Monday 2 September 2024
Practically in our backyard here in northeastern Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park was founded fifty years ago to “preserve open space, create opportunities for recreation, clean up pollution, restore habitats, and save historic resources” along the route of the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio-Erie Canal. We treated ourselves to a three night stay here at the Inn at Brandywine Falls located inside the park and just a forty-five minute drive from our apartment. After a visit to the Boston Mill Visitors Center we started our exploration with a drive to Tinker’s Creek to first enjoy an amazing lunch at Tinker’s Creek Tavern – it’d be worth the drive just for the Faroe Islands Salmon Salad and the incredible BBQ Pork Ribs – and to visit Bridal Veil Falls and the Great Falls of Tinker’s Creek, site of an 1821 sawmill, an 1800s grist mill, and an 1890s hydroelectric power plant. Soon we were arriving to check in at the inn where Vicki, our delightful innkeeper gave us an orientation to the property and regaled us with tales of this historic home. Then we were soon scurrying off to an Evening Exploration led by Ranger Maya along the towpath/boardwalk at the Beaver Marsh where we learned about the role of beavers in reclaiming this area as a wetland. We were so glad we’d checked out the ranger led activities ahead of time and had booked a reservation for this free program. Back at the inn we indulged in chamomile tea sipped from china mugs in the library before sinking into luxurious comfort in our room. Saturday morning we lingered at breakfast learning about other national park and travel adventures from fellow guests and sharing a few stories of our own before hiking the Brandywine Gorge Loop Trail in the morning then the Ledges Trail with its intriguing Ice Box Cave in the afternoon. Then for dinner we indulged in delectable Veal Marsala and Tiramisu at CocoBelle’s Italian Grille nearby. The next morning Vicki and her staff served us Steak & Eggs at a table for two on the private porch overlooking the park fortifying us for an excursion to the historic Hale Farm and Village where on this Labor Day Weekend the Made in Ohio Craft Fair was underway, with a stop along the way for some incredibly fresh roasted corn on the cob at Szalay’s Farm Market, a delight we’d experienced on our first visit to the national park in 2007. On Monday Vicki intentionally seated us for breakfast in the library predicting correctly that we’d enjoy swapping national park campfire stories with Jim & Kate. On our way home we stopped to explore the F. A. Sieberling Nature Realm. It’s been a wonderful weekend. And what makes it even better, we live so close we can pop back to explore without the holiday weekend crowds just about anytime we want to, another reason we’re so happy we’ve chosen northeast Ohio as our base. Life’s an incredible adventure!
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