Lucky for us Northeast Ohioans, we have some of the most utilized outdoor space of anywhere in the midwest. There are an infinite number of awesome activities to help get you out of your house this spring and summer. It’s been a long winter so what better way to break up that winter malaise with some sunshine and fun.
Go See a Drive-In Movie
Seeing a movie from the car sounds to us like a perfect activity for the hot weather. With five theaters around Northeast Ohio, you’re sure to find one close to you. Just make sure you crank the AC up.
Photo via Scene ArchivesShooting Things
Mill Stream Run Reservation, Strongsville
Cleveland has lots of options for archery and gun ranges. Although these two activities are something you’ll need your own equipment for (being that most are technically weapons for which you need the valid permits), they aren’t hard to obtain if you’ve got a clean background and an interest. The Cleveland Archery Club provides a target range during the summer months in the Metroparks, located in Strongsville at the Albion Woods/Mill Stream Run Reservation.
Photo via Metroparks Archery/FacebookTake Your Dog To A Dog Park
If you don’t have one, adopt one. There are a ton of awesome dog parks around Northeast Ohio.
Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene ArchivesTake a Hike
Hiking is a great way to get to spend time with someone. And with a ton of amazing trails around, there’s really no excuse to not hit up the trails.
Photo via Scene ArchivesTake a Scenic Drive
Northeast Ohio has some of the most beautiful roads in the midwest. From the Cuyahoga Valley to the Chagrin Valley, to the lake to Amish country, there are plenty of beautiful drives to take on a hot summer day.
Photo via Scene ArchivesGo for a Picnic
Nothing like an old fashioned picnic to get you and your loved ones out of the house. Pickup some food from a local restaurant or grocery, grab some local brews, and you’re all set.
Photo via Scene Archives at Brookside Reservation Credit: Scene ArchivesDisc Golfing
Various Locations
With courses all over Northeast Ohio, and most of them free of charge, disc golfing is a fun outdoor activity for dates or hanging with buddies or (with no promises of success) children. You throw specialty discs — you’ll have to buy them or locate a cousin who’s weirdly into it already — at “holes:” metal posts with chandelier-esque chains attached. It’s that simple, and it’s less time-consuming than a full round of 18 holes. Find courses in Hudson, at the Cuyahoga County Airport in Richmond Heights, at Tri-C’s Parma campus (actually on campus), and the region’s premiere course at Euclid’s Sims Park.
Photo via @DiscNDustin/InstagramBoss Dog Brewing Company
2179 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights
After a few year vacancy left by beloved Lemon Grass, Boss Dog took over the space and opened to much fanfare in late 2017. The microbrewery is the standout but the food isn’t far behind. Try some standouts like the candied bacon pizza, chicken fried duck and the potato pancake chicken salad sandwich. They also have a beautiful patio which now have enough heaters to spread the love.
Photo via Boss Dog Brewing/FacebookZip Line and Ropes Course at the Metroparks
16200 Valley Pkwy., Strongsville
Head to the Mill Stream Run Reservation in Strongsville for ziplining and a ropes course. The Metroparks has teamed up with ziplining company Go Ape to give you beautiful views of the parks from above.
Photo via @GoApeCleveland/InstagramGo Stargazing
Nothing like staring up at the stars with a loved one on a clear night. Especially if there’s alcohol involved.
Photo via Scene ArchivesSee The Kelley’s Island Glacial Grooves
Kelley’s Island
Did you know that there was a National Natural Landmark about an hour’s drive (and a ferry ride) from downtown Cleveland? The Glacial Grooves of Kelley’s Island are 400 feet long, 35 feet wide, and up to 15 feet deep. They were created by the slow movement of the massive glacier that created the Great Lakes and Lake Erie Islands and are a site to see!
Photo via Scene ArchivesOutdoor Rock Climbing
21200 St. Clair Ave., Building B3, Euclid
Climbing cliffs may sound like something you’d have to travel far away for, but the Cleveland Rock Gym offers this fun activity right in our backyard. If you’re new to the activity, you’ll want to call seven days ahead to make sure someone is available to show you the ropes, or you can take their introductory class.
Photo via @ClevelandRockGym/InstagramCamping
The Woods
So maybe you did know that you can go camping in Northeast Ohio, but maybe you need a reminder that whether you’re in the back of an RV, roughing it with nothing but a tent, or looking for a cabin to rent in the remote wilderness, the Buckeye State is blessed with more Mother Nature than you could cover in a lifetime. Pack up a cooler with the requisite supplies, and enjoy a weekend (or week) outdoors doing whatever people do.
Photo via @C.Dietrich/InstagramTour A Winery
This may not be widely known, but there are over 290 wineries in Ohio. From Sarah’s Vineyard, located in the picturesque Cuyahoga Valley National Park, to Kingshirn Winery in Avon Lake and Thorncreek in Aurora, there are wineries all over Northeast Ohio. You can get a tour, drink, and even stay overnight at some of these hidden gems. What are you waiting for?
Photo via @SVWine/InstagramDo Something in the Metroparks
The Emerald Necklace is one of Northeast Ohio’s most treasured assets and the envy of tons of other big cities. There’s something for everyone. Walk, hike, bike, rollerblade, skip, jump, cross-country ski, bird watch, sleep, picnic, lounge, golf — whatever. It’s nature, and it’s magnificent.
Photo via @CleveMetroparks/InstagramGeocaching
Some of you have probably heard of geocaching, the GPS-based “real word treasure hunt” happening all around us. With more than two million total caches, there are endless hunts available in the Cleveland area. To play, log in to a free basic membership online, enter your postal code and select a “cache,” or container, that you’d like to hunt. You’ll get a set of GPS coordinates, then travel to that location and try to find the booty at the site. You sign a commemorative logbook, return the cache to where you found it, and then share your adventures on the web.
Photo via @GoApeCleveland/InstagramStand Up Paddling
It’s just like surfing. Kind of. If you want the feeling of catching a wave without worrying too much about swallowing mouthfuls of Lake Erie water or coming into contact with whatever creatures lurk beneath its surface, stand up paddling may be more up your alley. Stand on something that closely resembles a surfboard and glide calmly through the water as you push off with a paddle: a sort of surfing and kayaking hybrid. Huntington Beach and Edgewater both have this activity.
Photo via @AlohaSUPOhio/InstagramSkydiving
11679 Blough Rd., Rittman
If you’re really looking to get some adrenaline pumping through those veins, maybe this summer’s the one to finally grow a pair and skydive. AerOhio in Rittman offers two choices for beginners: a tandem dive, in which you dive with an instructor attached to you, or an advanced free fall, in which you dive alone with instructors by your side — the latter requires a longer class time and has a higher price tag than the former, but maybe the feeling of independence it yields is worth it (you’ll look way more badass in the pictures).
Photo via @AerOhio/InstagramSwim in Nelson Ledges Quarry Park
About 40 miles East from Cleveland on 422, you’ll find Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, where you’ll find one of the best campgrounds and natural sights around. Whether you just went to go camping, jump off the quarry or see some live music, you should visit this place. In August alone, there are three music festivals at the park.
Photo via @NelsonLedgesQuarryPark/Instagram Credit: Scene ArchivesVisit a Quaint Local Downtown Like Medina or Chagrin Falls
Northeast Ohio and basically all of Ohio is known for having a ton of quaint downtowns to visit. Check out our list, pick your favorite and go. Get some ice cream, go to an antique shop, walk around the local park. How quaint.
Photo via Scene Archives at Marietta, OhioGo On The Brewboat
5300 Whiskey Island Dr., Cleveland
Drinking? Check. Boating? Yep. Getting a work out? You bet. Brewboat, Ohio’s first and only human-powered cycleboat is a wonderful way to get outside, see the city, and have some brewskis. This totally unique experience holds up to 14 people at a time and heads down the Cuyahoga River so check it out.
Photo via @BrewCle/InstagramStart Planning Your Summer Garden With Seeds From A Local Gardening Shop
If you’ve had it in your head to start your own garden for a while, there’s really no time like the present. There’s a plethora of local gardening shops in town and surely one close to your house. No time like the present.
Photo via Puritas Nursery & Garden Center Credit: Scene ArchivesVelodroming
5033 Broadway Ave., Cleveland
If you’ve driven through Slavic Village at all during the past few years, you’ve probably noticed that wooden stadium-thing on Broadway. What is it? It’s a Velodrome, constructed for outdoor Olympic-style competitive cycling, and it’s really freaking cool, one of only a handful in the United States. Find out more by clicking on the link above.
Photo via @ClevelandVelodrome/InstagramUltramarathoning
Various Locations
5K runs and marathons are for babies. What, you could only run 26.2 miles? Ultramarathons challenge the most extreme runners and push them to the limit during races that span 30 to 100 miles. Several of these events take place in Northeast Ohio every year. The Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run traverses many trails in the Metroparks area and only awards those who finish in less than 30 hours. The Youngstown Ultra Trail Classic 50K has runners circling Glacier Lake multiple times.
Photo via Youngstown Ultra Classic/FacebookTake a Bike Ride
Northeast Ohio is home to some of the best biking trails around. So grab a friend or two and hit the trails.
Photo via Scene Archives at Lake Hope State ParkPutt-Putt
Nothing says warm weather like some mini golf. With a multitude of courses around the region, there’s surely one near you.
Photo via Scene ArchivesFoot Golfing
Various Metroparks Locations
The Metroparks continues to experiment with innovative sports and recreation at their various parks and facilities in the region — you never know what Brian Zimmerman and his marketing team will cook up next. Last year, they introduced Footgolf at Mastick Woods and Shawnee Hills in Bedford to rave reviews. Footgolf is just exactly what it sounds like: a hybrid of soccer and golf.
Photo via Cleveland Footgolf/FacebookKayaking the River
Cuyahoga River
There are few better ways to enjoy the sights of Cleveland than traveling through its main waterway in a kayak. The mighty Cuyahoga winds through Northeast Ohio carrying gigantic ore ships and weekend travelers, but it also affords you, the novice outdoorsman, the chance to kayak alongside them. Whether you’re looking for a quick two-mile jaunt or a five-mile marathon down the river (which is very much clean these days, thank you very much), there’s an option for you. Check out 41 Degrees North, River Cruiser Kayaking or Great Lakes Watersports for an awesome adventure.
Photo via @Kayak41North/InstagramSkateboarding
Various Locations
The classic outdoor activity of skateboarding lives on strong in Cleveland. There is a bounty of skate shops and parks to satiate your inner skater, whether you’re longboarding to pass the time, grinding rails or working on your varial heel-flip.
Photo via @GraySlide/Instagram
