Family Outings

Big Birds & Bigger Birds & Big Fun, Oh My!

Outings are naturally fun in this section - whether learning how to become a Junior Ranger for our Top 10 National Park, taking in wildlife along the Towpath in Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, or spending a day at the Akron Zoo. And that’s just for starters! 

Ride the Rails and Trail to the National Park

Train Rides on the Scenic Rail - the regular excursion fee is good for round-trips or all day adventures; on-board audio tours tell stories and keep kids entertained.     

Hale Farm & Village - Take the early train - from the north or south - deboard at Indigo Lake - and a shuttle will be waiting to take you back in time to Hale Farm & Village. Admission fees apply.
     
Bike Aboard! - lets you and the kids bike one way on the Towpath and ride the rail the other - for a $3 fee 
     Canalway Sampler #16 - Bike Aboard! Family Style -
     suggests a mini-version of Bike Aboard! for families with
     small children.

Scenic Rail Visitor’s Note: Boarding Station Changes
     Currently, ticketed boarding is only available at:
          Brecksville Station, Peninsula Depot or Akron Northside. 
     Rockside & Canal Visitor Center are temporarily
     closed to all boarding.
     Bike Aboard! riders can board at any station from
     Brecksville heading South.

Head to the “Rail” section for full details. 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Szalay’s Sweet Corn Farm, located along the Byway in the National Park, is a great place to take a break. On weekends in the summer, cool off with home-grown roasted sweet corn and freshly squeezed lemonade.

One of the National Park’s most popular spots is the Beaver Marsh, located north of the Ira Road Trailhead. (Park at Ira, walk to the Trail and turn left.) Once an abandoned automobile junkyard, the space was taken over by beavers that built a dam across the canal, flooding the area and creating the wetland you see today.

Junior Rangers - Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Children ages 7 -12 can earn badges while learning to care for our National Park.
(Ages 4 to 6 have their own program!)

Learn more: http://www.nps.gov/cuva/forkids/beajuniorranger.htm Free! 

Family Outings in the Parks

Big Birds at the Bath Road Heronry - just off the Byway (Riverview Road in this section) - Here’s a great place to find Great Blue Herons nesting in the treetops. At just over 4’ tall - and not much more than 4 pounds in weight - they truly are natural wonders.

Quest away any number of
summer and fall afternoons

More than 17 Quests from our fun, free outdoor adventure series are available in Summit County - through Nov. 15th:
     Peninsula is the starting point for 14 Quests - 
     Head to Questing to learn more 
     1,2,3 Come Quest With Me - is designed especially for 
     Toddlers and their grown-ups
     For a full day of fun, combine this Quest with: 
     Canalway Sampler #25 - A Toddler’s Walk Through
      the National Park

Canalway Samplers can turn Quests into full days of fun
     Samplers are a collection of our favorite outings - numbered 
     for easy reference 
     Check out Canalway Sampler #23 for Peninsula and 
     Canalway Sampler #24 for Akron

Check what’s on the schedule for fun - anytime - on the NPS Schedule of Events! 

Metro Parks, Serving Summit County

Towpath Trail wanderings - anywhere along the 21.5 miles of Towpath Trail managed by MPSSC makes for a great day out - don’t forget the sunscreen and the water!

Camping - primitive style! Kids will love camping year-round at two primitive sites along the Towpath Trail — the Big Bend Trailhead in Akron and at a spot 1/4 of a mile south of Franklin Trailhead on Center Road in New Franklin.
 
Swimming & Fishing too - Families can swim at Munroe Falls and Silver Creek or fish for trout, bass, bluegill and more throughout the Metro Parks, Serving Summit County system.

You’ll have them eating out of your hands - birds that is - at the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm. Check the Key Viewing Sites - Summit in Bird Watching & Wildlife for details.

Making natural friendships - We’re big fans of the Park District’s Kinderealm series that teaches little ones about the great outdoors while making it fun to learn, too. 

Key Tips from those who’ve gone before you :)

On Towpath Trail outings bring maps, water, sunscreen, be aware of weather conditions, and your child’s limitations. 

Canalway Alerts

Check before you go! Each of the Park Districts and the National Park post temporary trail closures. Find them here.