Written by Tasha Kitchens

Recently, my husband and I took a trip to Northern Ohio, around Cleveland. Day trips are great because you feel like you are going somewhere exciting and it’s only a few hours from your house! I’ve written out a small sample of our day for your enjoyment and travel inspiration.

There’s a great coffee shop in Mansfield called Relax, It’s Just Coffee. On the drive to Cleveland, we made a small detour to grab a drink since we were passing by. Try the Carousel Carmelatta and grab a baked treat for the road. If you want to experience a small town, go to Mansfield on a Sunday. We saw only 5 people out on the town square. It was fantastic to feel like you have the place to yourself!

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One of the great parks in Ohio is Cuyahoga Valley National Park. You can take scenic train rides here or hike. We chose a place called Brandywine Falls. The “hike” was fairly easy. Most of it, you are walking on a boardwalk which takes you down a set of steep stairs where you overlook the falls. Depending on the day, it can be crowded but enjoyable. For a more challenging hike, there is a Gorge Overlook trail. Overall, Brandywine Falls is beautiful to see.

The Cleveland Art Museum was my favorite activity of the day. Not only is this place huge, it’s FREE. The inside reminded me of the British Museum because of the huge atrium when you enter. Outside, there is a pond to walk around or you can sit and admire the scenery. Inside the museum is a nice gift shop and also a large restaurant called Provenance Café. I would recommend a couple of hours to tour the exhibits. They do have special exhibits that may cost a fee, so be sure to research this. For example, they had an Egypt exhibit with artifacts and mummies from the British Museum. We didn’t know it cost extra, and being the last day of the exhibit it was sold out. It pays off to check those things out ahead of time.

Lake Eerie made a great stop before heading back home. Luckily, we were on the highway and saw a pull off for East 55th St Marina & Gordon Park . There’s an easy walking path around the water and tons of large boulders to sit on and watch the boats go by. There were families having picnics in the grassy area and room for playing frisbee.

If you’re looking for a fun day trip, this has a nice variety. You get to see a beautiful park, wander around a lovely art museum, and sit on the rocky beach with the breeze blowing in your hair. Ohio has so many great things to see, easily within a few hours drive.