It's a gorgeous day in Cleveland and you're craving some OUTDOOR FAMILY FUN!
Search for playgrounds in your neighborhood, or check out some of our favorite spots:
Memphis Kiddie Park features miniature rides, old-style concessions, and an arcade -- all geared towards children 1-8 years old. An adjacent 18-hole miniature golf course is rated one of the best in the state. Memphis Kiddie Park is located just off of Tiedeman Road and W. 117th St, not far from I-480. Parking at the park is free. Memphis Kiddie Park is open everyday from early April to the end of October. The park opens at 10am and closing hours vary throughout the season. Don't worry about buying too many ride tickets because they never expire.
Memphis Kiddie Park Miniature Golf's18-hole course is consistently rated as one of the best in Ohio. Its clever lay-out is challenging for adults while still fun for kids. All the traditional elements are there: windmills, water, moving tunnels. Miniature golf is $3.75 per person. Children under 5 play free with a paying adult.
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo lets you see animals in natural-like, open-air settings. Favorite exhibits include the African elephants, the "Wolf Wilderness", and the"Australian Adventure." A two-acre, enclosed Rain Forest features wildlife found in the tropical jungle. Wear your walking shoes. Cuyahoga County residents can visit the zoo for free on Mondays by showing a state ID, driver's license, or utility bill with the person's home address. Free Mondays apply only to Zoo admission, not to the RainForest. Discount tickets are available at AAA outlets and online at the zoo's website.
Lake Farmpark is a delightful working farm and learning center, just 25 miles east of downtown Cleveland. Watch daily demonstrations of machine and hand-milking, cheese-making, ice cream making, and other farm skills. Lake Farmpark's "Plan Science Center" features exhibits about hydroponic and organic gardening, cultivating honey, and creating a viable greenhouse. The Woodland Center offers displays on forest conservation, maple syrup harvesting, and other outdoor activities of local interest. Regular events include horse and wagon-drawn hayrides and sheepherding demonstrations. Lake Farmpark is open daily from 9am- 5pm, except for holidays. The park offers a discount for AAA members, and active members of the military and their families receive FREE admission.Admission is also free for Lake County residents on the1st Sunday and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
The Botanical Garden's Hershey's Children's Garden is a magical place of flower and vegetable gardens with kid-size signs,gates, and fences. Fun features include a wheelchair accessible treehouse, a cave, worm bins, a watery bog, a scrounger's garden, maze,the prairie sod roof on the cottage, the butterfly shelters, native wildflower meadow, fruit and berry garden, and big red "farmhouse" pumps.
Explore the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes! Founded in 1966, the Nature Center is a peaceful green space nestled among the gracious houses of Shaker Heights, just east of Cleveland. Check out the All Peoples Trail (1/3 mile barrier-free boardwalk that extends over the marshland). The APT is accessible via a ramp. Another highlight is the Stearns Trail (half-mile trail that snakes around the center's wildflower garden). The Visitors Center features exhibits about Northeast Ohio plants and animals as well as a gift shop,classroom space, a library, and a deck. Open Monday through Saturday from 10amto 5pm and on Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Admission is free.
Cruise Lake Erie on Cleveland's largest sightseeing vessel, The Goodtime III! The spacious, four-deck ship operates a regular schedule of Lake Erie and Cuyahoga River narrated sightseeing cruises from June through September as well as periodic theme cruises, dance cruises, and Friday happy hourcruises.
Stan Hywet Hall & Garden (Akron) is a magnificent historic house museum and country estate. Barkitecture, an exhibit of artful, whimsical and one-of-a-kind doghouses is on display now through October 31st. Designed for Stan Hywet by local artists and architects, the doghouses are installed throughout the magnificent landscaped gardens and grounds. Special programming for pets and owners is offered on Sundays:
Experience a Lake County Captains Game! Watch the Lake County Captains, Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, as the players vie for a spot in the big leagues. Get four box seat tickets, four food vouchers, four logo baseballs, and four Kids Zone vouchers for just $44!
Visit Penitentiary Glen for a FREE mini steam train ride on Sunday afternoons from 1-3:00 on 7/26, 8/16, 8/30, 9/13, 9/27, 10/4 and 12/12. Penitentiary Glen Reservation features 424 acres of forest, fields, wetlands, and over 7.5 miles of hiking trails. The park is named for the deep gorge that divides it, which is easy to get into and difficult to get out of. Naturalists lead exciting programs year-round including nature-inspired events, programs, and classes. Picnic at the sheltered pavilion and listen to the sounds of nature.
Pick your own berries at Rosby Berry Farm. From August through the first frost, you can wander row after row of well-tended raspberry plants and pick to your hearts delight. Spacious aisles of grass separate rows of carefully tended plants. Visitors are given a map indicating where berry-picking is best on that particular day. In addition to fresh raspberries, Rosby's provides recipes and sells many of the supplies you'll need to make your own jam or jelly.
Enjoy hayrides & apple picking at Patterson Fruit Farm. Located in beautiful Geauga County, the farm market is open year round to provide a bountiful supply of crisp and tasty apple varieties, apple cider, maple syrup, fresh bakery, fresh fruits and vegetables in season. Buy pre-packaged apples or pick your own. Family Fun Fest (September - October) is your chance to play in hay stacks, climb the tree house in the woods and slide down the 50 foot double slide, wander through a corn maze and take a wonderful nature hike. The admission fee $6.00 per person includes a wagon ride.
Cleveland Metroparks provides a beautiful backdrop for golfing, swimming, fishing, horseback riding, boating, hiking, tobogganing, ice fishing, cross-country skiing, sledding, geocaching, mountain biking and more. ClevelandMetroparks has over 60 miles of paved, all purpose trails for cycling, walking, running and in-line skating. Choose a park near you to push a stroller, ride a tricycle, see a waterfall and experience nature with your family.
Blossom Music Center is the summer home of The Cleveland Orchestra and is located approximately 25 miles south of Cleveland, just north of Akron, Ohio. Each summer the annual Blossom Festival presents a series of weekend concerts with The Cleveland Orchestra and other classical and pops artists from late June through Labor Day. In addition, Live Nation presents a series of concerts by popular rock, country, and jazz artists at Blossom from May through September each year.
Get two FREE Kids' Lawn passes per one paid adult admission.
Visit a Farmers' Market in Northeast Ohio! Purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables and take in the scene.
In addition to shops and restaurants, you'll Enjoy FREE live music every summer weekend at Legacy Village's summer concert series. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket, buy some food(or pack a picnic) and let the kids dance on the grass.