There are a handful of live animals to see—turtles and the like—along with a bevy of stuffed and mounted animals in a diorama-like woodland scene. And strategically placed rocking chairs (both large and small for adults and children) allow visitors to cool their heels and watch the many birds than come to the center’s feeders. I could sit watching through the big picture windows for hours, but the boys never seem to want to let me sit still. But on one of our last visits, I saw a Baltimore oriole (my first, outside of the baseball team), which was quite amazing. A nice chart even shows what birds you’re likely to see which months of the year.

The center held a great daylong event, “Salute to Snakes,” in August, which my kids got a kick out of. They got to look at snakes, hold snakes, even hear a lecture about all the snakes that are native to Ohio. (Surprised that they sat through the almost-hourlong presentation, but they did well.)

Other favorite activities at the Rocky River Nature Center—for my boys, at least—are climbing in and around the plastic hollowed-out tree (complete with stuffed animals in various cubbyholes), pushing all the buttons on the 3-D relief map of the Rocky River watershed and looking in the gift shop.

Heck, even the walk to the nature center from the parking lot of a treat. A large swampy area with several overlooks is a great place to see turtles and frogs. Rare is the summer day that we DON’T see one or the other.

Check out the center when you’re on the west side; it’s just a few minutes from the bustle of Great Northern Mall, but it really does feel like a world away.

After a late start (lunchtime; we’d hoped to leave earlier), we headed first to Catawba, where we drove around to get the lay of the land. We stopped briefly at the Mon Ami Winery, and perused the gift shop, taking home a couple bottles of wine. The winery also has a lovely indoor/outdoor restaurant, but it’s a little more geared toward adults.

Next, we stopped at the ever-popular Cheesehaven and African Safari Wildlife Park, which I’ve covered previously. But I’m happy to report that the giraffes are back from their hiatus at the park. Although I’ll admit to being a little terrified by how long the adult giraffe’s tongue was, as it stuck its head in our sunroof. My wife opted to leave her window closed for much of the ride!

Out next stop was checking out the city of Marblehead, which is really quaint and laid back. We drove past the gated entrance to Lakeside—the Methodist-owned “Chautauqua on Lake Erie”—and eventually made our way to the picturesque setting of the Marblehead Lighthouse. You can pay a couple bucks for a tour to the top (children under 6 are free), but we just missed one tour, and didn’t have the time to wait 40 minutes until the next one.

We intended to hit Train-O-Rama, which has one of the state’s largest model railroad displays, but were disappointed to learn that it closes at 5 p.m., even in the summertime (note that they have a dollar-off coupon on their website). So, instead, we let the boys choose a backup adventure. It wasn’t even a contest, they wanted to go to Prehistoric Forest & Mystery Hill, just outside Marblehead on Ohio Route 163. As a kid, I’d always wanted to visit Mystery Hill, which is advertised on numerous billboards throughout the area. As an adult, I knew it would be totally cheesy, but I was still intrigued to see how bad it would be.

Everything about Prehistoric Forest/Mystery Hill looks like it’s straight out of 1950′s America from along old Route 66. But that’s what I found appealing. We found a coupon in one of the tourist circulars and the four of us cost about $18 to get in. (We passed on the extra charges for the pitiful looking mini golf and some sort of water balloon thing.)

Mystery Hill mostly consists of a little shack that’s built at a 10 or 20 degree angle on a hillside. You walk through it and everything seems distorted. The tour guide tells visitors that it has something to do with strange magnetic forces on the hill, but it’s clearly just tilted. Still, the kids loved it.

Next, the Prehistoric forest consists of a walk through the woods with occasional fiberglass creatures. This was probably a lot more impressive a generation ago, but with the lifelike dinosaur exhibits like the Cleveland Zoo’s current Dinosaurs! attraction, these are a bit pedestrian nowadays. With one exception, these creatures don’t move, they’re simply large forest sculptures. The mythology here is that the Prehistoric Forest was not just home to dinosaurs, but also everyday creatures from today that are unusually large—a 20-ft praying mantis, for example.

Neither my wife nor I was impressed by the place, but our kids really were, and that’s the point. They talked about it for days afterward even as we rolled our eyes a little. They’ve talked about “the next time we go…” but alas, even if we could be talked into a return adventure to Prehistoric Forest/Mystery Hill, our time is running out. The owners of the attraction have decided that this will be the last season. So if you’re in the mood for some old-fashioned cheesy adventure, time is running short.

We ended the day with a great dinner on the outside upper patio at Crabby Joe’s Dockside, (loved hearing the live music downstairs!) sitting on the rocky shore of the beautiful East Harbor State Park, and an ice cream cone at the Pied Piper in Huron, as we traveled back east home. There’s so much to do in this area, I know we’ll be returning—a lot!

And one did look interesting. Just a couple miles west of the Avon Commons shopping area, off Route 611, is Northgate Park. While there’s nothing that particularly unique about this little park, it’s a delightful neighborhood reserve that’s worth a stop if you’re in the area.

We brought our dinner—Mmmmm, Costco pizza—to the park and ate in the very well-maintained pavilion. Then the boys tackles the playground, which had a few more activities than most parks of its size. It was a beautiful, warm Sunday evening, but we had the park mostly to ourselves for our whole visit.

Northgate has a good-sized (I’d guess three acres or so) fishing pond, complete with grass carp, snapping turtles, a fountain in the middle, even a little island. On the other side of the lake from the playground is a pretty formidable sledding hill, which also has a nice view of the entire lake and the cute neighborhood that wraps around the north of the park.

There were also some very friendly … uh, almost too friendly … ducks that patrolled the area near the pavilion. They’ve obviously been fed a lot by people and pretty much aren’t scared of humans. Both boys were very amused by them, but it did make me a tad nervous for a few minutes during dinnertime.

I didn’t realize it at first, but there is also a fitness track that wraps around the lake, and a couple of soccer fields way in the back (west) part of the park. And there is ample green space to just run around in—or it would be a great open area to play frisbee, too.

We did bring our fishing poles, but about 30-minutes of fishing didn’t result in even a nibble for the three of us. There are quite a few benches arranged around the lake (all facing it), so we picked one and that made for a nice place to sit while holding our poles. Saved us the trouble of lugging out folding chairs from the car!

The more I think about the vast swaths of green space, the more I think that we’ll be back to this park soon, but with some frisbees in the trunk.

Sometime after college, my participation in astronomy-related events waned. I kept my telescopes, but they gathered a lot of dust in the garage and basement. Eventually, I donated my larger one to the Olmsted Falls high school science department.

But all along, I looked forward to the day when my kids were old enough to be interested in the nighttime sky. Josh has shown interest on and off over the years, and even though Matthew is a tad too young, he at least “gets it” when we look at the moon in our driveway once or twice per year.
Tonight, I took the boys to the CAA’s monthly open house/star party at Letha House Park, part of the Medina County Park District. While the park may seem to be way out of the way, that’s the point. A lot of what astronomy enthusiasts look at are faint galaxies, nebulas, star clusters, etc. And many of those objects—not to mention the beautiful summertime Milky Way—are drowned out by city lights. So the club began a relationship with this park more than 20 years ago, as its country outpost. About ten years ago, the long-held dream of building a small observatory building at the park became a reality.

The public “star parties” that CAA holds are basically evenings where many members bring out their instruments—refractors, reflectors, enormous binoculars, etc.—and share the views with the general public (many other clubs hold star parties, too). It’s a fun and educational experience. I used to love doing it years ago, to help educate the public. It’s interesting being on the other side of things now, bringing my own kids and letting them learn all the things I’ve forgotten about the constellations and the “faint fuzzies” up in the nighttime sky.

Tonight, we only saw a few things—the first quarter moon (at upper left in the top photo), Venus (barely visible at upper right in the top photo, see the arrow) and Saturn, really. The craters on the moon’s terminator (the line between night and day, where shadows are longest) were stunning, and Saturn’s rings and two of its moons were easily visible, especially in the largest scope. Then clouds quickly moved in and it was sprinkling, causing most everyone to pack up their expensive optics.

Many of the club members bring little stepstools, and/or they will rotate the eyepieces on their telescopes downward for kid-optimized viewing. It’s a really great experience for children; they get so much out of it, even if you only come for a quick half hour after darkness sets in. And who knows, you might light a spark in them that brings out a passion for science in school.

For a listing of upcoming CAA events, click here.

All the kids got free fishing rods, tackle boxes, bait, t-shirts, etc. Prizes were awarded for the first fish caught, the largest fish caught and the smallest fish caught. As luck would have it, a little boy right next to Josh—whose line was about 2 feet away from his—caught the first fish. But Josh did win one of the 15 door prizes, a nice collection of lures and an Applebees gift certificate, and he couldn’t have been happier.

The weather was less than ideal this year—temperatures hovered in the low 90s and there were only high, scattered clouds. And given that the derby itself started at 8:15 a.m. and ran for three hours, my little guy was over-broiled after a couple of hours. So we cheated and snuck out for 30 minutes for a milk run to McDonalds, enjoying the air conditioning the entire way (we’d run out of bait as it was).

Josh ended up catching just one little sunfish, but that was better than last year, when he didn’t catch a thing. It’s really surprising for my little fisherman, as he does a great job fishing the little 1/2-acre lake next to our home. I will say that the fish were biting a lot more this year and they cleaned up on stealing our worms without getting hooked. An enormous snapping turtle stole the show for a while in our section of the pond, attacking one unlucky fish and slowly feasting on it over the course of 20 or 30 minutes.

Thomas is a genuinely likable guy and walked the whole perimeter of the lake over the course of the event, visiting with the kids and the adults, signing autographs and having his picture taken. Just as at last year’s event, he was very approachable and took a real interest in helping the kids—and share his passion of fishing.

John “Big Dawg” Thompson, the Dog Pound superfan, was in attendance, roaming the shore wielding his enormous bone and wearing his #98 jersey along with dog mask and orange hard hat. We had a great chat (about snapping turtles, of all things!) and I give him credit for wearing that mask for the kids. As hot as I thought I was, I know it had to be about 120 degrees under that rubber getup!

The day ended with catering from sponsor Fahrenheit (delicious!) and the raffle of door prizes. All in all, I give Joe Thomas and the people at MAR Sports Marketing a lot of credit for this great family event. We can’t wait for next year!

July 17: ZooBlooms at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
July 17: 2nd Annual Joe Thomas Fishing Derby in Westlake
July 18: Family Fun Day at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park
July 23: Space Sleepover at the Great Lakes Science Center
July 24-25: Lake County Heritage Festival at the Lake County Historical Society
August 7: Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival in the Flats
August 9-15: Cuyahoga County Fair in Berea
August 12: Perseids Meteor Party 2010 at the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center
August 13-15: The 36th annual Corn Fest in North Ridgeville
August 14: Creature Comforts at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
August 23-29: Lorain County Fair in Wellington
September 4-6: Cleveland National Air Show at Burke Lakefront Airport
September 11: Discover the Cosmos at the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center
September 25: Teddy Bear Day at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
October 21-24 & 28-31: Boo at the Zoo at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

What events are you and your family most looking forward to this summer? Let us know!

But my first time there, probably 6 or 7 years ago, was a real eye-opener for me. I forget what even prompted me to try it out. I’m so glad I did—it’s now one of my favorite places in the Cleveland area, and both of my boys just love it.

And what’s not to love? It’s hardly ever crowded, it’s free (though donations are accepted and encouraged), there are animals inside and out, and it’s very educational. The animals are surprisingly varied. Inside, you’ll find an assortment of turtles (both land and water), tortoises, snakes, bees, coral reef fish, Lake Erie fish, iguanas, and more. Outside, there is another interesting menagerie: Ducks, foxes, a bald eagle, raccoons, several types of owls, a cooper’s hawk, rabbits, turkeys, white tailed deer, skunks, mink, and I’m sure I’m missing a few. Oh yes, and turkey vultures, Josh’s favorites. (He loves their red heads and seems fascinated by the random bones they always leave scattered at the bottom of their cage after a meal.)

One of the main thrusts of the center is rehabilitating wildlife. In fact, if you find an injured animal that you can safely transport to the center during normal business hours, they will take the animal and try to nurse it back to health. Many of the animals at the center—particularly the outside ones—are animals on the way to rehabilitation or animals that they have helped, but for some reason cannot safely re-release into the wild.

The center also has a very nice planetarium (albeit with limited hours, so please check the schedule at the center website) and a lovely Wild Birds Unlimited gift shop that has an educational bent. There is a nice play area near some of the (inside) aquatic exhibits, with plenty of space for parents or grandparents to sit and just take a load off. Kids can play with books, a Little Tykes-type playhouse, plastic dinosaurs and myriad other toys.

As an added benefit, the center lies at the southern end of the Cleveland Metroparks Huntington Reservation. So, about  two-minute drive north of the center puts you at Huntington Beach, one of the best Lake Erie beaches in the area. Which makes me think, that would make a great blog post one of these days …

The river has a series of small waterfalls, some that you can walk right up to, others best viewable by the numerous overlooks built into the hillsides. There’s a gorgeous covered bridge built in the 1990s by Amish craftsman. The bridge is a pedestrian-only structure, but worth a walk over.

There are some interesting old icehouses in one of the lower portions of the park that have been converted to restrooms; nearby, you’ll find a small covered shelter and an assortment of picnic tables. More falls are in this area, and you may see kids playing on or around them, even sliding down the small, slippery slopes. But this is dangerous, and numerous signs warn of a $100 fine for swimming—or, I presume, waterfall-sliding!

There’s also a pile of old sandstone in at one location about halfway from the shelter to the library parking lot. Not sure where it came from or what it was intended for, but there were several mills in the area ages ago. There are even some old grindstones to be found in the river, if you look hard enough. The trails are very well-maintained and only a little bit hilly. There are plenty of places where you can sit on big rocks and just watch the water cascade by.

A short walk from the covered bridge is the quaint Moosehead Hoof & Ladder, at 7987 Columbia Road. The restaurant is a beautiful renovation of an old fire station (and later, a police station), and there are many beautifully restored fire station antiques. The bar is a sight to behold. Servers are dressed in old-fashioned fire station-type garb, and kids are given silly plastic fire chief hats on entering. Food isn’t particularly healthy, but it is very satisfying fare—burgers, sandwiches, and the like. The kids menu is reasonable and pretty varied. And I highly recommend the homemade chips and dip served with the sandwiches. I generally avoid chips/dip, but theirs is so good, it’s worth the caloric splurge.

We picked a great Saturday in late May to take the 1-hr. ride (from Cleveland’s western suburbs) to the park. It’s a gorgeous ride on a sunny day across the Edison bridge that spans Sandusky Bay. Really, we have to get out to the islands area more often this summer. I forget how scenic and quaint it all is.

My concern was that I’d be depressed once inside the park, worried that the animals would look unhealthy or that the park in general would be of a low quality level. I was pleasantly surprised by the adventure, particularly driving through the park. The animals looked healthy and well-treated. There seemed to be a conservation/educational aspect to things. And the animals were a blast to see and feed.

For admission of about $18/person (there are multiple rates based on age, time of year and what coupons you have—there are plenty out there), you can drive through the park as many times as you wish. The first time through, you get a small plastic cup of food for the animals. Any additional cups you want, or any carrots, you have to buy. Once through was enough for us (well, me).

After a drive through, you can park your car outside the animal gates near the visitor center. To get in to the rest of the attractions, you have to pass through the main building, which was like a gift shop on steroids. Candy, goofy toys, stuffed animals galore, ice cream, etc. There’s also a small restaurant on premises, but we didn’t check that out.

The other attractions feel like a throwback to the 1950′s. They are very quaint and a bit dated, but I guess that’s part of their charm. There are pig races (the names are hysterical), an assortment of wild animals in enclosures, and free pony and camel rides. (Technically, the first ride is free, subsequent rides cost a few bucks.)

Random notes … if you’re a member of the Cleveland Zoo (and it’s hard not to be with little kids!), you’re entitled to a 1/2 price discount on the entrance fees, a pretty good deal. No outside animal food is allowed, but I’m not sure if that means you can’t bring your own carrots. Probably not. And, surprisingly, no giraffes were there on our visit. I don’t know if they’re gone permanently or were just elsewhere that day. But photos of giraffes are all over the park’s website and advertisements, so I’d think this has to be a temporary thing.

Cheesehaven, a great throwback kind of store, is located just a few minutes from the park, at 2920 East Harbor Road. I took the boys there, even though they didn’t sound too thrilled with the prospect. But once inside, they ooh-ed and aah-ed over the extensive supply of candy (bulk and otherwise), including some old-time treats that you’re more likely to find in Amish country. The selection of cheeses—reportedly the largest in Ohio—is impressive, and you’ll find samples being given out, a nice bonus for the parents.

This event is very nicely done, and the two times we’ve been previously, the traffic has been crazy—prepare to park on the entrance road itself or in an overflow parking lot, unless you get there during a slow period. We lucked out this year and arrived about 2:30 (the event ran from 10-4), finding a great spot close in.

Most everything at Train Day is free, the only notable exceptions being food and drinks and a goofy little trainlike vehicle ride that costs $1.

We skipped the ride and went straight for the model railroad exhibits, which are located at several different places on the grounds of the park, as well as inside the visitor center. Wandering further afield, attendees can check out an entire (impressive!) Lego train exhibit, complete with skyscraper, hotel, church, airport and other city mainstays.

One of the most creative and different parts of this event is the hobo trail. Organizers set up signs with hobo signals along the meandering pathway from the visitor center to the canal. The challenge is to guess what the various graphics mean, and you can lift little placards to discover the answers. Along the pathway are volunteers dressed up as hobos, cooking stone soup, playing harmonicas, singing old railroading songs or just telling stories. Josh (9) was pleasantly surprised by this part of the event, and reported it to be his favorite part of the day. (He hadn’t remembered it from previous times, but he was a good bit younger then.)

So, you may read this and think, “Well, that’s all good, but now we have to wait until June 2011 for the next installment.” That’s true, but I’d still suggest a visit to the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation. This small park, just NW of the intersection of I-480 and I-77, is fascinating. It’s a wooded oasis in the heart of Cleveland’s industrial valley, and it is easy to forget that you’re in the midst of a huge metropolitan area from some parts. From others, huge industrial buildings hulk in the distance, presenting an interesting juxtaposition.

The visitor center is beautifully done and gives a nice perspective on the valley, the canal, and the industrial workings of the area. Take the main path toward the canal, and you’ll encounter some great displays of objects that kids may not pay attention to—railroad crossing gates, electrical transformers, sewer pipes. Read about what they do and how they work and why they are a part of the fabric of the city. And then look up to see the same items in the distance in action. It’s really well done.

There is also fishing available near (or in?) the canal, but we didn’t investigate that. We hadn’t thought to bring any of our fishing gear—and it was a very hot, humid 86 degrees!