Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Our by far most-visited park is Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It’s not one of the most popular national parks with about 2 and a half million visitors per year, but we think it’s definitely worth a visit. CVNP is about 30 minutes from our home and our go-to for a day trip with the kids and a picnic lunch. It’s a beautiful park with quite a few great areas to visit. Two of the best things about this park is that it’s FREE and it’s never terribly crowded. It’s set up differently than most national parks (there is no “loop” to drive around), but a quick stop at the Boston Mills visitor center will show you where to go for the major attractions and activities. Although it did not become an official national park until 2000, it has great history.  The Towpath trail (our favorite running trail), is a 20-mile trail that is a part of the former Erie Canal. Along the trail you can see lots of locks for the old boats traveling the Erie Canal and great views of the Cuyahoga River. We like to go for runs or bike rides on the towpath, but when showing people around the park, we take them to two major places. First, our favorite is the ledges hike that is short enough that the kiddos can do it on their own. It’s such a cool area with unique rock formations and caves. There is also a beautiful clearing that’s perfect for picnic lunches and letting the kids run around and play and an overlook with great views (but not enclosed so be careful with the kiddos). 

​Brandywine Falls is also a great place to visit in the park. This one is usually a bit busier, but it’s worth it. It’s a beautiful waterfall and boardwalk with upper and lower observation platforms.  There are some other great areas of the park, like the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (which at Christmastime has a great Polar Express ride), Beaver Marsh, and the iconic Everett Covered Bridge. Overall, a visit to this park is relaxing, beautiful, and a perfect family getaway, which is what National Parks are all about.