Cleveland, Ohio, is a city that is often underestimated when it comes to enjoyable, healthy activities. Aside from its industrial exterior and often chilly weather, there are a number of things for families with children to do in Cleveland, from lakefront bike riding to a day at the beach.
Zoo
A great zoo is always an ideal place for children to get fresh air, exercise and a good education, all at the same time. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, founded in 1882, is one of the oldest zoos in the country. It covers more than 160 acres and, according to the zoo, requires at least two to four hours of walking time to observe all of the exhibits, which include a rain forest, an African savanna and a waterfowl lake.
Cycling
The city of Cleveland takes up more than 77 square miles of land, most of which is flat terrain and asphalt. These conditions make cycling a perfect city activity for children. In fact, the Ohio City Bicycle Co-op (OCBC) was established to encourage families to engage in this mode of transportation. OCBC is a nonprofit organization that rents and sells used bikes, as well as providing children with riding lessons. Some of the more popular bike paths include the Lakefront Bikeway and the Morgana Run Trail.
Swimming
Because the weather is cold much of the year, it's easy to forget that Cleveland has an extensive shoreline along Lake Eerie that includes several beaches. One such place is Edgewater Park, which is only minutes from downtown Cleveland and features a sandy beach with a beautiful view of the skyline. Of course, it's only advisable to swim there in the warm summer months, but several indoor pools, such as the one at the downtown Cleveland YMCA, are available to swimmers year-round.
Baseball
Cleveland is a serious baseball town. Although the city has not had the best of luck with its professional team in the past half century, the residents still actively participate in their own leagues. In fact, the Cleveland Baseball Federation has been organizing games for more than 100 years. The federation especially encourages play among children and young adults, offering free sign-ups for residents of the Cleveland area. The Cleveland Metroparks department also has several baseball fields throughout the city that are open to public use.
Golf
Golf is another sport in which Cleveland has made an effort to involve children. The City of Cleveland Recreation Center has summer programs where kids ages 9 to 17 can learn the basics of proper golfing. Of course, there are several first-rate country clubs in the Cleveland area, but the Cleveland Metroparks system also provides its own golf courses, such as Little Met and Mastick Woods, where people of any age can play for a much more affordable price.
Member Comments