take you right there. :)

Our take?

AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING! This place was SO cool! It has such a fascinating history and although it has been gutted and only the stone remains, it is so neat to walk through and imagine. The kids had a blast! And behind the castle are all sorts of walking trails for hiking and ejoying nature. There are also picnic tables and a few picnic shelters with grills that are available on a first come first serve basis.

Definitely worth the trip!!!

Liberty Park and Saftey Town

LIBERTY PARK (part of Elmwood Park)

COST: Free

HOURS: Normal city park hours

How do I get there?
This is the address to the library. If you turn into the library parking lot and go to the far side of the library, you will see a road that keeps going back to your right. Turn there and you will see the houses and park.

OUR TAKE?
What an amazing hidden gem! This is such a great place! There really is play equipment for all ages...something for the young tots, and the old school age kids, and everyone in between. Tons to do and see. I love that there were so many places to sit and watch the kids, and a beautiful gazebo in the middle of the park for shade. There is a rock climbing wall, lots of swings, dinosaurs, etc.

There is also an ADORABLE little safety town lined with little houses. Town includes a working stop light and crosswalk signs, as well as real road signs to help teach children. I can't wait to go back and take their bikes so they can go on a ride through the town.

This park is GREAT for another reason...real, nice, indoor plumbing. Having young kids it is SO nice to have "facilities" available and accessible...that don't stink terribly. Everything was clean and nice and included drinking fountains inside and outside the building. I gave that part of the park 2 thumbs up!

Overall an AWESOME place to play!

West Creek Reservation

WEST CREEK RESERVATION:

From their website:

The 9-mile West Creek meanders through a valley that harbors rocky gorges, forest-draped hillsides, and floodplains that each spring burst forth a variety of wildflowers, and flows through the cities of Parma, Seven Hills, Brooklyn Heights, and Independence where it eventually connects to the Cuyahoga River.

The 278-acre West Creek Reservation is geologically unique and biologically diverse, as the West Creek tributary not only provides natural beauty, but also a home to a variety of wildlife including white-tailed deer, scarlet tanagers, nesting pair of red tailed hawks and five species of oak: white, red, pin, scarlet and swamp white oak. In the wetlands nesting wood ducks, painted turtles, green frogs, cardinal flower and pickerelweed are abundant.

How do I get there?

This is right across from the picnic grove between State and Broadview. Click the link above to see the map (since there is not an actual address)

Our Take?

We have gone here many times now--it is a great place for photography, for nature watching, for evening walks, etc.This really has something for everyone. We love to go off the beaten path and down to the little creek to skip rocks and rest in the shade. We haven't even began to venture into the entire 9 mile span, but are always excited to see what's in store for wherever we get to explore when we DO go.

Great place to walk dogs too!

Cookie Cutters

From their website:

Step into the world of Cookie Cutters, Haircuts for Kids. See what makes it special for a child to Discover How Much Fun A Haircut Can be! Take a look at some of the styles we offer, and in the near future, make your appointment for a visit to your nearest salon.

It's a place where kids not only get a great haircut, but a one-of-a-kind haircut experience!

Phone:
(440) 572-5722

Hours:
M-F: 9 am - 8 pm
Saturday: 9 am - 5pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5 pm

How do I get there?

Our take?

My daughter gets very nervous when it's time for a haircut. But she has thick, long hair and we've just gotta keep up with it. We headed to Strongsville to a place called "Cookie Cutters"--a hair place for kids. It was a child's haircut heaven! A great big playplace to use while waiting greeted us as we came in.

They had a large selection of movies to pick from, and each station was set up with a TV and VCR.
My favorite part of all, was the chairs. They were all different cars. There was a plane, horse, jeep, car, and a few other things--SOOO cute. My daughter hopped right in the pink jeep and picked Little Einstiens for her viewing pleasure.

At the end of the haircut, she got to pick a new hair clip, a sucker, and a balloon.

She was thrilled!

While this may seem like a strange thing to post on a blog about things to do in Ohio, it really seemed like so much more than a haircut. It was a really fun mommy-daughter date and such a fun experience...so I'm throwin' it on here.

TOY LIBRARY--Brooklyn Branch

FROM THEIR SITE:

The Brooklyn Branch has a toy lending library which holds over 1,700 toys. Selection is made by professional staff who consider safety, stimulation, and quality. Brooklyn offers programming for all ages including special children's programs, storytimes, and lapsit programs for babies. Our Teen department holds game days, monopoly tournaments, and baby-sitting workshops. For the adults there are programs sponsored by The Friends of the Library, as well as three growing book discussion groups. In the summer all three departments hold popular summer reading games.

We have over 300 different toys to choose from (with multiples of most) arranged in the following Categories:

Active Play (includes ride-on)
Baby & Toddler Toys (6 months – 3 years)
Blocks
Games (includes board games)
Learning Skills (includes lacing, sorting)
Literacy (includes ABCs)
Math (includes numbers & telling time)
Music
Pretend Play (includes make-believe, trucks)
Puppets (includes dolls) *see below for more
Puzzles
Science & Nature (includes animals & dinosaurs)

Every toy in the Cuyahoga County Public Library Toy Collection is carefully prepared for borrowing. Each toy is examined, cleaned and disinfected between borrowers. These precautions reduce your child’s exposure to germs and safety issues resulting from damage, wear, etc.


COST:
FREE

HOURS?

Hours
Monday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m
Open Sundays 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Labor Day to Memorial Day

HOW DO I GET THERE?

OUR TAKE?

I think the toy lending library is GENIUS! It is so fun to bring home a special toy for the kids to play with--and there is a GREAT selection! You can even request toys online to be sent to your local branch. I felt great knowing that the toys and bags they come in were all sanitized and labeled with the number of pieces your toy comes with--so there is no guessing when it's time to return it if you have them all!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FREE RESOURCE!

The Memphis Kiddie Park

From their site:

Memphis Kiddie Park has been putting smiles on children's faces since 1952. We offer 11 amusement rides for children, a concession stand, arcade, and miniature golf course. We are truly a landmark of the Cleveland area serving generations of area children. Come start your own tradition today.

HOURS:

Open daily at 10 a.m.

COST:

At Memphis Kiddie Park you pay as you go. Each ride is only one ticket and tickets never expire.

TICKET PRICES
Book of 25 Tickets $21.50
Strip of 10 Tickets $12.75
Single Tickets $1.40

PRICES FOR MINIATURE GOLF
$3.75

Children under 5 FREE with a paying adult.

How Do I get there?

OUR TAKE?

We go here often! This is the perfect place for small children as all of the rides are tailored for the small ones! It is so much fun to watch the kids--they ALL enjoy it! You CAN ride the train around the park as a family, and they have miniature golf at a minimal cost.

I especially love that it is a smaller area and has never been very crowded when we have gone. It is nicely maintained and gives plenty to do to fill an hour or so. (which is the max my kids can handle anyway!) :)

See the rides here.

Be sure to buy a booklet of tickets since they never expire and are cheaper that way!

Huntington Beach

A short drive from Cleveland in the Bay Village area is a great little beach along lake Erie. I couldn't find the hours online--so I am not sure if there really are any. Parking is free--just be ready to take a little walk down to the shore.

How do I get there?

Is it safe to swim today?

(please be sure to check before you go! Because storms flush everything from animal waste to lawn fertilizer into the lake, they have set up a system where it is tested each day to let people know if there is threat of bacteria. Click on the link to see the most current report!)

OUR TAKE?

This was SUCH a fun place to go. The kids had a great time! We took a little picnic lunch to eat on the beach, and aside from the swarms of seagulls trying to steal it at times, we enjoyed our lunch! You can't bring extra floaties here though--Just keep that in mind. But there is plenty of room to run and play--bring your buckets and shovels and a lot of sunscreen!

Splash Harbor

Splash Harbor (at the Comfort Inn--Bellville, Oh)
The Comfort Inn® South is home to the newly opened Splash Harbor water park, featuring a 49-foot looping water slide, dumping buckets, shooting geysers, two hot tubs (one for adults and one for families), water basketball hoops, a floating raft and kids pool area.

HOURS:
Sun-Thurs 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

PRICE:
$12.95 per person 2 and up (Free parking)

How do I get there?

OUR TAKE?

There are a variety of indoor water parks in this area, and it was tough to choose! But we have small children and really wanted a place where we would not feel overwhelmed by the size of the waterpark and always feel paranoid about if we were missing a child. Plus, we weren't looking to stay the night at the time and the cost at many other places for just a day pass was SO expensive. Splash Harbor was our answer!

You can see the pics of the water area and info here. IT WAS SO FUN! There was only one other family there, so we had the whole place to roam free! I wasn't worried about where the kids were because it was JUST THE RIGHT SIZE for them. A FUN water slide, kiddie pool, a family hot tub and a separate adult hot tub, a splash/spray area, a pirate ship, basketball hoops, a floating log raft...all sorts of great things. And it was cheaper than the other places, so it made for a great outing! Best part--it was WARM! Like...middle of the SUMMER warm! We had a blast and felt like we were on a tropical little mini-vacation. I think we will be looking to stay there next winter overnight on a family getaway because we loved it so much!

The West Side Market

The West Side Market, located in the Ohio City neighbordhood of Cleveland, is TRULY a place you have to try!

HOURS:

mon : 7 - 4
wed : 7 - 4
fri : 7 - 6
sat : 7 - 6

How do I get there?

(note: there IS free parking--The main parking lot is located directly behind the Market and can be entered from Lorain Avenue. This lot is free, with a 2 hour enforced time limit. Additional parking is available by taking W. 25th to Bridge Avenue (near the tall apartment complex). This lot serves Market patrons and the other businesses along W.25th, and it is also free. Do not park at the shopping center on the south side of Lorain and W.25th. This rule is strictly enforced)


OUR TAKE?

I took my kids there on a rainy day since it is indoors and was a good way to get out of the house! A lot of the vendors have a sample of their fruits/veggies cut open so you can see before you buy, AND they let you taste things before purchasing--The kids had a great time tasting all sorts of yummies...mango, dried kiwi, cherries, raspberries, carrot chips...some of EVERYTHING.

We had a really fun time checking out all the food! A campling of what we have bought--
-bananas, cherries, raspberries, grapes, strawberries, fresh lettuce, watermelon, sweet tangerines, fresh corn on the cob, BIG IDAHO POTATOES (REAL Idaho potatoes...which I have missed dearly!), and some delicious dried strawberries, dried cantelope, bananas and dried kiwi--which are quickly going to take the place of any fruit snacks in our house. Sugar free and all natural--and they are SO yummy! Even Brandon agrees--and he is a fruit snack junkie!
BEST PART??? IT WAS SO CHEAP! Seroiusly WAY cheaper than our grocery store. I couldn't believe it!! All the vendors accept cash, obviously, but many also take the Ohio Direction card and other credit/debit cards.

The fruits, veggies, fresh flowers, and herbs were only the beginning. There was an entire other building that was full of fresh meats of every kind, bakery goods, eggs, cheese, spices, and all sorts of ethnic foods. WOW, WOW, WOW....I was in awe.

Since our first time, we have gone back about once a week to stock up! This is one of our favorite places to go!

Cleveland Botanical Gardens

Vistit them on the web: http://www.cbgarden.org/

From their site:

Our facilities include:
Ten acres of beautiful gardens, including the award-winning Hershey Children's Garden, the Elizabeth and Nona Evans Restorative Garden, the David and Paula Swetland Topiary Garden, the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Sears-Swetland Rose Garden, the Ohio Woodland, the C.K. "Pat" Patrick Perennial Border, and the public Campsey-Stauffer Gateway Garden.
The Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse, a soaring 18,000 sq. ft. conservatory housing authentic recreations of two of the earth's most fragile ecosystems - the spiny desert of Madagascar and the cloud forest of Costa Rica. Over 350 species of plants and 50 species of animals immerse visitors in a dazzling multi-sensory experience that raises awareness of environmental issues.

(SEE PICS HERE)

HOURS:
Summer Hours
April 1 - October 31
Open Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Open Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m.
Open until 9:00 p.m. every Wednesday evening (Hershey Children's Garden closes at dusk)

Winter Hours
November 1 - March 31
Open Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Open Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m.
Open until 9:00 p.m. every Wednesday evening
Closed Mondays
Hershey Children's Garden closes for the winter on November 1
All other gardens remain open throughout the winter

Admission
Member: Free
Adult: $7.50 ($5.00 after 5 p.m. on Wednesday)
Children (3-12): $3
Children under 3: Free
Groups: (15 or more): $5.50
Seniors: (60+): $5.50 (Tuesdays only)
We accept American Express, MasterCard and Visa
Above admission rates not applicable for special events


Onsite Parking
Onsite parking is available on a first-come basis in the Garden's attached parking garage. Rates are a $5.00 minimum, $1.00 each additional half hour after 2 1/2 hours, with a maximum daily rate of $10.00 and $3.00 flat rate after 5 p.m. VISITORS TO THE GARDEN ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A SPECIAL $5.00 DISCOUNTED ONSITE PARKING RATE.

How do I get there?

The fancy McDonalds

Where would you expect to see beauty like this??

Beautiful chandelier, staircase, fancy casings, etc....

Take a guess...

Theater? Expensive Restaurant? Hotel?

Nope--try, the GOLDEN ARCHES....yep! This is our fancy McDonalds located in Independence, Ohio. It is really beautiful...and no, the food is not more expensive! :)

You've gotta go at least once--just for the experience!

How do I get there?

Nope--try, the GOLDEN ARCHES....yep! This is our fancy McDonalds. It is really beautiful...and no, the food is not more expensive! :)