5 NE Ohio Places to Visit for Day (that are also kid-friendly!)

Northeast Ohio can sometimes be a treasure trove of daytrips that won't break the bank. Below are 5 things I have done lately that I truly enjoyed, and you might too. The good news too is that all of them are also kid-friendly, should you be looking for a place to entertain the kiddos!

 1. Ride a Train or a Trolley- Who would think of this area being a plethora of places to catch a unique ride?  ...but there are actually several options for this nearby. 

Right here in Youngstown is a train museum, the J&L Narrow Gauge Railroad, with short, and I mean short, train rides on a small gauge train... while the trip isn't long, any train enthusiast would enjoy it. Hours are limited though so be sure to check their website prior to making the trip. 

If a bit of a longer train ride would be your thing, head up to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway in Independence, where you can ride a true passenger train for over an hour through the scenic MetroParks area outside of Cleveland. They run weekends and host some special events as well. Tickets can be bought ahead on their website. 

If trains aren't your thing... there is also a restored trolley that you can ride throughout Mill Creek Metroparks in Youngstown as well! Dates vary throughout the summer so be sure to search the programs tab on the website for dates and reservations. 

2. Kid Friendly Winery- For something to unwind and relax more, there are so many wonderful wineries throughout Northeast Ohio as well. Almost any given weekend you can find a special event occurring at a winery in the area as well from music to floral/pumpkin picking to tastings and even grape stomping in the early fall... One winery in particular though has to be the most kid-friendly of all, Maize Valley in Hartville. Not only do they host numerous events throughout the year, they also have a huge play area for the kiddos and goats wondering the property keeping the grass maintained. While there, right down the road is also a huge Amish area and a weekend flea market to visit as well. 

3. Burton Village- For a more educational day out, try visiting Burton and its Century Village. They also offer many special events on weekends that can be found on their website and guided tours. On any given day though, you are welcome to stroll the property on a self-guided tour and even bring a picnic for free!

4. Animal Parks- While Northeast Ohio has several zoos... Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Akron Zoo, and even the Pittsburgh Zoo (while technically PA, not much of a drive) ... I mean more hands-on animal parks. There are several petting zoos, and probably even more that I do not know about... such as Wagon Trails in Vienna (though 2022 will sadly be their last year as the owners are retiring). There is also an exotic animal zoo in Berlin Center called Noah's Lost Ark. Even more of a hidden gem though again is the free MetroParks Farm in Canfield... they also hold many special events and hayrides which can be found on the Mill Creek Metroparks website again under the programs tab. However, even on days with no events the Farm is open to explore and pet the farm animals during daylight hours with a picnic area and a walking/ biking trail on the property as well. I often find myself visiting here often to walk and stop by to see the goats myself. 

We also cannot forget Happy Trails animal farm as well that serves as a rescue for abused and neglected farm animals. Visit their website for pricing and tour times or to volunteer. They hold special events throughout the year as well, I have even done goat yoga here before as well. 

5. Little Italy- Of course we could not forget a day well spent in Mayfield outside of Cleveland, our Little Italy! The town hosts Italian Fests as well as other events. Even a day with no events though can be full of culture, shopping, and delicious food along the Murray Hill strip! 

Just because other areas aren't labeled as "Little Italy"s though does not mean there is not Italian culture to be found on almost any given weekend of the summer at smaller Italian festivals. One of the largest in the area and the only one with a spectacular Baby Doll dance show nightly is of course Lowellville!

If you need a place to stay for your visit try a VRBO instead of a cramped hotel room. Comment below, what places do you love to visit in NE Ohio? Have you been to any of my picks? Also be sure to hit the subscribe button to receive notice of new posts! 

Ride on the Chatanooga

Always on the hunt to discover some new adventure or hidden attraction, I found a posting for open hours to ride a train in the heart of Youngstown's decaying steel mills. The thought intrigued me so one Sunday morning over the holiday weekend I am headed to the East side of Youngstown to the Youngstown Steel Heritage Museum for my very own train ride. 

I am not going to lie, on arrival it looked as decayed as the rest of the steel mill areas through the outskirts of Youngstown. I seriously was sitting in my car wondering what I had just drove myself into, unsure I was even at the right location due to lack of signage. As other vehicles began to pull in for the public hours, I realized I was in fact in the right place.

The museum was opened to preserve the heritage of the steel mill industry in the area. They had many relics available for show and preservation.

Now don't get me wrong, if it weren't for these men joining together this history may be lost to the future. However, we were visiting based on the train ride.... the area outside also was dedicated to preserving the steel mill industry and its railroad system. There were many areas on display to preserve this....

The next step was to actually board this train and take the ride... which I thought would be traveling through some of the shut down mill areas. The tracks were also every narrow, surprisingly narrow compared to those you would cross on the road in current use. The engineer explained that they were called Narrow Gauge tracks and in fact were only 24" across. 

The crowd who came on this open house Sunday all boarded the train and imagine all of our surprise when we chugged along forward about 150ft and then backwards the same 150ft of track three times! While this might give you a chuckle, as it did me, I am by no means downplaying the valiant effort of these men who banned together to preserve this piece of local history. The museum has only been in effect for less than a year and I truly look forward to their expansion in the coming years with more donations and funding. Besides.... where else in the city borders of Youngstown would you be able to hop on the back of a caboose for a photo op?

Top and shorts JCrew Factory, shoes Sperry