Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in cleveland, OH

Your Local Guide Experts!

by Naomi

March 30, 2009

Imagine my excitement when I was contacted by Gray & Company concerning their amazing books ALL about Ohio and the amazing things this state has to offer!

We have read and avidly perused these books and they are all wonderful and offer great insight into the great things this city has to offer!

Cleveland : On Foot

The fourth edition of this popular guide describes 50 hikes and walks in and around Greater Cleveland. Hike descriptions and maps have been completely updated and revised to show current trails and surroundings; three all-new hikes have been added.

The hikes, for all levels of hiking ability, explore urban, suburban, rural, and woodland areas. Ranging from an easy one-hour walk to a challenging full-day hike, they take hikers to popular local destinations and many less well known locations.

Beyond Cleveland : On Foot

These 58 hikes lead through the most interesting metroparks, state parks, nature preserves, and historic small towns of seven neighboring counties surrounding Greater Cleveland.

The hikes range from easy to strenuous and cover a variety of terrain, so there are good choices for every mood and ability. Each hike includes detailed directions, a trail map, and background notes about the many points of interest found along the way.

Ohio Road Trips

Discover the best and most unusual places to visit in all of Ohio. Longtime TV travel reporter Neil Zurcher has made a career of showing fellow Ohioans how to take delightful mini-vacations close to home. This book collects Neil's all-time favorite Ohio getaway ideas, including . . .

- A museum dedicated entirely to popcorn.

- A historic village where you can ride an authentic replica canal boat.

- Factory tours, antique malls, flea markets, and other lively shopping destinations.

- Animal preserves featuring exotic varieties like bison, lions, rhinos, miniature donkeys . . .

- An Amish hardware store that sells all non-electric appliances.

- Mysterious prehistoric mounds and creepy caverns.

- Romantic country inns, historic hotels, cozy bed-and-breakfasts . . .

- More than 500 places in all!

Great Inn Getaways 

Looking for a real change of scenery? Good news: you don't have to travel far. Try any of these 58 great destinations (all just a short drive from Cleveland) for a refreshingly unique getaway.

No boring chain hotels here, no cookie-cutter motels; these places have true character.

52 Romantic Outings in Greater Cleveland

These 52 carefully planned outings lead Clevelanders away from the tired old dinner-and-a-movie routine and into a realm of romantic discovery.

Here are plenty of options--from a simple lunch hour to a luxurious full day together, and in all price ranges, from totally free to truly decadent. They'll pique a wide range of interests: activities include a wintery sleigh ride followed with hot chocolate by a cozy fire; stargazing at an observatory; ballroom dancing; “love golf;” . . . even target shooting!

Trail Guide to Cuyahoga County

This is the complete trail guide to Ohio's popular national park, written by people who know it best—the volunteers who help build and maintain its trails. Every trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park is described in detail, with specifics for hikers, cyclists, skiers, and horseback riders.

Featured are the historic Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath, the Buckeye Trail, and favorite destinations such as Brandywine Gorge and Blue Hen Falls. You'll find many less-traveled trails, too, leading to hidden ponds, oak-canopied brooks, and quiet glades in all corners of the park.

Bed & Breakfast Getaways

Bed & Breakfasts make great destinations for overnight and weekend trips. Here are 80 B&Bs and small inns that Clevelanders (and Cleveland visitors) should know about, because they're perfect for a quick getaway—just a short drive from home.

Visit a quaint town filled with antique stores and homey restaurants, sample the nightlife in an exciting metropolitan area, or take some time away to do . . . nothing.

Cleveland Fishing Guide

This guide leads anglers of all abilities to the best public fishing spots in Northeast Ohio. Its 55 destinations offer all varieties of sport fish and fishing available locally on the Lake Erie shoreline and in nearby inland lakes, reservoirs, ponds, rivers, and streams.

Each entry provides a detailed description of the site, tells what kind of fish can be caught there, gives bait suggestions and how-to tips, notes local regulations, and is accompanied by site maps and directions to get you to the prime fishing spots.

WANT TO WIN YOUR OWN COPY OF ONE OF THESE BOOKS? 

Simply email tracinghandprints@gmail.com no later than midnight on March 31st with:

1.  Your top two picks of books

2.  Your mailing address

3.  Your favorite spot to visit in the Cleveland area.

Winners will be chosen at random and notified directly!

Adult Bounce Night. For Real!

by Naomi

January 24, 2009

Have you ever taken your kids somewhere and thought "boy, wish I could do that too?" Well, NOW it is YOUR turn! Our friends at Bounce City here in Strongsville are having Adult Bounce Night !!!!!!!! You get to be a kid, exercise, have fun with other adults all at the same time!! Bounce City is Cleveland's largest indoor inflatable fun place! They have obstacle course  Read more...

Savvy Tips for Babysitting!

by Naomi

December 19, 2008

Come on ... admit it. You need a break from your kiddos (and truthfully, they need a break from you too!). There are the required moments away (doctors visits, lengthy car maintenance appointments) and then there are the "wish I could just go get a coffee and read a book by myself" moments. In this day and age, paying upwards of $10/hour seems to be the norm, and who can possibly afford  Read more...