Brandywine Falls, Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Here are a few of our

Favorite Things…   

Travel time from venue: ~10 minutes, depending on the trailhead

Hike or Bike the Cuyahoga

Valley National Park            

If hiking and biking are your thing, you are in the right place! Cuyahoga Valley National Park is just minutes from the wedding venue. Walk along the historic Towpath Trail, explore some amazing sandstone grottos, take a day hike over rivers and creeks, or ride the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Our recommendations would be to visit Brandywine Falls, access the park through the Happy Days lodge entrance, or rent bikes in Peninsula, a small historic town within the park. You can even cycle up the towpath, then travel back down with your bike on the train!

Click here for an interactive park map.

Travel time from venue: ~30 minutes

Chagrin Valley Blossom

Time & Balloon Glow   

For family fun Memorial Day weekend, Chagrin Falls is our place to be. When we first moved to Ohio, this historic town is where we called home. We still adore it. One of our favorite events each year is the town's kick off to summer, Blossom Time festival! Go downtown anytime Memorial Day weekend for Midway rides, or if you're in town on Thursday, catch the hot air "Balloon Glow."

Downtown Chagrin Falls also has plenty of local restaurants, live entertainment, and shops (our favorite is the bookstore, Fireside). While you're there, be sure to catch a glimpse of two waterfalls in the center of town, created by the Chagrin River after it flows through our backyard. 

Travel time from venue: ~30 minutes (Edgewater Park) & - 50 minutes (Headlands Beach)

Lake Erie Beaches

The Cleveland area has dozens of metroparks which form what is known locally as the "Emerald Necklace." One we go back to frequently is Headlands Park. Sand beaches along Lake Erie, fields of horsetail and sedge, a lighthouse - you will feel like you're in the Outer Banks! If "party at the beach" is more your vibe, Edgewater Park sports an on-site bar and restaurant where you can lounge and watch the lake from an elevated beach house. 

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

& Downtown Cleveland  

Travel time from venue: ~30-40 minutes

If the lake effect rain is taking hold or you're just up for some indoor fun, the Cleveland area boasts some great museums and architectural marvels including the Cleveland Museum of Art with its global art exhibits, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Cleveland Aquarium, and the Cleveland Arcade (America’s first indoor shopping center). You can also explore the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, which was basically Saren's second home when she was little! 

Stan Hywet Hall Tours

Travel time from venue: ~15 minutes

In case you haven't heard, we love old houses and as far as old houses go, the best in the area is Stan Hywet Hall in Akron. This 1915 Tudor Revival was home to the founder of the Goodyear Tire Company. Tour this amazing house and its 70 acres of gardens - you won't be disappointed! 

A Christmas Story 

House and Museum

Travel time from venue: ~25 minutes

Speaking of “old houses,” a little known fact about Cleveland is that it is home to the iconic home from “A Christmas Story.” Although the story takes place in a fictional town in Indiana, the home featured in the movie is close to downtown Cleveland, and offers tours of the house and antique cars from the movie, a gift shop, and even the chance to spend the night in the house (if any of you book your stay here, you can bet we are bringing the after-party to you).

Wine & Dine

  • Pierogies of Cleveland

    Richfield, OH | 10-minutes from venue

    A staple of a Clevelander’s diet!

    Click Here

  • Cloak & Dagger

    Tremont, OH | 30-minutes from venue

    All-vegan menu, craft cocktails

    Click Here

  • 17 River Grille

    Chagrin Falls, OH | 35-minutes from venue

    The best veggie burgers ever (plus other American cuisine)

    Click Here

  • Missing Mountain Brewery

    Cuyahoga Falls, OH | 20-minutes from venue

    Brewpub with outdoor seating on a river

    Click Here

  • Collision Bend Brewery

    Cleveland, OH | 30-minutes from venue

    Another brewpub with outdoor seating on a river

    Click Here

  • Wild Goats Cafe

    Kent, OH | 30-minutes from venue

    Breakfast, sandwiches, & more

    Click Here

  • Tommy's

    Cleveland Heights, OH | 35-minutes from venue

    Options for everyone, plus AMAZING milkshakes

    Click Here

  • The Vault

    Cleveland, OH | 30-minutes from venue

    Must-visit cocktail bar with lite bites

    Click Here

  • Mitchell's Ice Cream

    Various locations

    Amazing local ice cream chain (& our Friday tradition)

    Click Here

  • Little Italy

    Cleveland, OH | 30-minutes fro venue

    Italian neighborhood where Saren & Ian met

    Click Here

  • Crafted Artisan Meadery

    Mogador, OH | 30-minutes from venue

    Pizzeria, mead

    Click Here

  • Luigi's Restaurant

    Akron, OH | 20-minutes from venue

    Don’t judge a book by its cover, just look at the reviews!

    Click Here

  • Grumpy's Cafe

    Cleveland, OH | 25-minutes from venue

    Breakfast and brunch cafe

    Click Here